raytoei@gmail.com
Veteran
A super short review of the book series "Masters of Contemporary Photography"
i was referred to this series by a fellow rangefinderforum
member, it is a series of 8 books all from 1974 to 1975,
cover a topic and featuring one or two photographers and
their techniques.
the eight books are:
1. The Private Experience: Elliott Erwitt (Masters of Contemporary Photography) by Sean Callahan and Elliott Erwitt (1974)
2. Masters of Contemporary Photography: Photographing Sports by John Zimmerman, Mark Kauffman and Neil Leifer
3. The photojournalist, Mary Ellen Mark & Annie Leibovitz (Masters of contemporary photography) (1974)
4. The photo illustration, Bert Stern (Masters of contemporary photography) by Jim Cornfield (1974)
5. The Persuasive Image: How A Portaitist and Story Teller Illuminates our Changing Culture by Art and John Poppy Kane
6. Masters of Contemporary Photography: Fusco & McBride The Photo Essay: How To Share Action And Ideals Through Pictures
7. The photographic illusion, Duane Michals (Masters of contemporary photography) by Ronald H Bailey (1975)
8. Photographing sensuality, J. Frederick Smith (Masters of contemporary photography) by Sean Callahan (1975)
as you can see the title is all over the place making it hard to find all the titles in one search.
I like the format of each book, it talks about the genre of the photography, one or two photography that typifies that genre,
and then show cases the photos, what makes it appealing is that there is a technical section in each book and sometimes it
goes through the making of the photos, sometimes they are very general, sometimes it is interesting to know.
For example, in the book on Annie Leibovitz, they profiled her as a photojournalist for the Rolling Stones magazine,
with her famous photos of Rolling Stones and Mick Jagger. The following snippet on her film choice:
"Leibovitz rates Tri-X at ASA 800 and by having it developed in Microdol X,
obtains stepped-up contrast and a sharply defined grain pattern. Others
who might rate it at ASA 1200 or ASA 1600 (the later a two-stop push) and
develop it in Acufine would discover that their negatives have picked up very
little more contrast than normal and the grain has been enlarged only imperceptibly."
here's a poorly captured screenshoot describing the picture of Mick Jagger on stage:
I am currently still in my first book, on creating photographic illusions by Duane Michals, this
book is more about Duane's picture making techniques, why his photos are sequences of stills
and many of them are dream-like.
These books are individually cheap to buy off amazon, usually the shipping cost more than the book itself.
cheers!
raytoei
i was referred to this series by a fellow rangefinderforum
member, it is a series of 8 books all from 1974 to 1975,
cover a topic and featuring one or two photographers and
their techniques.
the eight books are:
1. The Private Experience: Elliott Erwitt (Masters of Contemporary Photography) by Sean Callahan and Elliott Erwitt (1974)
2. Masters of Contemporary Photography: Photographing Sports by John Zimmerman, Mark Kauffman and Neil Leifer
3. The photojournalist, Mary Ellen Mark & Annie Leibovitz (Masters of contemporary photography) (1974)
4. The photo illustration, Bert Stern (Masters of contemporary photography) by Jim Cornfield (1974)
5. The Persuasive Image: How A Portaitist and Story Teller Illuminates our Changing Culture by Art and John Poppy Kane
6. Masters of Contemporary Photography: Fusco & McBride The Photo Essay: How To Share Action And Ideals Through Pictures
7. The photographic illusion, Duane Michals (Masters of contemporary photography) by Ronald H Bailey (1975)
8. Photographing sensuality, J. Frederick Smith (Masters of contemporary photography) by Sean Callahan (1975)
as you can see the title is all over the place making it hard to find all the titles in one search.
I like the format of each book, it talks about the genre of the photography, one or two photography that typifies that genre,
and then show cases the photos, what makes it appealing is that there is a technical section in each book and sometimes it
goes through the making of the photos, sometimes they are very general, sometimes it is interesting to know.
For example, in the book on Annie Leibovitz, they profiled her as a photojournalist for the Rolling Stones magazine,
with her famous photos of Rolling Stones and Mick Jagger. The following snippet on her film choice:
"Leibovitz rates Tri-X at ASA 800 and by having it developed in Microdol X,
obtains stepped-up contrast and a sharply defined grain pattern. Others
who might rate it at ASA 1200 or ASA 1600 (the later a two-stop push) and
develop it in Acufine would discover that their negatives have picked up very
little more contrast than normal and the grain has been enlarged only imperceptibly."
here's a poorly captured screenshoot describing the picture of Mick Jagger on stage:
I am currently still in my first book, on creating photographic illusions by Duane Michals, this
book is more about Duane's picture making techniques, why his photos are sequences of stills
and many of them are dream-like.
These books are individually cheap to buy off amazon, usually the shipping cost more than the book itself.
cheers!
raytoei
MichaelW
Established
3. The photojournalist, Mary Ellen Mark & Annie Leibovitz (Masters of contemporary photography) (1974)
I have this one - bought it years ago at a second hand bookshop. It's very good. I've also seen the Elliott Erwitt one around (also looks good) and the Art Kane (subject didn't interest me.)
I've just bought the Fusco and McBride one for a few dollars - thanks for the tip.
I have this one - bought it years ago at a second hand bookshop. It's very good. I've also seen the Elliott Erwitt one around (also looks good) and the Art Kane (subject didn't interest me.)
I've just bought the Fusco and McBride one for a few dollars - thanks for the tip.
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
Ray, putting this in the thread about photography library would be apt.
Very interesting series.
Very interesting series.