repetition, pattern, rhythm, reflection and symmetry

Alvin Langdon Coburn compared to Alfred Stieglitz

Both of these photographs are devoid of any colour and shot in black and white, making them appear old and dated. Additionally, they both are very abstract in nature, with Coburn photographing glass, crystalline shapes with the use of kaleidoscopic contraption, and Stieglitz photographing the patterns that he sees in the clouds above him. However, there are some major differences between the two images. For example, Coburn’s photograph consists of harsh, straight lines which run across the entirety of the image, with the leading, geometrical shapes drawing the viewer’s eye into the centre of the image. On the other hand, Stieglitz’s composition is made up of soft, organic, and curved lines which show the natural direction the wind in the sky. It is a much more relaxing photograph to look at, because it is pure and real, unlike Coburn’s image which had to be manhandled and manipulated in order to achieve. Technically, the lighting in both of the photographs are similar, with each of them being lit in a low light. However, it is clear that Stieglitz’s image was taken using a natural light source as the photograph is of the sky, and Coburn’s lighting was most likely artificial in order for him to ensure that the reflections were placed precisely where he wanted them to be. Also, in Stieglitz’s photograph, there appears to be a lot more empty and negative space compared to Coburn’s, whose subject takes up the entire frame.

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