Master Photography [antikvár]

"The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen." Written in 1936 by the Hungarian photographer László Moholy-Nagy, these words alone justify a knowledge of photography. But knowing how to take and appreciate photographs does very much more than make us merely literate, for photography transcends the language barrier, adds immeasurably to our understanding of the world and its peoples, and brings a more heightened awareness of beauty to our everyday lives. Yet extensive literature on the subject has failed to make a significant contribution to our understanding at a practical level. Often, either from ignorance or in self-interest, academics have made the subject pretentious, while professional photographers have cloaked it with mystique. In writing this book I have attempted to cut through this by treating the visual and the aesthetic approach in as straightforward a manner as the technical aspects. The only really successful way to become a better photographer is by taking pictures, but this book offers a method of by-passing a lot of things that are normally learned only by trial and error. It puts into visual form the thoughts that pass through the mind of a professional photographer when he is working. The words and pictures provide an insight into what goes on before the shutter is pressed. Most people who take photographs take them for one of two reasons: either they want to record for interest's sake the ordinary and the extraordinary events of their lives, or their intentions are more serious and they want to express something that they feel but cannot successfully put into words. This book will help the first by explaining how to make the most of every common situation, and the second by heightening their visual awareness and by giving them a clear understanding of the mechanics of darkroom techniques, their realistic possibilities and their limitations. Most enthusiasts are capable of becoming good photographers. It is worth pointing out that many of the world's top photographers received no formal art training; they acquired their artistic and visual senses through cultivating their awareness, observation and perception. By exercising a little visual discipline and attaining a few modest technical skills, any photographer is capable of producing photographs that will rank alongside those of the leading professionals. Michael Busselle