'Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you will land among the stars' Norman Vincent Peale Tim Walker's monograph Story Teller, published by Thames & Hudson, introduced audiences to this unique photographer's fantastical, magical worlds, conjured anew with each shoot. But every point must have its counterpoint, day its night, light its dark; creativity is no different. Shoot for the Moon, Walker's much anticipated followup, draws audiences close to reveal fantasy's other, darker side. Delving deep into the art and mind of one of the most exciting and original fashion photographers working today, Shoot for the Moon showcases the gamut of Walker's weird, wild Wonderlands. In images that demand to be read as art as much as fashion, his signature opulence and decadent eccentricity encroach ever further beyond the 'real', exploring the mysteries of imagination and inspiration, and where it is they come from. Dazzlingly designed to a lavish spec, with images featuring some of the biggest names in fashion and contemporary culture, and texts and commentary by a collection of noteworthy contributors as well as Walker himself, Shoot for the Moon is set to be an unmissable addition to the lexicon of fashion photography.

Step inside the world's most famous garden and understand the strength of its attraction in this beautiful and fascinating study. Since is was bought and transformed by writer Vita Sackville West and diplomat Harold Nicholson in the 1930s, this garden has captured imaginations with its unique and intricate design. This unforgettable garden of rooms is influential today for its design, its exuberant planting, and its effect on visitors as a complete garden experience. Author Tim Richardson explores its power and its magic, explaining the nuances of its evolution and shows how we can all enjoy it today. Beautiful photographs transport you to the National Trust property, showcasing it in all its brilliance.

With 140 photographs, inspiring quotes and excerpts from five historic speeches, this gorgeous volume pays tribute to Michelle Obama. Although it primarily focuses on 2007 to 2016, this book also covers the pre-White House years: Michelle Obama's childhood; her time in college and law school; her work as a young professional; her marriage to Barack; and her experiences during his first campaign.

The sport of drum majorettes has a long history in South Africa, becoming popular in the early 80s, but participation in the sport has since dropped dramatically. In contemporary culture there is a strong sense of nostalgia linked to drum majorettes; it is viewed as the pursuit of a bygone era. However, in many marginalised communities across the country, it is still taken seriously and is considered a highly competitive sport. For the girls and young women involved, being a drummie is a privilege and an achievement, indicative of success on and off the field. The notoriously demanding practice schedules are representative of the girls' commitment, and their ability to work hard. 'This is part of my ongoing work exploring notions of femininity and empowerment in modern society. With my continued investigation into this subculture, I hope that these images can communicate the pride and confidence these girls have achieved through identifying as 'drummies,' in a context where they face many social challenges. I want these images to function as a testament to the commitment and determination of these young female athletes, in a world where so many sporting opportunities are still focused on men.'

Robert Mapplethorpe's black-and-white Polaroid photographs of the 1970s--a medium in which he established the style that would bring him international acclaim--are brought together in this new paperback edition. Critically praised for his finely modeled and classically composed photographs, Robert Mapplethorpe remains intensely controversial and enormously popular. This book brings together almost 300 images from the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation's archive and private collections to provide a critical view of Mapplethorpe's formative years as an artist, revealing the themes that would inspire Mapplethorpe throughout his career. Included is a selection of color Polaroids and objects incorporating his early "instant" photography. Some images convey a disarming tenderness and vulnerability, others a toughness and immediacy that would give way in later years to more classical form. The author traces the development of Mapplethorpe's use of instant photography over a period of five years, from 1970 to 1975, when the artist worked mainly in this medium. The images include self-portraits; figure studies; still lifes; portraits of lovers and friends such as Patti Smith, Sam Wagstaff, and Marianne Faithful; and observations of everyday objects. Marked by a spontaneity and creative curiosity, these fragile images offer an illuminating contrast to the glossy perfection of the work for which Mapplethorpe is best known, allowing us a more personal glimpse of his artistry.

Embark on a visually stunning journey through Cape Town and experience the spirit of the Mother City first-hand! Cape Town rates as one of the most beautiful cities worldwide - and rightly so. Situated between two oceans and a massive mountain, the Mother City close to the Cape of Good Hope unites urban flair and countryside idyll. But it's not just Cape Town's location that is unique: the potpourri of cultures and a fascinating melange of old and new make the metropolis at Africa's southern tip so special. This illustrated book captures the diversity in exciting pairs and takes you directly to Cape Town's sights and most interesting places. Expert texts and large-format photos arouse wanderlust and curiosity about the city at the foot of the Table Mountain and inspire even locals to go on discovery tours. Like no other, Alain Proust portrays the different faces of his home of choice. With impressive landscape photos and panoramas he shows the beauty of nature, takes a look at the streets, the alleys and the people of Cape Town. With artistic sensitivity and an extraordinary sense for detail he captures social differences as well as the colours and flavours of South African cuisine. Text in English and German.

As a young photographer in London having completed his post-graduate studies, Marcelo Bendahan had the opportunity of working with the British photo agency, Performing Arts Library. They specialized in photography of music, dance, opera, and festivals. Coming to this exciting work without having been a musician or performer meant that he brought a fresh eye and after a few years he developed an understanding of movement, rhythm, action and the possibilities all these offer us to produce beautiful photography.Wanting to explore other fields of performing arts beyond the limited space of a theatre or an auditorium, he started an exploration of the arts spectacle that is the Carnival. In 1999 he went to Venice-Italy to photograph its Carnival there. He found what he wanted: an enormous display of imagination and fantasy, combined with a strong desire of people to express their traditions, culture and passions through costume, masks, dances, and music.Each year since, he has traveled to one pre-Lenten Carnival. This project has taken him to Basel, Switzerland, Binche, Belgium, Dunkerque and Nice in France, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Barranquilla in Colombia, Oruro in Bolivia, Mazatlan in Mexico, Jacmel in Haiti, Port of Spain, Trinidad, Cadiz in Spain, Cologne in Germany and Mardi Grass in New Orleans, USA. After 14 Carnivals, the time to present this book has come.Along with the strong visuals of Carnival, essays by a collection of writers will explain the significance of Carnival universally and the particulars of each local celebration. "Carnivals of the World" is also a study of color; it explores how people express their emotions through colorful dresses and movement and invites the reader to think on how important it is to live with a touch of imagination and fantasy.What is Carnival?Carnival is a festival season that occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February or March. It typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of dancing, music and public street party. People often dress up or masquerade during the celebrations. The derivation of the word is uncertain, though it possibly can be traced to the Medieval Latin carne vale or carnelevarium, which means to take away or remove meat. This coincides with the fact that carnival is the final festivity before the commencement of the austere 40 days of Lent, during which Roman Catholics, in earlier times, fasted, abstained from eating meat, and followed other ascetic practices. Yet another translation depicts carne vale as "a farewell to the flesh," a phrase embraced by certain carnival celebrations that encourage letting go of your former self and embracing the carefree nature of the festival.The historical origin of carnival is also obscure. In its broadest sense, carnival refers to a pageant, festival, or public celebration found all over the world. It originates in prehistoric times, varying in content, form, function, and significance from one culture to another. Many local carnival customs are also based on local pre-Christian rituals, for example the elaborate rites involving masked figures. The general consensus is that it began during the middle Ages, evolving from the burlesque celebrations associated with Easter, Christmas, and other European festivities such as Maypole, Quadrille Ball, Entrudo, and Halloween.The most famous traditions, including parades and masquerading, are first attested from medieval Italy. The carnival of Venice was for a long time the most famous carnival. From Italy, carnival traditions spread to Spain, Portugal, and France. From France, they spread to the Rhineland of Germany, and to New Orleans. From Spain and Portugal, they spread to Latin America. Many other areas have developed their own traditions. Masking, disguising, cross-dressing - the essential gestures of carnival are intimately related to the idea of becoming an other, of entertaining fantasies, of travelling to other worlds, old and new. Sometimes carnival masquerading is aimed at subverting established social, political or racial hierarchies. Costuming, dancing, and all of the rituals are acts of cultural preservation. Thus, carnival is a vehicle for a range of social expressions and differences. The main feature of carnival is not as a spectacle but as an event to join in."

Robb Helfrick brings us a photographic portfolio of the oldest permanent European settlement in North America?and the alluring city it has become today. Spaniards first settled here on the north coast of Atlantic Florida in 1565, and for centuries after the fortressed city of St. Augustine was a focal point of wars between cultures and equally challenging engagements between people and the tropical environment. By the end of the 19th century, St. Augustine was also a tourist destination, adding another layer of architectural style to the dramatic visual history that abounds in the city today.

This magnificent book celebrates the famous Klondike gold rush, and includes 200 rare period photographs. Written by author and social historian Pierre Berton, the pages brim with the life-and-death struggles, hopes, delusions, and astonishing courage of the men and women who left the comforts of civilization to brave the elements and each other in their quest for gold. The individuals who joined the Gold Rush came from all walks of life - from educated professionals to itinerant laborers, but the vast terrain, harsh conditions and knife-edge existence put every Klondiker on the same level. The stunning archival photographs provide an unforgettable window into the past. This is an epic book which captures a heroic frontier era of human history. It features rare and dramatic full-page black and white photographs from archives of nineteenth century history. The author has 40 history books to his credit, and was born in the Yukon.

"Clay Lancaster was infected by a love of architecture at an early age, a gentle madness from which he never cared to recover." -- From the Foreword, by Roger W. Moss It is easy to take for granted the visual environment that we inhabit. Familiarity with routes of travel and places of work or leisure leads to indifference, and we fail to notice incremental changes. When a dilapidated building is eliminated by new development, it is forgotten as soon as its replacement becomes a part of our daily landscape. When an addition is grafted onto the shell of a house fallen out of fashion or function, onlookers might notice at first, but the memory of its original form is eventually lost. Also forgotten is the use a building once served. From historic homes to livestock barns, each structure holds a place in the community and can tell us as much about its citizens as their portraits and memoirs. Such is the vital yet intangible role that architecture plays in our collective memory. Clay Lancaster (1917-2000) began during the Great Depression to document and to encourage the preservation of America's architectural patrimony. He was a pioneer of American historic preservation before the movement had a name. Although he established himself as an expert on Brooklyn brownstones and California bungalows, the nationally known architectural historian also spent four decades photographing architecture in his native Kentucky. Lancaster did not consider himself a photographer. His equipment consisted of nothing more complex than a handheld camera, and his images were only meant for his own personal use in documenting memorable and endangered structures. He had the eye of an artist, however, and recognized the importance of vernacular architecture. The more than 150 duotone photographs in Clay Lancaster's Kentucky preserve the beauty of commonplace buildings as well as historic mansions and monuments. With insightful commentary by James D. Birchfield about the photographs and about Lancaster's work in Kentucky, the book documents the many buildings and architectural treasures -- both existing and long gone -- whose images and stories remain a valuable part of the state's heritage.

Photographer Steve Pidcock sees faces in the magical reflections of water and rock along the Susquehanna River. Though not everyone sees them in the same way, more than 200 images show the beautiful scenery, details of rocks, plants, and shapes and colors of the seasons and how, with a slightly different perspective, they reveal surprising results. Early Native Americans used these waters as a major highway. Today, sports enthusiasts and environmentalists use it for recreation and research. Laid out in what the photographer calls Verti-zontal Art, the humorous and sometimes dark beings within the images take form. If you love art, nature, history, or just enjoy viewing the world from a different vantage point, then this book is for you.

Claire is not your everyday practitioner of "urbex," the modern underground passion for "urban exploration" that lures 21st-century adventurers into the hidden labyrinths and decaying chambers of disused buildings and urban spaces. Claire is, you see, a bull terrier. And with her photographer companion, Alice Van Kempen, she has created the canine expression of the art . . . "furbex." Furbex is a dazzling photographic record of Claire's adventures among the abandoned spaces of Europe. It captures her ghostly presence in ruined hotels and grand houses; crumbling castles and palaces; forgotten theaters and cinemas. Fascinated by shadows and light, past and present, and the mysterious, dark worlds of abandoned places, Alice van Kempen uses thrift shop props and long exposures to create photographs with the air of Old Master paintings; while Claire's tragi-comic presence imbues every image with the pathos and comedy of a silent movie. The result is a haunting and hilarious gift book of unique photographs, which will appeal to urban explorers, dog lovers (most particularly the cult following of the bull terrier breed), and all lovers of the Gothic, the mysterious and the absurd.

Photo-Graphics: Exposure looks behind the lens at the science of light, colour and lenses, and then applies this to the practical matters of such essentials as shutter speed, aperture, ISO, depth of field, metering, movement, histograms, exposure adjustment, and dynamic range. All the relevant information is presented in instantly engaging info-graphics that inform, illuminate, intrigue and entertain: creating a unique guide to photographic technique that can be studied from start to finish or kept in the camera bag as a dip-in refresher course that's as exciting to the photographer's eye as it is essential to the photographer's craft.

In 1975, German readers were introduced to the Rheinlandschaften, a collection of stunning images of the Rhineland captured in the first half of the twentieth century by photographer August Sander (1876 1964). This fresh edition, now in English, brings Sander's work to a new audience and into our own time. These photographs showcase a variety of scenes, from a sunrise over Cologne to the slopes of the Rhine valley. The Rhine River flows through many of these pictures, its dynamic curves and lively current leading the eye through an intriguing mix of natural and urban landscapes. A new essay by art historian Wolfgang Kemp provides context for Sander's work while introducing his contemporaries, including the writer Hans Ludwig Mathar and the painter Franz M. Jansen. Also explored are the ties between Sander's landscapes and his portrait photography, which is celebrated worldwide. Crucially, Kemp highlights the need to consider the Rhineland's unique political situation in the 1920s and 1930s for any discussion of Sander's artistic approach. Shining welcome light on the full range of Sander's practice, this book offers a glorious journey through the landscapes that most affected him.

Why was the first human ever captured on film caught by pure luck? Where is the human blind spot, and why don't you realise you have one? What does authenticity mean in an art where originals can be reproduced infinitely and manipulated flawlessly? Packed with world-renowned photographs, from the daguerreotype to Polaroid and biographies of leading photographers, this book will capture your curiosity and expose you to new ideas about your camera, your photography and the visual culture that surrounds you. From the science of converting light into digital information, to the philosophical implications of freezing a moment in time, big ideas are tackled in bite-sized units: two pages, 300 words and one representative image at a time. Understand the 50 most thought-provoking concepts, techniques and technologies that have shaped photography into the ever-present art form it is today. The bestselling 30-Second series offers a new approach to learning whereby every title takes a popular topic and dissects it into the 50 most significant ideas at its heart, explained in just two pages that are easily digested in only half a minute.

There has never been and will never be another nightclub to rival the sheer glamour, energy, and wild creativity that was Studio 54. Now, in the first official book on the legendary club, co-owner Ian Schrager presents a spectacular volume brimming with star-studded photographs and personal stories from the greatest party of all time. From the moment it opened in 1977, Studio 54 celebrated spectacle and promised a never-ending parade of anything goes. Although it existed for only three years, it served as a catalyst that brought together some of the most famous and creative people in the world. It quickly became known for its celebrity guest list and uniquely chic clientele. From the cutting-edge lighting displays to its elaborate sets, it was the beginning of nightclub as performance art. Now, Studio 54 explores this cultural zeitgeist and gives us Schrager s personal firsthand account of what it was like to create and run the most famous nightclub of our age. With hundreds of photographs, many of which have never been seen before, of the celebrities and beautiful people and engaging stories and quotes from such cultural luminaries as Liza Minelli, David Geffen, Brooke Shields, Pat Cleveland, and Diane von Furstenberg, this exciting volume depicts the wild energy and glittering creativity of the era. One of the most important cultural landmarks of the twentieth century, Studio 54 continues to inspire with its legendary glamour. This exhilarating volume is a must-have for style and fashion aficionados today.

Despite the famously uncooperative Irish weather, John Hinde's postcards of Ireland featured bright sunshine and blue skies, a country seemingly peopled entirely with redheads, happy donkeys carrying turf, and charming cottages that appeared to grow upward from the earth itself. Cars and sweaters were in primary colours, and scarlet rhododendrons sprang up in the unlikeliest of places. John Hinde had a clear vision: 'We need to be uplifted rather than depressed. To me pictures should always convey a positive, good feeling, something which makes people happy, which makes them smile, which makes them appreciate some tenderness.' In these postcards, the world is a sunnier, less complicated and more colourful place. Join Paul Kelly as he returns to John Hinde's Ireland on a photographic pilgrimage, capturing some places that have changed forever, and some that are just the same.

More than any other artist, Walker Evans invented the images of essential America that we have long since accepted as fact, and his work has influenced not only modern photography but also literature, film and visual arts in other mediums. The original edition of "American Photographs" was a carefully prepared letterpress production, published by The Museum of Modern Art in 1938 to accompany an exhibition of photographs by Evans that captured scenes of America in the early 1930s. As noted on the jacket of the first edition, Evans, "photographing in New England or Louisiana, watching a Cuban political funeral or a Mississippi flood, working cautiously so as to disturb nothing in the normal atmosphere of the average place, can be considered a kind of disembodied, burrowing eye, a conspirator against time and its hammers." This seventy-fifth anniversary edition of "American Photographs," made with new reproductions, recreates the original 1938 edition as closely as possible to make the landmark publication available for a new generation. "American Photographs" has fallen out of print for long periods of time since it was first published, and even subsequent editions--two of which altered the design and typography of the book in small but significant ways--are often available only at libraries and rare bookstores. This version, like the fiftieth-anniversary edition produced by the Museum in 1988, captures the look and feel of the very first edition with the aid of new digital technologies.
Walker Evans (1903-1975) took up photography upon his return to New York in 1927, following a year in Paris when his aspiration to become a writer withered in the shadow of Fitzgerald, Hemingway and Joyce. In 1935, Evans was commissioned by the Farm Security Administration to photograph the effects of the Great Depression in the Southeast. During this time he took many of the photographs that appeared in his collaboration with James Agee, "Let Us Now Praise Famous Men "(1941), a book which has become a defining document of that era. Evans joined the staff of "Time "magazine in 1945 and shortly thereafter became an editor at "Fortune," where he stayed for the next two decades. In 1964, he became a professor at the Yale University School of Art, where he taught until his death in 1975.

"It amazes me that after all these years and countless books, the scope of subject matter on The Beatles is so amazingly large that writers always find a new angle. This book does that in a very unique and clever way. It's a must for every Beatles fan." -Billy J. Kramer "...It's a magical mystery tour through the band's life and times." -Yahoo Entertainment The It-List "Part biography and part map to the stars, The Beatles: Fab Four Cities is your "Ticket to Ride" and walk in the footsteps of John, Paul, George and Ringo. It's the next best thing to actually driving their car..."-Nina Violi, Capitol File. and Gotham magazine "While the book can be used as a handy tour guide filled with addresses, maps and photos, it also makes for great reading." -Steve Matteo, The Vinyl District "But now comes a "magic carpet volume" for Beatles fans that blends travel guide with historical reference in an expanded study of The Beatles' homes, schools, pubs, venues, and important historic sites..." -Jude Southerland Kessler, Culture Sonar John Lennon said: "We were born in Liverpool, but we grew up in Hamburg." To paraphrase Lennon, we could say that: "The Beatles were born in Liverpool, grew up in Hamburg, reached maturity in London, and immortality in New York." Four cities. Four stars. The Fab Four - the Beatles - are revered the world over, but it is in these urban centres that their legacy shines brightest. Liverpool: where the band graduated from church halls, leaving their initial line-up as 'The Quarrymen' far behind. Hamburg: where their raucous stage act was honed; where arrests earned them a more notorious celebrity reputation, but they became a true emblem of rock 'n' roll. London: where The Beatles produced Sgt Pepper, and home to the iconic album cover for Abbey Road. And New York: the city that became John Lennon's home, where their appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show announced them to 73 million Americans. The Beatles: Fab Four Cities invites the reader on a cosmopolitan trek across continents, tracing the Beatles' rise to fame from one metropolis to the next. Flush with timelines, stories, trivia, the numerous links and connections between the cities and both pop cultural and local history, this is a travel guide like no other.

Hong Kong was first captured on camera when the British arrived to lay claim to its 'fragrant harbour' in 1841. Its fascinating history has been documented through photography ever since - from its rapid expansion as a Crown Colony to its handover to China in 1997 and its present status as one of the world's leading international financial centres. Pairing rare and previously unpublished photographs with contemporary views taken from the same location, Hong Kong Then and Now highlights the rich and varied history of this constantly evolving metropolis, from Victoria Harbour, the Hong Kong Club and the Star Ferry to Kowloon Walled CIty, Chek Lap Kok Airport and the gleaming skyscrapers of its central banking district. Sites include: Victoria Harbour, the Peak, the Star Ferry Pier, Man Ho Temple, Ladder Street, Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong Club, Prince's Building, HSBC, Noonday Gun, Happy Valley Racecourse, Tiger Balm Garden, Peninsula Hotel, Kai Tak Airport, Kowloon Walled City, Shenzhen, Repulse Bay, Chek Lap Kok Airport, St. Paul's (Macau).