Third Views, Second Sights: A Rephotographic Survey of the American West [Hardcover]

Mark Klett (Author), Kyle Bajakian (Author), William L. Fox (Author), Michael Marshall (Author), Toshi Ueshina (Author), Byron G. Wolfe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2004

This title includes bonus interactive DVD. In the 19th century the great expeditionary photographers Chr(45) William Henry Jackson, T H O'Sullivan, and William Bell Chr(45) first photographed American western landscapes for the geological and geographical surveys. Mark Klett, Chief photographer of the Rephotographic Survey Project, revisited and rephotographed these 19th-century sites during the late 1970s, presenting 120 pairs of photographs separated by a century of change. Two decades later, Klett organised a new survey team to rephotograph 110 sites. This book presents forty-three pairings from the third survey, documenting two periods of geologic and environmental changes while exploring changing human perceptions of landscape. It is published in association with the Center for American Places.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Third Views, Second Sights makes photographs of historic American western landscapes in light of the dynamic nature of and changes to the landscape witnessed since the nineteenth century when the great expeditionary photographers—William Henry Jackson, T. H. O’Sullivan, and William Bell—first photographed for the geological and geographical surveys that became the benchmarks for change and continuity as well as for ways of seeing and representation. The Rephotographic Survey Project, led by chief photographer Mark Klett, revisited and rephotographed these nineteenth-century sites during the late 1970s, resulting in the monumental book Second View: The Rephotographic Survey Project (University of New Mexico Press), presenting 120 pairs of photographs separated by a century of change. Two decades later, Klett organized a new survey team to rephotographic 110 sites, assembling the first-view icons of early American photography with second views that explored how these nineteenth-century images were made while documenting a century of change, and, third views that further record a changing landscape in light of a new generation’s visual sensibilities.

Third Views, Second Sights presents forty-three pairings from the third survey, documenting two periods of geologic and environmental changes while exploring changing human perceptions of landscape.

About the Author

Mark Klett is associate professor of art at Arizona State University and the author of Revealing Territory: Photography of the Southwest (University of New Mexico Press), and The Black Rock Desert (Desert Places) with William L Fox (University of Arizona Press). William L Fox is author of View Finder: Mark Klett, Photography and the Reinvention of Landscape (University of New Mexico Press).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Museum of New Mexico Press; Har/DVD edition (September 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0890134324
• ISBN-13: 978-0890134320
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 12.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #138,210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Documenting the March of Time, August 26, 2005

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Third Views, Second Sights: A Rephotographic Survey of the American West (Hardcover)

This is one of those rare collections of photographs that makes visual the question "Remember when...?". Photographer/historian Mark Klett has produced a second book that addresses locations in the western United States initially photographed in the 19th century by such important photographers as William Bell, William Henry Jackson, and T. H. O'Sullivan. His first book 'Second View: The Rephotographic Survey Project' (a project supported by the University of New Mexico) was published in the 1970's and paired contemporary photographs of sites in the Western US with photographs by the above mentioned photographers. Now he and his fellow photographers - Kyle Bajakian, William L. Fox, Michael Marshall, Toshi Ueshina, and Byron G. Wolfe - have again photographed the same sites (hence the title) and the resultant photographs are stunning.

In this volume the three time periods of the three photographs in these 43 sets of 110 sites not only document physical and environmental changes: they speak loudly about man's intervention with nature and as such this book is on hallowed ground. Not only for the beauty of the design and photographic content should this book be widely read and collected, but also it should remind us of the sanctity of the planet on which we live. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, August 05

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Treasure from Klett & Company . . ., August 17, 2010

By 

Brian Smith "Fellow Traveler" (San Pedro, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Third Views, Second Sights: A Rephotographic Survey of the American West (Hardcover)

Another beautiful photography book to inspire the artist with considered images and to interest the reader with meaningful historical context. Mark Klett has a way of drawing you in to his way of seeing history and to experience history by immersing yourself in its physicality.

As long as serious and engaging artists create works such as this, physical books will certainly never go away.

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT, May 15, 2009

By 

Justin Henry "Newt" (Johnstown, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Third Views, Second Sights: A Rephotographic Survey of the American West (Hardcover)

I have been so pleased to purchase all three of the Mark Klett books that I wanted for such an amazing price. I was going to buy from B&N but their one book was more than half of the three books that I bought from the JUNGLE. Thanks Amazon and super fast free shipping as always.