Book Description

Reviews (3)

The Weston experience- an introspective look
A fascinating introspective look into the mind of one of the great American photographers of the beginning of the 20th century, Edward Weston. With his intricate, yet simple, and sometimes abstract images, Weston created a world of his own together with his "one true love," his camera. By evidently pouring his soul into every entry of his daybooks, Weston makes the reader gain a greater understanding of his technique and extraordinary eye for beauty. The chronological organization of entries takes the reader from Weston's days in Mexico through his days in California.
Not only writing about photography, Weston describes his many acquaintances (his encounters with Stieglits are most interesting), his dinner parties, his adventures in a foreign land, his romantic dealings, etc. It was interesting to read of his take on Mexico of the 1920's. Also interesting is the glimpse into the life of a struggling artist who depends of every "sitting" to survive...the life of a true artist. The pairing up of his writings with sporadic clusters of his wonderful photographs enhanced and completed this Weston experience. Alltoghether a fascinating compilation of thought, highly recommendable.

Into the Intimate Life of Ed Weston
This book is a great book to get to know the thoughts of Edward Weston on his daily work of photography and personal life. This is a diary type book of daily entries of thoughts. It has some funny points and sad points (as a lives do). Photographers today can identify with the great Photographer on his progress of daily work. If you want to see Edward Weston's thoughts in his daily life this is the book to get! I'd have to say it's awesome to know the thoughts and happenings of a great photographer of the past!

An intimate look into the mind and soul of an artist
This book stands alone in the annals of art history. No other book gives such an intimate view into the day-to-day trials of a working artist. Weston, who from time to time fostered ambitions of becoming a writer, genrously shares his thoughts and his experiences over a 15 year period, culminating in a remarkable portrait of the artist as a human being. While literary critics may have occasion to fault his prose, which at times seems flowery and verbose, given his Victorian-age education this can be forgiven of him. Weston takes us through his decision to leave his family and travel to Mexico, where he chronicles not only his own work, but that of other artists. He writes of the bullfights, love affairs, the scenery, and of the many unforgettable characters he met along the way. Weston moved in many circles, and thoroughly enjoyed himself, whether his company be artists or revolutionaries. He shares with the reader his many instances of self doubt, of guilt, and of poverty. He also shares his many triumphs, as his original photography begins to garner commercial success. We see Weston as an art critic, giving unflinching opinions of the works of Diego Rivera, Carlos Orozco, Robinson Jeffers, and a host of others. He is no less honest in his evaluation of his own work. Included in the volume are 72 extremely well-reproduced photographs divided into the various periods of his photographic life. We are givin a behind-the-scenes look at how these photographs were made, from both the artistic and the technical point of veiw. Most importantly, the Daybooks is not just for photographers or Weston afficianodos, but for anyone who appreciates a well-written autobiography of a remarkable artist. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Charis Wilson jump starts her recollection of her years with Edward Weston with a visit to Death Valley (where, as model and photographer, they made many of his most famous photographs) for the first time in nearly 50 years. From there she follows the flow of memory. Wilson was just 19 when she first met the 48-year-old photographer. Shortly after that first encounter, Weston jotted the following entry in one of his Daybooks: "I have not opened this book for almost 8 months--and with good reason; I have been too busy, busy living. I notice the last entry was 4-20. On 4-22 a new love came into my life, a most beautiful one, one which will, I believe, stand the test of time." Wilson remembers spotting a "short man in brown clothes" as she scanned a crowded room after a concert; he was Weston. Wilson soon became his model (she is the subject of more than half of his recorded nudes), then his lover, and ultimately his wife. Their relationship seemed to transcend that of artist and muse. The two worked alongside one another, she assisting him in the darkroom, he illustrating texts she wrote.

Wilson's memoir is filled with anecdotes about Weston's work methods and personal habits that his admirers will find delightful: Weston wore glasses to focus his shot, then yanked them off to view his subject so that each shot was achieved through a flurry of the glasses flying off and onto the photographer's face; he used a heavy tarp to transform the back of his Ford V-8 into a darkroom; he ambushed the sun, laying in the sand until it illuminated his subject just the way he desired; coated cats' whiskers with butter so they'd lick them, staying in one place long enough for him to take his shot; and had a penchant for foods that would revolt even the most iron stomached. These recollections combined with other details about their lives together, their friendships with Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Jack London and other luminaries and their work form a comprehensive if roseate view of Weston that is a substantial addition to what we know about the legendary photographer. --Jordana Moskowitz ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Edward Weston through another set of eyes
Weston is my FAVORITE photographer of all times. I've read the daybooks (which are excellent) and own many Weston Books. While I'll not pretend Charis Wilson is a great writer (OK...it was "Co Written" by her)the book is a different prespective on a great photographer. Skip the "life and times of Charis" sections and you'll be privey to a personal side of Weston not often revealed in other writings.

A well-written, revealing rememberance.
Charis Wilson reveals some sides of Edward Weston not previously published, and corrects some missimpressions that have been published. She is an excellent writer. Readers should recall that this book is a rememberance, not a spicy revelation; with that in mind, they should enjoy it.

A snapshot into photography's greatest man-woman partnership
This biography is an expansive treatment of the brief insight offered by Charis Wilson in her remembrance in "Edward Weston Nudes" (an Aperture monograph). It describes the artistic partnership between one of the greatest photographers in history and his muse/model/wife/inspiration - also one of the greatest in history.

As both an amateur photographer and writer, I have learned much from both about making images and writing stories. There are many published books on Weston's photography; this book has everything that is missing - the half of the story that has been largely untold for half a century.

A marvelous book which introduces us to C. Wilson
Charis (Kar-is) Wilson was long the companion and lover of Edward Weston. She met him at an early age (19 or 20) when he was twice her age. She proved not only a love force in his life, but she wrote much of his captions for his photographs. She tells her story in a frank and honest manner with some bit of humor. We really find out who she was and what she thought about being with one of the world's greatest photographers at the time. The book reveals new information about Edward at the same time we are finding out about Charis. A very good read which flows easily. Makes everyone want to drop life's stress, grab camera and head for Pt. Lobos and the art community of Carmel, CA ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Great Aperture Book
Wow, a photography book that you do not have to buy with a loan application or perfect credit. Weston was such a commanding presence in so many photographic fields, and this overview of his work is great. One quibble: I wish there had been better ties between the women in his life and the nudes featured here. Who was who? Also, his bio mentions the last photo he took, but does not include it. Other than that, great work by a great artist and a great inspiration.

A Summation of a Spectacu
If you were to only buy one of Edward Weston's books, this would be the one -- and for less then $10... ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Reviews (3)

He also did a few nude males.
Reproductions are pretty good. Text lacks meat although the photos don't. Incidentally, Weston did photograph a few nude males although you wouldn't know it from this book.

Excellent book
This was the type of book I was looking for concerning Weston's nude photography. The background, written by his wife and model, was excellent, and the pictures were laid out perfectly. Highly recommended to any Weston fan.

I liked it!
All women. The pictures are in B/W and are nice & clear. They have great details. I am glad that I bought it! I recommend it to anyone that likes B/W pictures of pretty nude women. ... Read more

Book Description

An examination of the personal and professional relationship between two important American photographers. Margrethe Mather has been remembered mostly through the commentary of fellow photographer Edward Weston, who referred to her as "the first important person" in his life. In fact, Mather was probably the greatest influence on the development of Weston's early career. They first met in 1913 and soon developed a close relationship, eventually working together as full-fledged artistic partners and even co-signing the photographs they produced. Weston was also madly in love with Mather, and the two engaged in a brief affair during his first marriage. This book, which features work by both artists, chronicles their twelve-year association and sheds light on Mather, whose artistry, sexual identity, and mysterious past were overshadowed by the massive reputation of Edward Weston and his subsequent association with Tina Modotti. 94 duotone photographs. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good art, bad art history
Almost nothing has been written on the pictorialist movement in California in the early 20th century, yet every well know photographer in California was active in it. This book is an imaginative look at one of the best and most mysterious practitioners. Mather and Weston found themselves in L.A. at the time in history when the movie industry was taking shape and a lot of creative and adventurous people came out here. This book captures some of that atmosphere.

Mather is interesting as a woman, as an artist and member of an eclectic group of West Coast artists, one of whom was Edward Weston with whom she worked and did other things for about 12 years. There is no question that they stimulated each other. Nothing could be less important except to get you to buy a book, I think.

Warren weakens Mather by linking her to Weston, trying to make the case that she influenced him. Her analysis is superficial to the point that her writing seems like an "infomercial". This is not surprising since the author used to work for an art auction house.

She would be far more informative if she had pointed out the differences between their approaches to the same subjects. Artists, particularly photographers of the place and time in question, met each other in clubs where they showed each other their work and talked about it. Everyone knew everyone and their influences helped define the differences between them. The Impressionists hung out together, the Dadaist hung out together as did almost every group or movement in art history. It is not informative for the author simply to restate this commonplace.

One of Mather's photographs of a boy wrapped in a kimono Warren compares with Weston's photograph of Tina Modotti in a kimono taken some years later. The subject is not new, and both photographs are wonderful but entirely different. Mather's is graphically 30 years ahead of its time, abstract, soft and easy.
Weston's is bold, sharp and explicit, and a dramatic break with pictorialism. It was probably influenced by Stieglitz, not Mather, according to those who wrote about Weston's meeting with Stieglitz. These two pictures, like many of the others Warren compares, are not even about the same thing.

In the end, this is a book about Edward Weston and not Mather. No new light is shed on either one of them, despite the huge bibliography of reference material. Not all of the works listed support Warren's case but she never mentions this of course.

There is a lot of art in this biography but not much art history. The photographs are well selected and presented. Margrethe Mather made some exceptional photographs which brought her a just amount of fame.

Mather's personal life would make a good movie. She was beautiful, talented and led a mysterious life which ended somewhat tragically. She died unknown mostly because she wanted to, and that is an important part of her story which Warren explores in this book.

Warren is working on a longer treatment of Mather. Hopefully she will pay more attention to the substance of the artist's work and her personal life and distract us less with her association with Weston.

This book is graphically rich and stimulating food for thought. Buy if for the art and dig up some of the material referred to in the footnotes. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An Extraordinary Compilation Of Photography As Art!
Edward Weston, more than any other photographer that I admire and have studied, succeeded in creating photography as art. His abstract and voluptuous landscapes of the human form, his photographic sculptures of organic matter, his special vision that captured unnoticed works of art in nature, bring extraordinary passion and life to black and white photography. His exploration of "the universality of basic form" has provided us with masterpieces of photographic art. Much of Weston's best work is featured in this large and exquisite book. Published in London in association with the Huntington Library, printed and bound in Italy, and issued on fine paper approaching photographic print quality, this book is certainly a wonderful legacy of Edward Weston and his work.

In 1937 and 1938, the Guggenheim Foundation paid Weston to take a two-year photographic trip though California and the West - he was the first photographer to be awarded a Guggenheim fellowship - the images he made during that trip - more than 500, were presented to the Huntington Library. "What it all comes to is this," Weston wrote the Guggenheim Foundation in 1939, "I want very much to have a collection in the Huntington Library and will do anything I can to make it possible." "Edward Weston: A Legacy" organizes much of this material - extensive commentary, notes, biographical information and career-long examples of Weston's photographs. It is a truly stunning compilation.

Weston's work evokes warmth, sensuality, the erotic. There is passion behind his photographs of animals, like the fleet fox, his portraits, and in his strange visions of antique statuary. His nudes, especially the extraordinary work he does with Charis Wilson, take the viewer beyond the erotic to a discovery of eternal forms.

This is a magnificent book containing a master's work - a real treasure!
JANA

Overdue but worth the wait
Edward Weston gave more that 500 of his favorite works to the Huntington Library. Note books and other written material complete a major collection. This book is a major attempt to organize and say something meaningful about a prolific, private genius. I haven't read it all but I've already learned a lot and I've studied Weston for 40 years. The reproductions and their display as 8X10 contact prints is one of the most astonishing feats of printing I've ever seen, especially the nudes of Charis Wilson and the incredible sand dunes at Oceano. There are many photos that I have never seen, many I have seen and some I've held in my hand. This gives me the perspective to say that this book is worth buying just for the prints. You'll think as I have that you missed something until now, especially if all you've seen is book prints. This is as close you'll come to the real thing in print. I've sat buried in this book for half an hour, afraid to breath. ... Read more

Book Description

Tina Modotti and Edward Weston travelled to Mexico in 1923 at the start of an extraordinary period of artistic creativity that became known as the Mexican Renaissance. Although often perceived as being principally embodied by the politically motivated work of Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros and José Clemente Orozco, the Mexican Renaissance was shaped by the contribution of dozens of artists, both Mexicans and expatriates, and gave rise to an exceptionally hospitable environment for innovative art-making. The work Modotti and Weston made in the 1920s marks the beginning of a Modernist photographic aesthetic that left an indelible mark on the history of photography in Mexico. Each contributed to this history individually: Modotti is known for beautiful still-lifes that gave way to Modernist images of Mexican workers and poetic revolutionary icons. Weston's Pictorialist-influenced imagery was abandoned in favour of sharp, clear, 'straight' photographs and an engagement with form. Also included in this exquisitely produced book is a selection of images by two Mexican photographers, Manuel Álvarez Bravo and Mariana Yampolsky, whose work was influenced by these two foreigners. ... Read more

Book Description

Amazon.com

In 1902, the year Edward Weston was given his first camera, few people regarded photography as more than a craft. But along with innovators like Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Steichen, Weston revolutionized the ways photographers chose subject material and used photographic techniques to create what gradually came to be accepted as fine art.

This is an elegant book, designed and printed in Germany, with an essay by Terence Pitts, of the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, Arizona. It presents 180 of Weston's finest images, including many--such as the pines of Point Lobos, the sand dunes of Oceano, and his stark, unadorned nudes--that have become icons. Whereas the photographs of Man Ray and Moholy-Nagy were, to Weston's eyes, hopelessly mannered, his images are elemental, organic, and in harmony with nature's rhythms. Weston spent most of his working life in Mexico and California, and much of his work, replete with shadows, is illuminated with the harsh light of those places. In 1932, he and Ansel Adams founded the influential photographic collective Group f/64, named after the lens-aperture size that exposed an image at its most detailed and clear. This was Weston's aesthetic: to show the real world in its unrelieved integrity rather than create an imaginary construct. He was concerned with visual truth, not with character or storytelling. Weston was a true pioneer whose rigorous vision permanently changed the ways we see the world around us. --John Stevenson ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Natural Goodness -- "Form Follows Function"
This book will appeal to all of those who appreciate high quality reproductions of Edward Weston's finest works. Dunes, cypress, nudes, and portraits are all conjured up by the name of Edward Weston, and each is well represented in this gorgeous volume.

Before going into a description of this book, let me further caution those of you who do not know Edward Weston that he much favored nude photographs of women and had intimate relations with many women in his life which are described in Terence Pitts' interesting essay. If such things offend you, I suggest that you avoid this volume.

"Edward understood thoughts and concepts that dwell on simple mystical levels." -- Ansel Adams

It is appropriate that this volume contains some comments by Ansel Adams about Edward Weston. The two have many similarities in their work, and were friends. Both were attracted to the underlying grandeur of nature, and looked for the connectedness in all things (a sort of fractal-based perspective on unity). Weston was especially successful in integrating images of people with his nature images.

The works speak for themselves. "Edward Weston, contrary to so many now practicing photography, never verbalized on his own work." -- Ansel Adams

The potential for each of us from considering these images is very great from Adams' point of view. "You might discover, through Edward Weston's work, how basically good you are, or might become."

Edward Weston was formally trained to be a studio photographer, and soon sought to escape the limitations of doing commercial portraits. He was very skilled in this area, and there was always demand for his work. After 1930, he was able to stop retouching portraits which was a great relief to him.

Nature always fascinated him, and in the latter part of his life he was able to focus on the potential of his work rather than on eking out a living. In the 1930s he received the first Guggenheim Fellowship to travel for photography, and made good use of this to see locales he would not otherwise have reached.

Weston's influence is important in the 20th century for establishing photography as an art, rather than as representation.

Weston did his best work in California and Mexico, where he traveled extensively. I was also impressed with his industrial photography, which I had not seen much of before. He had an amazing eye for form in industrial settings and in designs of mundane objects.

The images here are well reproduced in almost all cases, and the size of the pages is excellent for the images involved.

Here are my favorites from the images in this superb book:

Epilogue 1919

Sunny Corner in an Attic 1920

Ruth Shaw 1922

Armco Steel 1922

Lois Kellog 1923

Rose Roland, Mexico 1926

Shell 1927

Shells 1927

Cabbage Leaf 1931

Cypress Root, Seventeen Mile Drive 1929

Cypress Root and Succulents, Point Lobos 1930

Bedpan 1930

Charis 1934

Sheels and Hill, San Juan 1934

Dunes (5), Oceano, 1936

Iceberg Lake 1937

Juniper, Lake Tenaya 1937

Nude (#4 and #5) Oceano 1936

Dante's View, Death Valley 1937

Church Door, Hornitos, California 1940

Potato Cellar, Lake Tahoe 1937

Stonecrop and Cypress, Point Lobos 1939

I believe that a rewarding way to enjoy this work even more is to give yourself the equivalent of a Guggenheim fellowship for a shorter period of time, and visit many of the locales where Edward Weston produced these images. Take along your camera, and see what you can capture for yourself. It will increase your appreciation of what he saw, and the issues of capturing it for others.

Enjoy the beauty around you, in all of its natural forms.

a modern classic
An excellent and well documented introduction to Weston's oeuvre and philosophy. One of the true and underrated innovators in photography. If you love Adams, Depardon or Cartier Bresson's landscapes,welcome home ! Some stunning pictures of the desert. Very very good repro quality. Buy with confidence. ... Read more

Book Description

Dune collects, for the first time, the sand dune photographs of both Edward and Brett Weston, two giant names in modern photography. Previously, their remarkable dune photographs--dramatic abstractions of light and shadow and sensuous shape--were featured as samples in overview publications on the artists, just a picture here and there. This lush volume brings together father and son in a personal, unique fashion, showcasing the photographs each made in the same locations. Adding depth is an original essay by Brett Weston's longtime friend, traveling companion and biographer, John Charles Woods. Woods' intimate, forthcoming narrative describes what it was like to accompany the younger Weston into the dunes and what his habits and personality were like. Charis Wilson, Edward Weston's one-time wife, excerpts a passage from her acclaimed book Through Another Lens, in which she tells of a 1936 trip she and her husband made to the dunes of Oceano, California. Also included are correspondence between father and son, and excerpts from Edward Weston's daybooks.

Nothing can be transmitted to another unless an original problem has been felt, conceived and solved: not a trivial problem of clever decoration or the personal ego, but the recording of the very quintessence and interdependence of all life.--Edward Weston, from America and Photography, 1929

Essays by Kurt Markus, Charis Wilson and John Woods.

Clothbound, 12.75 x 10 in./96 pgs / 0 color 0 BW duotone 60 tritones~ Item D20044 ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Magnificent Book!
Without doubt one of the most magnificent books related to photography ever published. The Westston's photgraphs are out of and well beyong the realm of "pictures" -- the treatment of the photographs and Kust Markus' text and treatment of the Weston's works reverantly rings true and honest, no pretentious drivel here!

Outstanding
What a terrific book on the 2 great masters of 20th century photography. A joy to read and the reproductions of the Dunes are some of the best I have seen in any book on EW or BW. Highly recommended for the collector of Westons and others. A real treasure and I keep on opening it to view such beautiful images. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Photography as art
The fine black and white photography of Edward Weston is featured in this oversized book and is one of those books to viewed over and over.The book also has an extremely satisfying text that highlights some of the phases of his career. The essays lend insight into the man. Of particular interest was the indication that Weston saw his photographic art in the same light as some of the famous Mexican artists of the time like, Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco and others. He strived to have his art looked at in the same light as those in other mediums. He was drawn to these artists, their culture and their works. The after effects of the Mexican revolution, transformed into a cultural renaissance was his palette. Also discussed was his mingling with artists of his times and his reciprocal affect on fellow photographic artist Tina Mondotti. Weston saw and recognized the art in the everyday lives of the the people, heightened during festivals, especially of a religious nature. He particualrly liked the pulquerias. He also was intrigued by the folk art created by common artisans and captured these elements with his lens. Although the book is not limited to his Mexican phase, I found this part of particular interest. There are also paintings that were done by his contemporaries with parallels drawn to his work. His nudes are an exquisite honor to the female body and all it's wonderful curves. There are plenty of nudes featured as this must have been one of his favortie subjects. The early works are featured but his later works are amazing. After 1927 his sojourn to California and his studies of natural forms at the beach and in the sand dunes resulted in some phenomenal images. Also his ability to see erotic imagery in fruit forms is inspiring. If you like the visual arts you will love the works of this master photographer. A great gift book for the camera buff in your life.

beautifully printed - nicely selected works
The show for which this book is the catalog was at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston during May of 2000. As a graduate student at Boston University studying photography I found this book to be wonderful - it is beautifully printed, and the scholarship that went into the text and editing really offer insight and context for Weston's photography. He is most well known for works like the one which appears on the cover, but the book includes earlier and later works, and discuss how they relate to the famous ones. Weston was active in the first part of the 20th century, and most of the works in this show were taken in California and Mexico. His photography is beautiful and rich and this book would help novice and connoisseur alike appreciate it more. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Edward Weston Omnibus
Edward Weston is one of the 20th century photographers who influenced many artists and left a unique and everlasting work of art to people who appreciate and understand his work. His aesthetic approach for photography makes him different in terms of the value, meaning, and dedication he has for his work of art. One can appreciate his ability to manipulate and distort the images of objects to make them appear in uncommon ways. He has an extraordinary skill for approaching and viewing subjects through his camera to capture details, light, shade, texture and movement in ensemble.

The book, Edward Weston Omnibus, holds a collection of critical articles written by his closest friends, journalists, and artists such as Diego Rivera, Ansel Adams. The articles were mainly written by his contemporaries who, in response to exhibitions of his works, admired, commented, questioned and in some cases challenged his style of photography that evolved from years of work in the West, Mexico and California in particular. The book also consists Weston's responses to his critics and pictures of some of his works. His countless photographs of subjects such as still life, landscape and portraits were admired and praised for the flawless visibility of their elements. The book may help readers to familiarize themselves with Weston's style of photography, in particular his selection of his subjects and his vantage points that are crucially responsible for creating fine prints. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Sex
A delicious read, passionate, imaginative and not very accurate. Maddow was obsessed with Weston's sex life but that may have helped Weston's fame and Maddow's sales. ... Read more