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Women Are Beautiful
First edition, with 85 photographic plates depicting women with Winogrand's characteristic spontaneity and "inspired amateurism." "Winogrand was an innovator and one of the most dazzlingly reckless members of what John Szarkowski called photography's 'new generation of primitives...' his style appeared to be no style--effortless, loose, and as uncalculated as a snapshot" (Roth, 192).
- GenresPhotographyArt
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
About the author
Garry Winogrand
32 books13 followersGarry Winogrand (1928-1984) was a street photographer known for his portrayal of America in the mid-20th century. John Szarkowski called him "the central photographer of his generation".
Winogrand was influenced by Walker Evans and Robert Frank and their respective publications American Photographs and The Americans. Henri Cartier-Bresson was another influence although stylistically different. Winogrand was known for his portrayal of American life in the early 1960s. Many of his photographs depict the social issues of his time and in the role of media in shaping attitudes. He roamed the streets of New York with his 35mm Leica camera rapidly taking photographs using a prefocused wide angle lens. His pictures frequently appeared as if they were driven by the energy of the events he was witnessing.
Winogrand's photographs of the Bronx Zoo and the Coney Island Aquarium made up his first book The Animals (1969), a collection of pictures that observes the connections between humans and animals. His book Public Relations (1977) shows press conferences with deer-in-the-headlight writers and politicians, protesters beaten by cops, and museum parties frequented by the self-satisfied cultural glitterati. These photographs capture the evolution of a uniquely 20th and 21st century phenomenon, the event created to be documented. In Stock Photographs (1980), Winogrand published his views of the Fort Worth Fat Stock Show and Rodeo.
At the time of his death there was discovered about 2,500 rolls of undeveloped film, 6,500 rolls of developed but not proofed exposures, and contact sheets made from about 3,000 rolls. The Garry Winogrand Archive at the Center for Creative Photography (CCP) comprises over 20,000 fine and work prints, 20,000 contact sheets, 100,000 negatives and 30,500 35mm colour slides as well as a small group of Polaroid prints and several amateur motion picture films.
Winogrand was influenced by Walker Evans and Robert Frank and their respective publications American Photographs and The Americans. Henri Cartier-Bresson was another influence although stylistically different. Winogrand was known for his portrayal of American life in the early 1960s. Many of his photographs depict the social issues of his time and in the role of media in shaping attitudes. He roamed the streets of New York with his 35mm Leica camera rapidly taking photographs using a prefocused wide angle lens. His pictures frequently appeared as if they were driven by the energy of the events he was witnessing.
Winogrand's photographs of the Bronx Zoo and the Coney Island Aquarium made up his first book The Animals (1969), a collection of pictures that observes the connections between humans and animals. His book Public Relations (1977) shows press conferences with deer-in-the-headlight writers and politicians, protesters beaten by cops, and museum parties frequented by the self-satisfied cultural glitterati. These photographs capture the evolution of a uniquely 20th and 21st century phenomenon, the event created to be documented. In Stock Photographs (1980), Winogrand published his views of the Fort Worth Fat Stock Show and Rodeo.
At the time of his death there was discovered about 2,500 rolls of undeveloped film, 6,500 rolls of developed but not proofed exposures, and contact sheets made from about 3,000 rolls. The Garry Winogrand Archive at the Center for Creative Photography (CCP) comprises over 20,000 fine and work prints, 20,000 contact sheets, 100,000 negatives and 30,500 35mm colour slides as well as a small group of Polaroid prints and several amateur motion picture films.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 19, 2022
I... am absolutely loving Winogrand's Women photo series. If anything, this would've been my first photobook I would have totally purchased wholeheartedly. It seemed so apt in kickstarting or rather summarising my photographic oeuvre too. Thanks to some YouTuber who uploaded this book for us viewers publicly.
His women assertive, filled with zeal & passion. He has the ability to perceive 1960s-70s American streets as the basis for his storytelling. He surprises me alot.
"Unlike documentary filmmakers, who were for the most part immersive among willing, aware, and performative participants, Winogrand was immersive among strangers, who were his involuntary and accidental subjects. He devised an extraordinary technique to create a degree of invisibility, but only a degree of it." - How Garry Winogrand Transformed Street Photography, The New Yorker, 2018"
His women assertive, filled with zeal & passion. He has the ability to perceive 1960s-70s American streets as the basis for his storytelling. He surprises me alot.
"Unlike documentary filmmakers, who were for the most part immersive among willing, aware, and performative participants, Winogrand was immersive among strangers, who were his involuntary and accidental subjects. He devised an extraordinary technique to create a degree of invisibility, but only a degree of it." - How Garry Winogrand Transformed Street Photography, The New Yorker, 2018"
May 7, 2016
I know this book is often maligned, and I get that, but also think that totally misunderstands his vision. Winogrand was utterly fearless with his camera and how that reflects his own experience in life. And his pictures are full of a profound playfulness and curiosity. He was utterly fearless with his camera, and possessed a great wit and insight into human social behavior.
August 4, 2025
Indeed they are. Exploring the classics in photography; feast your eyes on these works of art; not all masterpieces but plenty to go around to get you inspired. Many of these collections are long out of print; check out the Internet Archive (https://archive.org); many of the timeless classics are made freely available or after signing up, free to (digitally) borrow.
May 27, 2016
First photo book I ever bought and still my favorite. Found it in a remainder bin at Barnes and Noble for $5, first edition!!
July 2, 2026
Kinda crazy I’m giving this book 2 stars bc I actually used to love it before I read Helen Bishops dumbass essays in the beginning and learned about the controversy surrounding the book when it came out.
At face value I think that these images are graceful, playful, and a great source of fashion inspiration. And I almost wish I didn’t read the essays in this book bc my relationship with these photographs are now forever tainted. First of all, Bishops essay about a woman falling victim to a boring patriarchal life despite wanting more for herself was just like okay..??? And then her essay about the photographs was actually infuriating. She spends the whole essay talking about these women’s breasts. Reducing women to their anatomy and claiming that their breasts are the focal of each photo. Which was just so crazy bc no they’re not??? Like I’m da a lesbian and I was not noticing these women’s breasts in the way Bishop was. Like ur freaked out and weird for that imo.
After doing some research about the book I discovered that this book was panned when it was first released. Specifically by the growing second wave feminist movement who called out Winogrand for sexualizing women and photographing them without their consent. This struck me because it had not even occurred to me that these photos were taken without them knowing. It made me realize how desensitized I am to people’s image being photographed and reproduced without their consent in this age of social media. Which is so fucked up??? But I’m so used to it that my brain almost dismissed the 70s feminists argument because I don’t view it as a violation in the same way they did. Very interesting, very much made me reflect.
Overall, after understanding the context of this book I’m honestly disgusted by it which is unfortunate bc these images are truly beautiful and iconic.
At face value I think that these images are graceful, playful, and a great source of fashion inspiration. And I almost wish I didn’t read the essays in this book bc my relationship with these photographs are now forever tainted. First of all, Bishops essay about a woman falling victim to a boring patriarchal life despite wanting more for herself was just like okay..??? And then her essay about the photographs was actually infuriating. She spends the whole essay talking about these women’s breasts. Reducing women to their anatomy and claiming that their breasts are the focal of each photo. Which was just so crazy bc no they’re not??? Like I’m da a lesbian and I was not noticing these women’s breasts in the way Bishop was. Like ur freaked out and weird for that imo.
After doing some research about the book I discovered that this book was panned when it was first released. Specifically by the growing second wave feminist movement who called out Winogrand for sexualizing women and photographing them without their consent. This struck me because it had not even occurred to me that these photos were taken without them knowing. It made me realize how desensitized I am to people’s image being photographed and reproduced without their consent in this age of social media. Which is so fucked up??? But I’m so used to it that my brain almost dismissed the 70s feminists argument because I don’t view it as a violation in the same way they did. Very interesting, very much made me reflect.
Overall, after understanding the context of this book I’m honestly disgusted by it which is unfortunate bc these images are truly beautiful and iconic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews