Hidden Cities: A Photobook

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”.
Uelsmann, known for his innovative and imaginative approach to photography, has spoken about
the idea of the camera as a tool for exploration and creative expression.
“
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.
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