Documentary-Collection

New York: Capital of Photography is one of those rare books that takes on a difficult subject and carries it off so well that more is achieved than any reader could normally expect.

The subject is New York City in the 20th century. How did the most prominent and highly respected photographers look at and capture the Big Apple? That's the subject here. The only photographers that you might have expected to be in the book that aren't are Diane Arbus, Roy DeCarava and Robert Frank -- due to disputes with Ms. Arbus's daughter and the latter two photographers. So it?s quite complete.

I am a photography fan, and was familiar with most of the photographers covered in the book. But I found the book built on my previous understanding of their work by exposing me to works that I had not seen before and by carefully explaining those works. Some may be disappointed that many iconographic works are not included here . . . but many of those are referenced in Max Kozloff's essay. So you'll see them indirectly in your mind.

The plates capture many different focuses for photography, different styles, varieties of techniques and equipment, and different philosophies about the purpose of photography. As such, they present a catalog of the whole field of photography in the last century. That catalog is more valuable because it concentrates on one subject . . . in many different dimensions.

Frankly, how do you capture New York on film? You can't. Most photographers tried to capture tiny elements that express universal truths. Some succeeded in timeless ways while others created time-limited archives of the past.

As wonderful as the photographs are, the essay by Max Kozloff is what sets this book apart from other photography books. It's as though he gives you a personal tour of the show and answers your questions about the photographers and the plates in as much detail as you want. Almost every plate is discussed and some figures are added for context as well. Seeing the collection through his eyes was like suddenly being loaned an advanced degree in photography studies. Enlivened by this education, I'm sure my eye will always notice more about fine photography when I see it displayed in the future.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of this field. In addition, I strongly urge New Yorkers to get copies. The sights captured here will trigger many important memories.

As I finished this wonderful volume, I thought about how fortunate photography students would be if their teachers used this book as a source . . . and then assigned the students to photograph New York.

This is a great book, with photographs from Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. The Nile in Egypt is what we are used to see photographed, so it is interesting to see other sides of this great river. The photos are simply stunning!

nothing to add to ED review other than: UNDERWORLD, peter seidel. the two books, no mans- under- must be veiwed together.
drop the cash... at your local book shoppe. it can be ordered there as easily, delivered as quickly, and your personal info is not exposed to the web.

From 1896 to 1930, famed photography pioneer Edward S. Curtis documented Native Americans, their cultures and way of life throughout the western United States and British Columbia. His years of field work resulted in the publication of a unique twenty-volume visual record, accompanied by his written observations. 68 photographs have been gleaned from the original collection of hundreds of period photographs and compiled into the Aperture edition of The North American Indians, along with Curtis' field notes detailing the content of the images. Enhanced with an informative introduction by Native American expert Joseph Epes Brown, The North American Indians is an enthusiastically recommended contribution to academic and community library Native American studies reading lists and reference collections.

Compiled by the staff of the Syracuse University Press and specifically dedicated to the men, women and children of New York City on 9/11/02, NYC Life Going On is a moving photographic testimony of daily life and common joys, problems, sorrows, and challenges in New York City one year after the devastating September 11th attacks. Almost no captions distract from the full-color pictures, which vividly and eloquently speak for themselves, evoking a universal characterization of humanity's can-do spirit. NYC Life Going On is a very highly recommended addition to personal and community library Photo Journalism collections and a welcome visually oriented memorial tribute to a city and a people dealing with and recovering from a horrific and unexpected experience.

Richard Nagler did an excellent job photographing the residents of Oakland on their city streets. "Oakland Rhapsody" is not a pretty coffee-table book for tourists; it captures well the overwhelming isolation of individuals against a backdrop of urban decay. Yet the pictures are not all gloomy, as Mr. Nagler also catches the vibrancy and multi-ethnic makeup that gives Oakland its life and promise. Ishmael Reed notes in the accompanying commentary, Oakland is very liveable, attractive city in spite of the problems that plague it. This is the real value of the book, that it seeks to present both problems as well as hopes for the future. One note: Most of the photos were taken from the late 1970s through 1994. As a resident of West Oakland area, I can attest much has continued to change for the better since the early 1990's, but that in no way detracts from the book.

An amazing collection of some of the most exceptional images taken of our oceans. Every guest seeing it on the coffee table has commented positively on it...great conversation catalyst since everyone has a favorite image/memory of the oceans in their lives.

This book will give you new and great pictures and ideas. I think that it is cool.

This book is woooonnnnderful!! You will not be sorry you bought this book. One-of-a-kind.

This is a story told through photographs, with text providing some framework for the pictures. Dignified, moving, insightful. The photographs date back to the 1800s and focus specifically on photographs of African-Americans. Only the very last few pages of the album have contemporary photographs of adults and children.

There are formal portraits of black families in their finest attire, pictures of black intellectuals, candid pictures of black families, children, social life, families on their homesteads, in large metropolitan cities, working in fields, upper-class black people.

More photographs than I have ever seen before of past generations of African-Americans in all of their variety. Photographs are worth a thousand words; more clear and illuminating than a dry volume of essays on the African-American experience. This history is in living color.

I have seen some libraries classify this album as a children's book, but it is not one. This is a full-size album, with stories told through photographs. This is a book to show to your children, to display and to cherish. A beautiful record of the past.

This is a superbly printed collection of tritones from a photographer who obviously takes pride in how his work is presented in the printed media.As a fellow pressman with 16 years of 4 color process work behind me,hats off to the printer who put together this fine piece of printing.I also purchased Ansel Adams at 100 and on tehnical merits alone Orchestrating Icons is superior as i found several pages on the Adams book to be flawed by scumming and setoff.
A must buy for any one who appreciates sophisticated photo graphic images printed with care and attention .Bravo!!