Street Photography: A History in 100 Iconic Photographs

by David Gibson

This visually arresting book takes the reader on a journey across the globe by presenting the most candid, immediate, and provocative images captured by the biggest names in street photography from its inception to today.

Capturing daily life in every corner of the world, this sumptuous collection of great street photography shows the very best of the genre. From pre-war gelatin silver prints to 21st-century digital images, from documentary to abstract, from New York's Central Park to a mountain city in Mongolia, these photographs reveal the many ways street photography moves, informs, and excites us. The book includes work by the likes of Margaret Bourke-White, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Joel Meyerowitz, Gordon Parks, André Kertész, Garry Winogrand, Roger Mayne, and other masters of street photography who pushed the genre's boundaries and continue to innovate today. Each exquisitely reproduced photograph is presented on a double-page spread and accompanied by an informative text. David Gibson's insightful introduction traces the history of street photography, reflects on its broad appeal, and looks toward the future of the genre.

Genres: Photography, Art, Nonfiction

208 pages, Hardcover

Published March 19, 2019

Reviews

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely collection of a hundred photos by a hundred different photographers, each of which is accompanied by a brief biographical sketch of the photographer, making connections to other photographers, and sometimes providing context around the selected photo. In that sense, it's a great introduction to the work of a wide range of artists, and definitely opens the door to seeking out more of their work. As one might expect, it's almost all American or European photographers, with a handful of Japanese and Indians represented, and of course, heavily male.

And while the book rewards careful perusal (I recommend just a few pages a day, in order to let each photo sink in), I'm not sure it quite does justice to the title. My understanding of "street photography" is that it seeks to capture everyday life in a public setting, often without the subjects being aware of it -- but is slightly different from documentary photography, which has a particular project and point of view driving it. The compiler of this volume seems to more or less agree with that in his two page introduction, but the contents are hardly faithful. There are some photos that are quite abstract, there are photos without people, and most confounding of all, there are photos that are staged. I guess he found some of the images too irresistible, but as "a history" it doesn't quite work.

That said, it is a really well-produced book -- the scale and quality of reproductions are nice, and definitely a worthy addition to any photography-lover's coffee table.

[Enrique Barreiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

No es Bystander, la monumental obra de Westerbeck y Meyerowitz, pero sí un interesante recorrido por 100 fantásticos fotógrafos, bajo la premisa (o excusa) común de haberse dedicado, en mayor o menor medida, a lo que hoy se conoce como fotografía de calle, signifique lo que signifique exactamente el término. El texto de cada fotógrafo (en inglés) es breve pero bien aprovechado, con menciones a libros y otras fotos, que animan a seguir investigando.

[Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book of iconic street photographic images from 1904 to 2012. There is an amazing breath of pictures and a nice informative commentary on the photographer and photo. If you want some inspired help with your own photography then this is a good book to start. That’s why I purchased it.

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Candid, exposed, international, sad. A few nods to Canada with some photos from Toronto and the west. Check it out

[Lenore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the photos are a little outdated. Still, as with most photography books, it is interesting to see the world from a different perspective.

[Thaizi Ono · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The purpose of a photography is surely fiction - what we imagine. This is the aspect I enjoy most and is the driving force behind all my choices."