The definitive history of photography book, Seizing the Light: A Social & Aesthetic History of Photography delivers the fascinating story of how photography as an art form came into being, and its continued development, maturity, and transformation.

Covering major events, practitioners, works, and social effects of photographic practice, author Robert Hirsch provides a concise and discerning chronological account of photography, drawing on examples from across the world. This fundamental starting place shows the diversity of makers, inventors, issues, and applications, exploring the artistic, critical, and social aspects of the creative thinking process. This new edition has been fully revised and updated to include the latest advances in technology and digital photography, as well as information on contemporary photographers such as Granville Carroll, Meryl McMaster, Cindy Sherman, Penelope Umbrico, and Yang Yongliang. New topics include the rise of mobile photography and surveillance cameras, drone photography, image manipulation, protest and social justice photography, plus the roles of artificial intelligence and social media in photography. Highly illustrated with over 250 full-color images and contributions from hundreds of artists around the world, Seizing the Light serves as a gateway to the history of photography.

Written in an accessible style, it is perfect for those newly engaging with the practice of photography and for experienced photographers wanting to contextualize their own work.

About the Author

Robert Hirsch is a photographic imagemaker, curator, historian, and writer. Former executive director of CEPA Gallery and now director of Light Research in Buffalo, NY, he has published scores of articles about visual culture and interviewed numerous significant figures in the photographic arts. His other books include Exploring Color Photography: From Film to Pixels; Light and Lens: Thinking About Photography in the Digital Age; Photographic Possibilities: The Expressive Use of Concepts, Equipment, Materials, and Processes; and Transformational Imagemaking: Handmade Photography from 1960 to Now. A former associate editor for Digital Camera and Photovision, Hirsch has also written for Afterimage, exposure, History of Photography, The Photo Review, Photo Technique, and World Book Encyclopedia, among others. He has curated over 200 exhibitions and has had many one-person and group shows of his own work. For details visit www.lightresearch.net.

Book Information
ISBN 9781032073309
Author Robert Hirsch
Format Paperback
Page Count 694
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 2400g