Pictorial Photography by Alfred Stieglitz

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    Stieglitz: Pictorial Photography

    "Pictorial Photography," by Alfred StieglitzScribners Magazine, 1899 Explanations

    and Questions

    Aboutten

    years

    ago

    the

    movement

    toward

    pictorial

    photography

    evolved

    itselfoutoftheconfusioninwhichphotographyhadbeenborn,andtook

    adefiniteshapeinwhichitcouldbepursuedassuchbythosewholoved

    artandsoughtsomemediumotherthanbrushorpencilthroughwhichto

    giveexpressiontotheirideas.Beforethattimepictorialphotography,as

    thetermwasthenunderstood,waslookeduponasthebastardofscience

    andart,hamperedandheldbackbytheone,deniedandridiculedbythe

    other.Itmustnotbethoughtfromthisstatementthatnoreallyartistic

    photographicworkhadbeendone,forthatwouldbeamisconception;

    butthepointisthatthoughsomeexcellentpictureshadbeenproduced

    previously,therewasnoorganizedmovementrecognizedassuch.

    Letmeherecallattentiontooneofthemostuniversallypopular

    mistakesthathavetodowithphotographythat ofclassing

    supposedlyexcellentworkasprofessional,andusingthetermamateur

    toconveytheideaofimmatureproductionsandtoexcuseatrociously

    poorphotographs.Asamatteroffactnearlyallthegreatestworkis

    being,andhasalwaysbeendone,bythosewhoarefollowing

    photographyfortheloveofit,andnotmerelyforfinancialreasons.As

    thenameimplies,anamateurisonewhoworksforlove;andviewedin

    thislighttheincorrectnessofthepopularclassificationisreadily

    apparent.

    The meaning ofamateur

    Pictures,even

    extremely

    poor

    ones,

    have

    invariably

    some

    measure

    of

    attraction.Thesavageknowsnootherwaytoperpetuatethehistoryof

    hisrace;themosthighlycivilizedhasselectedthismethodasbeingthe

    mostquicklyandgenerallycomprehensible.Owing,therefore,tothe

    universalinterestinpicturesandthealmostuniversaldesiretoproduce

    them,theplacinginthehandsofthegeneralpublicameansofmaking

    pictureswithbutlittlelaborandrequiringlessknowledgehasof

    necessitybeenfollowedbytheproductionofmillionsofphotographs.It

    isduetothisfatalfacilitythatphotographyasapicturemaking

    mediumhasfallenintodisreputeinsomanyquarters;andbecause

    therearefewpeoplewhoarenotfamiliarwithscoresofinferior

    photographsthepopularverdictfindsallphotographersprofessionals

    orfiends.

    Pictures as a typeof visualrepresentations

    Photographs area type of picture

    What is this fatalfacility?

    Nothingcouldbefartherfromthetruththanthis,andinthe

    photographicworldtodaytherearerecognizedbutthreeclassesof

    photographerstheignorant,thepurelytechnical,andtheartistic.To

    thepursuit,thefirstbringnothingbutwhatisnotdesirable;thesecond,

    apurelytechnicaleducationobtainedafteryearsofstudy;andthethird

    bringthefeelingandinspirationoftheartist,towhichisadded

    Art-photography ismore than merepicture making.But why?

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    Stieglitz: Pictorial Photography

    afterwardthepurelytechnicalknowledge.Thisclassdevotethebest

    partoftheirlivestothework,anditisonlyafteranintimate

    acquaintancewiththemandtheirproductionsthatthecasualobserver

    comestorealizethefactthattheabilitytomakeatrulyartistic

    photographisnotacquiredoffhand,butistheresultofanartistic

    instinctcoupledwithyearsoflabor.Itwillhelptoabetter

    understandingofthispointtoquotethelanguageofagreatauthority

    onpictorialphotography,onetowhomitowesmorethantoanyother

    man,Dr.P.H.Emerson.Inhiswork,NaturalisticPhotography,hesays:

    Photographyhasbeencalledanirresponsivemedium.Thisismuchthe

    sameascallingitamechanicalprocess.Agreatparadoxwhichhasbeen

    combatedistheassumptionthatbecausephotographyisnothandwork,

    asthepublicsaythoughwefindthereisverymuchhandworkand

    headworkinitthereforeitisnotanartlanguage.Thisisafallacyborn

    ofthoughtlessness.Thepainterlearnshistechniqueinordertospeak,

    andheconsiderspaintingamentalprocess.Sowithphotography,

    speakingartisticallyofit,itisaveryseverementalprocess,andtaxesall

    theartistsenergiesevenafterhehasmasteredtechnique.Thepointis,whatyouhavetosay and howto say it. Theoriginalityofaworkofart

    referstotheoriginalityofthethingexpressedandthewayitisexpressed,

    whetheritbeinpoetry,photography,orpainting.Thatonetechniqueis

    moredifficultthananothertolearnnoonewilldeny;butthegreatest

    thoughtshavebeenexpressedbymeansofthesimplesttechnique,

    writing.

    Stieglitz quotesPeter HenryEmerson (1856-1936), whodefended realismand attackedcompositephotography(assemblingimages fromdifferent sources)

    Content (subjectmatter) isdistinguished fromits mode ofexpression

    Intheinfancyofphotography,asappliedtothemakingofpictures,itwas

    generallysupposedthataftertheselectionofthesubjects,theposing,

    fighting,exposure,anddevelopment,everysucceedingstepwaspurely

    mechanical,requiring

    little

    or

    no

    thought.

    The

    result

    of

    this

    was

    the

    inevitableoneofstampingoneverypicturethusproducedthebrandof

    mechanism,thecrudestiffnessandvulgarityofchromos,andotherlike

    productions.Withinthelastfewyears,orsincethemoreseriousofthe

    photographicworkersbegantorealizethegreatpossibilitiesofthe

    mediuminwhichtheyworkedontheonehand,anditsdemandsonthe

    other,andbroughttotheirlaborsaknowledgeofartanditsgreat

    principles,therehasbeenamarkedchangeinallthis.Lens,camera,plate,

    developingbaths,printingprocess,andthelikeareusedbythemsimply

    astoolsfortheelaborationoftheirideas,andnotastyrantstoenslave

    anddwarfthem,ashadbeenthecase.

    Can aphotographercontrol how thesubject matter is

    expressed?

    Artists expressideas

    Thestatementthatthephotographicapparatus,lens,camera,plate,etc.,

    areplianttoolsandnotmechanicaltyrants,willeventodaycomeasa

    shocktomanywhohavetacitlyacceptedthepopularverdicttothe

    contrary.Itmustbeadmittedthatthisverdictwasbaseduponagreat

    massoftheevidencemechanicalprofessionalwork.Thisevidence,

    however,wasnotofthebestkindtosupportsuchaverdict.It

    unquestionablyestablishedthatninetenthsofthephotographicworkput

    beforethepublicwaspurelymechanical;buttoarguethereforethatall

    Mechanicalprocesses

    Mechanicalphotography isnot art (so mostphotography isnot art)

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    Stieglitz: Pictorial Photography

    photographicworkmustthereforebemechanicalwastoarguefromthe

    premisetoaninconsequentconclusion,afactthatabriefexaminationof

    someofthephotographicprocesseswilldemonstratebeyond

    contradiction.Consider,forexample,thequestionofthedevelopmentof

    aplate.Theacceptedideaisthatitissimplyimmersedinadeveloping

    solution,allowedtodeveloptoacertainpoint,andfixed:andthat,

    beyondacarethatitbenotoverdevelopedorfogged,nothingfurtheris

    required.This,however,isfarfromthetruth.Thephotographerhashis

    developingsolutions,hisrestrainers,hisforcingbaths,andthelike,and

    inordertoturnoutaplatewhosetonalvalueswillberelativelytruehe

    mustresorttolocaldevelopment.This,ofcourse,requiresaknowledgeof

    andfeelingforthecomprehensiveandbeautifultonalityofnature.Asit

    hasneverbeenpossibletoestablishascientificallycorrectscaleofvalues

    betweenthehighlightsandthedeepshadows,thephotographer,likethe

    painter,hastodependuponhisobservationofandfeelingfornaturein

    theproductionofapicture.Thereforehedevelopsonepartofhis

    negative,restrainsanother,forcesathird,andsoon;keepingallthewhile

    aproperrelationbetweenthedifferentparts,inorderthatthewholemaybeharmoniousintone.Thiswillillustratetheplasticnatureofplate

    development.Itwillalsoshowthatthephotographermustbefamiliar

    notonlywiththepositive,butalsowiththenegativevalueoftones.The

    turningoutofprintslikewiseisaplasticandnotamechanicalprocess.It

    istruethatitcanbemademechanicalbythecraftsman,justasthebrush

    becomesamechanicalagentinthehandsofthemerecopyistwhoturns

    outhundredsofpaintcoveredcanvaseswithoutbeingentitledtobe

    rankedasanartist;butinproperhandsprintmakingisessentiallyplastic

    initsnature.

    The lack of anobjective scale

    In its originalmeaning, plasticmeans subject tomanipulation

    Drawing (by hand)can bemechanical

    Anexamination

    of

    either

    the

    platinum

    or

    the

    gum

    process,

    the

    two

    great

    printingmediaoftheday,willatoncedemonstratethatwhathasalready

    beenassertedoftheplateisevenmoretrueofthese.Mostofthereally

    greatworkofthedayisdoneinoneortheotheroftheseprocesses,

    becauseofthegreatfacilitytheyaffordinthisdirection,afacilitywhich

    studentsofthesubjectarebeginningtorealizeisalmostunlimited.Inthe

    formerprocess,aftertheprinthasbeenmade,itisdevelopedlocally,as

    wastheplate.Withtheactualbeautiesoftheoriginalscene,anditstonal

    valueseverbeforethemindseyeduringthedevelopment,theprintisso

    developedastorenderalltheseastheyimpressedthemakeroftheprint;

    andasnotwopeopleareeverimpressedinquitethesameway,notwo

    interpretationswilleverbealike.Tothisisduethefactthatfromtheir

    picturesitisaseasyamattertorecognizethestyleoftheleadingworkers

    inthephotographicworldasitistorecognizethatofRembrandtor

    Reynolds.Inengraving,artstopswhentheengraverfinisheshiswork,

    andfromthattimeontheprocessbecomesamechanicalone;andto

    changetheresultstheplatemustbealtered.Withtheskilled

    photographer,onthecontrary,avarietyofinterpretationsmaybegiven

    ofaplateornegativewithoutanyalterationswhateverinthenegative,

    whichmayatanytimebeusedforstrikingoffaquantityofpurely

    The chemical useof platinumproduces strongcontrasts. In thegum process,gum Arabic iscombined withpigment. The twoprocessesproducedistinctive effectsin the resultingprints.

    Engraved platesproduce prints bya mechanicalprocess in whichthe many printswill look virtuallyidentical

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    Stieglitz: Pictorial Photography

    mechanicalprints.Thelatestexperimentswiththeplatinumprocesshave

    openedupanentirelynewfieldthatoflocalbrushdevelopmentwith

    differentsolutions,soastoproducecolorsandimparttothefinished

    pictureallthecharacteristicsofatintedwashdrawing.Thisprocess,

    whichhasnotyetbeenperfected,hasexcitedmuchinterest,andbidsfair

    toresultinsomeverybeautifulwork.Bythemethodoflocaltreatment

    abovereferredtoalmostabsolutecontroloftonality,atmosphere,andthe

    likeisgiventothephotographer,onwhoseknowledgeandtastedepends

    thepicturesfinalartisticcharmorinartisticoffensiveness.

    Inthegumprocess,longagodiscardedbyoldtimephotographersas

    worthless,becausenotfacilefromthemechanicalpointofview,but

    revivedofrecentyears,theartisthasamediumthatpermitsthe

    productionofanyeffectdesired.Theseeffectsareinvariablyso

    unphotographicinthepopularsenseofthatwordastobedecriedas

    illegitimatebythoseignorantofthemethodofproducingthem.Inthis

    processthephotographerprepareshisownpaper,usinganykindof

    surfacemostsuitedtotheresultwanted,fromtheevensurfacedplatepapertoroughdrawingparchment;heisalsoatlibertytoselectthecolor

    inwhichhewishestofinishhispicture,andcanproduceatwillanindia

    ink,redchalk,oranyothercolordesired.Theprinthavingbeenmadehe

    moistensit,andwithasprayofwaterorbrushcanthinout,shade,or

    removeanyportionofitssurface.Besidesthis,byasystemofrecoating,

    printingover,etc.,hecancombinealmostanytoneorcoloreffect....

    Withtheappreciationoftheplasticnatureofthephotographicprocesses

    cametheimprovementinthemethodsabovedescribedandthe

    introductionofmanyothers.Withthemtheartmovement,assuch,took

    a

    more

    definite

    shape,

    and,

    though

    yet

    in

    its

    infancy,

    gives

    promise

    of

    a

    robustmaturity.Themenwhowereresponsibleforallthisweremasters

    andatthesametimeinnovators,andwhiletheyrealizedthat,likethe

    painterandtheengravertheirarthaditslimitations,theyalso

    appreciatedwhatuptotheirtimewasnotgenerallysupposedtobethe

    fact,thattheaccessoriesnecessaryfortheproductionofaphotograph

    admittedofthegivingexpressiontoindividualandoriginalideasinan

    originalanddistinctmanner,andthatphotographscouldberealisticand

    impressionisticjustastheirmakerwasmovedbyoneortheother

    influence.

    Acursoryreviewofthemagazinesandpaperstheworldoverthatdevote

    theirenergiesandcolumnstoartanditsprogresswillconvincethereaderthattodaypictorialphotographyisestablishedonafirmandartistic

    basis.Innearlyeveryartcentreexhibitionsofphotographsareshown

    thathavebeenjudgedbyjuriescomposedofartistsandthosefamiliar

    withthetechniqueofphotography,andpasseduponastotheirpurely

    artisticmerit;whileinMunich,theartcentreofGermany,the

    Secessionists,abodyofartistscomprisingthemostadvancedandgifted

    menoftheirtimes,who(asthenameindicatestheyhavebrokenaway

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    Stieglitz: Pictorial Photography

    fromthenarrowrulesofcustomandtradition)haveadmittedtheclaims

    ofthepictorialphotographtobejudgedonitsmeritsasaworkofart

    independently,andwithoutconsideringthefactthatithasbeen

    producedthroughthemediumofthecamera.Andthattheartloving

    publicisrapidlycomingtoappreciatethisisevidencedbythefactthat

    therearemanyprivateartcollectionstodaythatnumberamongtheir

    picturesoriginalphotographsthathavebeenpurchasedbecauseoftheir

    realartisticmerit.Thesignificanceofthiswillbethemoremarkedwhen

    thepricespaidforsomeofthesepicturesareconsidered,itbeingnotan

    unusualthingtohearofasinglephotographhavingbeensoldtosome

    collectorforupwardofonehundreddollars.Ofthepermanentmeritof

    thesepicturesposteritymustbethejudge,asisthecasewithevery

    productioninanybranchofartdesignedtoendurebeyondtheperiodof

    ageneration.

    Can merit bedetermined if onedoes not considerthe medium?

    Thefieldopentopictorialphotographyistodaypracticallyunlimited.To

    thegeneralpublicthatacquiresitsknowledgeofthescopeand

    limitationsofmodernphotographyfromprofessionalshowwindowsandphotosupplycases,thestatementthatthephotographeroftodayenters

    practicallynearlyeveryfieldthatthepaintertreads,barringthatofcolor,

    willcomeassomethingofarevelation.Yetsuchisthecase:portraitwork,

    genrestudies,landscapes,andmarine,theseandathousandother

    subjectsoccupyhisattention.Everyphaseoflightandatmosphereis

    studiedfromitsartisticpointofview,andasaresultwehavethe

    beautifulnightpictures,actuallytakenatthetimedepicted,stormscenes,

    approachingstorms,marvelloussunsetskies,allofwhicharealready

    familiartomagazinereaders.Anditisnotsufficientthatthesepicturesbe

    trueintheirrenderingoftonalvaluesoftheplaceandhourtheyportray,

    butthey

    must

    also

    be

    so

    as

    to

    the

    correctness

    of

    their

    composition.

    In

    ordertoproducethemtheirmakermustbequiteasfamiliarwiththe

    lawsofcompositionasisthelandscapeorportraitpainter;afactnot

    generallyunderstood.Metropolitanscenes,homelyinthemselves,have

    beenpresentedinsuchawayastoimparttothemapermanentvalue

    becauseofthepoeticconceptionofthesubjectdisplayedintheir

    rendering.Inportraiture,retouchingandthevulgarshinehavebeen

    entirelydoneawaywith,andinsteadwehaveportraitsthatarestrong

    withthecharacteristictraitsofthesitter.Inthisdepartmentheadrests,

    artificialbackgrounds,carvedchairs,andthelikearenowtobefound

    onlyintheworkshopsoftheinartisticcraftsman,thatclassofsocalled

    portraitphotographerswhosesoleclaimtotheartisticistheglaringsign

    hungwithouttheirshopsbearingthelegend,ArtisticPhotographsMade

    Within.Theattitudeofthegeneralpublictowardmodernphotography

    wasneverbetterillustratedthanbytheremarkofanartstudentata

    recentexhibition.Thespeakerhadgonefromgumprinttoplatinum,

    andfromlandscapetogenrestudy,withevidentandeverincreasing

    surprise;hadnotedthatinsteadofbeingpurelymechanical,theprinting

    processesweredistinctlyindividual,andthatthenegativenevertwice

    yieldedthesamesortofprint;hadseenhowwonderfullytruethetonal

    Colorphotography didnot becomesimple until 1907

    Calling yourselfartistic does notmake you an artist

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    Stieglitz: Pictorial Photography

    renderings,howstrongtheportraits,howfreefromthestiff,characterless

    countenanceoftheaverageprofessionalwork,andinawordhowfullof

    feelingandthoughtwaseverypictureshown.Thencamethewords,But

    thisisnotphotography!Wasthistrue?No!Foryearsthephotographer

    hasmovedonwardfirstbysteps,andfinallybystridesandleaps,and,

    thoughtheworldknewbutlittleofhiswork,advancedandimprovedtill

    hehasbroughthisarttoitspresentstateofperfection.Thisisthereal

    photography,thephotographyoftoday;andthatwhichtheworldis

    accustomedtoregardaspictorialphotographyisnotthereal

    photography,butanignorantimposition.

    Stieglitz valuesoriginality inthought andfeeling

    FromaLettertoJ.DudleyJohnston,April1925:Idonotmakepictures,thatisIneverwasasnapshotterinthesenseI

    feelCoburnis.IhaveavisionoflifeandItrytofindequivalentsforit

    sometimesintheformofphotographs.Itsbecauseofthelackofinner

    visionamongstthosewhophotographthattherearereallybutfewtrue

    photographers. Thespiritofmyearlyworkisthesamespiritofmy

    laterwork.OfcourseIhavegrown,havedeveloped,knowmuchmore,ammoreconsciousperhapsofwhatIamtryingtodo.SowhatI

    mayhavegainedinforminmaturityImayhavelostinanother

    direction.Thereisnosuchthingasprogressorimprovementinart.

    Thereisartornoart.Thereisnothinginbetween.

    Alvin LangdonCoburn (1882-1966)

    Photographs

    express a visionof life.