Image Makers, Image Takers

by Anne-Celine Jaeger

Aimed at professionals and beginners the first systematic attempt to find out how photographers of world stature approach their work, and what it is that makes them succeed.

This essential new guide to photography draws upon in-depth interviews with established photographers from the fields of fashion, art, portraiture, documentary photography, and advertising as well as comments from picture editors, curators, agency directors, and publishers who reveal what they look for when choosing an image.

The book first focuses on photographers' working practices, from how Mario Sorrenti got the inspiration to photograph a naked Kate Moss draped over a couch for the iconic Calvin Klein campaign to how the Dutch portrait photographer Rineke Dijkstra gets the best out of her subjects. What made the photographer start taking pictures? How did he or she develop a signature style? What is the process involved in going from concept to shoot? How important is postproduction?

Then the book turns to selection. How does the picture editor of the New York Times Magazine decide which photographer to commission for the next fashion spread? What kind of photograph, according to the Senior Curator of London's Photographers Gallery, is worthy of being hung in a gallery? What advice would art book publisher Gerhard Steidl give a budding photographer? Whether it is the question of what to look for in an image, views on cropping, or the pros and cons of color versus black and white, the shapers of taste give acute and useful accounts of their methods. 150+ illustrations in color and black and white.

Genres: Photography, Art

272 pages, Paperback

First published May 28, 2007

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

A list of interviews of today's most famous photographers and gallery owners/magazine editors, the way they work, what they think when working picture series/themes, the gear they use, how they work with each other, how they came to photography,... all were asked the same sets of questions allowing to observe the similarities and differences in between them ; 3-4 pages interviews for each one of them, sticking to the basics; a very down to earth and honest book, easy to read with excellent picture reproductions (despite a rather cheap price) - and each picture is a great way to escape/make you ponder about reality, like any work of art should do....a very good intro for the neophyte/people who need to think about why they do photography (and how to do it). Last time I was so captivated by a book was more than a year ago so I guess it goes in the "must read" section.

[Michelle now at StoryGraph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book and am pleased that I was able to read it cover to cover instead of just flipping through the book. It took me longer to read though, because every time a photographer was mentioned, I took the time to find them on Instagram, Wiki, or put a book of theirs in my wishlist on Thriftbooks. There were so many great photographers interviewed and I thought the section on curators was enlightening. Great job!

[Manny Villa]

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[M]

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[NoBeatenPath · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book that is a series of interviews where photographers, and those responsible for choosing photographs, are questioned about their philosophy, methods and motives. The first section contains the answers of a number of photographers from a range of genres. Many of the answers feel like they were given because the photographer in question was trying to give the right answer for a 'persona' rather than their real feelings, but this is just as interesting as a 'truthful' answer. And how are we to tell anyway.

What I found most interesting however was the discussion with curators and editors - the people who are responsible for choosing what is published and shown. The mechanisms for how a photographer is 'discovered' and how that world works is fascinating, and an often overlooked aspect of the photography world.

[Blog on Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the real scoop on some of the best photographic images known to man comes the latest edition of “Image Makers-Image Takers” from UK publisher Thames & Hudson. This newly expanded edition goes behind the scenes with some of the world’s most important photographers, editors, curators and retouchers to reveal the inner secrets of some of the most memorable images in the market today. David LaChappelle, Anton Corbijn, Rankin, Marco Sorrenti and Ellen von Unwerth are just some of the thirty-three world-class photographers interviewed for the book. Each is given a mini-portfolio and asked a series of questions about their unique image technique. Think of it as a mini lesson from not just the pros, but from artists who push the boundaries of the genre everyday

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The image collection is okay. If you're interested in photography and have been studying and shooting for a while you've probably already seen most if not all of the images included in this book.

What makes this book special are the insights gleaned from the interviews with well known photographers, editors, and curators within the field. What's revealed isn't so much the nuts-and-bolts, how-to type of information but rather the tips and clues you may gain by understanding the perspective of someone who's been successfully navigating the professional art/fashion photography world.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting reading different photographers takes on different things. Amazing how many established folks get by simply on the most basic, primal photography skills. They think story, subject, narrative, composition... basics meaning the things that make a timeless photography not easy. They might not know much about flash etc. but their work is very powerful. I liked the one quote of is your portrait about the subject or is it about you and what you can do with a camera?

[Mips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zoektocht naar inspiratiebronnen/motivaties van hedendaagse fotografen.

Thema's: Art/Documentary/Fashion&Advertising/Portraiture/Next Generation/Curators&Gallerists/Agency Directors, Editors&Publishers

(Interessant voor mezelf om verder naar op zoek te gaan:William Eggleston, Boris Mikhailov, Martin Parr, Charles Fréger, Alec Soth)

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well balanced collection of interviews from photographers of many genres to the critics, curators, and photo editors that discover or hire them. This is an incredibly inspiring book about why photographers do what they do and has helped me figure out what it is that I want to do.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

good interviews with photographers of all disciplines as well as "art world" people such as curators. There are a lot of good tidbits of advice, equipment use, and philosophies. Worth reading for any photographer.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

some great insight here

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Neither here nor there. Parts of the interviews with photographers were good, parts were boring. Almost every single one said all the same things in different ways.

[Anneke · Rating 5 out of 5]

love it!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind-opening for anyone who appreciates art, not just for photographers. Highly recommended.