Alfred Stieglitz, 1864-1946

Alfred Stieglitz was in many ways the
first “modern” photographer.
Though his early photographs were
carefully manipulated to imitate
paintings, he soon recognized that
photography was an art in its own
right —and deserved to be treated as
one. He saw the need to free photography
from the conventions and limitations
of painting. Consequently,
Stieglitz promoted what came to be
known as “straight” photography —
making prints with little or no cropping,
retouching or other alteration.
He was a founding member and
leader of the “Photo Secession,” a
group of photographers who were
determined to break away from photography’s
past and to chart its
future. Stieglitz was editor and
publisher of the group’s magazine,
Camera Work, the first publication
to deal seriously with photography as
an independent art form. He worked
with Edward Steichen to establish
“Gallery 291″ in New York City,
which exhibited contemporary photographs
along with paintings by
Picasso, Matisse and Georgia
O’Keefe (whom Stieglitz later
married).
When photography was first invented,
it was a scientific novelty.
Soon, it evolved into an excellent
record-keeping tool. Photographers
could be hired to make a lasting
record of a person, place or event. By
the late 1800s, photographers were
striving to elevate their craft into a
recognized art. They did this by imitating
the content and visual effects
of paintings. Stieglitz’great achievement
was to bring photography full
circle: he merged its artistic potential
with its ability to produce a factual
record. He returned to the straightforward
approach of the early
photographers, but he did so with the
insight and confidence of a true
artist.
Stieglitz was among the first
photographers to produce work that,
even today, does not look “dated.”
Though clothing and architectural
styles have changed considerably
since his time, his best work still looks
thoroughly modern. The main reason
for this is that he used the camera as
we use it today —as a familiar tool for
exploring reality.
The attitudes and interests that
Stieglitz brought to photography can
be traced to his upbringing. He was
born in Hoboken, New Jersey, the
son of German immigrants. He originally
intended to become a mechanical
engineer. While in Berlin studying
for this purpose, he happened to
see a camera in a store window. He
bought it and soon decided it was
more interesting than engineering.
When he returned to the U.S. at the
age of 26, he was delighted to find
that photography was extremely popular.
But he was also dismayed by the
lack of publications and galleries promoting
it as an art. For the next 56
years, he devoted himself to correcting
this situation. Along the way, he
produced some of the finest photographs
in history.