READ THIS: Camera: A History of Photography from Daguerreotype to Digital by Todd Gustavson
At Whom You Know we love taking pictures and we love reading books, so of course we had to take a look at the history of cameras! Of course, in a history of photography, the pictures in the book itself are wonderful and Sterling Innovation did a lovely job in publishing this illustrious work. From the brownie of Ansel Adams to the Kodak EasyShare One, this covers all you want to know about the history of capturing the moment! We recently reviewed a Kodak EasyShare under Gotham Gadgets: http://www.whomyouknow.com/2009/11/say-cheese-peachy-deegan-is-covering.html
A picture tells a story, and think of how many more stories there are since the development of the camera. Where would we be without it? By 1850 in New York City, there were nearly 80 studios where you could have your Daguerreotype done. From stereo photography to negatives to positives, the development of this art and science is an interesting story for any love of history and especially any camera enthusiast! George Eastman's history in particular is quite interesting - how lucky we are that he did not continue down his original path of being a banker. And of course during the holidays, this makes a perfect gift.
The social impact of photography is also notable as great fame resulted from great pictures...and it also made significant impacts on journalism and reporting, of course. We will not give away the details...you need to read the book! From war pictures to pictures in outer space, the accomplishment of photography has opened our eyes and perspectives.
The pop art aspect is present also: how fun the Charlie the Tuna, the Snoopy-Matich, the Mick-A-Matic and Bugs Bunny cameras look!
The two hundred years of progress are remarkable and we can only wonder what will be to come in the next two hundred!
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Publisher: Sterling Innovation
Published: October 2009
368 pages
ISBN: 1-4027-5656-9
ISBN13: 9781402756566
$45.00 US
$59.00 Canadian
Hardcover with Jacket
All in color
9 7/8 X 11 1/2
Cameras, and what they capture, forever changed our perception of the world, and of ourselves. Few inventions have had the impact of this ingenious, elegant, and deceptively simple device.
This gorgeous cornerstone volume, created in collaboration with the world-famous George Eastman House, celebrates the camera and the art of the photograph. It spans almost two hundred years of progress, from the first faint image ever caught to the instantaneous pictures snapped by today’s state-of-the-art digital equipment.
The informative narrative by Todd Gustavson traces the camera’s development, the lives of its brilliant but often eccentric inventors, and the artists behind the lens. Images and highly descriptive captions for more than 350 cameras from the George Eastman House Collection, plus more than 100 historic photos, ads, and drawings, complement the text.
A foreword by the George Eastman House Director Anthony Bannon, and insightful essays by Steve Sasson, inventor of the digital camera, and Alexis Gerard, visionary founder and president of Future Image Inc., completes this illuminating study of one of the greatest modern technological achievements.
Todd Gustavson is Curator of Technology at the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York. He is responsible for the cataloging, storage, and maintenance of one of the world’s largest collections of photographic and cinematic equipment, containing more than 20,000 artifacts. He has curated or co-curated ten exhibitions for the museum, including the critically acclaimed traveling exhibition The Brownie at 100.
