Customer Reviews

The Great LIFE Photographers

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

On page 558 of this stunning photo book there is a studio shot taken in 1960 by Bill Sumits of thirty-eight Life photographers, surely the only time in history that so many great photographers have been together in one place and it is amazing to think that the ninety-nine featured in the book were all on the staff of this one publication.

The book is arranged alphabetically and each photographer gets between five and eight images plus their photo and short hundred or so word biography. Now it's possible to see who took so many images that defined a moment and became classic examples of photojournalism and also to see other examples of their great work. John Loengard's introduction does not say so but I assume all the photos did appear in Life and they cover the years from 1936 (when the title started) to 1997. The book is well designed with mostly one photo per page (well printed in 175 dpi) and a caption and nicely some photos get longer captions where a photographer reveals some background detail about their images.

There are a lot of news type photos here, especially from the Second World War years but equally as many taken from the photo-essay style work that Life became famous for. Others show celebrities and ordinary folk going about their lives. These photos are so good that you have to stop and really take notice of what they are telling you. I think this wonderful book is a strong visual reminder of how great Life was.

A fascinating book that came out some years ago: Great Photographic Essays from Life and still available (quite cheaply, too) has twenty-two photo essays reproduced slightly smaller than they originally appeared in the weekly. I found it fascinating to see how great photos, which I've seen many times in other books over the years, were presented on the page.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

It's not fashionable these days to speak of Henry Luce as great because his political views weren't left-wing. But the truth is Luce was a brilliant man who built a publishing empire based on delivering information in a concise way. His empire began with Time, then Fortune and next Life, a magazine that told its stories through pictures. (Sports Illustrated and the abominable People followed, the latter after Luce's death.)

Life editors perfected the photo essay. To do this, they hired some of the finest photographers in the world. This work showcases the work of 99 of those photographers in 698 color and black-and-white photos.

It is a glorious work. Life photographers were perfectionists. The technicians at the Life labs who printed their work were perfectionists. The editors who selected, cropped and laid out the work of the photographers and lab techs were perfectionists.

The result was for nearly sixty years a collection of some of the finest photography created in the 20th Century. It is sad that public tastes changed, that television overwhelmed the desire to leaf through the pages of magazines like Life.

The news in those days was largely captured in the still photograph. And here many of them are. The young Shah of Iran talking with Wendell Wilkie, the 1940 Republican Presidential candidate on a flight somewhere. An iconic photo of fashion-plate Jacqueline Kennedy and nattily-clad toddler son John, Jr. walking along the ocean in Palm Beach. American soldiers passing by a fallen comrade on a brige across the Roer River.The dazzingly beautiful 16 year old Elizabeth Taylor and incredibly intense 24 year old Marlon Brando two years before his first film role. The crowded Saturday night main street in small town Franklin, Indiana in 1940. All these and more were grist for the weekly Life Magazine, the equivalent then of a dozen or more cable television stations today.

It isn't mentioned in this book how many photos exist in the Life archives. Probably a million and maybe far more. But these 698 are a fair representation of the skill, talent and greatness of the 99 Life photographers seen here. (Not included are the many free-lancers whose work also appeared in Life.)

For anyone who appreciates photography as an art, this is a must-have.

Jerry

This book is like a walk through history. It pictures so many different eras in it. Its filled with happy moment and sad moments. The book it entirely of photographs with small captions under most pics. It is organized by photographer. I gives you a glimps at each photographers style. I originally bought this book for inspiration on some pencil art I was doing. For months I had it on my coffee table next to my sketch pad and all my friends would instantly peruse through it as we hung out. It became such a conversation starter that the coffee table has now become the books permanent home.

I buy very few books, tending to get them out of the library, however when I browsed this book in a bookshop and found that the local library had no plans to purchase it, I decided to buy it.

No regrets at all. This is an excellent resource for anyone wanting a collection of strong images to inspire their own photography. The book documents the 90 Life photographers and notable associated photographers along with a collection of each of their work. There is also a short biography of each photographer with their images.

The book is excellent, the price is superb. I cannot imagine anyone being disappointed with this book. 10 stars out of 5.

Most mature adults have a much-deserved respect for the Life Photography that has impressed and entertained us in the past. this compilation was very well-chosen and presented. It will keep your interest for as long as you can hold the book. A magnificent experience.

i looked at the other life book - classic photos - i think it was called. it has most of the same incredible photos as this book. what i love about this book more is - more photos and profiles of the photographers who took them - insightful

This book was filled with powerful and moving images. Some were magnificent black and whites, some were beautiful color photos and many were well done photos of tragedies. That's why I didn't like this book. I'd be enjoying the photos of one photographer, then turn the page to see a concentration camp prisoner, and I'd think "Ugh, another depressing photo..."

These aren't just depressing photos, they are brilliantly captured photos that are so strong they made me queasy. I enjoyed the photos that made me feel good, that inspired me and lifted my spirits. Yes, there is a time and a place for a photo that shows tragedy, supports a cause, tells a story, stirs you to action, but there was too much of it in this book for me. It covered too many decades, and too many issues and had my emotions going all over the place. Yes, I'm a wimp.

The photos that were of a lighter nature were fabulous and I truly enjoyed them. But by the end of the book I found myself dreading turning the page for fear there would be another gory or tragic photo.

I was surprised by how well done the chapter titles were. My intention when I received the book as a gift was to simply look at the pictures and let them speak for themselves. I didn't intend to read the `explanations'. But with each photographer would be a brief statement such as "Shooter, not shootie" which was about a female photographer that a movie director tried unsuccessfully to talk into staring in a movie herself. Well, many of them were just too tempting to resist and I'd find myself jumping into the story as well as the photos.

I really struggled with rating this book, but after much thought I decided on only two stars, because in the end I really didn't enjoy the book. I doubt I'll look at it again because of how the overall book made me feel. Just because a book is powerful, well written with strong images in it does not mean I will like it.

This book profiles all of the Life's photographers and showcases their best work.

It has lots of full page pictures. There are many amazing photos that I have never seen before. It's great for people who like photography, history, or both.

This book was a birthday gift to my daughter, but the whole family is enjoying the artistic expression of the Life photographers. Beautiful and, in many cases, thought provoking photos. Love it!!

Book was in excellent condition and more of a treasure than I had even expected. Thanks a million.