Jerry Uelsmann

"I have gradually confused photography with life." - Jerry U.

Jerry Uelsmann is undoubtedly my favorite photographer. He is a pioneer of photo manipulation; creating dream like surreal masterpieces without the help of modern day technology. It's a shame that I had to discover him on my own, perhaps because I've never taken a photography class, but Uelsmann is remarkable. During the 60's Uelsmann was considered an innovator because obviously photoshop did not exist to create his kinds of photo based magic. His technique is primarily "multiple printing"; exposing certain parts of his print with chosen parts of a film negative.

I have to be honest, photography is not my favorite form of art because it's machine produced, without an original to appreciate. But Uelsmann doesn't just rely on his camera, his technique is his currency. By mixing his photography to create a single print, Uelsmann has created an original work of surrealism ultimately by hand. So anyone who knows what kind of art I appreciate would surely understand why Jerry Uelsmann is a photographer I can admire.