Shadows: The Absence of Light

If photography is the process of recording or writing images with light, and shadow is in essence, light obscured, what happens when these two are combined in an image? How can absence of light affect the way one sees the world around them? The shadow proves that there is light, yet that light is disrupted by the presence of an object that comes in direct opposition to the direction in which the light rays are traveling. Shadows are all around us, projecting representations of the world, or concealing what can otherwise be seen. Often in doing so, they create beautiful, mysterious, and compelling whispers of reality. Many photographers throughout history have explored the unique of shadows, and in some cases, create or capture images that move beyond reality, creating worlds that are not otherwise seen. 

Such is the case in Umbehr Otto’s Mystery of the Street, taken in 1928. Umbehr shows influence of the Surrealist movement in his work, a movement that in some ways explored outside of reality and into the imagination in unexpected, unrestricted, and often irrational ways. This collection seeks to explore photos that not only exemplify this, but also represent other ways that photographers have used shadows, constructed or natural, in capturing what they see.

Otto Umbehr, Mystery of the Street, 1928

Gelatin Silver Print, Accession # 1987.1100.49 

This first photo, my object of focus for this collection, captures a simple city street scene, that through shadow is drastically altered. Umbehr offers a different perspective, taking what would normally be passed by and creating a mysterious world in which shadows are more clear than substance. He uses composition, contrast, perspective, and texture to make a visually compelling image that defines life in a new way, rather than how we traditionally see it. Through this photo, he explore how shadows can bring us into another world

Pierre Debeuil,  Ombres d’Optique, 1929

Oil Print, Sale 9330-Lot 157, Christie’s Auction 

Though this is an image created through an alternate process, oil printing, it is still an exploration of light and shadow. Pierre, a French photographer, works from a bird’s eye view, much like Umbehr. Though not much is known about the production of this photo, I would suggest that Pierre constructed this image, using shadows as lines that lead your eye around the image. In some way, our brain wants to make text out of the images, and in this way Pierre uses shadows to suggest something that is not actually there.

Lucia Moholy, Woman with Hat, c. 1930 

Gelatin Silver Print, Prakapas Gallery, New York 

Lucia Moholy, wife of Lazlo Moholy-Nagy, was often known to document the daily people and scenes in the Bauhaus. In this photo, she uses shadow differently than what we’ve seen previously, in that it conceals what is known, rather than projecting a glimpse of a reality. She evokes mystery and intrigue, because we are left with a only a partial portrait of this woman. Working with the intense contrasts of light and shadow, she creates a dramatic tonal range within her photo, furthering our intrigue in the subject.

Brett Weston, Dunes, 1946

Print, Brett Weston Archive 

A couple of decades later, Brett Weston, son of well known f/64 group member Edward Weston, follows in his father’s footsteps, creating images that rely heavily on the contrasts of light and shadow. Using shadows to accentuate the curving, organic lines of landscapes and the human body, he creates very sensuous, dramatic images. Dunes highlights peaks and ridges, and both softly and intensely calls attention to the topography of the land.

Lee Friedlander, New York City, 1966

Gelatin Silver Print, Fraenkel Gallery 

Still further down the road, Lee Friedlander decides to use shadow in a very different way. Rather than using it to compliment the subject, or as an aesthetic strong point, Friedlander instead surprises the viewer by pushing himself, as the photographer, into the space of the photo, in often awkward or abnormal ways. Here, he projects his shadow onto the lady, stating his presence behind her. All the while she, is seemingly unaware of his presence. While his photos are often uncomfortable, they are unconventional yet still compelling statements of his presence.