The adventure of photography 150 years of the photographic image

September 11 and the wars in Iraq and Bosnia have provided potent evidence of photography's primal power to capture history and emotions. This documentary tries to encompass the medium's epic history, from the daguerreotype to the digital age. Divided into ten chapters, each approximately 25 minutes long, the videos offer a quick overview of the beginnings of photography; the surrealist movement; combat and general photojournalism; portrait, fashion, and nude photography; the use of photography to advance science; the increasingly hot collector's market; and the role of amateur shutterbugs in encouraging innovation. The set features 1700 pictures and discusses the work of 300 artists. The producers assume a rather high degree of knowledge here, and unfamiliar names, concepts, and the occasionally disturbing images probably rule this out for high school use. Furthermore, the program was produced in France and has a distinct French bias. There should have been more coverage of pioneers like U.S. Civil War photographer Alexander Gardner, the explorer-photographers who documented the early American West, more discussion of the importance of 19th-century stereo views, the picture postcard of the early 20th century, and, particularly, the role of the Farm Security Administration in portraying Depression-era America. The photographs, while clearly reproduced, are frequently too small to be properly appreciated. While a well-intentioned, attractively designed approach to a massive subject, this set must regrettably be considered an optional purchase for academic libraries only.-Stephen Rees, Levittown Regional Lib., PA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.