Clarence H. White - Portrait, Mrs. Clarence H. White. Camera Work no. 23

Clarence Hudson White (1871-1925) was an American photographer and one of the founding members of the Photo-Secession movement. Born on 8 April 1871 in Newark, Ohio, White initially pursued a career in education and theology. He studied theology at the University of Kansas and became a teacher. White's interest in photography developed during the 1890s and he eventually shifted his focus from teaching to photography. He studied art at the Art Students League of New York and later travelled to Europe to further his artistic education. In 1902, he co-founded the Photo-Secession movement with Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen and other notable photographers. The movement aimed to establish photography as a legitimate art form and to promote Pictorialism, an approach that emphasised artistic expression over mere documentary representation. White became known for his soft-focus, atmospheric images, often with allegorical or symbolic themes. He was particularly adept at capturing scenes of rural life, often using his family and friends as models in his photographs. White also became a respected teacher, teaching photography at Columbia University and founding the Clarence H. White School of Photography in New York in 1914. His influence extended beyond his own work, as he played a crucial role in shaping the next generation of photographers, including Dorothea Lange and Paul Strand. Clarence Hudson White died in Mexico on 7 July 1925. His legacy endures through his contributions to the development of photography as an art form and his influence on the education of photographers.