The Reconfigured Eye: Visual Truth in the Post-Photographic Era [Paperback]

William J. Mitchell (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0262631601 | ISBN-13: 978-0262631600 | Publication Date: July 25, 1992

"An intelligent and readable approach to the digitization of images.... A useful overview of a critical subject."-- New York Times Book ReviewEnhanced? Or faked? Today the very idea of photographic veracity is being radically challenged by the emerging technology of digital image manipulation and synthesis: photographs can now be altered at will in ways that are virtually undetectable, and photorealistic synthesized images are becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from actual photographs.Continuing William Mitchell's investigations of how we understand, reason about, and use images, The Reconfigured Eye provides the first systematic, critical analysis of the digital imaging revolution. It describes the technology of the digital image in detail and looks closely at how it is changing the way we explore ideas, at its aesthetic potential, and at the ethical questions it raises.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In this first comprehensive and scholarly discussion of the topic, Mitchell (dean, School of Architecture and Planning, MIT) analyzes the ethical and legal implications of digital imaging technology, the aesthetic potential of the computer medium, the loss of the supposed veracity of the photographic image, and the future of photography as we know it. Warning that the certainties of camera-recorded fact must be left behind as we enter the "post-photographic era," the author predicts the end of traditional film-based photography and its replacement by computer-captured and/or constructed images. His explanations of the technology involved are necessarily technical but are made fully accessible to lay readers through a discussion that is both readable and engaging. The two- and three-way juxtaposition of images show how meaning is affected in the altered version (e.g., imagine the appearance of Rambo at Yalta through the effective blending of images). High-quality illustrations and examples are taken from historical photographs and paintings, photojournalism, architecture, and collage art. Highly recommended.
- Kathleen Collins, New York Transit Museum Archives, Brooklyn
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

William J. Mitchell was the Alexander W. Dreyfoos, Jr., Professor of Architecture and Media Arts and Sciences and directed the Smart Cities research group at MIT's Media Lab. He authored many books, including The World's Greatest Architect (2008) and Placing Words: Symbols, Space, and the City (2005), both published by the MIT Press.

Product Details

• Paperback: 283 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press (July 25, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262631601
• ISBN-13: 978-0262631600
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #664,132 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The consequences of digital, November 23, 2002

By 

Pumpkin King - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Reconfigured Eye: Visual Truth in the Post-Photographic Era (Paperback)

Mitchell's book might be thought of as two books. It is mainly about the meaning of photography at a time when pictures can be so easily manipulated and changed. It's really a philosophical discussion of truth and ethics. However, the middle section of the book is more about the technical aspects of 2D and 3D graphics, with explanations of the fundamental concepts that underlie digital images and compositing techniques, as well as computer modeled and rendered scenes.

And fortunately, both sections are great. THE RECONFIGURED EYE is valuable both as a reconsideration of photographic truth in a the context of new technologies, and as a book to help photographers, graphic designers, architects, and anyone working with photographs to understand how the basic functions of 2D and 3D software work and why. Though I wish there were even more photos of some of the paintings and photographs he refers to, there are many great pictures of paintings, photos, and rendered scenes to illustrate what he describes in the text. This is definitely one of the more thoughtful books on digital images and there's a lot of good stuff here to think about.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have for Digital Artists, June 23, 2000

By 

Anne Morgan Spalter (Providence, RI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Reconfigured Eye: Visual Truth in the Post-Photographic Era (Paperback)

I can't believe that no one has written a review here of this essential book! Anyone creating, curating, writing about, or simply trying to appreciate computer-based art work should own this text. Mitchell weaves together theory, history, and technique to explain the fundamentals of this new field. His scholarship and knowledge of the area are unbeatable.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still a classic, April 21, 2006

By 

FredM (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Reconfigured Eye: Visual Truth in the Post-Photographic Era (Paperback)

It's hard to believe that this book was published more than a decade and a half ago -- and it's still relevant! I recently re-read this book after allowing it to lay fallow on my shelves for some time, and found that there's solid information in here, available with anyone with the vision to draw upon it.