Jerry Uelsmann

Darkroom composite photography

Biography

● Born in Detroit on June 11, 1934

● Graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology in

1957 with a B.F.A.

● He then attended grad school at University of Indiana

where he received his M.S. and M.F.A. in 1960

● After graduating from grad school he went on to teach

photography at the University of Florida in Gainesville

● Became a graduate research professor of art in 1974

www.uelsmann.net/about

Biography

● Uelsmann has received many awards and honors

throughout his career and his work has been exhibited in

more than 100 individual shows. Some of his

photographs are also in permanent collections in

museums worldwide.

● He discovered a way to calibrate negatives on enlargers

to blend photos into a surrealist photomontage, and even

though he now has digital tools at his disposal he still

prefers working in the darkroom with the impressive

technique he developed.

“I’ve spent so much time in the darkroom that it’s a part of me

“

History of Photomontage ● Aligned himself with photomontage (Began in the 1920s)

Photography: the art or practice of taking and processing photographs.

Photomontage: A photomontage is a collage constructed from photographs

● Sub-genre of Photomontage is Surrealism Photomontage: Creating a world or image that goes beyond the physical world. It tampers with what is real and what is imaginary.

● Surreal = Beyond the real

● Credits Ulesmann uses are René Magritte, Oscar Rejlander and Henry Peach Robinson as part of his inspiration for his

photomontage images.

Ulesmann’s Artistic Processes

● Uelsmann began to experiment with a lot of darkroom

techniques in photography

● Developed techniques with combining multiple images;

resulting in different but impressive surrealist artworks.

● “Allegorical and surreal compositions through painstaking

handmade collage” - Artnet

● “Uelsmann relies on multiple exposures and uses many

enlargers to achieve his dream-like imagery.” -Artnet

● “Alchemy”—silver-halide photography and printing

Ulesmann’s Artistic Processes cont.

● First stage of his concept, is he collects seemingly

random items to be used in his images.

● Second stage, Ulesmann forms his artwork by

assembling ideas and items from his library of found

and preconceived pictures.

● Final stage, what separates Uelsmann from other

artists? He leaves the important part of the functioning

of the art to his audience.

One of his famous artworks: “Untitled 1976”

Dream Theater - 2004

Key Elements

- Blended Photomontage

- Varying Opacity

- Foreground, Mid, Background

- Contrast, Visual Weight

Untitled - 1996

Key Elements

- High Contrast

- Centered Composition

- Blending

- Meaning

Untitled - 1976

Key Elements

- Sharp masking

- Lighting

- Contrast

- Rule-of-thirds

Untitled ~ 1997

Key Elements

- Overlapping composition

- Noise

- Dodging and Burning

- Masking

Untitled - 1982

Key Elements

- Dodging and Burning

- Distorted Perspective

- Contrast

- Weight

Questions of Self - 2015

Key Elements

- Inversion

- Intention

Untitled - 1997

Key Elements

- Burning

- Contrast

- Scale

Memories of Max Ernst - 1997

Key elements

- Light - Overlaying images - Perspective

Untitled - 1996Key elements

- Perception - Contrast

Untitled - 1992Key elements

- Central focal point -

Untitled - 1990

Key elements

- Scale- Lighting -

Untitled - 1992

Key elements

- Contrast - Fading - Dodging and burning

Untitled - 1985

Key elements

- Emphases using light- Shading- High contrast

Sources: “Jerry Uelsmann.” Alfred Eisenstaedt Biography and Humble Beginnings, FotogPedia, 2014, www.fotogpedia.com/jerry-uelsmann.htm.

Artnet. “Jerry Uelsmann.” Jerry Uelsmann, Artnet Worldwide Corporation, www.artnet.com/artists/jerry-uelsmann/.

Harris, Mark Edward. “An Interview With Jerry Uelsmann.” Digital Photo Pro, Photographer Profiles, 25 Apr. 2016, www.digitalphotopro.com/profiles/jerry-uelsmann-the-alchemist/#.

Tate. “Photomontage – Art Term.” Tate, Tate, www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/p/photomontage.

“Biography.” Jerry Uelsmann, 2012, www.uelsmann.net/about.php.

“Jerry Uelsmann - 125 Artworks, Bio & Shows.” Artsy, Artsy, www.artsy.net/artist/jerry-uelsmann.