Picture Perfect: Life in the Age of the Photo Op - New Edition

by Kiku Adatto

Book by Adatto, Kiku

Genres: Nonfiction, Photography

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 30, 1993

Reviews

[Kim Lacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Several of the chapters were seriously outdated, and isn't applicable to visual rhetorical studies anymore. For example, Adatto talked a lot about the media's role in election cycles pre-1988. It's interesting and provides some good historical background, but it's not too helpful in understanding anything that's happened in the 20+ years since.

This is the second edition, and it reads like Adatto just updated the first and last chapters. If you're looking for a historical perspective, you might find it useful. Some interesting stuff here, but not for studies in contemporary visual arts.

[Kiof · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fucking masterpiece. Not all of it's a revelation, but a large part is. Everyone who ingests media regularly should read this as a much needed breath-mint. Highly recommended not just by me, but Mr. America himself, Walter Cronkite.

[Roberta · Rating 2 out of 5]

The early chapters were quite focused and relevant to the idea of media manipulation of imagerty. Later chapters meandered into more general ideas - iconic films - without clearly nailing a point.