AT 27: Before My Time

Cabbage Leaf (1931) by  Edward Weston

Homage to Weston's 'Cabbage Leaf' by Tara Craigon

For this assignment, there were many other amazing black and white photographs taken 'before my time' that I really liked, however, some of them were just not possible to recreate! I knew my choice of Edward Weston's 'Cabbage Leaf' from 1931, was going to be no easy feat, but it was actually more challenging to recreate than I thought!



This cabbage leaf is typical of Weston's vision, and typically beautiful. Isolated against a black background, it is the universal principle of ceaseless flux in nature in which Weston believed. I love the way he transformed this seemingly humble object. I feel this image is strong beacause at first glance, the viewer is not exactly sure of what they are looking at. Could it be flowing lava, the undulating grain of a desiccated cypress tree, seaweed writhing in the surf, the hair of his lover and muse or an aerial view of a landscape? The beautiful range of tones and richness and depth of texture is incredible.


Originally, this image was shot with black and white film and produced as a silver gelatin print. The richness and texture was difficult to emulate using the digital format. I perhaps purchased a different type of cabbage than he originally used as well. However, I do like the composition and increased amount of lines, shapes and texture in my version. The quality and direction of light is close but not exact. I often prefer to get even closer to a subject to abstract and transform so I have also attached three other images from the series.