Customer Reviews

Dorothea Lange: Photographs Of A Lifetime (Aperture Monograph)

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I had just recently seen a Lange exhibit when I bought this wonderful book. It starts with an essay on Lange by Robert Coles. Then it moves into her photographs and her own words. Her work is beautiful on its own, but to have the photographs and her philosophy side by side is an enriching experience. The photographs fill the entire book so it's a great read and a nice coffee table book. The images are primarily from her depression photos, but there are also pictures from around the world, her family and her early portraits. I also like that they included photographs of her and her oak trees. Dorothea Lange was a woman with such a unique perspective on life. I feel that this book does an excellent job of presenting her work.

This anthology is a well-packaged, heart-warmingly first-person annoted retrospective of Lange's career. Enlighening glimpses into Lange's personal point-of view are offered here, showcasing her stark Depression-era WPA migration shots alongside her later vignettes of the American western plains and western coastal dwellers captured in their every day routines. Therein lies this collection's strength and weakness: while her Americana movement captured a rural slice of America which later mediums still struggle to duplicate, that subject matter still did not match the sheer horror and power of her WPA work, which captured the raw strength of the human spirit during life-threatening crises. The diversity of this collection makes it an essential introductory volume, however.

This is a beautiful collection of this outstanding photographer's work, with a special emphasis on her Depression-era work. Highly recommended.

Dorothea Lange: Photographs Of A Lifetime (Aperture Monograph)

Dorothea Lange provides us with a great insight into the human condition and the state of humanity. Her photographs are timeless works of excellence. Anyone interested in photography, history or humanity will find her work compelling.

Interesting book , history in photos with written words. Found it in book store for twice as much. The book store suggested to buy it on line. So glad I did.