Photography and Egypt

by Golia Maria

Egypt immediately conjures images of the pyramids, the temples and the Sphinx in the desert. Early photographs of Egypt took these ancient monuments as their primary subjects, and these have remained hugely influential in constructing our view of the country. But while Egypt and its monuments have been regularly photographed by foreigners, little has been known about the early days of photography among Egyptians. Photography and Egypt examines both, considering images from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day, including studio portraits, landscapes and photojournalism.Two forces drove photographys rapport with photography in one concise and highly readable account.

Genres: Photography, Egypt

Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[David Rowntree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up when I was in Cairo last October. Absolutely wonderful to flip through while I was in the country. The book lacked clear organization at times and I would have liked to see more discussion of prominent photographers Zola and Gustave Le Gray. Although I agree with Golia's assessment that "In many ways it is easier to research Egypt's ancient history than its modern one..."

Nevertheless, the book has a great collection of images. The Queen Fawzia photo is gorgeous, Van Leo "Self-portrait as Assassin" is my favorite.

A good introduction to one of the most photographed places in the world. I hope to see more interest in this area.

[Cody]

An exploration of photography, Egypt, and their intertwined histories, Golia teases out the ways in which photographs not only "influenced perceptions of the country" but also "[created] visual paradigms that illuminate only partial truths."