Anyone Read This "Photo" Book?

[RayPA]

I picked up a book by an author named Robert U. Akeret, called Photoanalysis, How to Interpret the Hidden Psychological Meaning of Personal and Public Photos.

Akeret is a psychologist/psychoanalyst, who has been using photographs as part of his therapy (for loss of a better/correct word right now). He has his clients/patients bring in personal family photographs and together they analyze the relationships and meanings held in the photographs, sometimes with breakthrough results.

It's an interesting read, because he gives many examples, from his practice, his personal photos, and historical public photographs. Some of the information and methodology is commonsense (the author views photoanalysis as a subset of body language), but you'll probably never look at a photograph the same way after just browsing the book.

BTW, the book I'm reading is from 1973, but he has another book that came out in 2000 called Photolanguage. In this later book he states his premise as "There is more going on in most photographs than we usually see—and that "more" is endlessly fascinating."

If you're interested in this kind of stuff check it out. It is pretty fascinating. 🙂

 

[dmr]

I picked up a book by an author named Robert U. Akeret, called Photoanalysis, How to Interpret the Hidden Psychological Meaning of Personal and Public Photos.

Actually that does sound quite interesting. I've always said that photographs capture feelings, not all of them being obvious.

BTW, the book I'm reading is from 1973,

That's the era of Vance Packard (_Hidden_Persuaders_) and Wilson Brian Key (_Subliminal_Seduction_) and I admit that I was fascinated with things like this back then. (I know a lot of Key's works have been debunked.)

he has another book that came out in 2000 called Photolanguage. In this later book he states his premise as "There is more going on in most photographs than we usually see—and that "more" is endlessly fascinating."

Thanks for posting this. I'm gonna see if the local libe has either or both of them. (Quick check with their on-line card catalog shows the later book is carried at several branches, actually. Most copies are currently checked out. -- Also checked the University library where I still have check-out privileges, both are available. Thanks.)