Edward Weston was born and raised in Illinois and he began experimenting with photography at the young age of 16. His work progressed over his lifetime and he maintained a vast span of work ranging from nudes, portraiture, close-up still life, natural forms, and landscapes. In his later years, he experienced symptoms of Parkinson's disease which made it difficult for him to continue taking pictures the way he wanted to. With his close supervision, his sons helped him create prints of his photographs to sell. The Smithsonian honored his life's work by holding a display of selected photographs just years before his passing.
I chose to look at these early 20th century photographs because my dad mentions Weston's name to me. My dad took a photography class in high school (1965), and Weston was a photographer that the class frequently referenced. Weston was a pioneer in helping photography become what it is today. He dedicated his life to exploring and telling the story of individuals, and the introduction of industry. In looking at his work which ranged from 1900-1950, you can visually see the physical and moral change in America.
No comments:
Post a Comment