Role in Photography

Jerry Uelsmann is considered the “Godfather of Photoshop” for his innovative photography work using photomontage techniques to produce surreal, dream-like images. A few features seen in his surrealistic photographs include inverted positive and negative spaces and false reflections in the water. His photographs are created entirely in the dark room and uses multiple negatives and enlargers in order to construct these composite photographs. The photographs are produced through a series of steps by covering and exposing different parts of the photo paper while changing the negatives. The negatives seen in his photos are oftentimes reused and will reappear in another piece, sometimes as the focal point of one image and then as the background of another. Some of Uelsmann’s most notable works include Apocalypse I (1967), showing an asteroid that is about to hit earth, and Journey Into Self (1967), featuring a woman deep in thought as if reflecting on herself. Uelsmann also works a lot with nudes and hands, often a pair of hands holding an object that acts as the focal point. The nude women in his photos are usually seen lying down with their eyes closed, providing a sense of peacefulness as shown in Untitled (Nude and River) (1992). Most of his montages are ambiguous and mysterious, allowing his audience to ponder on the meaning behind his photos.

 

 

 

Background and Personal Life

Jerry Uelsmann was born in Detroit, Michigan on June 11, 1934. His interest in photography sparked when he was in high school as he believed that photography allowed him to live in another world outside of himself. He later went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology and an M.S. and M.F.A. from Indiana University. Uelsmann’s first solo show was at The Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1967, which helped kick start his professional career. His photographs are displayed in many famous museums including The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and many more. He currently lives in Gainesville, Florida and has taught photography at the University of Florida for nearly three decades.

 

 

 

 

Resources

• https://www.mocp.org/detail.php?type=related&kv=7799&t=people
• https://www.all-about-photo.com/photographers/photographer/105/jerry-uelsmann
• http://www.artnet.com/artists/jerry-uelsmann/5
• https://www.gadcollection.com/en/36-jerry-uelsmann
• https://www.westongallery.com/original-works-by/jerry-uelsmann