Review(s): DVD American Photography: A Century of Images
"A Century of Images" gets to the heart of America's photographic obsessions
The folks at PBS deserve the gratitude of photography teachers and students everywhere. Taking on subject matter as impossibly broad as photography in 20th Century America? This documentary covers-- sometimes comprehensively, sometimes briefly-- virtually every important topic germane to the field of study, from Pictorialism to Straight Photography, from fashion to the scientific. Along the way, we are introduced (or reintroduced) to what has been the medium's most important uses: journalism and documentary. "A Century of Images" is as instructive for the novice as it may be reaffirming to those already familiar with much of the material. Underlying a wealth of historical examples and anecdotes are the two twin themes that raise this effort above the mundane: concern over the ethical issues photographs present, and the effects of mechanically produced images in the post-industrial age on the psyche of our nation. These themes manifest themselves in ways that are often revelatory and moving. One memorable example: the way Edward Curtis's images of Native Americans are placed into context by a woman who appreciates them, yet yearns for more images that show her people the way they "really were." Sections on war photography cover WWI, WWII, Vietnam and the Gulf War with compassion, and work as excellent visual aids to discussions on todays situation in Iraq. Another bonus: the section on the transition to a digital age has not yet outlived its usefulness.
Until I was able to buy this fabulous history on DVD, my biggest complaint was that while using the VHS version, I had all kinds of problems locating the various scenes I wanted to pull out to show my photography and visual communication courses at the university where I teach. Now that I can happily locate scenes at will using the DVD menu, I can direct my ire at its few but significant omissions and shortcomings. More on Walker Evans, Robert Frank, Diane Arbus please . . . . they were pretty damned influential.
Related DVD's American Photography: A Century of Images
the hand portraits this artist took of his wife, lover, and muse Georgia O'Keeffe? There are some artists who walk this planet who are what I call "hub" artists, meaning that without their presence there would be no "spoke" artists. And when you take the time to review who his spoke artists were then you can begin to get a glimpse of the power and influence of this great mind.
This man not only mentored some of the greatest minds in the timeline of art but he inspired and supported them in ways that led to their achievments. Names such as Picasso are just a few. In the day when French Impressionists were literally snubbed and pushed out of the art community he created a place for them, gave them a home, gave them a boost.
Any serious art photographer must have... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Perry Miller Adato DVD Release Date: Released the 10 July 2001 Usually ships in 24 hours
List Price: $24.98 Your Price: $22.48YOU SAVE $2.5!
Buy it
"W. Eugene Smith: Photography Made Difficult" is a ninety-minute documentary produced for the Public Broadcasting System's American Masters television series. It was written by Jan Hartman and is based on the letters and journals of this internationally respected photojournalist.
The program introduces the viewer to hundreds of Mr. Smith's photographs through a dramatic recreation of the photographer's life. Peter Riegart portrays the artist, starting with his assignment covering the South Pacific war experiences of the 1940's. Through his photographs for Life Magazine, Mr. Smith wanted to "carry some message against the greed, stupidity and intolerance that causes war". If it were not for just a "simple accident of birth, the fate of a particular country of origin, we... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Gene Lasko DVD Release Date: Released the 12 February 2002 Usually ships in 24 hours
List Price: $24.99 Your Price: $22.49YOU SAVE $2.5!
Buy it
Going behind the camera and on assignment with veteran photographers for National Geographic, this documentary answers the eternal question asked by the magazine's readers: "How in the world did they get that shot?" The photographers recount the grueling preparation that shooting for the magazine entails, from mundane details such as obtaining visas to preparing oneself for dangers such as severe climates, deep-sea dives, raging beasts, and local bandits. And don't forget insects, lots and lots of insects, a point made pellucid as photographers in a fast montage rattle off how many times they've battled malaria. Besides the physical ordeals, there is also discussion of the emotional toll involved in shooting in brutal conditions, such as one photographer's recounting of how... More Info about this DVD DVD Release Date: Released the 15 February 2000 Usually ships in 24 hours
List Price: $19.98 Your Price: $17.98YOU SAVE $2!
Buy it
Vividly portrayed in this American Masters Special, photographer Richard Avedon shoots for two different worlds. Primarily, he is a fashion photographer, having worked for various magazines for more than 50 years. Of particular note is the description of photographing Natassja Kinski, a shoot that took two hours of her lying naked on a cement floor as they tried to coax a snake up her body. As a fashion photographer, Avedon became known for his sense of movement and the energy he captured in each image; he gets exquisite models to leap, move, and flip their hair. His second, and perhaps lesser-known, body of work is art photography, including portraits of the famous and the unknown, with a signature style of photographing his sitters on a white background with no props. This... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Helen Whitney DVD Release Date: Released the 02 April 2002 Usually ships in 24 hours
List Price: $24.98 Your Price: $22.48YOU SAVE $2.5!
Buy it
