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Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography (Vintage Classics)
 
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Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography (Vintage Classics) (Paperback)

by Roland Barthes (Author), Richard Howard (Translator)
3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
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Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography (Vintage Classics) + On Photography + "Ways of Seeing": Based on the BBC Television Series
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Product Description

Product Description
Examining the themes of presence and absence, the relationship between photography and theatre, history and death, these 'reflections on photography' begin as an investigation into the nature of photographs. Then, as Barthes contemplates a photograph of his mother as a child, the book becomes an exposition of his own mind.

About the Author
Roland Barthes was born in 1915 and studied French literarture and classics at the University of Paris. After teaching French at universities in Romania and Egypt, he joined the Centre National de Recherche Scientifique, where he devoted himself to research in sociology and lexicology. He was professor at the College de France until his death in 1980.

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Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography (Vintage Classics)
75% buy the item featured on this page:
Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography (Vintage Classics) 3.5 out of 5 stars (4)
£5.99
On Photography
11% buy
On Photography 4.0 out of 5 stars (8)
£6.49
"Ways of Seeing": Based on the BBC Television Series
7% buy
"Ways of Seeing": Based on the BBC Television Series 3.7 out of 5 stars (14)
£6.29
The Photograph: A Visual and Cultural History (Oxford History of Art)
4% buy
The Photograph: A Visual and Cultural History (Oxford History of Art) 5.0 out of 5 stars (4)
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Customer Reviews

4 Reviews
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3.5 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars I'm sure it's very good if I could only understand it, 12 Jul 2007
This book was recommended to me by a philosopher friend who thought I might enjoy it as I'm about to embark on a photography course. I'm not a serious academic, but I'm not an idiot either and I have to admit I found this a pretty tough read. I understood the general meaning, but felt the language and structure of the book meant that I missed out on being able to really appreciate what seems like quite an exceptional piece of work with some fascinating alternate views. I'd do your research on Barthes before you buy this to determine whether you might or might not be comfortable with his style, otherwise, give it a go - might just take a couple of reads!
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44 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic in the Theory of Photography., 19 Sep 2000
By A Customer
Barthes wrote this book out of urge to discover the real nature of Photography. In the first part of the book he establishes his own system to do that. This system is based on two "cathegories" that Photography contains, studium and punctum. In the second part he wants to come closer to eidos, the nature of Photography. Therefor he takes one of his photographies, showing his mother as a child. Out of his emotions by this photography he builds the theory, often comparing it with another art, Film and sometimes also with Theatre. The book can also be recomended to wider public, not only philosophers, because it is written in a simple, understandable way, but is still opening some major questions regarding its subject.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Good photos announce the unexpected and go beyond the pose, 24 Mar 2009
This little book is quite hard to read but it's worth the effort. It focuses on the elements in photographs that surprise the viewer. Often these elements are accidental and tell a story that is true, rather than the story that the theater-of-poses or even the culture and context "wants" to tell. There are similarities between the piercing aspect of a photo which imprints itself on one's mind and the sudden awareness of a fresh insight contained in haiku as a poetry form. Although the author struggles to find a language in which to say some deeper things that have never before been languaged, he does repeat himself in fresher ways at times, allowing the reader the opportunity to get another chance at understanding where he is coming from. On another issue, a criticism I have is the poor quality of the reprints of photos in the cheap paperback. I suppose this is hard to avoid because many of the photos are old/from bygone eras and also cost-cutting is useful if the book is to be affordable. Read the book slowly, it will give you tools to see photos in new ways and will let you question the political and ideological intent of the photograph, whether deliberate or as a consequence of the prevailing culture. Even if it means finding the truth in obscure places in the photograph. You will always find yourself asking "what else does this photo say" and you will be less inclined to take the photo at face value.
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1.0 out of 5 stars a book about Barthes and not about photography
To get a feeling for this book read the most negative coments from reviews of his "Mythologies" and you'll be on the right track. Read more
Published 12 months ago by A. Shuttleworth

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