Lives of the Great Photographers

by Juliet Hacking

In the history of photography, the lives of the major personalities behind the lens are often as captivating as the images they have left behind. Yet, while certain photographs have become world famous, indelibly printed on the cultural consciousness, the stories of the photographers have been all too often distorted, obfuscated, or overlooked, and their social and political environments misunderstood or forgotten.

Lives of the Great Photographers brings together the engaging and entertaining biographies of thirty-eight pioneers in the field, selected, carefully researched, and narrated by respected photography expert Juliet Hacking. The entries evoke the lives and backgrounds of these landmark figures, bringing new light to their work and forging a better understanding of how they pioneered new techniques and approaches. The text is accompanied by a beautifully curated sampling of images, including many rarely seen portraits and self-portraits.


With entries on Margaret Bourke-White, Brassai, Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans, André Kertész, Eadweard Muybridge, Edward Steichen, and many others, Lives of the Great Photographers captures from a new angle the contributions of some of the most masterful image-makers in history.

Genres: Photography, Biography, Art, Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2015

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biographies of thirty-nine photographers, most around six pages. They are not in-depth, of course, but give a great overview. Each chapter contains only two or three photos, one of the subject, usually a self portrait. More photos would be appreciated, but are not necessary, since they can be found elsewhere. The biographical details are the important part.

I enjoyed the book, since, while familiar with the work of about half the photographers, I knew little about their lives. And it was great to learn about the others.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned about a few new photographers.. my main complaint is that most chapters end on overly-wordy statements like: "It seems that his critics failed to see the connection between the oblique nature of his style and the profundity of feeling and meaning that it signified."
Or: "Weston, who was anything but literal in his person, forged a photographic style, that, in its notational insistence on truth to appearances, detracts our attention from the constructed nature of everything he did and said."

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

General overview of many photographers - some that were new to me. Provides some basic knowledge but not indepth.

[Dyslexic Bookmonster · Rating 2 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from the library only to read the part about Diane Arbus. I skimmed a bit through all the other Photographers, though none really caught my interest.

[Madeeha Maqbool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still in love with this <3