Thinking Photography

by Victor Burgin

Victor Burgin and his collaborators challenge the concept of the autonomous, spontaneously creative artist, the idea of documentary truth in photography and the notion of purely visual languages. They develop an account of the production and meaning of a photograph within social institutions – advertising, journalism, art – within a society with a history and within the unconscious.

Genres: Photography, Art, Philosophy, Academic, Nonfiction

239 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1982

Reviews

[Miguel Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little redundant at times but I guess it's good to hammer in ideas of ideology in the visual and things like that.
Also, heavy on the psychoanalysis by the end in a way that could be just as productive and legible if simplified. What do I know though

[Joleane Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some very interesting viewpoints on photography, however I felt like the messages gets lost in the political diatribe the author tends to go.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some useful theory in here regarding my art history dissertation, however this book is not very accessible in terms of its language and layout and there was a lot of psychoanalysis.