Book Description

Reviews (7)

Barthes' last and most beautiful book
You don't have to be especially interested in photography to get something out of Camera Lucida. It was Roland Barthes' final book, the last of his great and highly idiosyncratic trilogy of autobiographical works (the earlier two being "A Lover's Discourse" and "Roland Barthes by Roland Barthes").

Although the book is ostensibly about Barthes' attempt to work out why he is moved by some photographs and not by others, it soon reveals itself to be a meditation on the absence inherent in photography. Barthes wrote before radical manipulation of the image had become a standard practice in photography, but even if he hadn't it would make no difference, as he is only interested in photographs insofar as they depict something that was there at that particular time, and is now (presumably) gone. He is particularly eloquent on a photograph - deliberately unreproduced here - of his beloved mother, who'd died shortly before he began to write the book. He doesn't even try to elaborate a grand theory of photography; this is unashamedly a book about himself and the loss he has suffered, which he finds echoed and prefigured in the photographs that he holds dear. This being the case, he is able to write as movingly and beautifully about a 19th century photograph of a condemned man ("I observe with horror an anterior future of which death is the stake") as he can about the cherished Winter Garden photograph of his mother (which he doesn't reproduce in the book because, he says with heartbreaking discreetness, "it exists only for me").

Barthes wouldn't feel much at home in the digital age. For all his academic reputation as a whip-cracking avant-gardist, his most powerful and convincing writing is always yearning back to the past. He almost manages to make nostalgia seem not merely respectable but essential. But his generosity prevents him from imposing this point of view on the rest of us. That's what made him a great writer.

The Transparent Camera
Roland Barthes - Camera Lucida

Frequently as I read through the brief, but provocative, Camera Lucida I would turn to the author photograph of Barthes on the back of the book. The further I got into Barthes' book the more I wondered just what he would have thought of the photo of himself. You see, in the pages of Camera Lucida Barthes explains how he sees most portraits as mere images that are far separated from the true identity, much less the soul, of the subject. And so I wondered, did Barthes ever see this portrait of himself? Was he the one who chose it for the back cover? Are the subtleties of this photograph effects Barthes consciously created as he posed for the camera?

These questions that arouse in my mind went to the heart of, indeed were a product of my reading of, Camera Lucida. In this book Barthes explores the nature of photography, what sets it apart from other arts, what are its benefits, its liabilities. He also wonders what exactly a photograph is, what that cold image on paper truly captures.

The book opens with Barthes wondering what is that one thing that a photograph, out of all other forms of art, possesses. While contemplating this he also muses that a photograph is forever linked to the object of which it is taken. That is to say that a photograph of a girl is always linked to that girl whereas a painting of a girl might very well be the construction of the author's mind and have no real world analog. Barthes does well to open with these two thoughts because they become the central insights on which he hangs the rest of his theories.

Barthes is also concerned with how a photograph can exist, that is to say how it can become more than simply a sign pointing as a real world object, how it can come to embody that object on its own, how it can achieve, in a word, transparency. He sees photographs as dead objects, indeed at times is obsessed with this Death that he claims photographs confer on their subjects. It seems that somewhere inside Barthes is a desire to discover photographs that are not shadowed by Death; this is the transparent photograph he seeks.

As Barthes investigates these theoretical propositions he beautifully blends blend cold theory and personal reflection. For instance, when Barthes recounts his experiences as the camera's subject, and we discover a shy, even vulnerable personality. Similarly Barthes evokes tender feelings when he recounts the touching effects of discovering what he believes to be the one true photograph of his mother. In Camera Lucida we see that the author is a man for whom ideas are not theoretical abstractions, but deeply felt concerns whose resolution is central to his well being. This organic blend of personal and professional reflection makes Camera Lucida a work of much intellect and much beauty.

Camera Lucida is a slim book that carries a great deal of weight. It is a book that is highly recommended to anyone who is concerned with what separates a good photograph from a great one, as Barthes points a way past the proliferation of mediocre photographs to the truly great ones.

Perhaps the Best
This book is perhaps the best extended essay on photography ever written. Lyrical and brilliant, it is equal parts philosophy, prose poem and history. A veritable MUST.

New Breath before the bread-truck struck
Barthes breathes a refreshing subjectivity into the debate around photography's objective/subjective nature. His interest in the spatial/temporal nature of photography is particularly useful, as is his interstest in referent vs. audience. A primer for any serious contemporary researcher.

incredible
This book is an absolute imperative to anyone interested in photography or life in general. ... Read more

Book Description

“[New York City subway riders] are members of every race and nation of the earth.
They are of all ages, of all temperaments, of all classes, of almost every imaginable occupation.
. . . Each, also, is an individual existence, as matchless as a thumbprint or a snowflake.”
—James Agee, from the introduction

Between 1936 and 1941 Walker Evans and James Agee collaborated on one of the most provocative books in American literature, Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (1941). While at work on this book, the two also conceived another less well-known but equally important book project entitled Many Are Called. This three-year photographic study of subway passengers made with a hidden camera was first published in 1966, with an introduction written by Agee in 1940. Long out of print, Many Are Called is now being reissued with a new foreword and afterword and with exquisitely reproduced images from newly prepared digital scans.

Many Are Called came to fruition at a slow pace. In 1938, Walker Evans began surreptitiously photographing people on the New York City subway. With his camera hidden in his coat—the lens peeking through a buttonhole—he captured the faces of riders hurtling through the dark tunnels, wrapped in their own private thoughts. By 1940-41, Evans had made over six hundred photographs and had begun to edit the series. The book remained unpublished until 1966 when The Museum of Modern Art mounted an exhibition of Evans’s subway portraits.

This beautiful new edition—published in the centenary year of the NYC subway—is an essential book for all admirers of Evans’s unparalleled photographs, Agee’s elegant prose, and the great City of New York.

Luc Sante, author of Low Life, Evidence, and The Factory of Facts, is Visiting Professor of Writing and the History of Photography at Bard College; Jeff L. Rosenheim, Associate Curator, Department of Photographs, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, is the editor of Unclassified: A Walker Evans Anthology and Walker Evans: Polaroids and was the main contributor to the Metropolitan’s exhibition catalogue Walker Evans (2000).
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Book Description

"Criticizing Photographs: An Introduction to Understanding Images is now in its third edition and it has become the standard in photo criticism and theory courses throughout the United States. The book contains an elegant pedagogical apparatus founded on the four critical activities that Terry Barrett so ably illuminates -- describing, interpreting, evaluating, and theorizing.

Moreover, Barrett's analytical categorization of photographs into ideal types including the aesthetically evaluative and the interpretive (to cite two examples) has provided readers with a highly original and useful way to think about how photographs are made to function in the world." Louis Kaplan, Southern Illinois University ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Criticisng Criticism
A look at the subtitle to this book, "An Introduction to Understanding Images", might lead one to believe that it is about photographs and what makes them good or bad (or if there are such things as "good" and "bad" photographs). But instead it is about photographic criticism, primarily written. And even then it really doesn't tell you very much about how to write criticism yourself, or how to interpret what you read, or how to develop patterns of thought that would enable you to criticize in a useful fashion. Instead most of the book is concerned with the pigeon holes into which different kinds of photographic criticism can be put.

An unstated thesis of this book seems to be that the criticism of photographs is an art form itself. Certainly anyone who has read something like Walter Benjamin's "the Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" might agree. But if it is an art, then it has both form and content, and any book claiming to teach one about the art (I almost said craft) had better address those points. To know that there are theoretical schools like Postmodernism or Feminist Theory is useful to those trying to organize photographic criticism and may be helpful to the photographic critic who is trying to decide what his own approach is, but knowing that these schools exist does not help a critic as much as a knowledge of how to look at a picture and organize a written commentary.

Fortunately, the book has a number of examples of written criticism, including several examples of different critics addressing the same picture. Unfortunately most of the criticism addresses the content of the photograph without considering how the form relates to the content or how, as Mark Schorer has said, technique leads to discovery. For example, Ansel Adams' photographs rely upon the range of light from the whitest whites to the blackest blacks to make their statements about the grandeur of the American wilderness. Unfortunately, nothing in this book considers photographic technique for the critic, although there are plenty of opportunities. For example, there is an ambiguous picture by Robert Doisneau taken in a Paris Café showing a younger women and an older man. The picture is grainy and the depth of field shows the women more sharply then the man. Both of these techniques should contribute to the possible interpretation of this photograph, and yet they are not mentioned.

I think the photo critic who wants to improve his art would be far better served by learning something about photography, and then reading actual criticism, like John Szarkowski's "Looking at Photographs". "Criticizing Photographs" should only be considered as a supplement to such studies.

useful and excellent book for students of photography
I have read Persian (Farsi) translation of the 2nd. edition of this book. Thanks to Mr. Barrett and the translators of the book. It helped me to understand how to criticize photographs and I found it a unique book in this field. After searching in Internet I found out that Mr. Barrett Has revised the book in ashort periodof time. I suggest, as a student of photography in university, to all studentd in the world to read the book. Again thanks to Mr. Barrett.

"It takes more time to make a picture than to appreciate it"
This is an excellent book.

These are some questions the book deals about: How a photograph is made? What are its purposes? How should its context be considered? Was that photograph made or taken?

In this book several criteria (even opposite ones) about photographs are also analyzed and compared, leaving to the reader the decision about the one(s) to take. The process of understanding a photograph is not simple, but this book is a nice guide to follow.

At the end of the book, examples of reviews are included, as a reference not only for students, but also for the person who simply would want to talk about a photograph. Moreover, advice concerning the redaction is also given.

A treasure trove of definitions, examples, and ideas...
A diversity of critical voices and photographic approaches is explored, giving the reader access to a rich world of creative thoughtŠBarrett defines criticism as "informed discourse about art to increase understanding and appreciation of art." He organizes his treatment of the four major activities of criticism‹describing, interpreting, evaluation, and theorizing‹which in turn address four basic questions: What is here? What is it about? How good is it? Is it art? ŠThe book provides in two short appendixes, practical advice on writing about photographs and on conducting casual and directed discussion of photographsŠ Monterey Peninsula College, Anne Canright

A framework which can be used with any visual medium...
The book is itself an excellent introduction to that process of questioning which constitutes the acquisition of meaning in modern contexts. It discusses issues such as feminism, postmodernism, and the disputes surrounding artistic controversy and censorship. It bristles with penetrating accounts by critical writersŠOne of the brilliant strengths of this book is that the reader actively participates in the critical process by witnessing it in action through the minds of contemporary writers and photographersŠ Canadian Review of Art Education, Donald Berglund ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Thirties brainwashing
A fascinating photo study of how two nations used photography to push their own political agenda. Author Bendavid-Val sums it up as...'The moral Russian individual was called upon to yeild unselfishly to his people. Americans on the other hand believed that the individual had a basic right to act aggressively on his own behalf, to make his own future...'.

The book starts with a super twenty-four pages of photos, each spread has a Soviet photo facing an American one, both dealing with the same subject, children, street scenes, farm workers, power stations, in a bar, shop windows etc. They do look very similar, least at first glance!

The essence of the book are two portfolios of black and white photos, first the Soviets with seventy-seven then the Americans with seventy-four, they are mostly one to a page and beautifully printed.

The author explains in an illustrated essay the thinking behind taking pictures for propaganda, this could turn out to be a bit of a hazard in the old Soviet Union where creative folk could become non-people as happened to photo-editor Lazar Mezhericher, declared a saboteur in 1937 and photographer Yakov Khalip who had the misfortune to take portraits of NKVD boss Nikolai Yezhov who vanished one fine day, also in 1937. Khalip's work was suddenly tainted!
Incidentally 'The Commissar Vanishes' by David King is an interesting book about the falsification of photos in Stalin's Russia

What the author does not cover is why the American photos are technically so much better than the Soviet ones. I assume this has to do with Roy Stryker's very tight shooting scripts that he made his photographers follow. Also the output of the FSA had to compete with commercial images from ad agencies and the like. The Soviet photographers would hardly have had to worry about such competition and so their photos were much more subjective and creative. Strangely a lot of the American photos were taken in the early forties, despite the book title refering to photography in the 1930s.

Unfortunately there is no index or bibliography, which I would have expected. In the 'Listomania' section of my...'see more about me' page I have made a Top-Ten list of books about about FSA photographs.

Leah Bendavid-Val is to be congratulated on producing an excellent book about documentary photogrphy during the 1930s. These photographs are some of the greatest ever taken. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One can only imagine the amazement felt by L.J.M. Daguerre, when, in the summer of 1839, he gazed upon the first photograph ever made. An image of the view from his Paris apartment of the bustling Boulevard du Temple, it was remarkably detailed yet mysteriously vacant, save for a single man in the distance who appeared to be having his boots polished; the rest of the passersby evaded capture due to the necessarily long exposure. And thus began the world-shaking practice of photography. A New History of Photography was created after the French Ministry of Culture observed that there were no books produced in France that addressed the history of the art form. Rather than present the standard chronological survey, this book's creators chose to produce a volume that would encompass photography's historical evolution as well as its role in society.

Editor Michel Frizot writes a substantial portion of the text, along with 29 additional authors who offer a plethora of analytical information and a wide variety of points of view. Periods, social practice, contextual analysis, historical questions, influential innovations, and aesthetic turning points are explored around themes ranging from chemistry to the snapshot, ethnography to color printing, evidence to advertising, and much, much more. This ambitious book includes many images not familiar to an American audience, offering a fascinating visual smorgasbord that demonstrates the breadth of applications and interpretations that photography has seen from its very inception. Put simply, it is a book about why people take photographs and what photographs can do. At a whopping 776 pages, this weighty volume has something for everyone. --A.C. Smith ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A HISTORY OF EVOLUTION
Yes, we all love Avedon, Bourke-White, Capa, Doisneau, etc. But do we all understand how photography evolved from gelatine and silver plates, to Man Ray and then Newton? If you want to have a general perpective of the history of photography, and access to wonderful pictures not previosly divulged to the general public, I would recommend this comprehensive and well organized book

"New History" very, very comprehensive.
This is a lot of book. A lot, a lot of book. It's essays are well written to be easily accessible, clearly showing that the contributors understand and are passionate about photography. Clever thematic content allows you to browse at topics that interest you rather than get lost in a strictly chronological rendition of photography's development. The essays deftly weave together the various influences on the medium as it mutated over time. But best of all are the hundreds of photos, many that neither I nor other professional photographers I know have ever seen published elsewhere. Serious photographers are interested in the development of photographic representation. This book is the ideal place to begin to get to grips with that whole fascinating topic. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A GREAT SURPRISE
The book is essentially the companion to one of the most fascinating shows that I ever stumbled upon. Last November in London, I went to the Design Museum[founded by Terrence Conran] to view an exhibit of aluminum[aluminium].

Coincidentally, there was this Vogue show. Having paid my admission to the museum, I viewed this exhibit as well. Now, I don't pretend to know much about fashion nor photography. And this show blew me away. And so does this book, but not as well as the show, of course.

An assemblage of insights into the culture and history of the twentieth century that I would never have encountered on my own. Not only does the story reveal how conde nast's money financed some of the more significant technical innovations in photography[which intrigued me since I try to follow the history of science and technology], but I was also fascinated to discover how it was that Vogue may have had the most energetic and brave war correspondent/photographer of WW2: and it was a beautiful and talented woman - Lee Miller. Do take the time to find out all you can about her.

And lastly, the photos are knock-outs. I wouldn't have done this show or this book deliberately, but having stumbled into the show, I have to pronounce it one of the most educational exhibitions that I have encountered. ... Read more

Book Description

Volume 3 of three-volume set includes studies of horses, domestic and wild animals, and birds in remarkable stopped-action photographs by pioneering master photographer. Also includes the original prospectus and a catalogue of plates for the entire work. Essential for artists, animators, photographers, cinematographers, anyone interested in the mechanics of people in motion.
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Book Description

"Its chief virtues are a succinct, mostly lucid style, a wide intellectual scope, a flood of ideas and insights at every turn, sensitivity to the technology and culture of photography, and a willingness to attend to images . . . In the end, perhaps the best measure of a text is whether or not one would choose it from among all the offerings to use in class. I have chosen to use this book." - Photo Review, Spring 2000

"An excellent introductory history book." - Afterimage: The Journal of Media Arts and Cultural Criticism

In this wonderful and entertaining book, Hirsch has produced the most useful, readable, and practical successor to Newhall.Seizing the Light is written in a friendly, accessible way -- dense with information, but more hip and lively than other offerings, especially those aimed at college students." - exposure: The research journal of the Society for Photographic Education. Vol. 32.2 (Fall, 1999)

Hirsch's prose is very digestible.He writes in a clear, lively style with a minimum of jargon." - Views: the newsletter of the Visual Material Section of the Society of American Archivists

Science, culture, and art come together in this new history of photography – the first since the early 1980’s.With superlative production values, rare and unusual prints, and a fresh perspective, Robert Hirsch has written the ideal companion to the first 200 years of photography. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good coverage of subject but poorly written
The scope and range of Hirsch's book excited me--at last a new comprehensive history of American and European photography! Unfortunately the quality of the illustrations was poor, smudgy halftones and no duotones. (Rosenblum's WORLD HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY has much better). The book even reproduces some color photographs in black and white.But it is Hirsch's writing that really disappoints: long awkward sentences that wander in circles, sentence fragments, and some obviously absurd statements. Take Hirsch's comment on a 1852 daguerreotype of the moon (p. 45): "Previously only a few people had seen the surface of the moon." No doubt he meant something else, but I suspect every sighted human being who ever lived has seen the surface of the moon.

Anyone who wishes to learn about the history of photography should read Beaumont Newhall, Naomi Rosenblum, or a host of others before turning to Robert Hirsch.

Great book with great pictures.
This is my personal favorite book on the history of photography. There is another one called World History of Photography that is good too. This book, Seizing the Light, is designed very well, and includes many crisp images (and all the landmark photographs in history). The book is divided into the following sections: Advancing toward photography, the daguerrotype, calotype rising, pictures on glass, prevailing events, a new medium, standardizing the practice, new ways of visualizing time and space, evolution of pictorialism, modernism, new culture of light, social documents, nabbing time, photography and the halftone, the atomic age, new frontiers, changing realities, and finally thinking about photography. I like this book because it is organized so well, and it is easy to navigate while studying it. ... Read more

Book Description

Providing a new perspective on many of the old stories in the history of photography, Mary Warner Marien's book is a provocative and informative read. She shows how the medium developed in various historical, economic, political, and cultural settings worldwide, and discusses the many uses to which photography has been put-from art to vernacular, documentary to photojournalism, and science to advertising.

Incorporating new research not covered in any other survey, Marien thoughtfully explores ideas generated by and about photography in each period, and examines photography's key role in contemporary art and today's increasing use of digital photography. With a panoply of arresting images by famous photographers such as Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen, August Sander, and Margaret Bourke-White-as well as many unusual and seldom-seen pictures-the book is as enticing to look at as its original ideas are stimulating to consider. ... Read more

Book Description

Baltimore, sometimes referred to as Charm City, has a long and fascinating history. In this book history changes before the reader's eyes. From its founding in the early 1700s and its incorporation in 1797, Baltimore has been a major port city, full of life and bustle. According to the National Anthem, "our flag was still there" during a battle of the War of 1812, and indeed, the star-spangled banner still flies over Fort McHenry, where the battle occurred. The life and bustle remains at waterside, but instead of clipper ships or steamboats carrying passengers and cargo, tourists now flock to such sights as the Inner Harbor, Fells Point, Fort McHenry, the National Aquarium, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, and Federal Hill. All these places and more are featured in this book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great way to learn some Mobtown history!
This book is a fabulous collection of then and now pictures of Baltimore. Through the photos, you can see the evolution of the city over time. It really paints an interesting picture of how a city changes just like a human being. It's interests change, parts of it get old and fall apart, some things never change, and some only get better with age.

You will learn what used to stand in certain places, and you will learn about the great fire. You will see how the city not only began, but how it has developed, and how it is still developing.

I was given this book when I was first moving to Baltimore, and it helped me to develop a historical appreciation for the city I was about to live in. Now I can take visitors and show them what a building is as well as what it used to be. I also feel like I know Baltimore. Not just its streets, but it's life.

I would recommend this to anyone with a connection to Baltimore. Whether you live here yourself or know someone who does, or maybe you lived here at one time, this is a very great book to give you a different view of Charm City. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The concept for this book is simple: 500 photographers, 500 pages. Arranged alphabetically, each of the photographers--from contemporary Dutch cameraman Hans Aarsman to mid-century New York shutterbug James Van Der Zee--gets a full, oversized page. On it is a large, expertly reproduced image and a concise caption packed with information about the photographer and his or her work. The coincidental alignment of photos of different eras and aesthetic sensibilities provides unusual and exciting contrasts that add an extra dimension to readers' perception of the work. Rineke Dijkstra's color-saturated shot of a bikini-clad beachgoer in South Carolina faces a Mike Disfarmer portrait of a rural Arkansas couple in 1943. Imogen Cunningham's inimitable Nude is here, along with a more surprising image--My Mother, Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire, a color-photo collage by painter David Hockney. With iconic photographs like Alfred Eisenstaedt's shot of a sailor and a nurse kissing in Times Square on V-J Day, historic ones like Larry Burrows's shot of wounded U.S. soldiers in Vietnam, and pop images like David LaChapelle's picture of a bodybuilder posing amid a cluster of little boys aping his stance, the scope of this visual encyclopedia is truly epic. And with its incredibly low price tag, there's no better value out there for fans of photography. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Famous Scenes, Human Pathos, and Restrained Beauty
Before considering this book, let me note that like many photography books this one contains a fair number of nude images of men and women that will offend some. If bare flesh is not something you want to see in your books, avoid this one.

Grading this book was difficult. The photographs were well chosen to be interesting and rewarding, were reproduced faithfully, and worked well as images on facing pages. The page sizes are generous to allow more room for reproduction. Many of them are photographs that almost anyone would want to have. Almost anyone would agree that the photographs and design of the book deserve five stars.

The accompanying texts, however, were not up to the standard of the photographs in most cases. I graded these texts on average at three stars. Averaging the two scores was how I arrived at four stars.

The book's concept is to take 500 of the best photographers ever, and show one image of each in alphabetical order. Although this sounds strange, it actually works quite well. Most of the images are in black and white, but some are in color. As a result, you get a full dimensionalizing of what photography can do and mean to the photographer and viewer.

Among the famous scenes in the book are Eddie Adams' Street Execution of a Vietcong Prisoner (1968), Neil Armstrong's Buzz Aldrin on the Moon (1969), Matthew Brady's General William Tecumseh Sherman (1865), Robert Capa's Death of a Loyalist Soldier (1936), Harold Edgerton's Milk Drop Coronet (1957), Alfred Eisenstaedt's V-J Day in Times Square (1945), Robert Jackson's The Murder of Lee Harvey Oswald (1963), Yousuf Karsh's Winston Churchill (1941), Joe Rosenthal's Iwo Jima (1945), Sam Shere's The Hindenburg Disaster (1937), and Nick Ut's Children Fleeing an American Napalm Strike (1972). If you are like me, these images brought me back to what I felt when I first saw these events or these photographs. It was a moving experience in each case. It is almost like looking at an album of your own life, once removed.

I was also moved by the many images of human pathos that I had seen less often or not at all before. Especially noteworthy to me are Abbas' South African Miners (1978), Lucien Aigner's Benito Mussolini (1935), G.C. Beresford's Leslie Stephen and his Daughter Virginia (Woolf) (1902), Margot Burke-White's Mahatma Gandhi (1946), Charles Hoff's Ezzard Charles and Rocky Marciano (1954), Frank Hurley's The Endurance by Night (1915), Dorothea Lange's Migrant Mother (1936), and Arnold Newman's Georgia O'Keeffe (1968).

Beauty was very much present, but almost always restrained in a variety of ways. That restraint created a tension that heightened the awareness of beauty. I particularly was affected by James Abbe's Bessie Love (1928), Eve Arnold's Marilyn Monroe (1960), Richard Avedon's Dovinna and Elephants (1955), Ian Bradshaw's Streaker (1975), Robert Mapplethorpe's Derrick Cross (1983), Man Ray's Tears (1930), Lennart Nilsson's A Human Foetus at Three Months (1973), Vittorio Sella's On the Glacier Blanc (c. 1880s), Frederick Sommer's Livia (1948), Jerry Uelsmann's Floating Tree (1969), and Edward Weston's Nude on Sand (1936).

How can you further benefit from enjoying these images? I suggest that you dig out your old camera (or consider getting a new digital one), and find scenes that evoke the emotions and memories you most want. Take a few lessons from the ways the masters captured their scenes, and see what you can do. Like the student patiently painting a copy of a famous painting in a museum, you can create your own images to illuminate your life for now, for the future, and for future generations.

Turn it all into a snap!

It rather depends on your tastes
First of all, read Donald W. Mitchell's review of the book. It contains a lot of information on the book itself. I strongly agree with his comments on the text which does little more than tell you what school the photographer belongs to and, rather often, how they died violently. Not at all informative, rarely relevant to the actual photograph and much more suitable to a book about photographERS than photographs. Pity.

My main quibble was in the selection of the photographs themselves. For reportage and especially war photos the overage is excellent. There is also a good selection of montage images. I found the portrait selection to be OK. I'd have been more happy to have seen fewer pictures from the FSA (Farm Security Administration ), which, although uniformly good, seemed to crowd out other sources. I suspect Ian Jeffrey got a good deal on this set of photos.

I was surprised to see very little 'fine art' photography, especially still life. It seemd that the editor felt that pictures ought to make a statement, and that therefore a picture of a typical person or a strange juxtaposition is superior to a simple, beautiful work. Even the picture of Marilyn Monroe is an odd one; technically only average, revealing little about her, the text invites us to consider the meaning of the chair beside her. I would have liked to have seen more photographs that are there because they look beautiful.

I also, frankly, got very tired of seeing pictures of railway bridges and miscellaneous uninteresting shots from the 1800's. Yes, these were important. Yes, they give an indication of the technology of the day, but do we really need to see so many sepia photographs that do not inspire? Again, I had a sneaking suspicion that maybe they had been chosen because their copyright had run out ..

So, the text is pretty much a waste of time and I wasn't keen on the selection criteria. Why do I give the book three stars? Becasue I have to agree with Donald Mitchell. Many of the photos are very significant, the production quality of the book is great and, with 400 photographs, it's hard not to find something you like every four or five pages.

Excellent survey of photography from it's birth
This book shows what amazing and inspiring pieces of art can be created with a camera.

Each of 500 photographers is represented with a single photograph. Every possible period and genre is represented and since the photographers are simply presented alphabetically, the contrast from picture to picture can be striking.

An excellent book, and it's available in both "coffee table" and "night table" sizes.

Simply outstanding
What pictures, what beauty, what a blend of art in photography, what a beautiful cover, page design, typeface, everything is just simple beauty. A must have if you have a coffee table or if you love good photography. The masters are shown here. You won't regret it.

A Wonderful Piece of History
The Photo Book might well be considered as much a work of art as the photographs represented within its bounds. This collection was given to me as a gift and has been so cherished as a pictoral index of inspirational and thought provoking works. Each page includes a short bio of the selected photographer and a sample of his or her work. Navigation through the book is easy as the photographers are categorized alphabetically.

Even more helpful is the additional information found in the back of the book. There are three appendices that help to explain this art form, its brief history, and how you can take part in enjoying it further. The first section is a glossary of techniques and terms - helpful for anyone who isn't skilled or knowledgeable of the art. The next section includes movements, groups, and genres of this form of art. This is a great help in understanding the context and influences of past photographers in relation to their work. The last section is an index of museums around the world including their addresses and phone numbers.

The aesthetics of the book are wonderful. Featured are over 500 photographers ranging over the span of the art of photography. The photographs represented are very clear and vibrant (where there is color), inviting the viewer to see, enjoy, and think critically about what is before them. The alphabetical organization allows for a quick read as well, enabling you to pick up at any given place in the book to enjoy a snippet of photography.

This book works excellently as a gift for a budding photographer, a coffee table piece, or a reference for those interested in influential and historic photography and photographers. It is a steal at what you can purchase it for - I doubt that you will find such a great assortment of so well established artists and their work for less than this. It's compact, but it's heavy too. For price, content, and availability, I gave this product 5 stars! ... Read more

Book Description

This Limited Edition of 1,500 is a collection of 6 facsimile reprints and an editor's textbook in a black collector's box. .In 1968, a magazine with the programmatic title "Provoke" was published in Tokyo by the photographer and writer Takuma Nakahira, the art critic Koji Taki, and other members. Investigating the relationship between photography and text, and suggesting new ways for photography to depict Japanese society, the magazine was an artistic and philosophical manifesto, responding to the upheavals of the late sixties. The participating photographers, among them Daido Moriyama (who joined "Provoke" with the second issue) searched for a radically new photographic language, as is reflected in the titles of their books: titles like Moriyama's "Bye, Bye Photography", and Nakahira's "For a Language to Come"; publications that were turning points in postwar Japanese photography. This spectacular limited edition collection of facsimile reprints of six legendary Japanese photography publications from the 1960s and 1970s will undoubtedly be a highly sought-after collector's item. Included are the first three issues of "Provoke" and three books that were inspired by it. Originally published in extremely limited editions ("Provoke" had a print run of 1,000 copies), these publications are very rare today and almost impossible to find. Among the photographers included are Daido Moriyama, Nobuyoshi Araki, Takuma Nakahira, Yutaka Takanashi, and Koji Taki. This set comes in a black wooden collector's box, with an editor's book that includes translations of the texts. A must-have for photography lovers.

"I was jealous of "Provoke", especially Moriyama's nudes in the second issue. (...) I wanted to join them but I wasn't allowed (...) So I worked alone." --Nobuyoshi Araki

"The Japanese Box" contains: "Provoke #1": 68 pages, 48 black-and-white images

"Provoke #2": 108 pages, 54 black-and-white images

"Provoke #3: 110 pages, 55 black-and-white images

"Nobuyoshi Araki: Sentimental Journey": 106 pages, 106 black-and-white images

"Daido Moriyama: Bye Bye, Photography Dear": 308 pages, 308 black-and-white images

"Takuma Nakahira: For a Language to Come": 192 pages, 192 black-and-white images

Edited by Christoph Schifferli. Essay by Akihito Yasumi.

763 b&w.
9.75 x 9.75 in. ... Read more

Book Description

Famous the world over for automobile manufacture and the distinctive sounds of Motown music, Detroit, the Motor City, celebrates its 300th birthday in 2001. Detroit Then & Now is a fascinating look at this city's great history, taking historic photographs from the dawn of the camera age and comparing them with full-color photographs of the same scenes as they are during the Tricentennial. Despite an industrial heritage, the city has its culture including art museums, a historical museum and the Cranbrook Academy of Art, as well as a great zoological park, beaches, and marinas. With a reputation for sports and music, Detroit is as vibrant a city today as it ever has been. This book is a fascinating documentation of history and change in one of the United States' most important cities. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

detroit
i think what most people seem to not understand is how truly amazing the city of detroit is. from it's earliest years to today, the city has provided one of the most interesting histories in the states. this book allows the reader to peer through a window into the past and see, perhaps not only what was once great and thriving, but to compare it to what has been preserved or, as the case may be, what has replaced it. detroit was once and still is one of the most beautiful cities in the united states, not only because it holds some of the most beautiful buildings, people and cultures, but also because it isn't chicago.

What Once Was to What Now Is
Now here is a book that is worth every penny. I understand and fully agree with the previous reviewer that Detroit seems to love to tear down the beautiful architecture of its past, only to be replaced with the drab, bland structures of today. The past, present, and future can compliment each other tremendously, as in so many other cities (especially in Europe), but Detroit seems to want to forget about its past. Many people do not realize that Detroit was once a vibrant, alive city from the later part of the 19th century through the mid-1950's. A city where people chose to live, not move from. This beautiful book will show in pictures why Detroit was the place to be. Unfortunately, it also shows why it's not the place to be anymore. What the photographers have successfully done was to print original photographs of many different parts of Detroit from around the 1880's through the 1950's, and then print how the exact spot looks today. The results are startling. To see what once was to what is, is very sad.
There is hope, however, with the restoration of the Fox Theater, the Gem Theater, and now, quite possibly, the Book-Cadillac Hotel. Will Tiger Stadium also be on the restoration list? One can only hope. What was done to the Michigan Theater was a sin, and the tearing down of the Monroe Block was a crime!
Detroit, please do not tear down what's left of your past.

Sad reminders
Sadly, this book wasn't really needed. So many of our historic treasures have been replaced with soulless glass boxes that to look through this book is to be reminded of all that we've lost. I only give it stars for the historic pictures. Call me old-fashioned or help me take off my rose-colored glasses, but Detroit has not worked to saved its history like Chicago and we suffer for it today. ... Read more

Book Description

These fourteen essays, with over 200 illustrations, critically examine and challenge the prevailing formalist values of late modernism that have been applied to the medium and suggest new ways to explain the history of photography. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Ouch, but Ahhh.
This book makes my brain hurt, but in a good way. Some of the essays are pretty tough to read as they are very deeply rooted in the world of art historical criticism, but don't let that stop you from getting this book; you'll learn a lot and come away with some good insights into the subject of photography and the history of photography. It would be very helpful to get a companion book that contains some of the artists and works that are discussed here, so you have the images to look at and non-critical, historical looks at the artists for background and context. Something like Beumont Newhall's "History of Photography" would be an excellent match. ... Read more

Book Description

Mining the extensive Life archives and the finest photo collections here and abroad, this is a picture history of unparalled depth and power. Included are remarkable unpublished images, like color photographs of Hitler taken by his personal photographer, alongside the classic Life coverage that brought the war home. From the escalating tensions of the pre-war world to the German blitzkrieg, the shock of Pearl Harbor, the fighting on land, sea, and air, D-Day, the home fronts, the atom bombs, and the war's historic aftermath, legendary journalist Richard B. Stolley takes a fresh look at the most important global event of the 20th century. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A BREATHTAKING TRIBUTE TO A HORRIFIC TIME
Images of World War II are portrayed here with all the intense emotion that the memories evoke. The book was of particular interest to me since both my parents, now deceased, served in the armed forces overseas in various countries during this period of time. In addition, any publication by Life Magazine is worth its weight in gold and of extreme quality, clarity and vivid photography. This book is no exception. I recall quite clearly my mother's descriptions of the German "blitzkrieg" and the book does an excellent job of portraying that. As one turns the pages, stories unfold of a time which many of us do not fully understand or remember because we were so young at the time; however, the dramatic stories passed on to us from a previous generation come to life through the vivid pages of this book. This work is a beautiful tribute to those remaining individuals who fought for our freedom and those who gave their lives. It is a highly recommended book and most deserving of far more than five stars.

Pictures that Speak Volumes
In Lenigrad under siege, a couple pulls a sled bearing a tiny coffin. In Coventry, a priest leads his congregation in prayer, surrounded by the ruins of their cathedral. In the field, a bleeding German soldier is comforted by his comrades, his right arm lying in the foreground. In Kent, schoolchildren watch a dogfight with expressions ranging from horror to delight. In Rotterdam, the city is leveled as far as the eye can see, except for a lone church. In an internment camp in Wyoming, two Japanese-American soldiers, visiting their families, stand honor guard beside the casket of a Japanese-American World War I veteran. Every picture in this remarkable book reminds us that the story of World War II is much more than a collection of battles and troop movements; each reminds us that the war produced a multitude of heartbreaking stories played out all over the world.

The book surveys the entire war, year by year. Each year is introduced with an essay by a well-known person (e.g., writer John Keegan introduces 1944) and includes photo-biographies of distinguished and infamous people, such as FDR and Churchill, Hitler and Mussolini. Each year also includes a section called "Then/Now," which seeks to relate some aspect of the war (e.g., war criminals) to subsequent history up to present day. A minor criticism of the book is that these attempts to make the war "relevant" seems a bit of an intrusion in the telling of the larger story.

This collection of outstanding photographs is as moving as it is comprehensive. If you have a deep interest in World War II; if you are looking for an easy-to-digest survey of the entire war; if you enjoy photography as an art form; or if you are moved by depictions of the human condition, to you I recommend this book.

Good for any WW2 enthusiast
This book is a great collectors item for all WW2 enthusiasts and also for anyone else. It contains pictures from war torn places all over the world during that era. From spain to the beaches of Normandy and from China to North Africa, I found pictures of almost everything here.

Contains some stunning photographs...
This coffee table sized book contains some stunning and horrific photographs of World War II. Many of the photographs are in color, and many of the pictures are previously unpublished in other works. Accompanying the photos are text captions explaining the event depicted.

I gave this book four stars instead of five simply because I believe two of the most significant events of the war are barely mentioned: the Holocaust, and the dropping of the Atomic bombs. In a book of this size and scope, I felt that more space should have been given to these seminal events. Regardless, this book is captivating and would make a great gift for any history buff.

Captivating yet Frightening
Beware, this picture book of World war 2 is unsanitized. If you can stand to look at frightening pictures, this book may be for you. It reproduces pictures such as a full color photo of a German soldier being comforted by his comrades after his arm was shot off, showing his arm laying on the ground next to him and showing the dazed expression on his face. If you are not too squeamish to look at that, then you may have the stomach for this book. Many pictures of Nazi atrocities are included as well as pictures of amputee refugee children. There are many other types of photos too, such as typical battle scene shots and pictures of the homefront. However, for the most part, this book is unvarnished.

We have seen many war pictures showing battle scenes. We have also seen pictures of the wounded in a somewhat unrevealing manner. This book does not hold back. If you want to see the horrors of war, buy this book but be prepared to be troubled after looking through it and if you have nightmares afterwards, don't say you were not forwarned. ... Read more

Book Description

Art and Photography is the first book of its kind to survey the major presence of photography in artistic practice from the 1960s onwards. Today photography is art's pre-eminent medium, yet it took the whole of the last century for it to acquire this status. On its invention, the photograph was considered a purely mechanical, 'artless' object which could not belong among the fine arts. Despite its increasing use by the century's most significant artists, only since the late 1960s have art museums gradually begun to exhibit and acquire the photograph as an artwork. ... Read more

Book Description

A remarkable sequel to the Lambda award-winning Naked Men: Pioneering Male Nudes 1900-1950, Naked Men, Too, exposes the breakthrough nude male photography and art that changed the perception of male beauty.Focusing on the work of influential photographers such as George Platt Lynes, Robert Mapplethorpe, Harriet Leibowitz, and Bruce Weber, author David Leddick chronicles the visual revolution that paralleled social and sexual liberation since the late 1950's.With brief biographies of the models, including early renegades like Yves St. Laurent, Joe Dallesandro, Rupert Everett and more-this provocative book features reproductions of the original photos alongside portraits of the models today.This dynamic history of male nudity in art and advertising is for all audiences, gay and straight. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Even Better the Second Time!
I really enjoyed David Leddick 's second book of "Naked Men." If you enjoyed his first Naked Men book, you will surely love this one. This new book covers the male nude from 1950 to 2000. This is a breathtaking volume of men from models and actors, to bodybuilders, dancers, and many others. The photographs are superb, showing how they looked years ago and today. It's not just all photos but also interesting essays broken down in chapters spanning 10 year periods from the days of male nude repression to today's general acceptance of male nudes.

If you're a collector of fine photography books, this is a must for your collection. Plus it's a wonderful history of the past 50 years of male nude photography.

Better as a continuing journal than a photography book
Following "Naked Men" with "Naked Men Too" adds to the resource literature on the development of gender perception during the past century. This is an informative book (yes, there is actually material to READ as well as to see) and to this reviewer the words are better than the varying degrees of quailty in the photography and art. This book may initally appeal to the voyeur but the accompanying text is concise and very helpful in exploring the ever present question of "why is frontal male nudity such a problem for contemporary viewers?". Recommended.

The Naked Male Is Liberated!
David Leddick continues in this second volume of naked men what he began in NAKED MEN, PIONEERING MALE NUDES, 1935-1955, bringing us up to 2000, the year this volume was published. The genie is out of the bottle as famous and unknown men pose before many different photographers. In addition to George Platt Lynes, there are photographs here by George Dureau, Ken Duncan, Francesco Scavullo, Tom Bianchi, Robert Mapplethorpe, Greg Gorman, Harriet Liebowitz, Jim French, Pierre & Gilles, to name a few. Additionally there are drawings and/or paintings by Paul Cadmus, Michael Leonard, Don Bachardy and George Dureau. Among the famous and sometimes infamous men who bared all are Yves Saint Laurent, Rupert Everett, David Kopay, the exhibitionist Peter Berlin who apparently only photographs himself, Charlton Heston--hello!--Burt Lancaster from THE SWIMMER-- remember that 1968 movie made from a John Cheever short story?-- Peter Hinwood, whose name probably means nothing to you until you find out that he was the god Rocky Horror in ROCKY HORROR SHOW-- and Joe Dallesandro, one of Andy Warhol's superstars, who has not aged particularly well, photographed here by Scavullo. Finally we are graced by at least three porn stars: Ryan Idol; Cal Culver a/k/a Casey Donovan, who died of AIDS in 1987; and the notorious Jeff Stryker, (pp. 86-87) whose photo here is a hoot. He is demurely posed, stretched out on a flower-patterned couch with his back to the camera in the tradition of a 19th Century painting of a nude woman. (Seeing that hilarious photograph alone is worth the price of the book.)

Choosing favorite photographs is challenging. I particularly like Harriet Liebowitz's work (pp. 92-93) for her exquisite composition. Both photographs by Pierre & Gilles as always are creative and look like no other artist's work: Midnight Cowboy (pp. 98-99) and Casanova on pages 128-29. The photo of Larry Schleinz by Barry McKinley (p. 9) might have been the sexiest shot in the book had it had not been for the Romain Johnson photo by George Platt Lynes (pp. 24-25) done in 1953. It's easy to see why Leddick chose the photo of Anthony La Fauci by Dianora Niccolina (pp. 76-77) for the cover. Finally I nominate three contemporary photographs of men who have aged beautifully for the "Joy Of Aging" award: John Eddy (p. 82), Scott Wilson, (39) and Mike Helie on page 59.

Collecting these photographs and meeting the models must have been a labor of love. A great concept for a book, Mr. Leddick.

great history
this book provides an excellent history to the photography of nude men. Beautiful photographs and beautiful men. This collection has helped me out quite a few times.

A continuation of Naked Men
As good as its predecessor; highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

Historic Photographic Processes is a comprehensive user's guide to the historical processes that have become popular alternatives to modern and digital technology. Though many of the techniques, applications, and equipment were first developed in the nineteenth century, these same methods can be used today to create hand-crafted images that are more attractive and permanent than conventional prints or digital outputs. Fine-art photographer Richard Farber incorporates extensive research with clearly-written directions and resource lists to provide in-depth information on eight of the most enduring processes in photographic history, including salted paper, albumen, cyanotype, kallitype, platinum/palladium, carbon/carbro, gum bichromate, and bromoil. He guides the reader through each step, from selecting the appropriate paper and sensitizing it to exposing, developing, and toning the final print. Each method is accompanied by a short explanation of how it was originally used and its significance in the evolution of photography.

Historic Photographic Processes contains more than fifty color and ten black-and-white images that beautifully illustrate each of the processes described. Chapters include an introduction to photographic techniques and applications, such as useful safelights, sizing paper, measuring solutions, exposure controls, ultraviolet light sources, and making enlarged negatives, as well as an extensive section on safety in- and outside of the darkroom. The appendix provides important information on the chemicals discussed, as well as health-and-safety references, supply sources in the United States, Canada, and Europe, and a complete catalog of Internet resources. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

In Love with Photo Chemicals?
If so then this is certainly the book for you. If you are one of those photographer who does not enjoy the darkroom; does not like to take the process from start to completion; or perhaps just do not like to experiment. . . Then you may not enjoy this one too much. This book has alot of information.

** one suggestion, if your darkroom is not efficiently ventalated then you may want to stay away from some of the processes involved

History of cool things!
You'll enjoy the info in this one. Makes for a heavy read.

A useful guide
For the budding alternative practitioner, this book is an invaluable resource. It is clearly and engagingly written, and covers the gamut of processes from simple salted-paper calotypes, through platinum/palladium and bromoil. Safety is emphasized, with an overview in the second chapter, and a chemical index with hazards in the back. A thorough list of sources for materials, other references, online resources, etc, is in the back.

One of the best features of the book is that it is not limited merely to the historic processes, but also to modern variants. Therefore, not only classic cyanotype or kallitype is presented, but also modern formulations, with a discussion of how they differ and the advantages/disadvantages of each. The section on carbon printing includes recommendations for 3-color, and for 'overpigmenting' the gelatin base to produce grainy 'mezzotint' pictures. Illustrations include modern prints by the author and british photographer/chemist Michael Ware, as well as classic prints from the days when the techniques were in vogue. Each technique also has a discussion of the proper negative contrast which is required, which is important since most of these processes require contact printing and a denser negative than modern practitioners are used to.

If there is a problem, it's that the design of the book appears to be meant to get a practitioner started in the process, and then point them elsewhere for other sources. It is also clear that some processes (gum bichromate/bromoil) seem to get more attention than others (cyanotype), probably reflecting the author's personal interests in his work. This is a minor quibble, since the cyanotype chapter is still more thorough than most I've read elsewhere, and the formulations for image-color control in the kallitype chapter is invaluable to allow one to explore the range of the process.

In short, this is a well-written, thorough, text which will allow an interested party to get started, and then go to more specialized sources if they decide to delve deeper into one of the processes. It is also an enjoyable read in its own right. I bought it initially to get started in cyanotype, and have no regrets as a result.

Indispensable Photo Book
This book covers many historic methods. This book is for the photographer looking to go beyond silver. It gives you all you need to know to get you started. HIghly recommended - easy to read and follow.

The ultimate alt-photo book
First a disclaimer: I am the inventor of the Ziatype process described in the book.

The title is a little misleading since it says "historical processes." The book focuses on photo processes that are used largely in art photography and do not involve the normally used silver paper or color paper. Yes, many of these processes were used for photography in its earlier years and are "historical," but these processes are most often referred to as "alternative photography" now. If you are a photographer and are looking for a respite from the ordinary, this is your book.

This book replaces the now quite dated Keepers of Light first published in 1979. Since that time, and to the credit of Keepers of Light, alternative photography has grown considerably. This book is excellent and takes in much of the later developments and knowledge of the field.

Farber's treatment is lucid, well illustrated, and takes a hands-on approach. Despite the advances in alternative photography, many of the materials previously available have disappeared from the marketplace. Farber takes this into account and I particularly found his chapters on bromoil and carbon printing to be valuable as he discusses the use of modern bromide papers for making bromoil prints and also how to make your own carbon tissue.

This book belongs on the shelf of every serious darkroom photographer. If you are a photographic collector, I would also advise buying a copy even if you never intend to make an alternative photo print. There is a wealth of succinct information here that would be valuable for any collector wanting to understand the nature of many earlier photographic print-making processes. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Imagine having 61 widely published photographers from around the world candidly discuss their careers and beliefs while showing you key images from their portfolios. That is the engaging concept of Magnum Stories. From Iran-born Abbas (whose career began with a series about the Vietcong in the 1970s) to Patrick Zachmann (who has documented the lives of Malian immigrants in his native France), each photographer is given ample space to talk about his or her work. Editor Chris Boot accompanies the interviews with a brief explanation of the cultural or political background of each suite of images. The one thing the interviewees have in common is past or current membership in Magnum, a photographers' cooperative founded in 1947 by Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson and David Seymour as a means of breaking free from the editorial tyranny of Life and other photo-based magazines. Boot's introduction deftly summarizes Magnum's history and the practicalities of postwar photography. The presence of vintage "Magnum stories" by such photographers as Erich Hartmann ("Our Daily Bread") and W. Eugene Smith ("Country Doctor") adds a welcome historical dimension. While the founding generation were mostly photo-journalists who organized their images into visual "stories," today's members often pursue topics of personal interest with photog