Willard D. Morgan (1900–1967)

In 1939, this was a handbook. Today, it's a fascinating historical document. We take flash synchronisation for granted now; then, you had to have an additional gadget and sometimes even make technical modifications to your camera to get it to work.

But the real joy of this book now are the photographs. In 1930s America, the people who were using flash photography the most were the press photographers - so this book carries some typical press pictures of the time, as well as some of the press show more photographers themselves. You are back in a time when a photographer had his press card stuck in the hatband of his fedora so as to leave both hands free to wield his trusty reporter's Speed Graphic full-plate camera. All together now: "It was 3am and raining in the city...." show less

This Encyclopedia of Photography has great value for students of the history and criticism of the medium. Together, the articles have tremendous scope. They are written by experts in all aspects of the medium including some important statements by photographers not found elsewhere.
Scattered throughout the volumes are very high quality gravure reproduction of photography. The first image of each gravure section has a compositional analysis that encourages both an education in design for show more photography and more thoughtful consideration of photographic images. show less

"Great changes have produced new new-points, new life and new over-tones. These pages attempt tod raw the curtain aside and show what ideals lie behind he new photography." Thirteen authors beside Morgan and Lester, the editors, address this vision for the book. Several are well known photographers. This is in the first place a book of ideas about what is directing photography and its content at the time (Manipulated photography was not in favor at this time.) But there is also a large show more technical reference section, labelled "Larbatory Manual." Fo Leica fans there are pages of illustration of Leica's products in 1938,. It would have been a great service if such an overview could have continued every five or ten yeas after. show less

The complete photographer is the serial publication that became in another form the 1942 Encyclopedia of photography, cloth bound, in nine volumes plus an index volume. The serial version was issued three times a month for a total of 55 paper covered magazines, the last being an index and some articles not included in the clothbound version.
This is a rare complete nine volume set bound in the "Morocco-Grained Artcraft PERMANENT Binder" that sold for fifty cents each. Each magazine had its show more own index, introductory articles, and cover and back illustrations and advertisements not included in the cloth-bound issue. The magazines were thirty-five cents each
The detail and comprehensive nature of this production are amazing, and in either version this encyclopedia is the first place to look for information on the technology, biography, methods and attitudes towards photography as they were at the time -- which must be noted was the middle of W.W.II with its traumas and depredations. It was, of course, also a time without computers and modern methods, an advantage one feels when enjoying the rich photogravure sections in each issue. show less