A pioneer of photography and a key figure who helped establish the medium as part of the avant-garde of modernity in the early 20th century, Edward Steichen began experimenting with the possibilities of his art at a very early age. Fascinated by the variations of light in nature, he captured through his lens the reflections of the sky on water, the diffraction of shadows in foliage, and the colorful brilliance of flower petals. Playing with chiaroscuro like a painter, he casts a fresh eye on the plant world: his taste for experimenting with the photographic image echoed his passion for flower hybridization. As a horticulturist, the photographer cultivated his own varieties—he was particularly fond of delphiniums.
Cover for Edward Steichen - A Life in Nature
Photographs: Edward Steichen
Texts:
Francesca Calderone-Steichen
Luce Lebart
Sarah Anne McNear
Ruud Priem
Florence Reckinger Taddeï
Co-published with Lët’z Arles
Courtesy of Atelier EXB