Jerry Uelsmann is an American photographer known for his surrealist work created through darkroom manipulation. In the 1960s, when Uelsmann was producing his photographs, he was considered a master for his ability to combine multiple negatives into composite images using numerous enlargers in the darkroom. While modern photographers can recreate Uelsmann's style using digital editing, he continues developing his work through analog techniques in the darkroom that he feels are intrinsically linked to his creative process.

1. Jerry N Uelsmann
Uelsmann, born in Detroit on June 11th 1934, is an
American photographer, well known for his surrealist
work.
Today, with the popular use of digital cameras and
Photoshop, photographers are able to recreate a
images resembling Uelsmann's in less than a day,
however, at the time Uelsmann was considered to
have almost "magical skill" with his completely
analog tools. Uelsmann used the darkroom
frequently, sometimes using three to ten enlargers
to produce the surrealist effect.
Some photographers of today may fear that Uelsmann
will begin taking advantage of modern day
conveniences, but he reassures, “I am sympathetic to
the current digital revolution and excited by the visual
options created by the computer. However, I feel my
creative process remains intrinsically linked to the
alchemy of the darkroom.”

2. Background – Early Years
• When he was in high school, his interest in photography sparked. Despite poor grades, he
managed to get a few jobs in photography, primarily shooting weddings. Eventually
Uelsmann went on to earn a B.F.A degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology and
M.S. and M.F.A. degrees from Indiana University. Jerry Uelsmann dropped out of Indiana
University before earning a degree.
• He began teaching photography at the University of Florida in 1960. In 1967, Uelsmann had a
solo exhibit at The Museum of Modern Art which opened up doors for his photography
career.

3. Background – Professional Career
• Jerry Uelsmann's photographs have been extensively exhibited and collected both nationally
and internationally and his work has been exhibited in more than 100 solo shows worldwide.
• Uelsmann has received a Guggenheim Fellowship and a National Endowment for the Arts
Fellowship in Photography. He is a founding member of the American Society for
Photographic Education, a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain, and has
served as a trustee of the Friends of Photography.
• In 1981, a report by American Photographer ranked Uelsmann as being amongst the top ten
photographers collected in America.
• His photographs can be seen in the opening credits of the television series The Outer Limits
(1995), as well as in the Illustrated edition of Stephen King’s second novel Salem’s Lot. In
addition, his artwork is also featured in the progressive metal band Dream Theater’s 7th
studio album Train of Thought (2003).

4. Imagery
• Jerry Uelsmann other wise known as the master of darkroom manipulation creates these
amazing master pieces without the aid of any digital format. He has been known to use up to
a dozen enlarges simultaneously to create his final pieces.
• These weird and wacky images have been created by projecting multiple negatives onto one
piece of photographic paper, to create photographs with numerous layers and merging
elements. It is very important to work out the correct exposure time for each negative,, to
ensure that the images will appear with the desired visibility.
• His smaller works presently sell for between $1000 and $2500 at auction.
Early Career Middle Career Late Career

5. Imagery
Images found at www.fotogezgin.com
And www.uelsmann.net

6. Bibliography
• Websites Used:
http://www.uelsmann.net/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Uelsmann
http://www.rage.personaltech.co.uk/Artists-jerry%20Uelsmann.htm
www.florida-arts.org
By Sian Larkin