Product Description

Groundbreaking survey of international photography, which examines the discipline across the full range of its uses by both professionals and amateurs. Each of the eight chapters takes a period of up to forty years and examines the medium through the lenses of art, science, social science, travel, war, fashion, the mass media and individual practitioners.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #60441 in Books
• Published on: 2006-08-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 560 pages

Review
Immensely visual...this is an authoritative and hefty read. --Amateur Photographer

Review
With a decidedly socio-political slant, the book exposes the agendas behind photographers from Lewis Carroll to Richard Billingham.

Review
........ Marien's book is an extensive, up-to-date, factual and critical survey of every aspect of the medium's cultural history,......

Customer Reviews

A wonderful, informative and above all PACKED book!
I am a keen photographer and I've been looking for books that say something about the cultural status of photgraphs; their interpretations and meanings; and a discussion of photgraphs as objects of social and cultural change. I bought this book together with Graham Clark's "The Photograph" (also available on Amazon!) hoping that one of these, if not both, would give me something more than the staid and dull 'how to' books that proliferate.

I wasn't prepared for what a HUGE book this is! Bigger than A4, 544 pages of thick, quality paper (the book weighs a ton!) with at least one and usually three-four pictures per facing pair of sides. The quallity of thr reproductions is terrific too.

This is the complete cultural history that I was searching for, right froom the very early days. The first reproduction proper in theh content is Joseph Nicephore Niepce's 8-hour exposure "View from the window at Gras" - that's how far back the book goes.

I like the author's style of writing - she's witty and at times humourous, as well as being confident in her knowledge and passionate about her subject. I like that it's not just a straight-through read - every so often there's a 1 or 2 side special feature on a particular subject - on everything from Lewis Carroll's prediliction for photographing children (especially Alice) to taking pictures of atomic explosions.

It's easily academic enough to be a reference work at least at undergrad level and probably more, and not just in art and photography-related disciplines - this would easily be a great benefit to someone looking at (for example) cultural studies. It's as much a discussion about the changing face of society as it is photography. It's difficult not to be moved by the pictures of girls as young as 8-9 working full-time in factories.

A great reference book, a terrific coffee table book, inspiration and theory for photographers - and at Amazon it's more than a tenner off cover price.

History
History for what ever subject is very relaxing to read, and if you study Arts and especially Photography history, this is a book to have and help with writing essays.

Totally recomended