JERRY UELSMANN

June 11, 1934 – April 4, 2022

Biography

Jerry Norman Uelsmann was an American photographer.

As an emerging artist in the 1960s, Jerry Uelsmann received international recognition for surreal, enigmatic photographs (photomontages) made with his unique method of composite printing and his dedication to revealing the deepest emotions of the human condition. Over the next six decades, his contributions to contemporary photography were firmly established with important exhibitions, prestigious awards and numerous publications. Among his awards were a Guggenheim Fellowship, National Endowment, Royal Photographic Society Fellowship, and Lucie Award.

Uelsmann described his creative process as a journey of discovery in the darkroom (visual research laboratory). Going against the established practice of previsualization (Ansel

Adams, Edward Weston and others), he coined a new term, post-visualization. He decided the contents of the final print after rather than before pressing the shutter button. Uelsmann constructed his dreams like a visual poet with results that often seemed emotionally more real than the factual world. By the1980s he became one of the most collected photographers in America. His work influenced generations of both analog and digital photographers. Although he admired digital photography, he remained completely dedicated to the alchemy of film photography in the black and white darkroom.

Uelsmann, a native of Detroit, Michigan, credited his parents Norman (a grocer,1904-1962) and Florence (Crossman) Uelsmann (a homemaker, 1903–1986) for encouraging his creativity. His mother saved his artworks beginning in kindergarten and continuing into college. Uelsmann’s father, whose hobby was photography, built a basement darkroom (c. 1948) to share with his two sons, Jerry and Robert.

In high school he worked as a photographer for the school newspaper and later attended Rochester Institute of Technology earning a BFA degree in 1957.

At RIT he was influenced by Minor White and Ralph Hattersley who taught craftsmanship (technical precision) along with the emotional and perceptual aspects of fine arts photography. Uelsmann appreciated White’s mystical philosophy and devotion to Zen-like meditation even when not photographing. He was particularly affected by Minor White’s belief that fine arts photographers should “strive to capture subjects for what they are and for what else they are”.

The simple act of having a camera, not a cell phone, but a camera-camera, there’s a kind of a heightened perceptional awareness that occurs. Like, I could walk from here to the highway in two minutes, but if I had a camera, that walk could take me two hours.

The abovementioned quote reflects Uelsmann’s belief that the camera grants photographers the freedom to delve into uncharted territories, both externally and internally. It suggests that through the act of photography, one can embark on a journey of discovery, pushing the boundaries of visual representation and personal introspection.

The quote captures his perspective on how the act of photographing with a camera-camera can transform one’s perception of the surroundings and lead to a more immersive and mindful experience.

Uelsmann’s line of work often involved intricate darkroom techniques, combining multiple images to create dreamlike and surreal compositions. With this quote, he emphasizes that the camera serves as a vehicle for exploration, enabling photographers to push the limits of their creativity and capture moments and visions that might otherwise remain unseen.