Understanding ​a Photograph

Ismeretlen szerző - Cindy ​Sherman: The Complete Untitled Film Stills
Essays ​by Peter Galassi and Cindy Sherman. Published by The Museum of Modern Art, New York Cindy Sherman's Untitled Film Stills, a series of 69 black-and-white photographs created between 1977 and 1980, is widely seen as one of the most original and influential achievements in recent art. Witty, provocative and searching, this lively catalogue of female roles inspired by the movies crystallizes widespread concerns in our culture, examining the ways we shape our personal identities and the role of the mass media in our lives. Sherman began making these pictures in 1977 when she was 23 years old. The first six were an experiment: fan-magazine glimpses into the life (or roles) of an imaginary blond actress, played by Sherman herself. The photographs look like movie stills--or perhaps publicity pix--purporting to catch the blond bombshell in unguarded moments at home. The protagonist is shown preening in the kitchen and lounging in the bedroom. Onto something big, Sherman tried other characters in other roles: the chic starlet at her seaside hideaway, the luscious librarian, the domesticated sex kitten, the hot-blooded woman of the people, the ice-cold sophisticate and a can-can line of other stereotypes. She eventually completed the series in 1980. She stopped, she has explained, when she ran out of clichés. Other artists had drawn upon popular culture but Sherman's strategy was new. For her the pop-culture image was not a subject (as it had been for Walker Evans) or raw material (as it had been for Andy Warhol) but a whole artistic vocabulary, ready-made. Her film stills look and function just like the real ones--those 8 x 10 glossies designed to lure us into a drama we find all the more compelling because we know it isn't real. In the Untitled Film Stills there are no Cleopatras, no ladies on trains, no women of a certain age. There are, of course, no men. The 69 solitary heroines map a particular constellation of fictional femininity that took hold in postwar America--the period of Sherman's youth and the starting point for our contemporary mythology. In finding a form for her own sensibility, Sherman touched a sensitive nerve in the culture at large. Although most of the characters are invented, we sense right away that we already know them. That twinge of instant recognition is what makes the series tick and it arises from Cindy Sherman's uncanny poise. There is no wink at the viewer, no open irony, no camp. In 1995, The Museum of Modern Art purchased the series from the artist, preserving the work in its entirety. This book marks the first time that the complete series will be published as a unified work, with Sherman herself arranging the pictures in sequence.

Ted Hughes - Prometheus ​on his Crag / Prométheusz a sziklán
A ​Prométheusz a sziklán versei az Orghast című dráma háttéranyagából nőttek ki. A darabot Peter Brook Nemzetközi Kísérletező Színháza számára írtam, és 1970-ben mutatták be a perszepolisz-shirazi fesztiválon. A mű egyesíti Aiszkhülosz Leláncolt Prométheuszát a szintén perzsa gyökerekhez visszanyúló Calderon-drámával Az élet álommal, és a Prométheusz alakjához kapcsolódó, ősi perzsa mítoszokkal. A hegycsúcsra szögezett félisten és a hegy gyomrában leláncolt számkivetett ember sorsa összefonódik és kiegészíti egymást. TED HUGHES Másság-fotósként tartanak számon, mert a társadalmi deviancia felmutatása a célom – cigányokat, hajléktalanokat, betegeket, drogosokat, fogyatékosokat, az élet veszteseit fényképezem. A Bálint György-i ars poeticát így formáltam a magam képére: Felháborodom, tehát fényképezek. Kizárólag az emberek küzdelmeinek és gyötrelmes mindennapjainak kendőzetlen ábrázolása tölt el szakmai örömmel. Szegények és megalázottak mindig voltak – és félő: lesznek is –, tehát biztos lehetek abban, hogy még sokáig nem maradok téma nélkül. HORVÁTH DÁVID Ted Hughes verseiben és Horváth Dávid képeiben is az „ember” fogott meg. Az emberisten, az emberállat, a tökéletlen, a tökéletességre vágyó. A mindenütt jelenvaló tragikum és a mindenütt jelenvaló öröm. Prométheusz a sziklán szenved és álmodik. És „fényképez” „a szöcskecsöndben”. LÁZÁR JÚLIA

Roland Barthes - Camera ​Lucida - Reflections on Photography
Roland ​Barthes was born in 1915 and studied French literature and the classics at the University of Paris. After teaching French at universities in Romania and Egypt, he joined the Centre National de Recherche Scientifique, where he devoted himself to research in sociology and lexicology. He was a professor at the Collége de France until his death in 1980. "This is a great book--flawed, impossible, infuriating, and moving . . . But he has accomplished in this extraordinary book something finer than mere polemic. En route to his last painful discovery, Barthes takes the reader on an exquisitely rendered, lyrical journey into the heart of his own life and the medium he came to love, a medium that flirts constantly with the 'intractable reality' of the human condition." - Douglas Davis, Newsweek

Jeannine Fiedler - Laszlo ​Moholy-Nagy
This ​volume - investigating the work of a particular photographer, in this case, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy - comprises a 4000-word essay by an expert in the field, 55 photographs presented chronologically, each with a commentary, and a biography of the featured photographer.

Peter Baki - Colin Ford - George Szirtes - Eyewitness: ​Hungarian Photography in the Twentieth Century
At ​a crucial moment between two world wars, in a country destabilized by political turmoil, five men changed the face of photojournalism and art photography, and inspired the world. With their groundbreaking shots, Brassaï, Capa, Kertész, Moholy-Nagy, and Munkásci radically redefined photographic practice and theory, giving rise to iconic images and ushering in the modern era. In this stunning book, essays by leading authorities examine the ways in which the extraordinary activity of these five men established Hungary as a crucible of art photography at the time, as well as the influence they have had on succeeding generations of photographers. Illustrated with their major works and a number by their contemporaries—in many cases using archival prints—the book is a landmark study of modern photography.

E. L. Doctorow - Jean-Claude Suarès - American ​Anthem
American ​Anthem" is a pictorial tribute to America with words by E.L. Doctorow and pictures by J.C. Suares. This oversized book with a cloth-bound cover festooned with the Stars and Stripes is a hymn of praise to the beauty of the American Continent and the American people. It is a devotion to the land seen through color photographs set in the four seasons, Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer with people of all ages and costumes and kinds.

John Fowles - The ​Tree
In ​this series of moving recollections involving both his childhood and his work as a mature artist, John Fowles explains the impact of nature on his life and the dangers inherent in our traditional urge to categorise, to tame and ultimately to possess the landscape. This acquisitive drive leads to alienation and an antagonism to the apparent disorder and randomness of the natural world. For John Fowles the tree is the best analogue of prose fiction, symbolising the wild side of our psyche, and he stresses the importance in art of the unpredictable, the unaccountable and the intuitive. This fascinating text gives a unique insight into the author and offers the key to a true understanding of the inspiration for his work.

Henry Carroll - Read ​This If You Want to Take Great Photographs
Photography ​is now more popular than ever thanks to the rapid development of digital cameras. Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs is for this new wave of DSLR dabblers and users of compact system, and bridge cameras. It contains no graphs, no techie diagrams and no camera club jargon. Instead, it inspires readers through iconic images and playful copy packed with hands-on tips. Split into five sections, the book covers composition, exposure, light, lenses, and seeing. Images taken by master photographers – including Henri Cartier- Bresson, Sebastião Salgado, Fay Godwin, and Martin Parr – serve to illustrate points and encourage readers to try out new ideas. Today's aspiring photographers want immediacy and see photography as an affordable way of expressing themselves quickly and creatively. This book answers that need, teaching readers how to take photographs using professional techniques.

Henry Carroll - Read ​This If You Want to Take Great Photographs of People
Read ​This If You Want To Take Great Photographs Of People is an inspiring book of conceptual starting points and invaluable technical tips for anyone, novice or professional, who wants to take top-notch pictures of people. The book distils portrait photography into seven subject areas, including 'Composition', 'The Gaze and 'The Street', and features beautiful, startling and inspirational photographs in each category. Readers are given practical insights into the ideas and techniques of a wide range of historical and contemporary masters so they can put it all into practice themselves. Scattered throughout the book are 'technical tangents' packed with invaluable practical guidance for basic lighting set-ups, kit, camera modes and more. Also included is definitive advice from a lawyer on your legal rights when taking pictures of people.

Henry Carroll - Read ​This If You Want to Take Great Photographs of Places
From ​the author of the best-selling Read This If You Want To Take Great Photographs series, this jargon-free introduction covers all aspects of photographing places, including landscapes, cityscapes, architecture and interiors. Whatever your camera, whatever your interest, whatever your level, this indispensable guide gives you all the essential techniques and demystifies the work of acclaimed photographers. Packed with practical tips and iconic images, this accessible book will arm you with the know-how you need to take meaningful pictures of the places that matter to you most. Featuring 50 master photographers, including Alec Soth, Martin Parr, Robert Adams, Todd Hido, Rut Blees Luxemburg, Julius Shulman, Rinko Kawauchi, Thomas Ruff, Tim Hetherington and Joel Sternfeld.

Lara Jade - Fashion ​Photography 101
Professional ​and photographic expertise open the world of fashion shooting. Fashion photography is one of the most appealing markets for any new photographer, but also one of the most challenging, combining as it does a whole group of disciplines, from the more obvious wardrobe to a number of more technical makeup and editing roles. With digital technology and good planning, however, you can tackle as many of these as you please, and offer the best possible service to your client, whether thats an international magazine taking your career to the next level, or a friend needing to look good on Facebook. This book will teach you everything there is to know about fashion photography in the digital age, including the roles of the whole creative team, making it the only book youll ever need, whether youre taking your first ever shot, working with a pro model for the first time, or taking on major clients

Michael Langford - Basic ​Photography
'Basic ​Photography' is a longstanding international best-seller and continues to be the introductory textbook for photography courses throughout the world. The key features include: practical assignments, so you can put into practice what you've learned; chapter summaries for easy revision a clear and concise approach to essential photographic principles, assuming no prior knowledge; comprehensive coverage of both black and white photography, processing and printing; colour photography, digital manipulation and film processing; and, suitability for students of all ages and all photographic courses. This new edition now includes: extended coverage of digital imaging techniques from capturing images digitally, to scanning and using manipulation software and the ethics involved; updated and re-structured contents to suit the new Art (Photography) A Level; hundreds of stunning full colour photographs throughout illustrating the main points from the text; and, inspirational images from world famous photographers including: Bill Brandt; Henri Cartier-Bresson; Edward Weston and David Hockney. The late Michael Langford formerly taught at the Royal College of Art for many years, becoming Course Director. He was intimately involved with photography courses and examination syllabuses at all levels and as a result fully understood what a student needed. His other books for Focal Press include "Starting Photography 2nd Edition", "Advanced Photography 6th Edition", and "Story of Photography 2nd Edition". "Advanced Photography" is the companion volume to "Basic Photography", and for students wishing to progress further, will take the aspiring photographer a step forward on the ladder to a career in photography.

Clement Cheroux - Henri ​Cartier-Bresson
Henri ​Cartier-Bresson's photography came to define the 20th century. This book tells his life story through his images: all the major events from his youth to his death in 2004 are described, contextualized and analysed in the light of his photographic work. From his early encounters with the Surrealists, his film work and his experiences in the SecondWorldWar, to the development of his own personal aesthetic, the concept of the `decisive moment', and the foundation of Magnum Photos, his influence on the world has been profound and unforgettable.

Cory Doctorow - Content
Hailed ​by Bruce Sterling as “a political activist, gizmo freak, junk collector, programmer, entrepreneur, and all-around Renaissance geek,” the Internet’s favorite high-tech culture maven is celebrated with the first collection of his infamous articles, essays, and polemics. Irreverently championing free speech and universal access to information—even if it’s just a free download of the newest Britney Spears MP3—he leads off with a mutinous talk given at Microsoft on digital rights management, insisting that they stop treating their customers as criminals. Readers will discover how America chose Happy Meal toys over copyright, why Facebook is taking a faceplant, how the Internet is basically just a giant Xerox machine, why Wikipedia is a poor cousin of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, and how to enjoy free e-books. Practicing what he preaches, all of the author’s books, including this one, are simultaneously released in print and on the Internet under Creative Commons licenses that encourage their reuse and sharing. He argues persuasively that this practice has considerably increased his sales by enlisting readers to promote his work. Accessible to geeks and nontechies alike, this is a timely collection from an author who effortlessly surfs the zeitgeist while always generating his own wave.

Terry Deary - The ​Massive Millennium Quiz Book
"The ​Massive Millennium Quiz Book" contains 1000 quirky questions covering ten savage centuries. Fascinate a friend or puzzle a parent with questions like, which medieval king married a bloke? How did Queen Victoria create a scandal in her coffin? And whcih dreadful disease was supposed to be cured by drinking cat's blood? See if you can crack the sinister spy codes from the First World War, match curious Tudor crimes to their painful punishments, or pick the true feudal facts from the false. Then find out just how much your teacher doesn't know with the most horrible quiz of the millennium.

Rachael Herron - A ​Life in Stitches
In ​these 20 heartfelt essays, Rachael Herron celebrated romance novelist by day, 911 dispatcher by night, and founder of the hugely popular blog Yarnagogo.com shows how when life unravels there's always a way to knit it back together again, many times into something even better. Honest, funny, and full of warmth, Herron's tales, each inspired by something she knit or something knit for her, will speak to anyone who has ever picked up a pair of needles. From her very first sweater (a hilarious disaster, to say the least) to the yellow afghan that caused a breakup (and, ultimately, a breakthrough), every piece has a moving story behind it. This beautifully crafted and candid collection is perfect for the knitter who loves to read and the reader who loves to knit.

Julian Barnes - Something ​to Declare
Eighteen ​witty and brilliant essays on France from Julian Barnes; Julian Barnes's long and passionate relationship with France began more than forty years ago. As sceptical observer on family motoring holidays, assistant in a school in Brittany, student of the language and literature, author of Flaubert's Parrot and Cross Channel, he has criss-crossed the country and its culture The essays collected here, written over a twenty-year period, attest to his clear eyed appreciation of the Land Without Brussels Sprouts. He ranges widely, from landscape to literature, food to Flaubert, film and song to the Tour de France. His humour, timing and intelligence never falter. When Picador published his Letters from London, the Financial Times called him 'our finest essayist'. Something to Declare confirms that judgment: it is a great literary delight.

Bertrand Russell - Sceptical ​Essays
'These ​propositions may seem mild, yet, if accepted, they would absolutely revolutionize human life.' ___With these words Bertrand Russell introduces what is indeed a revolutionary book. Taking as his starting-point the irrationality of the world, he offers by contrast something 'wildly paradoxical and subversive' - a belief that reason should determine human actions. Today, besieged as we are by the numbing onslaught of twenty-first-century capitalism, Russell's defence of scepticism and independence of mind is as timely as ever. In clear, engaging prose, he guides us through the key philosophical issues that affect our daily lives - freedom, happiness, emotions, ethics and beliefs - and offers no-nonsense advice.

David Lodge - The ​Practice of Writing
In ​this absorbing volume, David Lodge turns his incisive critical skills onto his own profession, salutes the great writers who have influenced his work, wonders about the motives of biographers, ponders the merits of creative writing courses, pulls the rug from under certain theoretical critics and throws open the curtains on his own workshop.

Diana Wynne Jones - Reflections
Diana ​Wynne Jones is best-known for her novels and stories - of magical fantasy - written mainly for children. She received a World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2007, as well as two Mythopoeic Awards and the Guardian Fiction Award for Charmed Life. But she was also a witty, entertaining speaker, a popular guest at science fiction and fantasy conventions and an engaged, scholarly critic of writing that interested her. This collection of more than twenty-five papers, chosen by Diana herself, includes fascinating literary criticism (such as a study of narrative structure in The Lord of the Rings and a ringing endorsement of the value of learning Anglo Saxon) alongside autobiographical anecdotes about reading tours (including an account of her famous travel jinx), revelations about the origins of her books, and thoughts in general about the life of an author and the value of writing. The longest autobiographical piece, 'Something About the Author', details Diana's extraordinary childhood and is illustrated with family photographs. Reflections is essential reading for anyone interested in Diana's works, fantasy or creative writing. The collection features a foreword by Neil Gaiman and an introduction and interview by Charlie Butler, a respected expert on fantasy writing.