photojournalism

How can we best describe the National Geographic's publication, The Photographs? Creative, aesthetic, unnatural perspectives, abstract, ultra realistic, surreal, vibrant, and the list of adjectives is endless! However, I guess what best sums up this book is that it constitutes one of the most important and impressive contributions to photojournalism.

It is in reality an excellent survey or synthesis of photo images that permits readers to follow the evolution of photography dating back one hundred years until today. In fact, as mentioned in the book, although the techniques may differ, some of the earliest photos still compare favourably with those of today.

This is quite evident when you view the 1902 photo shot by photographer George Shiras lll entitled Loon Lake, Ontario, Canada. Here we notice a lynx sitting proudly along the banks of the lake and unfazed by the photographer's lantern that detects the glow of its eyes. However, as indicated, the lynx was alarmed by the flash photography. As an added detail, the reader is apprised of the fact that Shiras pioneered nighttime close-ups of wildlife and the use of remote-control devices. It is noteworthy to mention that scattered throughout the book are these very interesting tidbits pertaining to the history and science of photography.

Fast forward to the cover and back of the book where we immediately are exposed to the renowned photographer Steve McCurry's spellbinding images of the young Afghan girl with the penetrating eyes taken in a refugee camp in Pakistan in 1984 when she was 17 years and rediscovered in Afghanistan in 2002.

In all of these instances we see the superb focusing of the lens on the subject matter and the reflection of someone or something. It is an encouragement of some sort of reaction or level of contemplation. Moreover, the creation of a great photograph lies in the photographer's ability to use the full range of options at his or her disposal. It is these essential ingredients that are continuously prevalent in the multitude of impressive images contained in the five sections of the book dealing with such topics as science, astrology, archaeology, wildlife, underwater, and cultures.

What enhances the value of this spectacular book is the many captions, articles, essays and descriptions that have been contributed by the editor Leah Bendavid-Val and her many National Geographic assistants. Without these contributory writings the book would not have been able to effectively aid the reader in appreciating the moving and penetrating characteristics of the photographs, as well as following the evolution of the history of photography.

Norm Goldman Editor of Bookpleasures.com

After looking through national geographics, I don't know if I would classify these as their best pictures. I've seen better and expected more.

Of all the photography & National Geographic books I have, this one is certainly one of the best. The content is made up of important themes in the world of photography: THEN AND NOW, FARAWAY PLACES, IN THE WILD, UNDERWATER, THE SCIENCES & IN THE USA. In between these themes are a short section of special assignments by NG photographers such as JAMES L. STANDFIELD who covered The Vatican & DAVID ALAN HARVEY who covered Spain. The photographs are taken from the National Geographic magazines from the past 15 years before 1994.

Overall, the photography of this book covers a wide variety of subjects and have shots taken from all over the planet. From the USA to Italy to Japan, the photographs have most nations covered. This is ideal for a photography book because you will be able to see photographs of many differnt cultures and environments.

What's excellent about this book is that the photographs are taken by different photographers of NG. You can hardly see two photographs by the same NG photographer. This is significant in a positive way because you get to see the pictures from many different points of view.

What I truly like about these book is that majority of the photographs are brillantly & cleverly taken. The art in the photographs of this book is tremendous, amazing, & sometimes poignant too. For example, one photograph taken in Milan, Italy depicts many overhead cables cutting across two buildings with a large poster of a Armani billboard in the background. The caption says 'Gleaming from a billboard, an Armani adverisement oversees Milan's bustling Brera district.....Steinmetz(the photographer) attempted to convey the "MYTHS AND REALITIES" of the nothern Italian industrial metropolis'. Another cleverly taken picture shows a horse carriage in New York, nothing special except that it was 1992 when the picture was taken.

The photographs covers ALL the environments of the planet: LAND, SEA & AIR. The photographs range from the most isolated places that most people have never been to, to the bustling metrpolises. Also, some of the photographs taken are extremely rare, such as the flash of a lightning with the twirl of a tornado taken at the same time.

The art & quality of the photographs of this book is really astounding & sometimes even thought-provoking! Although I paid [a lot] for this book, I have no regrets because it certainly is an EXCELLENT photography book containing photographs of various topics, environments, cultures, expressions etc. In other words, The perfect photography book.