Photography: The Definitive Visual History

Photography is barely two hundred years old — and in that time it has fundamentally altered how human beings see the world, understand themselves, and record their history. From the daguerreotypes of the 1840s through the documentary photography that changed public opinion about war and poverty, the artistic photography that challenged the boundaries of the art world, and the digital revolution that has put a camera in every pocket, DK’s Photography: The Definitive Visual History traces the complete story.

More than eight hundred photographs are reproduced, each with expert commentary that places it in its technical, cultural, and artistic context. Profiles of the great photographers — from Cartier-Bresson and Dorothea Lange to Cindy Sherman and Wolfgang Tillmans — illuminate both the individual vision and the broader movements in which each worked. Technical developments are explained with the clarity that DK’s approach makes possible.

An indispensable reference for photography students and professionals — and the most beautiful possible introduction to the medium for general readers. Published by DK.