White's pictures are characterized by his lighting, which produce a fascinating glow from the highlights. White pointed his camera into the sun or deep into the shadows which produced stunning effects which won him praise from the art world. White also experimented by using alternative printing processes, such as platinum and gum bichromate. Clarence Hudson White was born on April 8, 1871, in West Carlisle, Ohio. His family moved to Newark when his father was relocated. White first became interested in photography in 1893. He helped start the Newark Camera Club. White had no formal training in photography, instead he was completely self-taught.
After Alfred Stieglitz exhibited some of his pictures at the New York Camera Club, he was elected to the London based "Linked Ring." In 1902 White became one of the founding members of the "Photo-Session." This group of experimental photographers wanted to broaden the world of photography through imitating more traditional art. The group was labeled "Pictoralists." White came to the forefront of the pictoralist movement and founded The Pictorial Photographers of America.
In 1906 White moved to New York and began teaching at Columbia University Teacher's College. The following summer he opened a Summer School for photography in Georgetown Island, Maine. He also taught at the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences from 1908 to 1921. He founded The C.H. White School of Photography in 1914 and taught many of the prominent photographers including Dorthea Lange and Ralph Steinery. He was known as a very good teacher who stressed the importance of composition, design, and individualism. Clarence White died in July 1925 while traveling in Mexico. His photographs are cherished today.
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