Accession Number
2012/2.14.5

Title
Wild Ginger

Artist(s)
Jeannette Klute

Object Creation Date
1950 - 1954

Medium & Support
dye transfer print on paper

Dimensions
12 in x 9 in (30.48 cm x 22.86 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James Agah, Class of 1989 (BBA)

Subject matter
This color photograph of two sprigs of wild ginger is an original dye transfer print by the artist. Klute was a pioneer of color photography and helped develop the Eastman Kodak Dye Transfer process. She left detailed notes on the conditions under which each photograph in the portfolio was taken. This particular image was taken on August 20 with an Auto Graflex on Ektachrome film, with an exposure of f/8, 1 second.

This image was also one of 50 included in the 1954 publication of the portfolio Woodland Portraits (Plate 11). These photographs were taken over a three to four year period in Rockport and Cape Ann, Massachusetts, and Bristol, New York. The series was taken without any manipulation and minimal environmental impact, with natural light and depth of field being the primary subjects of the portfolio. Klute draws attention to often overlooked subjects, focusing in on a single plant or animal and abstracting its surroundings. 

Physical Description
A photograph of two wild ginger plants. On the right, a larger plant with two large, green leaves grows against the base of a tree, To the left, a smaller plant sprouts up from the fallen leaves and moss on the forest bed. The base of the tree is dark and appears wet, emphasizing the bright green color of the wild ginger leaves.

Primary Object Classification
Photograph

Collection Area
Photography

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
available light photography
detached leaves
flora (plants)
forests (cultural landscapes)
nature photography
trees
woodlands (plant communities)