Customer Reviews

Personal Exposures

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

 

 

This collection reminds us that photography can be not only a harrowing journalistic document, or some supreme aesthetic achievement, but can also be just plain fun. Erwitt seems like the kind of guy who always carries a camera wherever he goes and snaps uncounted numbers of pictures to get a few witty gems. This is THE Erwitt collection, and the lengthy introduction gives some biographical context to the photos. Of course, knowing something of the personal context of a photographer's work isn't absolutely necessary (the photos speak for themselves if they are any good) but these are styled "PERSONAL Exposures" after all, so it makes sense to know a little about the man. This is a big, generous book, and the photos were obviously selected and ordered with care. An excellent overview of an interesting career.

Elliott Erwitt has made more enjoyable photographs than any other photographer, in my opinion. I have numerous books of his photos and I can't help but smile everytime I take one off the shelf and thumb through it. It really brightens up my day.

If you're not familiar with his work--hard to imagine that--this is a good book to get a selection. Also "Snaps" is highly recommended. I didn't buy "Personal Best" due to the price and now it's even more expensive as an out-of-print book. That one is probably a good choice too if it gets reprinted at a reasonable price.