- Details
- Category: bookreviews bookreviews
- Published: 12 May 2012 12 May 2012
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Author: John Szarkowski Rating: 10/10
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Writing about photographs is very difficult.
If, as the proverb goes, a picture is worth 1000 words, those words are sure hard to come by, at least for me. I suspect that's also the case for a majority of people. Some argue that a 'good' photo doesn't need text or explanation; that it should "stand on it's own". While I agree that a good photo doesn't necessarily need explanations to standout, I also believe that those explanations and comments can add much to a photo's appeal and understanding. This is what you find inside "Looking at Phtographs" : a great selection of some 100 pictures from the collection of the (New York) museum of modern art along with insightful "explanations" and comments from John Szarkowski, the curator. This book was a pleasure to read, and if you are interested in photography beyond the introductory level, this will certainly contribute to your understanding of what makes a "great" photograph.
