BOOK FACT FRIDAY
Book Fact Friday: In the 1950s, synchronized flash became a standard feature on amateur cameras.
The impact of the humble American snapshot has been anything but humble. Any American who takes a snapshot contributes to a compelling and influential genre. Since 1888, when George Eastman introduced the Kodak camera and roll film, the snapshot has not only changed everyday American life and memory; it has also changed the history of fine art photography. The distinctive subject matter and visual vocabulary of the American snapshot–its poses, facial expressions, viewpoints, framing, and themes–influenced modernist photographers as they explored spontaneity, objectivity, and new topics and perspectives. A richly illustrated chronicle of the first century of snapshot photography in America, The Art of the American Snapshot is the first book to examine the evolution of this most common form of American photography. The book shows that among the countless snapshots taken by American amateurs, some works, through intention or accident, continue to resonate long after their intimate context and original meaning have been lost.
The catalogue of a fall 2007 exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, The Art of the American Snapshot reproduces some 250 snapshots drawn from Robert Jackson’s outstanding collection and from a recent gift Jackson made to the museum. Organized decade by decade, this beautiful book traces the evolution of American snapshot imagery and describes how technical, social, and cultural factors affected the look of snapshots at different periods.
On July 10th, 2010 at 8:34 am Qtorrents replied:
Thanks for the review. I’ll have to check it out.
I was fortunate to receive and antique camera that belonged to my great grand father. I’m not really sure the brand or year it was made, it looks pretty old. I’m taking it to be restored. hopefully we can get it working.
On July 12th, 2010 at 4:58 am Jane replied:
It’s really nice to see a book promoting photographs taken with film as opposed to digital.
Photography is a lifetime hobby of mine, and although I use a digital camera these days, only because it’s handy, I still think that film cameras are far superior to digital. When I say that I mean a decent quality film camera, not the plastic cheap ones. I still have all my own film cameras and wouldn’t part with them even though they are seldom used these days.
I look forward to reading this book.
Jane.
On July 13th, 2010 at 10:27 am Mike replied:
The book that you have shared looks interesting. It would be good to buy ‘The Art of the American Snapshot’ as it will have some good information and details about photography.
On September 17th, 2010 at 9:43 am Ivan replied:
What a great resource for those interested in the ‘humble’ beginnings of american amateur photography.
I grew up in the 60′s and 70′s when there was the beginnings of a great promotion of the personal camera so my family took tons of these kinds of pictures.