From Alfred Stieglitz and Minor White to Man Ray and Laszlo Moholy- Nagy

by Alfred Stieglitz

by Alfred Stieglitz

Alfred Stieglitz was one of early Pictorialist photographers who promoted the photograph as art. In the end of 19^th century and early 20^th century, the photograph was considered the advance of science; photographs were not able to be as vivid as drawings and paintings. He considered that camera is a tool as same as brush for painting. The technique of manipulating is one of the tools to create the art as well. He usually used tricks and techniques in the dark room to process a photo.  Except the tricks, he was also a fan of “soft-focus lens” (lens of atmosphere); however, he preferred the naturally- occurring atmosphere rather than the “soft-focus lens”. In one of his early photo called “Winter-Fifth Avenue”, the snow gave the atmosphere, the fuzzy and soft-focus effect that soft-focus lens would not create. “winter-Fifth Avenue” could also tell how deep Stieglitz love photography; he used to stand in a driving blizzard to get this photo.

by Minor White

Even though, Stieglitz was a hard representive of Pictorialism in most of his photography career; it did not mean that he did not subscribed to Naturalism. Stieglitz changed from pictorialism to naturalism. Naturalism is a theory that the principle subject of a photo should be in sharp focus while secondary elements should be left out of focus.  In his photo “Spring Showers, New York” is a representive of his “naturalism”.

by Minor White

Minor White, who had contact with the work of Alfred Stieglitz, was a famous photographer as well. He looked upon the photography as medium of art. In the 60s, his style of photography had become the one of most models the photographers followed. Among most of his photographs, the nature is the theme, such as landscape, snow feature, and rock. He thought that clear and unchanging picture is the way of self-expression. White was a fan of spiritualism; he was interested in psychology which made him believe that the spirit is prior than anything else. From his work, we would see his attitude about art.

by Man Ray

Both Stieglitz and White are the painter of art. They devoted most of their lives to intent to “paint” the moment that could move theirselves and others in cameras.

by Moholo-Nagy

Man Ray, his photographs were basically focus on human body and countenance, and his objective were mostly on female than male. Also, some of his photographs were naked, he tried to specified artistic visions of females. Also, his photographs were absolutely different with Alfred Stieglitz, Stieglitz’s photographs were focusing on scenery, like building and city view. There only few of his photographs were focus on portrait.  



by Alfred Stieglitz



Moholo-Nagy’s photographs were usually using simple object or pattern, combine it together, and frame it with different lighting or coloring. His photographs were kind of nonrepresentational, with the special light, color and texture that he created for each photographs, each one of them were special and unique.

 After viewing most of Moholo-Nagy and Man Ray’s photographs, I believe all of their photographers are frame with their cameras. They used different techniques, lenses and lighting to create these unique photographs.  

Reference:

http://artsmia.org/get-the-picture/print/stieglitz.shtml#

http://www.masters-of-photography.com/W/white/white_articles3.html

http://alafoto.com/listing/thumbnails.php?album=51

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/stgp/hd_stgp.htm#slideshow5