Photographers get a subject thrown in whenever they shack up with someone, and little did Georgia O'Keeffe suspect when posing for the earlier of these portraits that she would have had to endure sitting endlessly for Alfred Steiglitz from early on in their relationship and for many decades to come. It's a wonder she ever got time to pick up a paint brush and arguably become more famous than him.
There are a lot of interesting photographs of her on the web by other people throughout her life but the interest in those is largely for their snapshot value, and while many are super-interesting (such as her on a motorbike, and her in colour!) only Steiglitz actually knocked out the goods in terms of photographic art.
Photographers that have made their partner their subject have two motives; the pleasure of being with and looking carefully at their loved one and combining that with the determination to make a picture worthy of both their love for them and also for the medium of photography. Usually over time the balance tips in favour of the latter compulsion, to make an important image, and it becomes a quite selfish endeavour. Assessing the later of the two portraits below I'd say Steiglitz was still enamoured of both woman and fine print despite the passage of years and vicissitudes of relationship.
There are a lot of interesting photographs of her on the web by other people throughout her life but the interest in those is largely for their snapshot value, and while many are super-interesting (such as her on a motorbike, and her in colour!) only Steiglitz actually knocked out the goods in terms of photographic art.
Photographers that have made their partner their subject have two motives; the pleasure of being with and looking carefully at their loved one and combining that with the determination to make a picture worthy of both their love for them and also for the medium of photography. Usually over time the balance tips in favour of the latter compulsion, to make an important image, and it becomes a quite selfish endeavour. Assessing the later of the two portraits below I'd say Steiglitz was still enamoured of both woman and fine print despite the passage of years and vicissitudes of relationship.
