Throughout its early history, photography's authenticity was contested and challenged: how true a representation of reality can a photograph provide? Does the reproduction of a photograph affect its value as authentic or not? From a Photograph examines these questions in the light of the early scientific periodical press, exploring how the perceived veracity of a photograph, its use as scientific evidence and the technologies developed for printing it were intimately connected.Before photomechanical printing processes became widely used in the 1890s, scientific periodicals were unable to reproduce photographs and instead included these photographic images as engravings, with the label ‘from a photograph’. Consequently, every image was mediated by a human interlocutor, introducing the potential for error and misinterpretation. Rather than ‘reading’ photographs in the context of where or how they were taken, this book emphasises the importance of understanding how photographs are reproduced. It explores and compares the value of photography as authentic proof in both popular and scientific publications during this period of significant technological developments and a growing readership. Three case studies investigate different uses of photography in print: using pigeons to transport microphotographs during the Franco-Prussian War; the debate surrounding the development of instantaneous photography; and finally the photographs taken of the Transit of Venus in 1874, unseen by the human eye but captured on camera and made accessible to the public through the periodical.Addressing a largely overlooked area of photographic history, From a Photograph makes an important contribution to this interdisciplinary research and will be of interest to historians of photography, print culture and science.

The renowned National Geographic photographer and educator presents a host of his acclaimed photographs, organized by theme, accompanied by personal anecdotes, explanations, and behind-the-scenes stories of each picture.

Linda Berman explores the importance of photographs in our lives, highlighting the hidden messages behind the images. She describes different ways of using photographs in therapy and shows how by triggering memory and emotion and revealing family patterns they can be used to help the patient. Detailed case studies, with appropriate illustrations, show how photographs can be used with individuals, couples and groups, and demonstrate how useful photographs can be in many different therapeutic settings.

A heartbroken woman retreats to the Yorkshire coast to explore turn-of-the-century art—and uncovers a ghostly secret—in this time-slip romantic mystery. Staying alone in the shadow of an abandoned manor house along the desolate coast of Yorkshire would be madness to some, but art enthusiast Lissy de Luca can’t wait. After separating from her Italian photographer boyfriend, Stefano, Lissy could use a little isolation. Plus, she wants to study the Staithes Group—an artists’ commune active at the turn of the twentieth century. Lissy is fascinated by Sea Scarr Hall, but her research is interrupted by strange events and peculiar sightings. A lonely figure patrols the cove at night, while the discovery of a hidden painting leads Lissy to a chilling realization about the home’s former occupants. And then there’s the photograph of a girl; so beautiful . . . and so familiar. The occupants of Sea Scarr Hall may be gone, but they still have an important message for Lissy—and they’ll do whatever it takes to make sure she gets it.

No photographer works in a vacuum. Photographers, like all artists, stand on the shoulders of those who came before them, and they are informed and influenced by those working around them contemporaneously. If you are striving to find your own style, one of the most powerful exercises you can practice is to find influence and inspiration in the work of those around you, and then emulate that work in an effort to define, shape, and grow your own photographic voice. By collecting, imitating, and eventually reshaping and combining the work of those around you, your unique voice can be found and the quality of your work can soar. In Photograph Like a Thief, photographer, author, and retoucher Glyn Dewis embraces the idea of “stealing” and recreating others’ work in order to improve as an artist. By “stepping inside” others’ images, you can learn to reverse engineer their creation, then build an image yourself that simultaneously pays homage to that work yet is also an original creation itself. The book is divided into two parts. In Part 1, Glyn discusses his approach, covering the process of "stealing ideas" and finding inspiration. He also covers the gear he uses, as well as his retouching and post-processing workflow. In a very helpful chapter on “reverse engineering” a photograph, Glyn discusses how to “read” an image by the catchlights, shadow position, and the hardness/softness of the shadows. This is a crucial skill to acquire if you want to recreate another’s look. In Part 2, Glyn works through a series of images, from initial concept and influence to lighting, shooting, and post-processing the image to get to the final result. For each image, he reverse engineers the shot to describe how it was created and discusses how the image influenced him, then works through the gear he used, the lighting for the image, and the post-processing of the image—from the RAW out-of-camera shot to the finished piece. While Glyn's work primarily focuses on portraiture, he finds inspiration and influence from a wide variety of work, from legendary photographers to animated films to book covers to movie posters. By working alongside Glyn in Photograph Like a Thief, you too can learn to find inspiration all around you, discover how that work can influence you, improve your photographic and post-processing skill set, and begin your own journey to defining your unique style. Who knows? Soon, others may be stealing from you.

Heather Angel, internationally known nature photographer and author, describes equipment, film, lighting, composition, and special techniques for photographing flowers in the wild and in gardens. Straightforward explanations focus on the particular challenges of taking beautiful flower photographs, such as wind, light, and problem colors. The book also includes tips on making money from nature photography. 131 color photos.