50 Photographers You Should Know

Book excerpt: Now available in a new edition, this book gives a lively overview of the world’s greatest photographers. This dynamic introduction to the most important photographers from the inception of photography to today bears witness to the magic of the camera. From Félix Nadar’s awe-inspiring aerial photos and Eugene Atget’s images of fin de siècle France to Walker Evans’ stirring photos and Nan Goldin’s poetic scenarios, each of the photographers featured here represents a vital aspect of photography’s evolution. The artists are presented in double-page spreads that include reproductions of their most important works, concise biographies, and informative sidebars. The result is a fascinating overview of the way photographers continue to push the limits of their genre, offering their audiences new ways of seeing and understanding our world.