Ever since Joseph Nicéphore Niépce produced his first heliograph in 1826/1827, light continues to play an essential role in the creation and evolution of photography. In its essence, photography is the act of recording light emanating from an object through a lens onto light-sensitive substrates such as metal, glass, paper or film. Just as the human eye cannot see any forms in complete darkness, no photograph can present any distinguishing characteristics without light. Variations of light impact the tonal ranges, mood and presence of an object that the process captures. Chasing Light explores the photographer’s specific use of natural and artificial light in order to transform the image into an aesthetic study of form.
Selections from the Art Museum’s permanent collection demonstrate how photographers seek out and capture light to use as visual cues in directing the viewer’s attention and to heighten the visual and emotional impact of the image. This is best observed in black and white photographs. The most common variations for demonstrating the effects of light are chiaroscuro “strong contrasts between light and shadow,” midtones or subtle gradations. Sometimes the specific qualities of light are found as complete happenstance, while other times photographers methodically construct lighting conditions or wait for just the right moment.
FEATURED WORKS BY PHOTOGRAPHERS: Berenice Abbott | Ansel Adams | Mario A. Algaze | Margaret Bourke-White | Alan Barry Cohen | Alfred Eisenstaedt | Arthur “Weegee” Fellig | Donna Ferrato | Sally Gall | George Richmond Hoxie | Leopold Hugo | Edward Kezur | Shin-ichi Kumanomido | Anne Noggle | Olivia Parker | Steve Schapiro | Paul Strand