Divided Soul [Hardcover]

David Alan Harvey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2003

"Divided Soul" represents photojournalist David Alan Harvey's 20-year journey through the Spanish and Portuguese diaspora. In this selection of over 100 colour photographs Harvey explores the exuberance and incongruities of Hispanic life and culture that hold for him an endless fascination. As a young photographer Harvey was sent by "National Geographic" to Guatemala and Mexico to document a story on the Maya and the conquistadors, which ignited a personal passion and led him to pursue assignments around the Hispanic world. Supported over the years by "Magnum" and by "National Geographic", Harvey has photographed in Spain, Portugal and throughout the New World, including Cuba, Mexico, Honduras, Brazil and Chile, amassing an extensive body of work that bears witness to his continued engagement with the impact of the forced blending of cultures. Harvey's evocative photographs are presented within three thematic chapters - "Ritual", "Place" and "Reverie" - each of which is introduced with a personal text written by Harvey. The passionate and divided soul of the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking world, where tradition and ritual are inherent to everyday life, is revealed in these photographs of pulsating carnivals in Trinidad, fervent religious ceremonies in Brazil, and intense Easter parades in Puerto Rico. Adopting an approach that combines intuition, patience and persistent curiosity - together with a rejection of fancy equipment - Harvey succeeds in minimizing the distance between himself and his subjects, producing images that capture the natural choreography of people within places and that resonate with magic.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Born in San Francisco and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia, David Alan Harvey is a member of the international photographic agency Magnum and has worked for National Geographic since the early 1970s. He is a former National Press Photographers Association Magazine Photographer of the Year and won an Eisenstadt Award in 2000. An avid and popular teacher, when not on assignment Harvey lectures at various American schools, including the International Center of Photography (New York) and the Corcoran College of Art and Design (Washington DC), and leads workshops such as the Sante Fe Workshops in Mexico and the Maine Photographic Workshops. Author's Residence: Washington DC

Product Details

• Hardcover: 164 pages
• Publisher: Phaidon Press (July 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 071484313X
• ISBN-13: 978-0714843131
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 13.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #135,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #44 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Photojournalism

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnum Photographer David Alan Harvey Dazzles Viewers!, July 22, 2003

By 

David Enzel (Chevy Chase, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Divided Soul (Hardcover)

David Alan Harvey is a member of Magnum Photos and often shoots for the National Geographic. This collection of images is superb. Harvey does not rest on his laurels. This is color street photography at its best -- and not many photographers are good at it. The compositions are exciting and the colors are part of the composition. The images cover many Spanish-speaking countries over many years and show a love for life. The reproduction of the images is excellent -- much better than the reproduction of the images in his book on Cuba. The lighting he captures is just wonderful. This book speaks to the soul.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Solid book, excellent photography, worth it., April 17, 2004

By 

"davestephan" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Divided Soul (Hardcover)

I think among the many good street photographers shooting with color filmonly a few really succeded. David Harvey is one of the best. It is a nice book, although it could be nicer one with a bit more imaginative photo editing and much crisper design. Nevertheless this is is a good example of the an excellent resources for the photography students, particularly those interested in Spanish visual culture.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Irresistible!!!, October 13, 2003

By 

Jenny (Cowes, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Divided Soul (Hardcover)

This book is pure magic. Harvey has managed to capture the spirit of people's hearts and souls in a way that leaves you speechless... page after page of stunning images that say so much more than these 'people', this 'place'... to my mind, like the best in art and poetry, this book is conveying eternal truths - of beauty, freedom and passion - told through the 'everyday' moments of 'everyday' people, through the 'ballet' of the street.
This is a love-affair with Latin culture, over 30 years of work. If you're into photography, art, humanity, in vibrant full colour, Divided Soul has it all... personally, I found it irresistible!!!