Photography: A Very Short Introduction

Description

Very Short Introductions have proven to be extremely popular with general readers, as well as undergraduates and their lecturers.

Photographs are an integral part of our daily lives from sensationalist images in tabloid papers and snapshots, to art photograpy displayed in galleries and sold through international art markets. In this thought-provoking exploration of the subject, Edwards combines a sense of the historical development of photography with an analysis of its purpose and meaning within a wider cultural context. He interrogates the way we look and think about photographs, and considers such issues as truth and recording, objectivity and fine art, identity and memory.

Key Features

• A clear, lively, and imaginative approach to the definition, importance, and meaning of photography
• Challenges readers’ notions about the definition of photography, and why it is such an important part of our cultural life
• Includes both well-known and more unusual photographs, from the highly controversial Cottingley Fairies photograph to Ansel Adams landscapes, and from the shocking and influential Eddie Adams image of a Vietcong suspect being executed to the portrait work of Cindy Sherman.

Table of Contents

1. Forgetting Photography
2. Documents
3. Pictures
4. What is a photograph?
5. The apparatus and its image
6. Fantasy and remembrance
7. Afterword: Digital photography
8. Further reading

About the Series

Oxford’s Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects – from Public Health to Buddhist Ethics, Soft Matter to Classics, and Art History to Globalization. Each volume provides an authoritative and engaging assessment of a concept, field, or body of work, drawing out the central ideas, themes, and approaches. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, new insights, and enthusiasm to make often challenging topics highly readable to develop your core knowledge. With over 700 titles and many more in development, as well as regularly updated new editions, the series is constantly evolving to reflect a contemporary readership. Whatever your area of study, whatever the topic that fascinates you, the series is an indispensable and accessible guide that will enrich your understanding.

Reviews

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Author Biography

Steve Edwards, Research Lecturer in Art History at the Open University