Customer Reviews

Afghanistan: A Darkness Visible

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The photos are brilliant and span the gamut between extremely visceral combat images to soft moments in the private lives of Afghans. Any fan of grainy, black & white photography with a solid sense of composition and timing should seriously consider this book. Murphy has the eye of a Cartier-Bresson style street photographer and the compassion of a man like James Nachtwey.

My only gripe is with the formatting of the book. Every photo looks to be your standard 2x3 crop shot horizontally. The book's dimensions, however, do no justice to the images and the result is that each and every one dips into the gutter. Why the publisher did not go with a horizontal aspect ratio to match that of the actual images is beyond me.

These pictures really encapsulated everything we haven't heard about Afghanistan. For the first time I felt as an American, I had some insight into the culture of a country that we have been entangled deeply with over the last decade.

Seamus Murphy has gone into this other world like a hidden spirit, then put his viewers right there with him. His viewpoint is stark, but not invasive, and the most beautiful study painted with dust I've ever beheld. His portraits startle; portray fear and well as joy. How Murphy did it we'll never know. Pure genius is how. Patsy Dickey, Atlanta