Looking at Photographs: 100 Pictures from the Collection of the Museum of Modern Art

27. Looking at Photographs: 100 Pictures from the Collection of the Museum of Modern Art by John Szarkowski

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I enjoyed the photographs, all black and white, taken from 1845 to 1969. The accompanying text to the photos was a bit hit or miss so I dinged it a star for that.

Each photo gets its own page with text opposite. The writing about the early photographic processes is quite interesting. Then the text becomes more about the photographers, and then the author rambles into highly speculative and assumptive territory when it seems he doesn't know much about the photographer or the particular photo.

The photos are an interesting look at the evolution of photography over time but well before the advent of digital cameras. This book of photos covers the days when you could have been the first to photograph something.


A year ago on TTaT: Life of Art SitRep #167 Xmas in April