Product Description
For beginners or more advanced students, this text gives step-by-step insruction to the various basic procedures and advanced techniques in photography. It provides a concise introduction to the history of photography as well as a comprehensive discussion of all photographic techniques and hardware needed for black and white and color photography. Over 300 line drawings illustrate equipment, procedures, optical relationships, and other technical concerns. Numerous photographs - over 450 in black and white and 50 in color - show the technical choices and decisions that affect picture quality. Superb professional works serve as clear illustrations of various procedures and techniques and as examples of various photographic styles. ... Read more

Product Description
Defining photography is impossible. Revealing it is another matter, and that's what The Concise Focal Encyclopedia of Photography does,
with each turn of the page.

History: The technical origins and evolution of photography are half of the story. The other half consists of the ways that cultural forces have transformed photography into a constellation of practices more diverse than any other mode of representation. Photographers can tell a more in-depth story through a photo like Dorothea Lange's "Migrant Mother" than a journalist ever could with the written word alone.

Major themes and practitioners: Over 25 entries, many with supporting illustrations,
examine the figures, trends, and ideas that have contributed most heavily to the history and current state of photography.

Contemporary issues: The issues influencing photography today are more complex than at any other time in its history. Questions of ethics, desire, perception, digitization, and commercialization all vie for attention. Hear what the experts have to say about crucial
issues such as whether or not the images we take today will last the test of time, and if so, how?

When material is covered this skillfully, "concise" is no compromise. The Concise Focal Encyclopedia of Photography is packed with useful information, compelling
ideas, and - best of all - pure pleasure.

* Over 100 color images
* Images from Ansel Adams, Howard Schatz, and Jerry Uelsmann to name just a few
* International contributors from the top of their fields ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

For photographers of all levels
From the history of photography to the digital images of today, this book describes how photos were first made and how they'll last. It melds photography with sociology to make this a unique reading experience. It's also an ideal textbook in that it introduces the reader to the inventors and artisans of photography. With over 100 images from some of the most famous photographers ever known, this book is worth well over 100,000 words. ... Read more

Product Description
This prize-winning book tells the intertwined stories of photography and the American West--a new medium and a new place that came of age together in the nineteenth century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Photography and the myths of the American west
"Print the Legend" is an insightful study of the co-development of photography and the image of the American west.Sandweiss begins by discussing the limited uses of daguerrotypes as intermediaries for other forms of visual information in the context of the Mexican-American war and the unfolding western landscape.She goes on to show that as the technology of wet-plate photography developed, so did the direct use of supposedly objective photographs in building the mythology of the western United States.The chapter on photography and representations of American Indians was particularly strong and nuanced.

"Print the Legend" is recommended for anyone with an interest in early photography or western American history.But above all, I found it to be a deep examination of photography and photographic representation.

How the West was Spun
Heroic cowboys and savage Indians.Homes on the cozy range.Gold for the taking in them thar hills. Print the Legend shows how the first photos of the American West were cropped and captioned to embellish the stories and myths that drew the pioneers westward.Few historians write this gracefully, and Sandweiss's prize-winning scholarship is free from pedantic distractions.The engrossing section on photography and the American Indian is worth the price of this handsome. deliciously intelligent book.

--Michael More, Albuquerque Journal ... Read more

Product Description
In 1891, William Dickson, a researcher at Thomas Edison's firm, developed the Kinetograph, a motion picture camera that used Eastman Kodak's new celluloid film. Almost immediately, an industry was born. The new artistic and technical discipline of motion picture photography matured as the film industry grew. From the beginnings of the movie camera, developments in film production and exhibition have been inextricably linked to the evolution of motion picture photography.This work traces the history of motion picture photography from the late 19th century through the year 1960, when color photography became the accepted standard. Generously illustrated, it covers each decade's cameras, lenses, cameramen, film processing methods, formats, studios, lighting techniques and major cinematographic developments. Each chapter concludes with examples of the decade's outstanding cinematography. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Must Have
This is truly one of the most complete books about our trade, I recommend it to everyone interested in film and history. It is a must have. ... Read more

Product Description
A respected guide for creatives, artists and photographers alike, Pinhole Photography is packed with all the information you need to understand and get underway with this wonderfully quirky, creative technique. Covering pinhole photography from its historical roots, pinhole expert Eric Renner, founder of pinholeresource.com, fully explores the theory and practical application of pinhole in this beautiful resource.
Packed with inspiring images, instructional tips and information on a variety of pinhole cameras for beginner and advanced photographers, this classic text now offers a new chapter on digital imaging and more in depth how-to coverage for beginners, as well as revised exposure guides and optimal pinhole charts.
With an expanded gallery of full-color photographs displaying the creative results of pinhole cameras, along with listings of workshops, pinhole photographer's websites, pinhole books and suppliers of pinhole equipment, this is the one guide you need to learn the craft and navigate the industry.

* Discover the history, theory and practical application of pinhole photography in this unique guide by worldwide pinhole expert, Eric Renner
* Packed with large, full-color photographs showcasing the most original and imaginative ways to use pinhole photography, including digital application of pinhole techniques
* Includes extensive resource section with reliable information on pinhole suppliers, websites, books and workshops that no pinhole photographer can do without ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not a bad book, but not for pinhole novice
If you're a complete novice in PINHOLE photography looking for instructions to start a little project (making a simple pinhole camera), then this book is not for you. However if you've started pinhole photography for a while and want to enter the next level and seek some more inspirations, this book is a pretty good one. It starts from the history of the camera obscura, and the origins of the perspectives devices...

Why I rated 3 is because I think the overall text is a bit boring and theoretical......

The last section which contains examples from other pinhole photographers are worth looking though. You'll be inspired to read some other books and construct your camera. As I said, this book is too technical for a novice.

Packed with color photos of the latest, most original pinhole results
The fourth updated edition of Eric Renner's PINHOLE PHOTOGRAPHY FROM HISTORIC TECHNIQUE TO DIGITAL APPLICATION covers all aspects of pinhole photography from science to the latest digital techniques. From a beginner's introduction to pinhole cameras to expanded information and zone plate practices for more advanced users, this is packed with color photos of the latest, most original pinhole results.

The 4th edition reallymoves fully into the modern, rather than the historical, technique
"Rediscovering a historical technique" was the old subtitle for the earlier editions. Now it's "From historical technique to digital application." And that change of subtitle is revealing. There's a lot more here on pinholes and zone plates for digital cameras, and a lot less on early camera obscura experiments. There's still a good emphasis on the do-it-yourself aspects which is a good thing with pinholes as you really can make and modify good quality instruments. No matter how hard you work if you make wine it's not likely to be better than the $7 bottle at the corner store, but your twenty minute camera construction can work as well as a Holga. And your modifications to an old box camera can produce brilliant images.

The essential pinhole camera reference, and exhortation to action, has been updated, expanded, edited, and made higher-tech. And it's all a good thing. ... Read more

Product Description
Photographs are used as documents, records and evidence every day in courtrooms and hospitals, on passports and driving licences. But how did photographs come to be established and accepted, what sort of agencies and institutions have the power to enforce this status and, more generally, what concept of photographic representation is entailed and what are its consequences? In addressing such issues, John Tagg traces a previously unexamined history which has profound implications not only for the theory and practice of conventionally separated areas of amateur, professional, technical, documentary and art photography, but also for the understanding of the role of photography in processes of modern social regulation. ... Read more

Product Description

Typically a photograph of a jazz musician has several formal prerequisites: black and white film, an urban setting in the mid-twentieth century, and a black man standing, playing, or sitting next to his instrument. That's the jazz archetype that photography created. Author K. Heather Pinson discovers how such a steadfast script developed visually and what this convention meant for the music.

Album covers, magazines, books, documentaries, art photographs, posters, and various other visual extensions of popular culture formed the commonly held image of the jazz player. Through assimilation, there emerged a generalized composite of how mainstream jazz looked and sounded. Pinson evaluates representations of jazz musicians from 1945 to 1959, concentrating on the seminal role played by Herman Leonard (b. 1923). Leonard's photographic depictions of African American jazz musicians in New York not only created a visual template of a black musician of the 1950s, but also became the standard configuration of the music's neoclassical sound today. To discover how the image of the musician affected mainstream jazz, Pinson examines readings from critics, musicians, and educators, as well as interviews, musical scores, recordings, transcriptions, liner notes, and oral narratives.

Product Description
This book provides a unique overview of the origins of professional photography in Paris during the Second Empire and its transformation from a novel curiosity to a vital part of the urban environment.McCauley profiles the people who became commercial photographers, explains the business of photography, and uncovers the social, political, and psychological needs that different types of photography satisfied. ... Read more

Product Description
*Searchable CD ROM containing the entire book (including images)
*Over 450 color images, plus never before published images provided by the George Eastman House collection, as well as images from Ansel Adams, Howard Schatz, and Jerry Uelsmann to name just a few

The role and value of the picture cannot be matched for accuracy or impact. This comprehensive treatise, featuring the history and historical processes of photography, contemporary applications, and the new and evolving digital technologies, will provide the most accurate technical synopsis of the current, as well as early worlds of photography ever compiled. This Encyclopedia, produced by a team of world renown practicing experts, shares in highly detailed descriptions, the core concepts and facts relative to anything photographic. This Fourth edition of the Focal Encyclopedia serves as the definitive reference for students and practitioners of photography worldwide, expanding on the award winning 3rd edition.

In addition to Michael Peres (Editor in Chief), the editors are:
Franziska Frey (Digital Photography), J. Tomas Lopez (Contemporary Issues), David Malin (Photography in Science), Mark Osterman (Process Historian), Grant Romer (History and the Evolution of Photography), Nancy M. Stuart (Major Themes and Photographers of the 20th Century), and Scott Williams (Photographic Materials and Process Essentials)

* Searchable CD-ROM containing full contents of the book
* Full color throughout and highly illustrated
* World wide industry leaders contributing ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Fantastic Resource
I'm a proud owner of all editions of this fine book, but this one beats them all. This new 4th edition is a must on every serious photographer's bookshelf. It covers every aspect of photography to the nth degree and in total depth. Written by many authors, all experts in their field, it is beyond any single-author book. Digital or analog, everything is in here. The 'history of photography' section with its timeline is highly educational. Every time I've picked it up, I have learned something new, and the CD (combined with my laptop) makes a valuable resource when travelling.

Great resource
This is a wonderful reference to have on hand as it has thorough coverage of many topics regarding photography.It is updated to include digital as well.I have used it extensively while writing my thesis about photography.If you are looking for a list of photographers however, this is not for you as it is not really intended as a biographical list of photographers.It is more focused on history, careers, issues, materials, and processes - there are some key influential photographers of the twentieth century included.It also talks about photo education which not many books do!

A vast and authoritative but not perfect publication
It is difficult to know where to start and finsh with a review of a publication like this.It is vast in scope and content, authoritative, immensely good value (particularly with the included CD-ROM)and provides many hours of interesting reading.It will continue to provide a valuable reference source over many years.However, it is not perfect.

It tends to be more of an anthology and historical study than a practical working encyclopedia.That is not to say that there isn't a great deal of practical information in the book.However, in aiming to be a comprehensive history of photography and an encyclopedia of both current and past photographic technology it sets itself a daunting task.Some sections, probably the majority, are handled well.However, probably as a result of the authors efforts to all inclusive, some subjects are treated rather superficially.Others, such as the sections on image formation and color science delve too deeply into higher mathematics to be of relevance to most of the book's readers.The section on biographies of selected famous photographers is very good but seems to have an over-representation of American photographers in its selection.The spell-check has managed to slip a few items past the proof reader and the Voigtlander Vitessa camera has been rather humourously changed to the Voigtlander Vanessa camera.

In spite of the above quibles, I think most readers will find the book eminently readable and worthwhile and will come away with a much better apprecation of the vast scope of photography in all its fields.

Destined to be a Classic!
Focal Press (i.e., the Media Technology component of Elsevier Publishing) has just published a "book" (a pristine copy of which I have been happily browsing through after it had - literally - landed on my doorstep with a loud THUD!) that has all the tell-tale signs of being a classic scholarly reference for photographers and students of photography for years to come: The Focal Encyclopedia of Photography, Fourth Edition, edited by Michael R. Peres (also available from Amazon).

The encyclopedia is a significant update of its predecessor volumes (the first edition, a classic in its time when it was published in 1956, has been long out of print and is obviously extremely dated given all of the advances in photographic science, engineering and art that have occurred since then; the third edition (edited by Richard D. Zakia and Leslie Stroebel), which I own and love, is only a decade old but has very little on the burgeoning field of digital photography; still, it contains a wealth of useful information and, though it is also out of print, is still available in some used book stores).

The new fourth edition has 880 pages in all, over 400 images, covers all major (and minor) areas of photography (ranging from photography and art / society / commerce, museums, the science of photography, galleries, workshops, education, publishing, history, theory, practice, criticism, and short biographies of selected photographers in the 20th Century), and comes with a CD-ROM that contains the entire (and fully searchable) text + images in the book (this one surprising, and most welcome, addition is worth the "price of admission" on its own).

The book is very handsomely produced, with strong, thick covers and thick, semi-glossy pages that give the volume a "classy feel" and give the overall impression that the editors designed it to be well thumbed and used, and to last a long, long while (which I pray it does since most of my photo books, particularly reference works, tend to become tattered and grow nested dog-ears in no time, as I repeatedly dive in for the shear pleasure of discovering some morsel of photographic delight).

The encyclopedia does have one unfortunate, but arguably unavoidable, drawback: it is so big and heavy that it is impossible to just "whip it out" on your lap and sink into (a flimsy chair) for some leisurely reading; you have to plan on when and where you will be reading this monster! ... and, God forbid, don't even think of taking it to an upstairs room to read in bed: if the staircase doesn't collapse from the weight before you get there, your bed surely will! ;-)

Kudos to Focal Press' editorial board for producing such a fine masterwork. It will likely become the "standard" such reference for all current and future generations of students of photography (and, I suspect, quite a few working professionals as well). ... Read more

Product Description
"The Origins of American Photography" chronicles the emergence of a new visual paradigm, from the introduction of the daguerreotype in 1839 through the Civil War and the exploration of the West to the rise of popular photography in the 1880s. Beautifully designed and produced, with over 600 reproductions in tritone and four-colour, this important volume features works by all the leading practitioners of the time and by others who remain unknown. Many of these images are published here for the first time; all are from the acclaimed Hallmark Photographic Collection at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. In a detailed and authoritative text, Keith Davis examines photography's social history and aesthetic development in an era of rapid national growth. He demonstrates how key themes and genres - including the business of daguerreian portraiture, the markets for Civil War images, and the art of Western landscape photography - reflected the concerns and values of 19th-century society. Photographers of this era expressed a new national consciousness while at the same time they helped to shape it.The visual language of a radically new medium was also open to exploration, and they laid the foundation for all of photography's subsequent history. This essential book will be the most definitive study of this period in American photographic history. It will be of interest to all scholars and enthusiasts of the medium, and to anyone interested in the visual history of 19th-century American culture. This book accompanies an exhibition at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, 16 June 2007-January 2008. ... Read more

Product Description
The first authoritative, comprehensive study of photography from a purely aesthetic point of view, spanning its history from the daguerreotype to modern photo-reportage. With 240 superb examples of the photographer’s art by Julia Margaret Cameron, Jacob Riis, Edward Steichen, Alfred Stieglitz, Andre Kertesz, Eugene Atget, Man Ray, Edward Weston, Erich Salomon, Cecil Beaton, Walker Evans, Henri Cartier-Bresson and many others. First time available in an inexpensive paperback edition.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A good introduction from the beginnings to the 50's or so
The history of photography from the early ages (1830s) to the (then) current times, the late 50's (the book is a reprint from 1962.) The book proceeds chronologically with, for each era, a wealth of photographs. The general feel of the book is more of a history book than an art book, even if some chapters are organized around specific art movements, such as "impressionnistic photography" or "the aesthetic movement." Each movement is well explained in its historical context. An overall good read.

An excellent, if somewhat dated, history of photography
Gernsheim writes a history of photography concerned with aesthetic trends, especially the evolution of visual styles in photography in response to changing styles in painted art, and vice versa. His central argument is that photography is a legitimate art form and ought to have its own standards and mores. This point may have been more controversial in 1961, when the book was first published, but I suspect Gernsheim's insistence dates to an even earlier era, perhaps the 1930s, when the role of photography in art was less settled.

Gernshein's contempt for photographic technology is refreshing; this book is the inverse of a typical "buy hot gear!" photo magazine.

The book contains many photos, all black and white, reasonably well printed. The cover is very cheap and my copy showed a marked crease after only one reading. ... Read more

Product Description
Illustrated with more than 250 black and white photographs, this book explores the world of art as it relates to the medium of photography. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (7)

An Indicator of a far Less Sophisticated Time (from Ahadada Books)
I've been using this book along with Deborah Blum's Ghost Hunters in my classes at Waseda University, and one immediately notices the disparity between verbal descriptions of the evidence that convinced the Victorian savants that certain mediums and types of phenomena were "genuine" and the photographic evidence that helped to convince them as lavishly reproduced in this volume.Indeed, we must hold in abeyance our own sophisticated knowledge of special effects in this age of paint shop and Star Wars to keep from laughing out loud at the crude hoaxes that went far to convince such obviously intelligent people as the scientist William Crookes and the naturalist Alfred Wallace to accept the existence of the supernatural based on this kind of material.Then, of course, there are the clearer, more obviously "staged," self-defined hoaxes as well, created to educate and amuse the dupes and the skeptics, respectively, and some great examples are included in this section of the book. If these things, along with the assorted, regurgitated bolts of cloth or glowing strings of muslin drawn from the nasal cavity and draped over the forehead or plucked from the groin or anus of a medium and held fluttering at the end of a wire in the claustrophobic darkness of the seance room were actually considered "proof" then we must suspect that just about every account of things seen and experienced that have come down to us in "scientific" investigative narratives of the 19th and early 20th centuries to be tainted with this same sort of innocence.This would include such remarkable cases as D.D. Home and even Mrs. Piper and her cross-correspondences.Of course, I'm not suggesting that any of these well-meaning investigators willfully tried to misrepresent what they saw, but I suspect that genuine inexperience both with observing and keeping tabs on their subjects, as well as an undeveloped understanding of abnormal psychology, as well--dare I say it?--the will to believe,--skewed their observations.The creation of a self-consistent narrative covered these observational defects, and imposed a patina of believability on the phenomena described.The infamous Cottingly fairies are included as an index as to just how far the will to believe could push the gullibility of intelligent people, along with such near pornographic seance room shots as the extruding of a sheep's lung (think "spirit hand")from the navel--or perhaps lower--of the attractive Margery the medium, her delta of venus barely covered with a gentleman's handkerchief.Having said this, however, one series of photographs from the 1940's taken in England that includes a levitating table and a near chaotic snap of one of the circle apparently being roughly thrown or catpulted into the air over the heads of the others, gives one pause.The essays in this book are scholarly, well-documented, and good to great.Highly recommended even if a little pricey.

superb
what was the predecessor of photoshop and who were its magicians and muses. this compendium sheds lite on a period in which as mysterious as photography was it was meant to capture "reality." The reality that it captured was one of ghosts and spirits, for the believers a true testament of what lay beyond. for those behind the camera it lay the groundwork for artist such as ryszard horowitzand others who just as theoretical physicists who bend the time/space continuum these artist where the first to blur the line of what is real and surreal.

Spirit photography
I am still trying to get through this book after several months. It has loads of information - some great, some mundane - but it is not a quick read. I just finished writing a book called Ghosts In The Cemetery and tried using this as a research book. It really was not very helpful for my purposes. I would have liked to see the exhibit that the book covers. It would not have been quite as dense.

Awesome
This book is the best chronicling of these early century occult meetings I have come across, it is a must have for anyone interested in the spirit of the humanity's need for telling ghost stories and really living their lives in a way to make people believe. I am not one who believes any of this is really genuine, but I feel they make for very interesting folk tales, awesome.

Excellent
Spirit photography holds an important place in the history of photography because it's really the first time that double exposures and mattes were used to manipulate images.

This book, which is the partner to a museum show of the same name, doesn't take a position as to whether any of the pictures are real or hoaxes. It leaves that up to you. The purpose, however, is to give the history of this fascinating area of photography, which it does very well. It is beautifully printed in Italy with a durable hard cover and filled with excellent examples. It also treats the subject in an academic style the I found informative.

If you're like me, you will find it a good addition to you're photography book collection or a fun coffee table attraction. It might even leave you scratching your head, especially in the case of Ted Serios. ... Read more

Product Description
Published to accompany a traveling exhibition, this book brings together 82 superb works from the Polaroid collection that present an overview of the past 50 years of photography. 90 color photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great images by some of the greatest photographers alive
This book publishes the works of an exhibit held to celebrate the first 50years of Polaroid photography. The works are from the Polaroid Collectionthat was started by Edwin Land to involve professional photographers in thedevelopment of his technology. Eventually this collaboration developed intoa formal collection. This book gives us a wonderful glimpse of the greatworks that have been created using this medium. The photographs arearranged by decade which allows the reader to see the development intechnique and technology.Each picture is accompanied by the name of thephotographer, their country, the title of the work,the date, and the typeof film used. The only thing I felt was missing was a some description ofthe works by either the photographers or the editors.

Wonderful presentation of an old favorite
This book is a beautiful addition to any art book collection.It is great to see all the things that have been done with polaroid, and has inspired me to do more with it.From polaroid transfers to Hockney.

Everybody Loves Polaroid ("Stuff" honoring a book)
Innovation/Imagination: 50 Years of Polaroid Photography."...From Warhol to Robert Frank, these visual pioneers have turned "press here, stupid" into art.

Everybody Loves Polaroid ("Stuff" honoring a book)
Innovation/Imagination: 50 Years of Polaroid Photography."...From Warhol to Robert Frank, these visual pioneers have turned "press here, stupid" into art. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
From the restrictive corsets of the late 1800s to the revealing thongs of the early 20th century, women s lingerie has changed drastically. This evolution mirrors changes in society regarding both the role of women and the ideals of beauty. Thanks to such items as the laced, corseted waist of turn-of-the-century coquettes, the uplifted busts of early-1990s supermodels, the sexy lingerie of a 1950s pin-up, and the see-through (or entirely absent) bras of the 1970s, women¹s underwear has provided the unseen superstructure on which modern canons of beauty have been based.

A revealing text by Parisian-based fashion historian Farid Chenoune gives the context for the story of the most beautiful women of the century, while pictures of glamorous icons, as well as lesser-known Venuses, adorn the pages of this sumptuous book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great Photos
More like a coffee table book big full size pictues. Lots of photos gorgeous lingerie.

Good conversation started for guests....
I picked this up on sale at amazon.com a couple of years ago. while I rotate out my "coffee table" books, this one has shown up more times than most. It seems to be constant that women enjoy wearing lingerie, and talking about it... while guys like to talk about it.Being an amateur historian, I like the contextual descriptions of the previous decades.While knowing that thongs are the "in" thing now, watching the progression from the prudish 1950s, freedom 1960s, and later years is awesome. Finally, if you have a conversationally hesitant lady friends, you can always talk about how women in past years have "had it worse," in terms of undergarments.

The Photography is good, with revealing (no pun intended) following text descriptions. Worth a look...

Very Nice.
I saw this book in a local bookstore and as usual came to Amazon to make my purchase. It's a great book with wonderful photography. I recommend it to anyone who needs a little something to take their mind off of a day's work. ... Read more