How to Read a Photograph: Lessons from Master Photographers

by Ian Jeffrey

Ian Jeffrey is a superb guide in this profusely illustrated introduction to the appreciation of photography as an art form. Novices and experts alike will gain a deeper understanding of great photographers and their work, as Jeffrey decodes key images and provides essential biographical and historical background. Profiles of more than 100 major photographers, including Alfred Stieglitz, Bill Brandt, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans, Paul Strand, Lazlo Moholy-Nagy, highlight particular examples of styles and movements throughout the history of the medium. Each entry includes a concise biography along with an illuminating discussion of key works and nuggets of contextual information. How to Read a Photograph: Lessons from Master Photographers is the third book in Abrams' successful series that includes How to Read a Painting and How to Read a Modern Painting.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction, Art, Art and Photography, Reference

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Sven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ian Jeffrey is een Engelse kunst historicus en auteur. Hij schreef al verschillende boeken over de fotografie.
In De Kunst Van Het Kijken, Het Verhaal Van De Fotografie neemt hij terug een kijkje in de geschiedenis van de fotografie.
Hij leert ons een groot aantal fotografen kennen die wel van betekenis waren voor de fotografie als kunststroming. Wie waren ze en wat deden ze maar vooral welk soort foto’s ze namen en Ian legt daarbij uit hoe we de foto normaal gezien zouden kunnen lezen. Want foto’s bekijkt men niet enkel maar leest men ook.
Het lezen van contrasten, lichtrichtingen, voorwerpen met een diepere betekenis, personen, enz.….
De tekst is goed uitgebreid maar niet te gedetailleerd zodat deze niet de aandacht doet verliezen.
De naam van de fotograaf wordt bijgestaan door het geboortejaar en sterfjaar.
De afgebeelde foto’s zijn goed zichtbaar geplaatst in een varia aan afmetingen. De één wat kleiner, en sommige dan weer op een volledige pagina.
Wat opvalt, is dat vooral bij de latere fotografen pas de kleurfoto opduikt. Naarmate de technologie vooruit ging en de toestellen lichter en innovatiever werden veranderd ook de blik van de man die ermee overweg kan.
De gefotografeerde voorwerpen of mensen geven ook een blik in de geschiedenis van de mensheid. Manier van leven, maar ook manier van fotograferen. Bepaalde technieken werden een tijd gebruikt om daarna vervangen te worden door iets nieuws. Dit is deze dagen ook nog zo. Beelden met beweging bijvoorbeeld wordt nu enorm veel mee geëxperimenteerd terwijl in dit boek geen enkele foto te vinden is met deze techniek of het moet bij Tomatsu Shomei zijn.
Conclusie
De conclusie is dat dit een boek is die de personen die interesse hebben in deze materie meeneemt naar het verleden om te leren hoe de oude meesters het vak beoefenden en hoe hun invloed nog altijd voelbaar is in de huidige fotografie.

[Bloodorange · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lexicon of photographers, not - as the title states - a book teaching how to read photographs. "Lessons" are few and far between. I give it two stars because it does offer:
- a good selection of photos with commentary that feels incomplete and at times puzzling;
- an incomplete overview of the history of photography - women photographers, apart from the unquestionally unleaveouttable, are largely absent, or mentioned as partners and muses, and it takes no genius to realise that the focus is on the US, France, and Germany with a few other countries (mainly Russia and Japan) thrown in.

[Jim Coughenour · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Abrams's "How to read" series. These softcover books are beautifully published, lavishly illustrated, and provide excellent (if necessarily brief) critical introductions to a wide spectrum of artworks. Jeffrey's addition to this series is as pleasurable as a photo album found among a pile of academic texts – good for hours of reverie nourished by 100-odd photographers.

btw - I prefer the William Eggleston photo on my edition to the one shown above, which otherwise seems identical.

[Ola · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would throw it away long time ago if not for all those beautiful pictures. The worst book about photography I've ever read; polish version is really awful however I'm not sure if it's because of the author himself of the translator. Does Ian Jeffrey use all those collective grammar forms in english version too?

____________________________

Co za nieznośnie denerwująca książka; ręce opadały mi tyle razy, że wydłużyły się o jakieś dziesięć centymetrów. Nie żałuję, że ją kupiłam, bo trudno byłoby inaczej wejść w posiadanie równie przekrojowego zbioru znakomitych fotografii, ale te zdjęcia to jedyne, co powstrzymuje mnie przed rzuceniem jej w jakiś ciemny i bardzo, bardzo zapomniany kąt. Jeffrey ma tę doprowadzającą mnie do szewskiej pasji manierę uogólniania swoich odczuć i interpretacji na wszystkich czytelników; bez przerwy coś "widzimy", "odczuwamy" i "myślimy". Problem w tym, że czasami widzimy coś innego, albo, co gorsza, nie odczuwamy i nie myślimy, i wówczas Autor patrzy na nas - tak sobie to wyobrażam - oczami wielkimi jak spodki, by chwilę potem tonem wyrażającym bezbrzeżne zdumienie zapytać: "Jak to?"
Do tej litanii narzekań dochodzą jeszcze dziwaczne, jakby wyrwane z kontekstu zdania (nie wiem, czy to wina tłumacza, czy samego Jeffreya), a także karygodne błędy merytoryczne - co to, na Boga, jest "obiektyw 8x10 cali"?

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I skipped around and read about half the book. Can't really recommend it as a history of photography, and also didn't find the analysis very stimulating. Not excited about how small some of the images are, either. All that being said, I'm not sorry that I picked this book up from the library and spent a couple of hours perusing it.

[Peterk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thought this would be a great introduction to the work of several giants but while some context of the making and/or significance of the images shown is there, this info is so brief it reduces the book to merely a collection of images sorted by photographer. Could've been very good but ends up to be just under mediocre :-(

[Bill Mutch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is, so far, the best book of its type I've encountered. Ian Jeffery selects photographers from the earliest technical explorers to very recent members of the photographic pantheon... and a few along the decades that most of us have never heard of... for an exposition of how to view the pictures in both their personal and historic contexts. Unlike most authors in the survey of photographic history realm, he provides enough biographical and sociological background along with technical information that the analysis of the pictures makes sense. Irrelevancies like dates of gallery shows don't appear and useful but distracting bibliographies and provenance info appear as appendices. There is a really useful index. Sometimes the discussions of the pictures point to small details that are actually important. Sometimes Jeffery is frankly but articulately subjective about feelings that enhance understanding. Bravo. I especially appreciate the presentation of Soviet era and post WWII Japanese photographers that are usually way under-represented in such volumes. An ass-kicker that puts the book over the top is the cover photo by William Eggleston. Every element of this picture below the type lines has something to be seen. Look in every corner.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

After seeing a review of this book in Photoshop Magazine, I was able to get it secondhand on-line through Barnes and Noble. I very much enjoyed reading about Master Photographers from 1835 to present. Ian Jeffrey presents many iconic photos for the period and incite into the photographer's motivation behind the photographs they took.

[Simon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lovely photos but let down by the text...

[Grof J. Kešetović · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't just a book full of nice little pictures, it is something to get inspiration from! I gladly returned to this book at least a few dozen times by now to get ideas and inspiration in improving my own photography skills. Also, it is quite relaxing to look and peruse trough the book. This book indeed is a worthy addition to your shelf, I'd warmly recommend it.

[Jan Dronkers · Rating 4 out of 5]

een must...

[Sajid Islam · Rating 5 out of 5]

From where I can get its free ebook

[Hsuan]

chinese version

[Sachin Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good

[Andy Lawless · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the back cover "Iran Jeffrey presents a history of photography and landscapes of the 1840's and traveling up through the modern era"

Although not a good history of photography book, it is well written and full of illustrations, and provide excellent but brief introductions to many of the famous photographers from the past up to near the modern era.

[Mariska de Graaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mooi en interessant boek. Voornl. heel nuttig om de fotohistorie en je zo bekend te maken met de allereerste meesters. Vaag genoeg wordt de foto op de voorkant niet eens besproken. Heb er veel aan gehad in de zin dat ik wat meer oude fotografen heb leren kennen en weer wat weggezakte kennis over het kijken naar foto's is terug gekeerd. Mooi voor op je boekenplank!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

So very cool. I read a few pages every morning while pumping. But, man, dude can to write. Horribly awkward and stilted prose. That said, it was good for a regular laugh. Also helpful for figuring out what monographs to put on my wish list.

[Ci · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellently accessible book on photography, going from the very earlier ones of 1840's to modern era. The author is sensitively engaging both in terms of technics (not too heavy) and the cultural and social settings of each major work.

[Virre · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is not exactly what one would think, still okey though

[Connie D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't actually finished yet, but am pausing halfway. I love the way this book is set up, relatively chronologically by photographer, with a sampling of excellent photos and discussion.

[Adriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Master Photographers!