Andre Kertesz, Chez Mondrian, Paris

Andre Kertesz, Chez Mondrian, Paris

I really like the way the light and dark contrast with each other in this photo.  This photo uses a variation of tenebrism (“a style of painting . . . [where] most of the figures are engulfed in shadow but some are dramatically illuminated by a beam of light usually from an identifiable source”), and draws my eye to the brilliantly illuminated stairs, flower and vase.

The use of an implied horizontal line is very striking. It me feel calm and content to just stare at this photograph for long periods of time. This photo is almost hypnotic. The dark shadow (perpendicular to the railing and the dark lines on the edge of the steps draw my eye toward the vase. There, the vase’s dark shadow draws my gaze to the dark edge of the table, then toward the stairs, and finally to the dark doorway.

The technique in this photo is very professional, because Kertesz capture detail in both the blinding white and shadow areas.  I can tell that a hat is hanging on a hook on a door, the vase is glossy and smooth, the walls are textured, the mat is fuzzy, and the railing is smooth and cold. The petals and leaves of the flower appear smooth and slightly textured.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tenebrism