JERRY UELSMANN

By Laurel Massicott

Relevant Bio.

Life time: June 11, 1934 – Present Born: U.S.A Detroit Michigan Style: Surrealist Photographer Preferred Medium: Silver Gelatin

Print B.F.A at Rochester Institute of

Technology (1957) M.S & M.F.A. at Indiana University

(1960) Former trustee of “Friends of

Photography”

Relevant Bio. Cont.

First job offer, he taught photography at the University of Florida where he became a professor of art in 1974

Had 100 individual art shows in the United States

Used 12 different enlargers to get desired effects

Now lives in Gainesville with wife (artist) Maggie Taylor

Inspiration

He was inspired by nature and natural beauty

Examples of this natural beauty include nude women, hands, birds, trees, streams, and many others.

Additionally, he seems to be inspired by freedom and flight. This can be seen in his photography in the form of flying people, vast landscapes, and birds.

Inspiration Cont.

It is likely, also, that his wife, Maggie Taylor, inspired him because of her artistic influences. She probably helped him with ideas for photos.

Many of his photos depict scenes of the northern country where he grew up. It then can be inferred that he was inspired by the landscape, water features, plant life, and solidarity of that part of the country.

Photo 1

“Room #1” 1963 Silver Gelatin Print No size listed

Photo 2

“Small Woods Where I Met Myself” 1967 Silver gelatin Print No size listed

Photo 3

“Little Hamburger Tree” 1970 Silver Gelatin Print No size listed

Photo 4

Untitled 1982 Silver Gelatin Print No size listed

Photo 5

“Threshold” 1999 Silver Gelatin No size listed

Photo 6

Untitled 2000 Silver Gelatin Print No size listed

Photo 7

“Meditation Mystery” 2001 Silver Gelatin print No size listed

Photo 8

“For All The Dogs That Have Blessed My Life”

2002 Silver Gelatin Print No size listed

Untitled 2003 Silver Gel.

Description

Generally dark photo Has two cupped hands with a ripple

of water in them The background is mountainous with

pine trees everywhere The hands seem to be coming out of

a black lake with a first person view of the hands

The mountains are slightly reflected on the lake.

Analysis

Foreground: Hands Middle ground: Lake and trees Background: Mountains/Mist Emphasis: On the ripple ( the brightest

point on the photo besides the sky) Symmetrical balance The foreground, middle, and back ground

show proportion of the hands and trees Leading line of the edges of the lake to the

vanishing point where the mountains meet

Interpretation

The photo was taken to show the eerie beauty of solitude in nature.

To make humans seem like a small part of a great and beautiful world

The water in the hands represents unity and purification through and with nature

Judgement

I like this photo because it is surreal, yet it is plausible to see in real life

It is well composed, and I like the way the sky is about to get dark

I also appreciate the clarity of the photo

It is a beautiful portrayal of man and nature coexisting.

Question: 1

Where did Jerry Uelsmann Grow up?A. DetroitB. DenmarkC. ColoradoD. Miami

Detroit

Question 2

What style did Uelsmann use?A. Documentary photographyB. SurrealismC. Pop PhotographyD. Landscape

Surrealism

Question 3

Which of these groups was Jerry a part of?

A. National Photographic SocietyB. Friends of PhotographyC. Art is ArtD. Michigan Photography Center

Friends Of Photograph

y