Art Book Watch #2
Published 16 months ago
Now three coffee table treats for all the Dazed ph...
Now three coffee table treats for all the Dazed photography massive – In the Darkroom, Paris Vogue Covers 1920-2009, and Photography: A Cultural History. First up, In the Darkroom, Sarah Kennel’s illustrated guide to the 27 most common photographic processes from 1839 up to today. With classic printing techniques dying out in the age of online printing, this will delight all those who like to fumble around in the dark for hours trying to achieve perfection (behave yourself!). From Albumen Prints to Woodburytypes, no photo geek should leave home without it. Well, they could but they’d have less to talk about.
If you can only afford one book this month, I'd probably plump my cash down for Photography: A Cultural History, the third edition of Mary Warner Marien’s sprawling overview of photographic culture. Featuring over 600 images and a wealth of stories and knowledge, Marien’s tome may be too weighty for casual readers, but art writers and professional snappers will find it essential.
Lastly, Thames & Hudson have just released Paris Vogue, a collection of covers from 1920-2009. Featuring iconic shots from Man Ray, Bourdin and Newton, author Sonia Rachline writes about the magazine’s cover trends, like “Christmas Gems”, “Hats Off!!” and “The Great Outdoors”, in between full page reproductions of the covers. A good one for Valentines Day perhaps…
