Photography : A Critical Introduction

Rating:
Summary: More academic than practical
Review: "Photography: A Critical Introduction" offers decent insight into some ideas and theories surrounding the new instrument of art, the camera. It should be noted that very few photos or examples are used in the book, and this absence definitely accounts for the book's partly dry flavor. "Photography" is probably less appropriate for hobbyists and more so for academics, but none the less remains a worthwhile read for those ready to sit down and study.

Rating:
Summary: More academic than practical
Review: "Photography: A Critical Introduction" offers decent insight into some ideas and theories surrounding the new instrument of art, the camera. It should be noted that very few photos or examples are used in the book, and this absence definitely accounts for the book's partly dry flavor. "Photography" is probably less appropriate for hobbyists and more so for academics, but none the less remains a worthwhile read for those ready to sit down and study.

Rating:
Summary: Reads like a textbook.
Review: Photography: A Critical Introduction has a lot of information. If you really want to learn about photographs go for it. But beware, this book is not for the casual amateur. It's a tough read - very much like a text book. For the novice you may want to consider "Criticizing Photographs: An Introdution to Understanding Images" first.

Rating:
Summary: Reads like a textbook.
Review: Photography: A Critical Introduction has a lot of information. If you really want to learn about photographs go for it. But beware, this book is not for the casual amateur. It's a tough read - very much like a text book. For the novice you may want to consider "Criticizing Photographs: An Introdution to Understanding Images" first.

Rating:
Summary: A highly academic book
Review: The other reviewers have hit the high points. This book is dry, lacks illustration, is academic and difficult to read. The writing style is highly academic with major points all but hidden in convoluted sentences. To complicate matters the chapters are written by different authors so the writing styles vary. There is much to be learned from this book but as the other reviewers have pointed out, it will be a painful process.