Photography: A Cultural History Mary Warner Marien Now in its
3rd edition, you might be wondering why this colossal text
deserves yet another review? It’s simple. This book provides a
concise history of our beloved photograph, and places images
within the context of their day. Today, photos are disposable
with the constant changing of status updates in the social
networking world; at times images can lose their meaning. The
collection operates as a textbook, but don’t let that put you
off. It’s incredibly accessible and a key reader for anyone
interested in contemporary image making. The intelligent
commentary transcends photography and relates to the impact the
camera has had on the way we communicate. Marien, an Emeritus
Professor at Syracuse University, uses a scholarly, but
pragmatic, approach to understanding the photograph both in its
production and consumption. She traces the steps from
daguerreotype to digital with zeal looking at portraiture,
documentary, war, mass market, advertising and art photogr