Capturing Hands

On the D train to Brooklyn

Hands have a history of their own,
they have, indeed, their own civilization,
their special beauty.
Rainer Maria Rilke

Photographers love capturing hands because they're like tiny storytellers all on their own! Hands can express so much without saying a word. They're like little actors in a silent film, conveying emotions, intentions, and stories through gestures and movements.

A few hand photos I've captured recently with my iPhone

Imagine a photo of a couple holding hands. Or a shot of a chef's hands expertly slicing vegetables. Words are unnecessary in those moments because the photos say it all.

Plus, hands come in all shapes, sizes, and ages, which makes them endlessly fascinating to photograph. Whether it's the weathered hands of a farmer, the arthritic hand of a proctologist, or the wrinkled hands of a nursing home patient — each pair tells a unique story of a life lived.

Hands are like miniature works of art that tell a thousand stories with just a wiggle of the fingers!

In the terrific book on the history of photography – The Ongoing Moment -- Geoff Dyer dedicates a section to exploring the significance of photographing hands. He discusses how photographers have been drawn to capturing hands in various contexts, from portraiture to street photography to documentary work.

“Given that it’s notoriously difficult to draw hands, photography’s ability to depict them effortlessly is one of its great attractions.” (Dyer, p.52)

Beginning in 1917, when they first met, the photographer Alfred Steiglitz obsessively photographed his beloved’s (Georgia O’Keefe’s) hands…

“…either isolating them completely from the rest of her body or using them as a defining detail within a large arrangement. Since Steiglitz believed that ‘the quality of touch in its deepest living sense’ was inherent in his work it seems almost inevitable that he should have become so fixated by photographing his lover’s hands.” (p.54)

I disagree with Dyer, however, when he states that the problem with Steiglitz’s photographs is that O’Keefe’s gestures came from the photographer’s commands instead of any real feeling. I believe there’s an intimate nature in those photos reflecting the deep emotional bond between the photographer and his subject. Stieglitz's images capture O'Keeffe's hands in moments of vulnerability and tenderness, revealing the closeness of their relationship and his fascination with her as a muse.

*Dyer, Geoff. The Ongoing Moment. Little Brown. 2005.

Some of the other photographers who memorably captured hands are:

Dorothea Lange: A renowned documentary photographer who often included hands in her photographs to tell stories of hardship and resilience during the Great Depression. Her iconic image "Migrant Mother" is a powerful example of how hands can convey emotion and narrative.

Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California. Minneapolis Institute of Art, USA.

Ansel Adams: Although Adams is best known for his landscape photography, he also captured hands in his portraits and environmental portraits. His images often feature hands engaged in creative or contemplative activities, adding depth to the composition.

Ansel Adams, Hands of Annette Rosenshine, 1932

Steve McCurry: McCurry's famous photograph "Afghan Girl With Hands on Face" is a prime example of how hands can enhance portraiture. The girl's hands, with their weathered appearance and piercing gaze, add layers of complexity to the image, drawing viewers into her story.

Steve McCurry | Afghan Girl with Hands on Face (1984)...

Irving Penn: Penn's fashion photography often featured hands as a central element, showcasing their elegance and expressiveness. His meticulous attention to detail and composition allowed him to capture hands in striking and memorable ways.

Irving Penn. Richard Avedon, New York, 1978.

And since I started with Rilke, I think it would be appropriate to end with Rilke.

Herbst (Autumn)

by Rainer Maria Rilke

The leaves fall, fall as from far,

Like distant gardens withered in the heavens;

They fall with slow and lingering descent.

And in the nights the heavy Earth, too, falls

From out the stars into the Solitude.

Thus all doth fall. This hand of mine must fall

And lo! the other one:—it is the law.

But there is One who holds this falling

Infinitely softly in His hands.

Alice learning to fly.

I would love to hear / see your perspective on capturing hands. Share photos.

As always, thanks for reading and being a subscriber.

’Til next time.
ak