Street Photography: From Brassai to Cartier-Bresson

What a waste! This book is written by a Professor of European Literature who, I would guess, has never taken a photograph of any kind, let alone done any street photography himself. Those who can, do. Those who can't write critiques. Possibly written as a doctoral thesis to impress other "intellectuals" but does nothing to explain street photography. Here's just one random sample of the writing::"The Haussmannisation of Paris is a masculinist enterprise of penetration, panoptic possession, and universal visibility, the Thesean dream of a unicursal pattern of corridors whose centre might be reached and whose monster, fruit of an unnatural sexual union, might be destroyed."Nonsense! At least to those of us without degrees in classical literature. This guy is just too full of himself and the book is full of this kind of writing.If you want to learn about street photography, look elsewhere and don't waste your money on this one.

this is extremely thorough if not slightly wordy opus. While reading, it gave the impression of a major paper written for peer review. On the downside I felt that it was not overtly aimed toward the "layperson" photographer. If I were to be in a place to ask, I would also wish for more photographic illustrations. However it is well worth plowing through for its insights into street photog as related to other movements in the arts and letters from the same epoch.

I gave this 3 Stars as even though it is a good read, it is not something that the average person today would want to read. You can read my mini review and why I believe this here:http://www.riffspics.com/2014/09/street-photography-from-atget-to.html

It's a well-written book with thorough footnotes. It's NOT, however, the type of book to inspire modern-day street photographers. If you like Post Modern analysis of pre-1960 French street photography, however, this may well be the book for you.

Couldn't even finish it. This book may be a lot of things, but a photography book it is not. I can't explain why in the space alloted. I just couldn't connect.

Too much talk and not enough photos.

Love this book

I first saw this book in Hardback at a local retailer and was disappointed at its $76 price, so while cashier was ringing up a couple other items for me, I logged onto Amazon on my iPhone and ordered this paperback version. Only downside was the 24 hour wait as I was hooked on this book from its first few pages.Although appearing as though this is a summary of late 19th and early 20th century photography written decades ago, it was just written in 2007. The author's style lends itself to giving it a true resonance of authenticity while providing the necessary hindsight implied in the many years between photograph and now. There are hundreds of inset quotations from early manuscripts and accompanying photographs that give you an enormous amount of insight into how paintings and photographs played off of each other and how much goes into just seeing the picture you are about to make.It's not a manual, but a spiritual guide for opening your eyes, and in many cases, limiting your view through the lens instead, to capture a certain moment in time. It is this moment that psychologists all talk about as "living in the moment". And for me, that is where this book becomes a textbook for that eternal quest.Anyone who loves photography and struggles with over thinking, dwelling on the past, or dreading the future, need only read a few passages from this book, pick up your Leica or pocket camera and start seeing the world the way it is.... Right at this exact moment..... Now. It's amazingly therapeutic. You will see the world differently after reading this book.

I have given it 3 stars... but i have not actually read the entire book. I stopped at the beginning of the first chapter. The book is not for me. It is written in a way that's hard to read. At least for me. Still, i appreciate the author's effort in writing it. I'm sure he loves what he has written. But i wish he would have used a simpler language... as i see it, but i could be wrong, there's too much analysis which takes away feeling.

Ci insegna a "vedere" l'attimo. Perché a coglierlo è capace soltanto lui. Il fascino del bianco e nero è esaltato da una enorme maestria, da un grande dono, che soltanto il "MAESTRO" è in grado di esprimere.

If searching for a book about an amaizing, inspiring, briliant subject that is written so boringly, you could not imagine, then look no further, because you have just found it. The author seems far more interested in showing off his knowledge of rarely used words, long sentences and utter ability to bore, rather than to tell his poor readers about some truly amazing photographers and their work.Really wish I had not wasted my money.

I'm inclined to agree with the previous reviewer, although I don't think he went far enough. This book is written by a propeller head for propeller heads, and as such is absolutely impenetrable for normal people. I spent a day just wading through the introduction, and didn't understand a word of it: and still don't. Hoping to put the time wasted on the introduction behind me, I struggled on to the first chapter, which at my present rate of consumption will take me about two or possibly three months to get to the bottom of. Good grief it's hard work.The author would have been better off employing a ghost writer, or at least somebody with decent communication skills. If nothing else the book would have been readable. Unless you want to give yourself brain ache for several months, stay well clear. There's absolutely nothing in this book to recommend it. A complete waste of time and money for everybody concerned, and the publisher should have known better. Or, was very hard up for a book to print.

Nach dem tollen Foto auf dem Titelbild erwartete ich einen Fotoband mit vielen Straßenszenen - ein Thema, das mich seit langem besonders fasziniert. Leider besteht das Buch fast nur aus einem langen Text über die Straßenfotografie und -Fotografen. Das, was ich erwartete, wunderbare, aufregende Bilder, fehlte weitestgehend. Wenn man sich für die theoretischen Fragen dieser Art von Fotografie interessiert, ist das Buch sicher genau das Richtige, wenn man Fotos erwartet, wird man schwer enttäuscht.