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May 2026, One Artist’s Portrait Photos

Dear Carl,

News about happenings at Deliberate Light and photography instruction (see Digital Photo Academy). My views on this month’s photography topic: One Artist’s Portrait Photos.

NEWS

Upcoming Workshops. I am next scheduled to teach workshops for Digital Photo Academy on June 6^th, 2026 at Bartram’s Garden in Philadelphia. You can sign up here.

• Mastering Your Camera Controls (1.5 hours) – intended for DSLR/Mirrorless/Compact cameras (smartphone tutorial available separately)
• Composition in the Field (3 hours) – walking tour around the venue with instruction and hands-on practice composing photos (bring any camera)

New Photo.

Paeonia. Called the flower of kings in China. It is said in the Language of Flowers that mischievous nymphs hide in their petals, giving it the meaning of shame or bashfulness. In my experience, those are ants, not nymphs, and it is my belief that peonies spontaneously generate ants. If you have ever picked peonies for your house, you know what I am talking about. Thanks to my sister, Ann, I now know that the concentrated bright light formed by the optics of the glass vase is called caustic light.

(Baltimore, 2026)

For a more detailed, enlarged view, see it on my website.

VIEWS

One Artist’s Portrait Photos

I might have mentioned that I have been absorbed lately in editing the images for a forthcoming book being self-published by the Rose Valley Museum (if you would like to donate to the cause, I would be very grateful: https://rosevalleymuseum.org/event/book-project/ ). It has been a privilege to study the artifacts produced by the various artists and crafters from over 100 years ago in early Rose Valley. One of the most gifted and prolific artists was Alice Barber Stephens, admitted to the Philadelphia School of Design for Women at the age of 15 in 1873, and later a student of Thomas Eakins at the presitigious Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA), having been among the first class of women admitted in 1876. Stephens had a long and very successful career as an illustrator for books and popular women’s magazines (see a lengthy list of her illustrations: https://www.loc.gov/photos/?all=true&fa=online-format:image&q=alice+barber&sb=date_desc&sp=3.

Like many of her contemporaries, including Thomas Eakins, she learned to use a camera to take pictures which she would then use as a model for her illustrations. In 1898, she was both a juror and an exhibitor at the historically pivotal Philadelphia Photographic Salon held at PAFA and a showcase for Pictorialism. Clearly, she knew her way around photography. Some of her portrait photos are stunning which should not be a surprise: being an accomplished artist, she understood composition as well as light and how to use it.

You may remember a couple of my newsletters two years ago on the subject of photographic portraiture. Don’t worry, this is not a test. I will remind you of the important points as I review a few of Stephens’ photos.

First, I point out that Stephens used ambient light almost exclusively in her photographs. Artificial lighting at that time was simply not strong enough and natural daylight allowed for faster exposures which meant less blurring from subject motion. She did, however, use light modifiers – nothing so complicated as the softboxes, reflectors and blockers in the modern toolkit – just curtains over windows to diffuse light. (We know this because we have photos of her studio.)

This first photo is a little unusual for Stephens in that it is a formal portrait and not a scene created for using as a basis for an illustration. This is a Rose Valley neighbor, a young woman who Stephens had been using for years as a model: Frances Palmer Wright.

Frances Wright by A. B. Stephens, c.1915, courtesy of Walton Collection, Rose Valley Museum.

The wash of light, presumably from a window on the left highlights Frances’ face and dress, providing interesting contrasts and contours. Her body is facing the light, positioned so she has to turn her head towards the camera to look straight into the lens. Do you remember short-lighting from two year ago? I didn’t think so. What you see here is an example of that: positioning the model so the side of her face closest to the camera is in shadow creates a slimming effect the viewer is not really conscious of (you will have to go back to April, 2024 to see the demonstration in that newsletter).

Furthermore, to add interest, the hair on the back of Frances’ head is backlit, outlining its contours with a rim of light. I am guessing there was another, probably smaller, window above and behind the subject.

The next photo is of Stephens’ future daughter-in-law, Lucie Logan.

Lucie Logan Stephens by Alice Barber Stephens, c.1920, courtesy of William Innes Homer papers, MSS 0922, Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, Museums & Press, Newark, Delaware.

Again, note the positioning of Lucie with respect to the light, creating short-lighting on her face. But also notice that the earring is illuminated, a clear reference to Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring painting in the background. By blurring the background painting, the reference becomes an obscure little Easter egg, but only if you already know the Vermeer painting.

The next photo is of Frances Wright, some years earlier as a young teenager, pouring tea. I do not know for sure, but it seems likely that this little vignette was used for an illustration.

Woman Pouring Tea, by Alice Barber Stephens, c.1906, courtesy of Getty’s Open Content Program.

The light from a window behind and to the right of the camera illuminates the tea service and the arms and shoulder of the pourer, with Frances’ face in shadow. While certainly a portrait, the act of pouring tea seems to be the emphasis here, what with the title and that lighting. By giving Frances something to do with both hands and catching her in the act, Stephens has created a relaxed scene that, though obviously staged, does not look contrived.

Like the above, the next photo was almost certainly used for another illustration. Here, Stephens uses her husband Charles in a scene of an abjectly despondent man seated next to a lamp.

Charles Stephens by Alice Barber Stephens, c.1900, courtesy of William Innes Homer papers, MSS 0922, Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, Museums & Press, Newark, Delaware.

The light from the window on the right feels gloomy, especially in this context with the person folded in on himself. Shooting the photo from a little above accentuates the downcast demeanor. Again obviously staged, it appears natural because Charles has relaxed into that slouched posture. This is a trick you might use: ask your subject to do something that engages their attention, so they are more relaxed and not just posing for the camera.

Carl Finkbeiner

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