Customer Reviews

Image Makers, Image Takers

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A great combination of interviews, insights, and images. Not technical information, just the thoughts of successful photographers, and their images.

My only complaint is that not ever image discussed in the interviews is in the book - looking them up online can be distracting to the flow of the book.

This is one of my favorite photography books to date.
The interviews with many of the top photographers alive today are really well done and their answers are inspiring and thought provoking.
I return to the book once in a while when I need a dose of inspiration :)
I highly recommend it!

I love it. Wonderful, inspiring interviews with some of the best photographers alive today. Especially interesting are the interviews with Alec Soth and Anton Corbijn. You will not regret purchasing this, I just wish I had read it sooner! Beautifully put together and a great value.

Unfortunately, it's rather hard to find out a photography book that puts togheter "theory" and "practice", words and images. Usually, a book has plenty of images and no serious text, or it's a theorical dissertaion with very few images. "Image makers Image takers", I must say that, is an exception to the rule - a very good exception, actually.
Because it's full of really interesting interviews able to analyse photographers' approach, creative process, equipment choise, buisness matters (and still a lot of other things), keeping always attention to photographs.
Being a photographer, this book really taught me a lot. But I do think it can be interesting also for everyone who loves photography.

GN

I was thrilled to find this fresh, new, exciting book. It is densely packed full of interviews with a diverse range of the planet's top photographers, and other industry professionals, who answer questions in an engaging and thoughtful manner. There are lots of great tips for budding photographers. A contemporary classic, and latest must-read, for anyone into photography!

For the real scoop on some of the best photographic images known to man comes the latest edition of "Image Makers-Image Takers" from UK publisher Thames & Hudson. This newly expanded edition goes behind the scenes with some of the world's most important photographers, editors, curators and retouchers to reveal the inner secrets of some of the most memorable images in the market today. David LaChappelle, Anton Corbijn, Rankin, Marco Sorrenti and Ellen von Unwerth are just some of the thirty-three world-class photographers interviewed for the book. Each is given a mini-portfolio and asked a series of questions about their unique image technique. Think of it as a mini lesson from not just the pros, but from artists who push the boundaries of the genre everyday

As a working photographer I found the interviews with the curators, editors and publishers to be very informative and enlightening. I feel like my eyes have been opened by their thoughts and insights.

There is a lot to read in this volume. I was surprised that the cover is different from what was advertised on Amazon. Not that it matters but still, makes you feel you are not getting what you had paid for. Just psychology.
The interviews look like they are based on a circular email -- they tend to be boring and samey-samey. However, some of the photographers give answers that are worth reading.
I cluld have been happier with slightly more in-depth technical stuff.
Good thing that some of the new talent are given more pages and pictures. I like that.
The picture editor section (image makers) is a welcome addition. I also work in publishing and shoot editorials, so it is a wise take on the other side of the image.
Good impressions overall. I'd love to see a second edition in a few years, with online picture sites and internet stuff included. ey, I'm giving away ideas free here. Watch this space!

It would seem that both photographers and patrons of photography could benefit from reading interviews about photography with both prominent photographers and purchasers of photography. That is the premise of "Image Makers, Image Takers."

The book consists of 24 interviews with successful and up-and-coming photographers and 16 interviews with acquirers of photography, like curators, picture editors and publishers. The photographers ranged from old hands like William Eggleston and Stephen Shore to new comers like Alec Soth. The acquirers ranged from curators like Tina Brown of The Photographers Gallery in London to Kathy Ryan, picture editor of the New York Times Magazine. The author asked a few of the same basic questions to each of the interviewees, and then asked other questions that flowed naturally from the answers to the basic questions.

Photographers' basic questions included how the photographers got into photography, to whether photographers needed a philosophy, and how the photographers edited their work, to what advice the interviewee would give to new photographers. As to the last question, almost all the photographers advised new photographers to stick by their guns. Interestingly, and perhaps disappointingly to other photographers, most photographers said that you couldn't really learn vision. The answers revealed some photographers to have thought deeply about their work and its meaning, while a few seemed superficial and even arrogant.

Even though there were fewer acquirers interviewed, their responses may prove useful to photographers. For example, acquirers talked about the necessity for well organized portfolios and emphasized the importance of projects rather than just individual images.

Each of the interviews was illustrated with several of the photographs either being created or acquired.

Even though it's interesting to read about the motivations of the makers and takers, I'm not so sure of the practical value of the interviews. The interviews with the photographers certainly show that there are a large number of roads that lead to being a successful photographer. The interviews with the takers showed what acquirers are looking for, although, if you take the advice of the photographers to stick to your guns, that may be of little help. A few of the interviews, like that with publisher Gerhard Steidl, can provide the hope that at least some takers are more interested in the art then the money.

I found this book to be an interesting supplement to the study of photography. On the other hand, it seems to me that a deep reading of the work of most of the photographers might prove more useful.

I Bought this book few days ago. What really impressed me is the way ANNE had interviewed with artist (Great artists) & the way she ( or an advisor helped her to ) chose the artist.
The interviews are amazing & inspiring, especially for idea & inspiration part of the interview.
This book is a must for whom is interested in the artistic photography or even in general art, since it really helps to improve the way I understand the photos.