In exploring the history of photography one comes across Alfred Stieglitz. He was one of the most important cultural forces in twentieth-century America. As a young man he had his studies in Germany but when he returned to America, he deployed himself as photographer, editor and gallery-director.  As such he was a powerful and dominating influence on photography and art.  His view on photography is very interesting. 

For him it has a wider connotation: Photography symbolises a philosophy of living; a dedication to truth, and to art itself. His photographs were considered superior to paintings of that same period, but unfortunately, photography was not considered an Art. It was in the late 1880's that he started his struggle for the recognition of photography as a new medium of expression. The struggle continued in the early 1900's when Stieglitz was editor of the 'American Amateur Photographer'. Tensions developed! between him and more conservative members. He wanted to promote 'unknown' names; names who became history themselves: EJ. Steichen, AL.Coburn, J.Cameron, P.Strand... For the exhibitions of the controversial Photo-Secession group gallery '291' on Fifth Avenue was founded. Even in showing European 'modern art' he was first in his kind. He kept on supporting Art as a reality of one's own experience. A picture just as the photographer wants it, exists only on one particular moment. If he is too late for taking the picture, the scene may have changed and the picture that he saw would no longer exist. Stieglitz said: "What is of greatest importance is to hold a moment, to record something so completely that those who see it will relive an equivalent of what has been expressed".
Seeing pictures of this great photographer and realising what he had in mind only cries for more knowledge of this man. His approach towards Art and Photography is still actual - even after more than 100 years!