Criticizing Photographs: An Introduction to Understanding Images

This sixth edition of Understanding Images offers a comprehensive exploration of images and their impact on attitudes, beliefs, and actions, from the perspectives of photographers, critics, theorists, historians, curators, and editors. It encourages informed conversations about meanings and implications, providing multiple and conflicting answers to questions such as what photographs are, should they be called art, and are they ethical. It examines how the worth of photographs is judged aesthetically and socially, offering practical considerations for both studio critiques for artists and professional criticism for public audiences. It is a valuable guide for students of art history, photography, and criticism, as well as anyone interested in carefully looking at and talking about photographs and their effects on the world.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 212 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2020
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This fully updated sixth edition delves into the profound impact of images on our attitudes, beliefs, and actions, offering a comprehensive exploration from the perspectives of photographers, critics, theorists, historians, curators, and editors. It fosters insightful conversations about the meanings and implications of images, presenting a range of viewpoints that often conflict. The book questions fundamental concepts such as the nature of photographs, their status as art, their ethical implications, and their profound effects on individuals, society, and the world. It examines how critics articulate their visual interpretations and employ persuasive techniques to shape our perception of images. Furthermore, it explores the diverse meanings that different photographs can convey, considering the potential for multiple interpretations. The book emphasizes the importance of deliberate reasoning and decision-making when navigating through competing interpretations. It examines how photographs are evaluated both aesthetically and socially, providing practical insights for both studio critiques for artists and professional criticism for public audiences. This book serves as a valuable resource for students of art history, photography, and criticism, as well as anyone interested in critically examining and discussing photographs and their profound influence on our lives.

Weight: 512g
Dimension: 174 x 246 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350097377
Edition number: 6 New edition