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Saturday, April 18, 2015

New Book Alert: Photos Framed by Ruth Thomson


Photos Framed: a fresh look at the world's most memorable photographs (2014) by Ruth Thomson. (I received this book as part of Candlewick's Best in Class mailing program, but all opinions expressed are my own.)

I received this book for review on my teaching blog, The Logonauts but thought that readers of Boost Your Photography would also find much of interest. This photography book is geared towards students but provides a great background in the "photography classics," as it were, for readers of all ages.

Photos Framed contains 27 images from the history of photography organized into four major topics: portrait photography, nature photography, photography as art, and documentary photography. Each two-page spread presents a full-page version of the photograph and a quotation on the right-hand side, paired on the left-hand side with a quick write-up about the photograph itself, the photographer, and questions raised by the image.


This book is a great way to dip into some of the long history of photography as well as some of the issues photography has raised. Classic photographs are presented, such as Ansel Adams' The Tetons and the Snake River or Eadweard Muybridge's series The Horse in Motion, as are more recent images, such as Hugo Bernand's Royal Wedding. The "Photo thoughts" questions force the reader/viewer to contend with issues about composition, framing, and manipulation of the photographs presented.

Despite being marketed to kids, this book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about the history of photography and of iconic photographs. Take the time to read through this book carefully and engage with the questions asked. You will find yourself thinking more critically about both the photographs that you see as well as those that you will take.





Boost Your Photography: Learn Your DSLR is now available from Amazon. Get the most out of your camera with practical advice about the technical and creative aspects of DSLR photography that will have you taking beautiful pictures right away.