Stieglitz: Camera Work (25th Anniversary Special Edtn) [Paperback]

Ute Kieseyer (Editor), Julia Krumhauer (Editor), Simone Philippi (Editor), Alfred Stieglitz (Photographer)

Book Description

Series: 25th Anniversary Special Edtn | Publication Date: August 1, 2008

Photographer, writer, publisher, and curator Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946) was a visionary, far ahead of his time. Around the turn of the 20th century he founded the Photo-Secession, a progressive movement concerned with advancing the creative possibilities of photography, and by 1903 began publishing "Camera Work", an avant-garde magazine devoted to voicing the ideas, both in images and words, of the Photo-Secession. "Camera Work" was the first photo journal whose focus was visual, rather than technical, and its illustrations were of the highest quality hand-pulled photogravure printed on Japanese tissue. This book brings together a broad selection from the journal's 50 issues.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This has to be the 'must buy' book of the decade - no photographic library will be complete without it." - mono, UK"

About the Author

Pam Roberts was Curator at the British Royal Photographic Society from 1982-2001. She lives in Bath.

Product Details

• Paperback: 552 pages
• Publisher: Taschen; 25th edition (August 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3822837849
• ISBN-13: 978-3822837849
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.6 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Photo Essays
  • #11 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions
  • #13 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > History

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful history of early photography, October 13, 2008

By 

T. Mario - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stieglitz: Camera Work (25th Anniversary Special Edtn) (Paperback)

Stieglitz - Camera Work is an extract of the photographs that appeared in the Camera Work magazine that Stieglitz created and edited. The photographs chart the history and change in photographic styles from pictorialist to the straight photography of Paul Strand. As such it is a historical document to the changing style of the medium. However, more than that it shows many accomplished photographers and their work that is truly refreshing even by today's standards. The size of the book is quite nice, portable but also large enough that it will take time to work through it all and enjoy the pictures. The essay on Stieglitz and his motivations and involvement in the photographic scene of his day and his importance even then is also quite interesting. He was (and is) a real giant of the photographic world. I "only" gave 4 stars because the book is not available in hard cover, and there is a big 25 year anniversary image on the book spine. I don't much like advertising things like that on my bookshelf, and as the book was issued in 2008 (and Taschen's 25th anniversary was in 2005 or 2007) I don't quite get why they are branding this book like that. Still, a sterling effort on their part. Print reproduction quality is excellent.
For who is this book? For photographic artists, people interested in photographic history, as well as photographers who are looking to the past for a way to refresh and invigorate their photography.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 5 stars please!, March 22, 2009

By 

granger (Ithaca, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Stieglitz: Camera Work (25th Anniversary Special Edtn) (Paperback)

I truly am amazed at some of the nitpicking on this wonderful book. Add to that the truly amazing price. This is not a cheaply produced book. All the pages are quality paper capable of coming very close to presenting the true tonality of these works. In addition, the reproductions themselves are true to the toning of the originals. Black and white photography is not just blacks and whites, and this book gets you very close to the feel of the originals.
If you have any interest in the history of photography and one of the earliest proponents of photography as art you just shouldn't pass up this book.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Photo history, December 20, 2008

By 

J. B. Kramer "photoburner" (North Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Stieglitz: Camera Work (25th Anniversary Special Edtn) (Paperback)

Well this book is a steal at the price. It contains all the work published in Stieglitz's Camera Work magazine. This was the outlet for the Pictoralist school of photography who attempted to duplicate the work of painters.

You can quickly understand why the f/64 Group led by Ansel Adams, Weston and Cunningham were revolting against this style. The works are gloomy, brown, soft and derivative of the gloomy soft Victorian style of the painters of the time. There are still many gems included among the chaff and this book should be on your shelf if you are a photographer.

Taschen is publishing more of this type of catalogs of a particular photographer or style and are well worth looking at.