Alfred Stieglitz lived from 1864-1946 (82 years). He was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, and was the eldest of 6 children. Throughout education Alfred was very intellectual, and did not find his studies in the Charlier Institute (a private school in New York) very difficult, so his father decided it was time to move back to Germany, where his father and mother immigrated from. His father gave him very large allowance ($1,200 US !!!!) and he used this money to enroll at the Technical University of Berlin, where he was taught chemistry under the professor Hermann Wilhelm Vogel. Vogel happened to be one of the lead scientists on researching Photographic development. Through Vogel, Alfred met other artists and came to the decision to buy a camera.
Alfred turned out to be one of the most aesthetically inspired photogs, and was one of the first to claim it as a visual art. He took many photos of landscape, and the people around him. Soon he was writing for several journals, articles about how photography is an art directly using the aesthetic beauty of nature.
This picture, called "The Terminal", I chose as one of my favorites for several reasons. First of all the subject matter, it reminds me of something you'd think would be ordinary around that time period. Secondly, the lighting is perfect- I don't see this being any lighter than it is, the exposure was well timed. And thirdly, look at the steam- there is snow all around on the ground, yet the steam is thick enough to be seen coming off the backs of the horses. It's very simple, and I enjoy the ordinary look it has.
Relations:
Alfred was married in 1893 to Emmaline Obermeyer, who he decided to marry out of her youth, and money- which she inherited from her father. Unfortunately he did not think of her interests, and they did not have the same need for culture and art. They had one daughter Katherine, in 1898, and hired several people to look after her and her mother as Alfred's business went on as normal.
Several years later he began setting up expositions, and was then shown one of Georgia O'Keeffes' portfolios and immediately decided to add it in. One of Georgia's friends told her about the pieces. She went to Alfred to complain about not asking for permission- He was struck- So was she, with his best friend at the time, Paul Strand. There after Strand told him of the letters O'Keeffe and he had been sending each other, and Alfred told Strand of his feelings. Strand became less interested with O'Keeffe after, and she and Alfred became intimate. Emmy, and Alfred obviously were no longer in such a relationship. He since brought O'Keeffe into his home, at the time Emmy had been gone, but no sooner she walked in on him taking nude photos of O'Keeffe. Emmy, hurt and angry told Alfred to leave. He did as she said and moved in with O'Keeffe elsewhere in the city.
