Why Images Work # 2 - Andre Kertesz

You will find the image here and by right clicking (or control clicking on a mac) you can open the image in a separate window.

This Andre Kertesz photograph is another of my favourites. Here are some of the things that work for me.

First, the photograph is is of an older era as indicted by the board floors, the straw boater, the less than rectangular door frame. It seems to describe a simpler time or place - there is no clutter, the elements of the photograph are simple and clear. the flower vase and flower nicely balance the stairs on the right. The dark on the left works with the light on the right. The position of the flower is perfect against the dark background and not intersecting the door frame. Likewise the stair railing is well positioned not quite coming to the edge of the wall and recess. On both left and right you have light dark, light. The wall that the hat hangs on nicely balances the recess on the right in the distance. Note the triangles created by the door frame on the right and again on the top, also triangles created by the shaddow of the flower pot on the table. Note the matching shadows at the bottom of the door, both angling down and to the left. The door mat doesn't quite come to the edge of the door frame. The light coloured wall in the distance is needing a paint job and has some real substance to it. The white of the right edge of the vase is brilliant. The hat on the left works nicely, you have the hat, then down and right to the flower vase then up and right to the stair railing and your eye is kept from wandering off by the recess and door frame. In fact it's hard for your eye to leave the image in any direction.


Emotionally it evokes a time and place. Even without the title, we wonder about who lives there, what's up stairs, who wore the hat. I can feel the sunlight pouring in.

I just find that every single element of the photograph is in exactly the right place. This does raise a point. Kertesz could only control some of the element of the image - he could move the vase and change his camera position and even wait for the right time of day. he could move back and forth and select a suitable lens to put foreground and background in the right relationships. He could even have purchased the straw boater just to help the left hand end of the image. Yet many of the elements that work had to be luck - the shape of the door frame, the shade of the light wall, the bannister and stairs. What if they had not worked as well - my guess is we wouldn't have seen the image - it would be consigned to the photogaphers 'almost worked' pile, or had he a lot more discipline than I have, he would have moved around the location, noting the elements, lining them up as best possible and when they didn't fit perfectly, folding up the camera and moving on. Personally I would have shot the best I could get, hope that some extra magic would happen inside the camera or that somehow I could correct the deficiciencies in the darkroom or computer. OF course, 99% of the time this doesn't happen and too many of these almost images can be discouraging. there's nothing worse than coming home with a bunch of almosts and puting a lot of effort into processing the film and making contacts only to realize you got squat. It's enough to make you put your camera away if it happens too often.