Product Description

If you want to understand the key debates in photography and learn how to apply the fascinating issues raised by critical theory to your own practical work, this is the book for you! This accessible book cuts through often difficult and intimidating academic language to deliver understandable, stimulating discussion and summaries of the original texts.

Key works by great writers such as Sontag and Barthes are explored, along with those from other prominent critics. You are guided through a broad range of issues, including the differences between Eastern and Western art, post-modernism, sexism, the relationship between photography and language and many other crucial debates. The book is illustrated by many classic images by eminent international photographers.

Each chapter is followed by stimulating assignments and activities to get you thinking critically and apply theoretical knowledge to your own practical work. A helpful glossary provides quick access to all key terms and a substantial index references key words within the original essays which are not normally indexed.

A must-have aid to anyone studying critical theory, this book provides intelligently written, illuminating insights on the 21st century's dominant art form.

* Benefit from detailed summaries and stimulating discussion that cuts through the complexity of key critical theory texts
* Gives you confidence to tackle photographic theory and relate it to your own work, enhancing your creativity and understanding
* Explore fascinating issues including sexism, the effects of advertising, Eastern versus Western art and moral issues raised by photography

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #83424 in Books
• Published on: 2005-07-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Review
"Summaries of key texts are followed by thought-provoking questions and practical assignments...the texts are well chosen." - www.photoarchivenews.com

"It's perfect for those who want to understand key debates in photography." - Amateur Photographer

"Ashley la Grange has written an excellent book which navigates through the context and meaning of photography. It covers photography from a range of cultural and historical perspectives as well as guiding the reader though a visual language which many outside the world of academic photography can only guess at...Basic Critical Theory for Photographers is one of those books which should become part of the syllabus of many of the excellent photography courses that are out there." - www.kickstartnews.com

"...a good introduction to theory for photographers looking to expand their understanding of their art form." - Photo Techniques

About the Author
Head of Photography at Rickmansworth School, UK. He is a consultant for exam boards in charge of deciding photography syllabi. He has a particular interest in demystifying critical theory.

Customer Reviews

recommended to all those interested in photographic theory..
Had this book been available during my degree in photography, I would have found it invaluable as an introduction not only to key texts to read alongside the originals, but also as an introduction to a wider range of approaches and writers of photographic criticism. After my degree even, it has been an enlightening book to read.
Ashley la Grange makes photographic theory accessible to those intimidated or unfamiliar with the sometimes overly complicated language used, and guides the reader through points that can be difficult to grasp without losing complexities of the original work.
Having worked with A-level students of photography since my graduation, I have found this an ideal book to not only introduce pupils to main ideas and terminology used in theory, but also to encourage personal responses through thought provoking questions included at the end of each chapter.
This book is different to other introductory books on photographic criticism in that its aims are not only to offer an overview of main debates and texts, but to help the reader gain a greater understanding of what they contain.

An excellent introduction to photographic theory
This is an extremely important and interesting introduction to key theoretical texts concerning photography. La Grange presents an impartial and clear synopsis of books and articles that have had wide-reaching impact on photographic practice and theory. The book has prompted me to return to many of the original texts and therefore I assume it must inspire new readers to commit to the texts for the first time. I have not attempted any of the exercises, but as a former teacher I think that they are good starting points for deeper consideration of the texts and will engage students in further analysis of the subjects, thereby encouraging them to have greater confidence in their own opinions. I am particularly excited that La Grange has placed photography within the broader context of the arts through the inclusion of literature and poems, as this is often overlooked by art criticism and theory.

Ultimately dissapointing
This book takes several of the key texts on photography and attempts to distil out the key points in easy to understand language. It fails. The aim is worthy but it just does not work. Essentially the book contains the sort of notes you would make if you were going through the original texts yourself. But like notes you make on books or lectures, they don't really elucidate anyone other than yourself. You have to have read the originals to understand the notes. Large parts of the original text are merely copied verbatim so difficult concepts are merely repeated rather than explained. A futher major deficit is the absence of photographs that the original texts refer to (and are included in the original). Having bought most of the texts the author refers to and found many extremely difficult to understand I found it frustrating having continuously to have to refer back to the originals to have a second attempt at undertanding what they were getting at. Two of the texts that are covered are books by Szarkowski and Shore. Both are very short, richly illustrated and very easy to understand. Annotating these without the illustrations is a pointless excercise. Similalry John Berger's book is a short classic that needs no clarification it is so well written. The best part of the book is the excercises the author sets at the end of each chapter. You would need years to complete them but they are nevertheless interesting to contemplate. For a far better book on critical theory I thoroughly recommend Terry Barret's Criticizin Photographs. Criticizing Photographs: An Introduction to Understanding Images