History of Photography: some references

March 18, 2008

Most people who are interested on photography, including myself, don't have a Masters in Fine Art or any other curriculum in their education that provides a background of the History of Photography. In the last year, I have been learning more about the topic. It is a continuous discovery that I enjoy far more than I anticipated.

History of Photography is history of creativity, the history that set the path for our experience of the craft today. In a way, we are the consequence of our history, and therefore it can be said that current contemporary photography shares more with history than sometimes is appreciated. In some ways indeed, it appears that we are coming into full circles, with the "digital image" trying to look like the traditional print. Composition, the use of light and approaches to the subject are grounded in the history. Learning about the events in photography 50-100 years ago is not only intriguing but also it has enhanced my appreciation for this craft.

I like to here some good references if you like to explore this subject. Some of the books cited were found by looking and searching, others were recommended by educators and collectors who are "real" connoisseurs. I share this books with you, hoping that they will raise your interest to explore the history of this craft. Links are to the books at Amazon.com [USA]. For other countries you may have to search local a seller.

• A World History of Photography by Naomi Rosenblum (4th Edition, 2007)
  

This book is like an encyclopedic tome, heavy, hardcover, printed with excellent quality, very well illustrated and well written. It is therefore a top recommendation, a reference volume to look when needed to explore some information. It is heavy, not for a bed night read, but a great reference to have. Written by Naomi Rosenblum, an eminent photographic historian, author and pioneer in the field, wife of photographer Walter Rosenblum. She has also written the book "A History of Women Photographers". The 4th edition of this book was published last year, 2007.

• The History of Photography by Beaumont Newhall (Fifth Edition, 1982, reprinted in 2006).

This book is a master piece written by the great Beaumont Newhall. It is very inexpensive [paperback], but the publishing quality is excellent, with gloss heavy paper. Elegantly written and extensively illustrated, this is a must have book on the history of photography.

• Looking at Photographs [a guide to technical terms] by Gordon Baldwin (1991)

This is not a book about history of photography but it covers so many historical terms on techniques that have been used in photography that I include it here. If you ever wonder what is an "Albumen Print", what is an "Autochrome", what is a "Camera Lucida", what is the "Collodion process", etc then you need this book. This is a small book, very well printed and very inexpensive. It covers all these technical terms using multiple illustrations. The images used as examples are also great photographs.

• Looking at Photographs: One Hundred Photographs from the Collection of the Museum of Modern Art by John Szarkowski (1981)

Great photographer and great historian of photography. The writings of John Szarkowski, former director of the Department of Photography at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, are legendary. He is the author of The Photographer's Eye, Photography Until Now [see below], and many other works on photography. In this book, he selects one image [100 in total] from each photographer and adds his comments. Not only relevant from the historical perspective, but also a great way to learn how to look at photography.

• Photography Until Now, by John Szarkowski (1989)

Tied to the last photographic exhibition at the MoMA that was directed by John Szarkowski before his retirement, this book covers a range of images selected by the author complemented with discussions related to the evolution of the process of photography throughout history. Although not a typical book about the history of photography, these are a series of reflections on the stages of this art, from the invention of the camera obscura by to the role initial agencies like Magnum that were founded to improve the standards of magazines around the world.

• The Origins of American Photography: From Daguerreotype to Dry-Plate, 1839-1885: The Hallmark Photographic Collection at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, by Keith F. Davies.

Keith F. Davies was the former Fine Art Programs Director at Hallmark Cards. The Hallmark Photographic Collection, the most important private collection of photography, was donated to the Nelson-Atkins Museum in 2006. Since 1979, the collection was guided by Keith F. Davis, who expanded it from 650 works by about 35 photographers, to 6,500 works by about 900 artists. The images covered the whole history of photography and at the time of the donation it was worth more than $65 million. He organized dozens of exhibitions from the collection for national and international tours, and authored a number of publications on the collection. This book reflects the immense knowledge of this curator and historian.

In the interest of sharing, if you have any additional reference you like to highlight please do so in the comments section. Please, add some description with your opinion if possible.

Miguel Garcia-Guzman

Posted in Photography