The Dream World of Jerry Uelsmann

Born in 1934, Jerry Uelsmann grew up an inner city kid of Detroit. In high school, Uelsmann worked as an assistant for a photography studio; he eventually photographed weddings. Uelsmann went to Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) where he met Minor White, who “introduced [him] to the concept that photography could be used for self-expression” (Berman). While at RIT, he studied with Bruce Davidson, Peter Turner and Car Chiaraenza, with whom he held frequent discussions on how photography could be different. After RIT, Uelsmann went to Indiana University where he changed his degree to a Master of Fine Arts degree. He graduated with an M.S. and an M.F.A at Indiana University in 1960, where he studied with Henry Holmes Smith, who had worked with Laszlo Moholy-Nagy. After graduation, he moved to Gainesville, Florida and began teaching photography (Taylor). Currently, Uelsmann is retired in Florida with his wife Maggie Taylor. He still creates photomontages and has exhibits all over the world. Uelsmann and his wife vacation in Yellowstone National Park every year, where he photographs the area and creates beautiful surreal photomontages (Congdon, 316-317).

Uelsmann and his wife photograph people, places and things from all over the world. He uses the camera to “interact with the world and collect things” (Beach). He currently uses a Mamiya 7 and Bronica GS1. Occasionally he will use an old Bronica for studio shooting (Berman); however, the camera that Uelsmann uses has little to do with the process he uses in the darkroom. His creative outlet is there. “When…build[ing…his] images on […] vague concepts [he]… cull[s] through everything [he has] ever done… image[s he had taken] 20 [or more] years ago… [can relate to images he took] ...

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