Overview
Arranged in alphabetical order by photographer, The Photography Book brings together 500 inspiring, moving and beautiful images of famous events and people, sensational landscapes, historic moments, sport, wildlife and fashion. Each photograph is discussed in detail, bringing it to life and giving us an understanding of this art form which is so influential in our everyday lives. A simple system of cross-referencing enables easy access to photographers working with a similar approach or using different means to capture the same subject. Glossaries of technical terms are also included, together with an international directory of museums and galleries where photography is regularly on display.As instructive as it is gorgeous, this hefty treasure is arranged alphabetically by photographer and brings together 500 photographs of people famous and unknown, huge historical moments and tiny ephemeral revelations, and much more.
Synopsis
The concept is simple: 500 photographers, 500 pages. The Photography Book is an unsurpassed collection of superb images that represent the world's best photographers from the mid-19th century to today. Ordered alphabetically, the coincidental alignment of photos from different eras and aesthetic sensibilities provides unusual and exciting contrasts that add an extra dimension to the reader's perception of the work. For example, 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. The scope of this visual encyclopedia is truly epic, including iconic photographs like Alfred Eisenstaedt's shot of a sailor and a nurse kissing in Times Square on V-J Day, experimental boundary-pushers like a color-photo collage by painter David Hockney, and pop images such as David LaChapelle's picture of a bodybuilder posing amid a cluster of little boys aping his stance. The Photography Book encompasses fashion, sport, natural history, reportage and society portraiture, documentary and art, with concise text providing useful insight into each work and its creator. The book also includes extensive cross-references, glossaries of technical terms and movements and a directory of museums and galleries. With its incredibly low price tag, there's no way you can find more cultural bang for your buck than with this book.