bigbeardedbookseller's review
3.0
Another good review of photography book, though this is limited to the George Eastman House Collection and therefore is immediately incomplete.
The writing is good but at times rambles, otherwise a good book.
The writing is good but at times rambles, otherwise a good book.
roxanamalinachirila's review against another edition
5.0
If you're here to check if you want to buy this book: it's worth it.
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I was enchanted. There's so much variety in the photographs that it's nearly impossible not to find something you like, or that leaves a deep impression. Styles differ, themes differ, techniques differ, eras differ. Sharp portraits of 20th century celebrities, 19th century staged photos that are meant to resemble paintings, grand photographs of places, intimate snapshots of alleys, photographs taken in the blink of an eye when a bullet pierces an apple, for example, or photos composed of several instances in time, creating a comics-like effect of movement. It's not just beautiful, but also interesting.
I have to admit I had absolutely no idea what "The George Eastman House" is, or who George Eastman was - I bought the book because it looked interesting and I trust Taschen when it comes to art books. I have now been informed! George Eastman is the founder of Kodak, and his collection of photographs and photography equipment were preserved, turned into a museum, and increased over the years.
"A History of Photography" is very palpably a museum's book: even if its scope is too large to go into detail, it's always informative, summarizing advancement in technology and the emergence of new styles and ideas. It briefly introduces photographers who are featured, with brief explanations on their lives, and explains the photographs chosen for the volume and what makes them particularly interesting.
Even as someone who doesn't have a background in the visual arts (I'm actually quite confused about various trends and I really Do Not See some things), it was quite enjoyable and clear.
Most of the photos included are sepia or black and white. This isn't at all surprising, as most photography was black and white for a long time. However, contemporaneity is, I felt, somewhat less represented - perhaps this isn't very surprising, as the first edition of "A History of Photography: From 1839 to the Present" was published in 1999, and I think the only changes they've brought to the 2019 edition is to update the biographical data of some photographers who died during those 20 years.
It's a lovely book, which I'll eagerly recommend to others.
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I was enchanted. There's so much variety in the photographs that it's nearly impossible not to find something you like, or that leaves a deep impression. Styles differ, themes differ, techniques differ, eras differ. Sharp portraits of 20th century celebrities, 19th century staged photos that are meant to resemble paintings, grand photographs of places, intimate snapshots of alleys, photographs taken in the blink of an eye when a bullet pierces an apple, for example, or photos composed of several instances in time, creating a comics-like effect of movement. It's not just beautiful, but also interesting.
I have to admit I had absolutely no idea what "The George Eastman House" is, or who George Eastman was - I bought the book because it looked interesting and I trust Taschen when it comes to art books. I have now been informed! George Eastman is the founder of Kodak, and his collection of photographs and photography equipment were preserved, turned into a museum, and increased over the years.
"A History of Photography" is very palpably a museum's book: even if its scope is too large to go into detail, it's always informative, summarizing advancement in technology and the emergence of new styles and ideas. It briefly introduces photographers who are featured, with brief explanations on their lives, and explains the photographs chosen for the volume and what makes them particularly interesting.
Even as someone who doesn't have a background in the visual arts (I'm actually quite confused about various trends and I really Do Not See some things), it was quite enjoyable and clear.
Most of the photos included are sepia or black and white. This isn't at all surprising, as most photography was black and white for a long time. However, contemporaneity is, I felt, somewhat less represented - perhaps this isn't very surprising, as the first edition of "A History of Photography: From 1839 to the Present" was published in 1999, and I think the only changes they've brought to the 2019 edition is to update the biographical data of some photographers who died during those 20 years.
It's a lovely book, which I'll eagerly recommend to others.
jimbowen0306's review against another edition
4.0
This book looks uses the George Eastman collection (of Eastman Kodak fame) to act as a starting point for a discussion of the history of photography since 1839. It is a thorough piece, perhaps a little too thorough in places, but I enjoyed it, and think I learned something.
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