- Paperback: 128 pages
- Publisher: Phaidon Press Ltd; illustrated edition edition (1 May 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0714840351
- ISBN-13: 978-0714840352
- Product Dimensions: 15.7 x 13.7 x 1.1 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 246,192 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
This volume - investigating the work of a particular photographer, in this case, W. Eugene Smith - comprises a 4000-word essay by an expert in the field, 55 photographs presented chronologically, each with a commentary, and a biography of the featured photographer.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
W. Eugene Smith's vision endures. He was the master of photojournalism, touching the heart with searing images. His interests in the human condition knew no limits. In this comprehensive collection of some of his best pictures there are the images of war as it truly is, which he took in the Pacific during World War II, from Saipan, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. His picture of fighting on Iwo Jima made the cover of "Life" magazine. It was an era before photos of dead and wounded soldiers were carefully edited out of the news, "so as to respect the right of privacy of the soldier involved" as the slick argument goes, which promotes an overall ignorance of the horrors of war on the home front.
Mr. Smith was too close to the action, and was badly wounded. After his long recovery he was determined that his next photograph be the antithesis of his war work, and that he manage to capture it precisely, the first time. He succeeded in spades. It is perhaps one of the most famous images of all time, and was selected by the "Family of Man" exhibit in 1947 as their last picture. It is two small children, taken from behind, trudging upwards on a path in the woods, at the moment that they emerge into the sunlight.
Several of his photographic essays are included in the work, including "Country Doctor" during an era that they actually made house calls, and their principal diagnostic instrument was their mind. There is a series on Franco's Spain, taken in 1951, another on a black nurse midwife in North Carolina also in 1951, juxtaposed with images of the Klu Klux Klan. He captured Dr. Albert Schweitzer's work in Africa in 1954, as well as a comprehensive view of Pittsburgh in 1955.
The book also includes excellent single images, including an anxious Clement Attlee on election night, 1950; migrant workers from an era before they were all Hispanic, and even a very youthful Bob Dylan. The most significant series of his work that is omitted is the one on the effects of mercury poisoning in Japan in the late `40's. An excellent collection, highly recommend for anyone interested in photography, or the human condition.
(Note: Review first published at Amazon, USA, on June 03, 2008)
Mr. Smith was too close to the action, and was badly wounded. After his long recovery he was determined that his next photograph be the antithesis of his war work, and that he manage to capture it precisely, the first time. He succeeded in spades. It is perhaps one of the most famous images of all time, and was selected by the "Family of Man" exhibit in 1947 as their last picture. It is two small children, taken from behind, trudging upwards on a path in the woods, at the moment that they emerge into the sunlight.
Several of his photographic essays are included in the work, including "Country Doctor" during an era that they actually made house calls, and their principal diagnostic instrument was their mind. There is a series on Franco's Spain, taken in 1951, another on a black nurse midwife in North Carolina also in 1951, juxtaposed with images of the Klu Klux Klan. He captured Dr. Albert Schweitzer's work in Africa in 1954, as well as a comprehensive view of Pittsburgh in 1955.
The book also includes excellent single images, including an anxious Clement Attlee on election night, 1950; migrant workers from an era before they were all Hispanic, and even a very youthful Bob Dylan. The most significant series of his work that is omitted is the one on the effects of mercury poisoning in Japan in the late `40's. An excellent collection, highly recommend for anyone interested in photography, or the human condition.
(Note: Review first published at Amazon, USA, on June 03, 2008)
7 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having recently taken more of an interest in photography I was delighted to see the new '55' series by Phaidon. Each book takes a photographer and gives a short essay followed by some of their best works - 55 in total. Given they are cheap it is an excellent way to find out more about photographers without spending a fortune on a huge monograph or reading a perhaps dull history of photography.
This book is the first one I tried - almost at random. It proved to be excellent. The essay was well written and set the scene perfectly for the photographs. The quality is superb given the price and the book certainly persuades you to carry on buying the series or to find out more about the photographers you have read about.
Having read only one of the large series I can't claim this to be the best starting point, but I can promise that you won't be disappointed if you start here.
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was enlisted to help out with a photography class and decided to do a bit of research/learning for myself. Better be prepared and informed than embarrassed and ignorant. This series of books, the Phaidon 55's looked interesting and I got a load at an amazing price.
The books are all superbly well printed, even the couple that I got that have been identified as "not mint" by Phaidon(yep, I was being a real cheapskate in a post Christmas state). The information given is always enlightening and thought provoking.
So these books are a brilliant introduction to a wide range of photographers that might otherwise slip under the radar due to the expense of buying a "proper" big book of their work, or simply the availability of it.
Yet another amazing photographer that anyone with an interest in taking photographs ought to check out. Again a strong emphasis on being able to "see" what really matters and a mighty fine printer to boot!
Fully recommended!
The books are all superbly well printed, even the couple that I got that have been identified as "not mint" by Phaidon(yep, I was being a real cheapskate in a post Christmas state). The information given is always enlightening and thought provoking.
So these books are a brilliant introduction to a wide range of photographers that might otherwise slip under the radar due to the expense of buying a "proper" big book of their work, or simply the availability of it.
Yet another amazing photographer that anyone with an interest in taking photographs ought to check out. Again a strong emphasis on being able to "see" what really matters and a mighty fine printer to boot!
Fully recommended!
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