Harry Callahan was a pioneering American photographer who worked in both color and black-and-white. Among his best-known works are the numerous portraits of his wife Eleanor, who served as a constant model throughout his career. His prolific practice included taking took dozens of photographs a day

He tried several technical experiments double and triple exposure, blurs large and small format film. Callahan was one of the few innovators of modern American photography noted as much for his work in color as for his work in black and white.

Harry Callahan was born in Detroit, studied engineering at Michigan State University, and worked for Chrysler before taking up photography as a hobby in 1938. Callahan cited a visit by Ansel Adams to his local camera club in 1941 as the time he began to view photography seriously. Self-taught as a photographer, he found work in the General Motors Photographic Laboratories. In 1946, shortly after meeting László Moholy-Nagy, he was asked to join the faculty of the New Bauhaus (later known as the Institute of Design) in Chicago, where he became chairman of the photography department in 1949. He left Chicago in 1961 to head the photography department at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he remained until 1973. He has won many awards for his photography, including a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1972 and the Photographer and Educator Award from the Society for Photographic Education in 1976, and he was designated Honored Photographer of the Rencontres Internationals de la Photography in Arles, France in 1977, and received ICP’s Master of Photography Infinity Award in 1991. Among the major exhibitions of his work

Harry Callahan has won many awards for his photography, including a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1972 and the Photographer and Educator Award from the Society for Photographic Education in 1976, and he was designated Honored Photographer of the Rencontres Internationals da la photography in Arles, France in 1977, and received ICP Master of Photography Infinity Award in 1991

photo taken by Harry Callahan in Chicago 1954

Photo taken by Harry Callahan in 1949 in chicago

Photo Inspiration

Harry Callahan, a prominent American photographer, excelled in street photography and landscapes as part of the modernist movement. His photography focused on capturing the beauty in everyday life, exploring light, shadow, and form while emphasizing the relationship between people and their environment, showcasing a profound connection to the world around him. Callahan’s innovative photography techniques included experimenting with multiple exposure, cropping, and close-ups to craft compelling compositions. He skilfully manipulated light and shadow to infuse depth and emotion into his images, enabling him to convey his distinct vision and perspective through his photographs.

Background

Harry Callahan attended Michigan State College (now Michigan State University) and studied engineering before discovering his passion for photography. He became famous in the mid-20th century for his unique approach to photography, capturing everyday life in a remarkable way. Callahan’s work gained recognition for its innovative techniques and profound artistic vision, establishing him as a significant figure in the world of photography.​

My Summer Photography

•Karl Blissfield born in 1869 and died in 1932. Photographed plants in closeup and trained as a sculptor but was only very interested in plants and a keen amateur botanist and used photography as a teaching tool to demonstrate the differences in botanical forms. 

•He developed cameras which allowed him to photograph both plants and the texture of their surfaces in unprecedented details.

•He first published black and white photography images In unformed der kunst (1929), which translates as artforms in nature, after an exhibition of his work at Berlins Gallery Nierendorf. 

•His images are unique in the portrayal of plants although a number of people have sought to emulate him. He focuses in particular on the form and structure of plants.