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William Klein
Photographer William Klein was born in New York City in 1928. After enlisting in the army he was stationed in Germany and then France, where he would later settle permanently. His interest in art began with abstract painting and shifted to photography in the early 1950s as he began his career in fashion photography with Vogue magazine. He gained notoriety for his ambivalent and ironic approach to fashion photography and can be credited as one of the founding fathers of street photography. He directed such satirical films as Who Are You, Polly Maggoo?, as well as documentary shorts and features. This latest volume in the Photofile series assembles the experimental, unforgettable moments captured by William Klein in one accessible volume.
The Photofile series brings together the best work of the world’s greatest photographers in an attractive format and at an affordable price. Handsome and collectible, the books are produced at the highest quality. Each volume contains some sixty full-page reproductions, a critical introduction, and a full bibliography. The series was awarded the first annual prize for distinguished photographic books by the International Center of Photography.
The Photofile series brings together the best work of the world’s greatest photographers in an attractive format and at an affordable price. Handsome and collectible, the books are produced at the highest quality. Each volume contains some sixty full-page reproductions, a critical introduction, and a full bibliography. The series was awarded the first annual prize for distinguished photographic books by the International Center of Photography.
- GenresPhotography
144 pages, Paperback
Published April 25, 2017
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About the author
Christian Caujolle
76 books2 followersChristian Caujolle is a French journalist, photo agent, curator and photographer. He was one of the founders and the artistic director of the Agence VU, as well as the artistic director of the Galerie VU created in 1998. He is the artistic director of the Photo Phnom Penh festival (Cambodia), and of the Château d'Eau gallery in Toulouse.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 1, 2019
Small book, absorbing content.
Klein's use of movement and often very clever composition captivates. I have no clear favorites given the overall quality of his work but want to mention some highlights:
No 3 "Gun 2" with a priceless expression, No 2 "St. Patrick's Day" with a staggered stern seriousness, No 9 "Candy Store" which is simply beautiful or beautifully simple, No 16 "Corner Cigar Store" with a good dozen stories in a single frame, No 2o "Watchman" with one of the most compelling compositions I ever saw, No 28 "Bikini" with life in 3 panels and multiple verticals, No 35 "Bodybuilder" where reality melts with its symbol, No 48 "Cafe terrace" where most of us would walk by but Klein captures life divided etc etc...
I also like Klein's technique. As much as possible in focus, never care about blur, push the film as high as it needs to be, grain or no grain. Content is King.
Otherwise, Thames & Hudson delivers an incredible quality product for a very low price. The choice of essays about Klein and his work instead of lengthy texts at the beginning is spot on.
Klein's use of movement and often very clever composition captivates. I have no clear favorites given the overall quality of his work but want to mention some highlights:
No 3 "Gun 2" with a priceless expression, No 2 "St. Patrick's Day" with a staggered stern seriousness, No 9 "Candy Store" which is simply beautiful or beautifully simple, No 16 "Corner Cigar Store" with a good dozen stories in a single frame, No 2o "Watchman" with one of the most compelling compositions I ever saw, No 28 "Bikini" with life in 3 panels and multiple verticals, No 35 "Bodybuilder" where reality melts with its symbol, No 48 "Cafe terrace" where most of us would walk by but Klein captures life divided etc etc...
I also like Klein's technique. As much as possible in focus, never care about blur, push the film as high as it needs to be, grain or no grain. Content is King.
Otherwise, Thames & Hudson delivers an incredible quality product for a very low price. The choice of essays about Klein and his work instead of lengthy texts at the beginning is spot on.
June 21, 2025
Beaucoup de vitalité que traduise l’intensité des émotions, la proximité avec l’appareil photo et le mouvement. Il va même jusqu’à peindre sur les planches contact pour donner de la vie au noir et blanc.
February 16, 2022
Masterpiece in a small package and affordable price. Highly recommend if you love photography.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews