The Photography Book

I won't pretend to have read this from cover to cover, but rather I have dipped into it, which I think is the idea with this type of book.

500 photographers have a page each, consisting of a key photograph with a description of both the image and that photographer's work in general. There are cross-referencing suggestions of other photographers, either from the same movement, working in a similar style or covering a similar subject matter.

Obviously with any book like this, there willl seem to be some omissions - if I was compiling such a book Terenence Donavan and Brian Duffy would be in there with their contemporary David Bailey, but that might just be my 1960s obsession. I would have also included John Hinde, but again that might be a show more British bias. And Mick Rock and Anton Corbin? But this is just my personal (and fairly limited knowledge) and there are some interesting inclusions such as Neil Armstrong's photograph of Buzz Aldrin on the moon, surely one of the most iconic images of all time, and the photograph of the mushroom cloud. show less

It took me more than a year to get through this book . . . on the toilet. Each page offers one of five hundred significant photographs in the history of the medium, accompanied by a substantial scholarly paragraph offering both biography of the artist and analysis of the piece. The choices aren't all exciting, but the scope is vast and the presentation simple and elegant. Recommended bathroom reading for photography fans.

A wonderful introduction to the world of photography and photography as art. I am relatively new to this and wanted to find out more about existing photographers and The Photo Book has certainly acheived this and more.

Running in alphabetical order, the book presents a vast array of photographers using one of their photographs and providing an explanation of the artists presentation, way of working and information on the photograph itself.

Well presented, and easy to dip in and out of, the book has certainly brought to my attention a substantial array of photographers whom I had never heard but have since gone on to find out more about and view their work in more depth.

A great collection of the master practitioners of the art since its inception. Phiadon has done a great job of using both the famous/'iconic' shots of some photographers, and lesser known photos of others. As is usual with Phiadon books the design and detail of this edition is superb.

Is it strange to put this as a book I'm reading? Well, no...I guess not. You see, for each quintessential photograph picked by photographers ranging from quite famous (Henri Cartier Bresson to more obscure ones), there is a description of why the photo is important, the circumstances of it, and a bit about the photographer her or himself. I probably wouldn't have picked up the monstrosity had I not found it used at Myopic Books for twenty bucks. It's arranged alphabetically and I'm proud to say that even though I'm reading other things, packing, and often found at funerals these days, I am up to letter D!

Some of my favorites (besides the obvious):

Jane Evelyn Atwood
Diane Arbus
Almari Vittorio
Shelby Lee Adams
Bruno Barbey
Bevila
Carlo show more Catari
Bill Brandt show less

The Photography Book là cuốn sách tham khảo kinh điển về nhiếp ảnh, lần đầu xuất bản năm 1997 và nay có phiên bản mini tiện lợi. Sách giới thiệu 500 bức ảnh xuất sắc từ các nhiếp ảnh gia hàng đầu thế giới, bao phủ mọi thể loại như thời trang, thể thao, phóng sự, chân dung và nghệ thuật. Nội dung được sắp xếp theo tên nhiếp ảnh gia, mỗi ảnh kèm chú thích sâu sắc cùng tham chiếu chéo phong phú. Cuốn sách cũng cung cấp thuật ngữ chuyên ngành, thông tin về các phong trào nhiếp ảnh và địa điểm trưng bày, tạo nên một tài liệu toàn diện và dễ tra cứu.

This is a fun reference book. It is good for anyone interested in photography who wants to get ideas or look up some work about which they had heard.