Imogen Cunningham
Imogen Cunningham was an American photographer during the twentieth century known for her photography style concentrating in portraits, plants and landscapes. She was born in Portland, Oregon to a large poor family. Before she ventured to college, Imogen shared her interest in photography to her family and received full support. Her father built her a darkroom in the woodshed using light-tight-by-tar-papered walls where she began developing pictures from her 4”x 5” camera. After her graduation from college, she worked in Edward S. Curtis’ studio in Seattle for 8 years where she compiled a portfolio on American Indians and learned the skill of platinum printing. By 1909, she was granted a scholarship to study photographic chemistry in Germany. A year later, she returned to Seattle to set up a portrait studio of her own. Cunningham showed her rebellious and independent spirit when she wrote “Photography as a Profession for Women” which called for the inclusion of women in all aspects of the art industry. By 1915, she married Roi Paridge and released a series of nude photographs of him on Mount Ranier. The couple had three sons together and later divorced in 1934. By 1917 the family moved to San Francisco, which consequently made a major change in Imogen’s photography style. While there, she co-founded an informal art society known as “Group f/64”. This group was named after the aperture setting that secures the greatest sharpness of images and supported straight photography. By 1934, she began working for Vanity Fair in New York; here she gained national recognition. From 1947 until her death in 1976 she managed a successful portrait studio in San Francisco. During this time she operated off of grants and taught. Imogen’s work covered approximately 75 years and paralleled the evolution of twentieth century photography.
Imogen’s work was greatly admired by the photography community of the West Coast and even nationally. All of her work was black and white images taking from a film camera. Imogen’s early work was comprised of mainly soft-focus portraits and nudes, which were rarely seen in commercial portrait studios in Seattle. Her work significantly changed when she left Seattle. While in California, Cunningham incorporated the ideals of photographers like Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Weston and started photographing high contrasting flowers and other botanical specimens in a way that only botanists once viewed them. This collection was primarily taken as close-ups and at a worm’s eye perspective. She was always aware of the light when she took these images, which as a result created a very unique and interesting image. These photographs are now considered some of her best and most important pieces of work. Her portraits could vary from portraying the famous and infamous people alike. Photographing celebrities like Cary Grant, Spencer Tracy or Martha Graham in Vanity and Life magazines certainly displayed her artistic and mischievous nature and gave her national recognition. Taking portraits of servicemen before they went overseas in World War II, enabled her to compete in the commercial photography market. Documentary street scenes were another commercial photographic style she incorporated into her work. This collection was usually simple raw moments of civilians whether it was in a boy selling newspapers in San Francisco to woman lying on a bench in Marina District. Imogen’s last project was a series of photographs of individuals who were ninety years or older which she in fact began when she was ninety-two. Unfortunately, she died before the project was finished, however it was still published in 1977 and entitled After Ninety.
I admire many things from Imogen such as her creative artistic nature, strong views of feminism in photography, appreciation of capturing simple aspects of life and her overall style. One of my favorite pictures from her is Magnolia Blossom. I appreciate this picture because it a sharp, close-up of plant taken in a way that one wouldn’t usually see it as. By taking it from a worm’s eye view, the audience can appreciate not only the pedals, but also the detail of the pistil. She frames the picture so that the flower takes up the entire space, which, allows for a stronger picture. The photo has a calmness associated with it, which I believe compliments the subject matter since flowers are usually linked with tranquility This picture reminds me a lot of one my pictures where I showcased a ladybug on someone’s hand with grass in the background. Both pictures are sharp, close ups pictures taken at an unusual worm’s eye view. Some other pictures that I appreciate are Black Man because of the strong presence of the shadow presented. Overall I can relate a lot to the work of Imogen Cunningham and I believe she is an amazing photographer and inspiration to all.