Product Description

This brief text is designed to help both beginning and advanced students of photography better develop and articulate thoughtful criticism. Organized around the major activities of criticism (describing, interpreting, evaluating, and theorizing), Criticizing Photographs provides a clear framework and vocabulary for students' critical skill development. The fourth edition includes new black and white and color images, updated commentary, a completely revised chapter on theory that offers a broad discussion of digital images, and an expanded chapter eight on studio critiques and writing about photographs, plus examples of student writing and critique.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #60861 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 312 pages

About the Author
Terry Barrett is a Professor of Art Education at Ohio State University. He holds M.A. and Ph.D degrees from Ohio State University in Art Education with a concentration in Photography. He is the author of Criticizing Photographs, of Criticizing Art: Understanding the Contemporary, of Talking about Student Art, and the editor of a volume entitled Lessons for Teaching Art Criticism. He has also served as the senior editor of the research journal, Studies in Art Education. Professor Barrett has been a Visiting Scholar to The Getty Educational Institute for the Arts in Los Angeles, CA and a Visiting Scholar of Education at the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, Arizona.

Customer Reviews

A treasure trove of definitions, examples, and ideas...
A diversity of critical voices and photographic approaches is explored, giving the reader access to a rich world of creative thoughtŠBarrett defines criticism as "informed discourse about art to increase understanding and appreciation of art." He organizes his treatment of the four major activities of criticism‹describing, interpreting, evaluation, and theorizing‹which in turn address four basic questions: What is here? What is it about? How good is it? Is it art? ŠThe book provides in two short appendixes, practical advice on writing about photographs and on conducting casual and directed discussion of photographsŠ Monterey Peninsula College, Anne Canright

An excellent book with wider appeal than might be expected
Teachers of art and design, specialists in the fields of media studies, cross-cultural education, social anthropology, and literary criticism will find fertile ground here for both personal study and teachingŠIt is documented with extracts from critical writings, biographical details of trends and movements in the history of photography, anecdotes about individual photographers, and a telling section of visuals, most of which are commented on in lengthŠThis is no dry academic exercise; here is a probing exploration of the links between theory and practice in the aesthetics of criticismŠJournal of Art and Design Education, Michael Rawding

Best book on photography I have read - bar none
This is a truly excellent book. I have read dozens of books on appreciating photography and this is the best by a long way. Given it's title and main preoccupation being how to criticise photographs I am not too sure how I came to buy it, but I am certainly glad that I did. (In fact I first got a copy from the library as I was unsure, but enjoyed it so much that I had to have it). Most texts on "reading" photographs are pretty hard going unless you are accustomed to the works of Proust, Lacan, Derrida, Barthes et al. This is not. It is thoroughly readable and informative. It will increase your appreciation of photography and of other art forms, and enable you discuss in a "critical" fashion not only photographs but any other art form. It will increase your enjoyment of reading art criticism and add considerably to your knowledge of key photographers and their work. Ulitmately it will make you think more deeply about the photographs you take and make your photography more interesting. It is relatively pricey for a paperback but it is well illustrated and worth every penny.