Alfred Stieglitz's Camera Notes

by Christian A. Peterson

This striking volume details the history of Camera Notes , the most significant and influential American photographic periodical of its time. Published quarterly by the Camera Club of New York and edited by Alfred Stieglitz, the fountainhead of American art photography, Camera Notes represented a critical phase in the campaign to legitimize the photo image as an artistic pursuit. Throughout most of its six-year life (1897-1903), the publication included thoughtful articles on photography and fine art as well as hundreds of halftone images and stunning high-quality photogravures. While much has been written on Stieglitz's life--including his later publication, Camera Work --little attention has been giving to Camera Notes .

All ninety-one of the beautiful photogravures that appeared during the journals life are reproduced here in their original tones. In addition, this volume contains a fully illustrated index of the more than 250 halftones that appeared on its pages.

204 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Brian Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christian A. Peterson’s ALFRED STIEGLITZ’S "CAMERA NOTES" details the pivotal role of the "Camera Notes" publication in five years straddling the birth of the 20th century. This was a time when the most pressing issue in photography was whether it could be considered fine art (a question that has not yet entirely disappeared). Peterson’s account is fair, balanced, and comprehensive. This is a worthy volume for anyone interested in the history of photography in America.

As for "Camera Notes" itself, ‘tis amazing how such a treatise on the aesthetic goals of photography going on something like 120 years of age can still be so relevant & inspiring today: “Its simplicity is astonishing. It almost seems like an insult to Dame Nature that she can be expressed in terms of such simplicity, but it should be accounted rather as a virtue than a shortcoming that the artist can see nature so simply and in such a sound attitude of mind.” These are the words of Sadakichi Hartmann, not Alfred Stieglitz, speaking of a photograph by William B. Post, a photo I would have been pleased to have made.