Since the 10.5 million images in National Geographic's possession won't fit in a book, the 250 in this moderately glossy, minimally costly collection will do nicely. Through the Lens is a stunning collection of photos judiciously apportioned to represent the regions of the earth, the sea, and outer space; humans and nature; and even the history of the medium--a few historic black and whites contrast dramatically with the eye-popping modern color shots that dominate the book. As ever, the esthetic key to their impact is the use of big, emotional pictures with witty little captions, and whenever possible, startling juxtapositions. A Boston matron's faux-fur coat looks just like her pet Dalmatian (the caption identifies them as "spots fans"). The world's widest street (in Buenos Aires) by night looks great next to a grassy highway overpass for grizzly bears in Alberta. The famous green-eyed Afghan refugee poses in a purple burkha with her 1985 National Geographic cover. A Moscow shopper tries on a snowsuit, oblivious to the huge face in the ad on the wall behind him, whose nose he obscures and smile he bisects. A fuzzy shot of a 1907 inventor testing a multiwinged "Katydid" flying machine contrasts with a crisp 1974 shot of Skylab soaring far above fluffy clouds. Often, what's striking is the juxtaposition of ideas. An Arctic wolf making an impossible leap between ice floes arcs in midair, only its reflection hitting the frigid water. A 1935 Model T "surfs" a steep dune in White Sands, New Mexico. Chorus lines of stuffed cane-toad corpses with surreally clothespinned snouts perform on a taxidermist's shelf. Newborns are lined up like bread loaves in Shanghai. A woman in a white chador sits in the Tripoli airport, the white lines of fluorescent ceiling bulbs radiating behind her head like a saint's halo. This isn't the fanciest photo book of the season, but it certainly is a good deal.–Tim Appelo ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Definitely worth the price, but...
Through the Lens is an excellent collection of National Geographic photos, and for only $30, well worth the cost. The book has several well known photos, as well as other beautiful, but not as publicized, pictures. The book is divided into sections based on continents, which (usually) makes it easier to find a specific picture. This book does have its share of problems however. There's no index, so you can't look for pictures with a specific theme. The majority of the pictures are centered in the middle of the two pages, so the middle of the pictures disappear into the binding. The pages are another problem entirely. The book is printed on glossy paper that absorbs liquid (apparently). Oil from your fingers is left as prints or smudges, even if you only are touching the page for a few seconds. These marks DO NOT disappear over time, and you can espeacially see them on the black pages. Even with these problems, this book is worth getting for the spectacular pictures inside.

National Geographic Through the Lens - A Review
An avid reader and fan of Nationl Geographic for 5 decades, I was
disappointed in the book. More than half of the featured photographs were recent, many taken in the last 5 years. So many of the breath taking pictures that I remeber were not included. I cannot even guess at what the critera was for photographs to be included in this book but, in my opinion, these are not the best of National Geographic.

beautiful photography
More than the articles, when I think of National Geographic Magazine I think of the photography. I have long considered the photography in National Geographic to be some of the best magazine photography that I have seen. The images are typically stunning and give me a visual idea of locations that I would not even be able to imagine. I cannot speak to the technical craft of photography because I know nothing about that. Since I also have not looked at other National Geographic Collections, I cannot speak as to what is included in those collections and how it compares to this collection. What I can speak to is what I thought about this particular collection.

Bottom line: I liked it. Since I am not a regular reader of National Geographic, all of the pictures were new to me. This is an excellent collection of photography for someone who just wants to look at some wonderful pictures. One can look through the book casually and enjoy the pictures (as I did), or one can study the pictures and see exactly what is going on and find nuance within the pictures. Either way works. Good pictures, good book, and it was an enjoyable time looking at some of the best of National Geographic's photography. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions   2. Documentary photography   3. General   4. National Geographic Society (U   5. Photo Essays   6. Photoessays & Documentaries   7. Photograph collections   8. Photography   9. Photojournalism   10. Subjects & Themes - Travel - World/General   11. Travel photography   12. Photography / General   

Customer Reviews (2)

A new sight
Seeing the word in a new way....learning the patience to wait for the picture to happen...life to happen. An incredible journey that invites you to linger and ponder.

One of the best Photography books I have ever bought.
Despite the high price, this is one of the best photography books I have ever purchased.

As a photographer myself, I can say that it is refreshing to see a book that delves into the stories behind the pictures (many which have been featured in National Geographic magazine) with both meaningful text as well as the display of surrounding photographs which led up to the final published one-the outtakes so to speak. Seeing these outtakes is enlightening. It provides a glimpse via examples, into Sam Abells working style and methods of seeing.

Abell proves himself a very generous and inspiring person. He shows an uncanny ability to not only make amazing photographs, but to also talk saliently and make clear statements about the process of making them too. Abell shares with us his thoughts, and stories for his photography. I'm not sure many other other photographers would be so willing to do so.

I found it interesting to learn and understand what went through Sam Abells mind while making photographs. Oftentimes one sees a photographer's results (the final images) yet knows nothing about the journey of work it took to actually achieve the results. This book fills that gap beautifully.

One can tell that this is a very personal book for Sam Abell. He does indeed live the photographic life, not only documenting important public places and events, but those of his own inner life as well.

Physically, the size of this book is quite hefty, perfect for a coffee table-it's that type of book. The production quality is top notch-the book text is easy to read and the images are presented beautifully.

My only complaint is that the ink on the front cover (the book is cloth bound) is not even and is faded and light in places. Also, the book is a bit expensive. I hope it is released in a paperback version which would be less costly and easier to read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions   2. Individual Photographer   3. Photo Essays   4. Photoessays & Documentaries   5. Photography   6. Portraiture   7. Photography / Individual Photographer   

Customer Reviews (6)

How best to describe -The Photographs
How can we best describe the National Geographic's publication, The Photographs? Creative, aesthetic, unnatural perspectives, abstract, ultra realistic, surreal, vibrant, and the list of adjectives is endless! However, I guess what best sums up this book is that it constitutes one of the most important and impressive contributions to photojournalism.

It is in reality an excellent survey or synthesis of photo images that permits readers to follow the evolution of photography dating back one hundred years until today. In fact, as mentioned in the book, although the techniques may differ, some of the earliest photos still compare favourably with those of today.

This is quite evident when you view the 1902 photo shot by photographer George Shiras lll entitled Loon Lake, Ontario, Canada. Here we notice a lynx sitting proudly along the banks of the lake and unfazed by the photographer's lantern that detects the glow of its eyes. However, as indicated, the lynx was alarmed by the flash photography. As an added detail, the reader is apprised of the fact that Shiras pioneered nighttime close-ups of wildlife and the use of remote-control devices. It is noteworthy to mention that scattered throughout the book are these very interesting tidbits pertaining to the history and science of photography.

Fast forward to the cover and back of the book where we immediately are exposed to the renowned photographer Steve McCurry's spellbinding images of the young Afghan girl with the penetrating eyes taken in a refugee camp in Pakistan in 1984 when she was 17 years and rediscovered in Afghanistan in 2002.

In all of these instances we see the superb focusing of the lens on the subject matter and the reflection of someone or something. It is an encouragement of some sort of reaction or level of contemplation. Moreover, the creation of a great photograph lies in the photographer's ability to use the full range of options at his or her disposal. It is these essential ingredients that are continuously prevalent in the multitude of impressive images contained in the five sections of the book dealing with such topics as science, astrology, archaeology, wildlife, underwater, and cultures.

What enhances the value of this spectacular book is the many captions, articles, essays and descriptions that have been contributed by the editor Leah Bendavid-Val and her many National Geographic assistants. Without these contributory writings the book would not have been able to effectively aid the reader in appreciating the moving and penetrating characteristics of the photographs, as well as following the evolution of the history of photography.

Norm Goldman Editor of Bookpleasures.com

Not the best
After looking through national geographics, I don't know if I would classify these as their best pictures. I've seen better and expected more.

An Excellent Photography Book!
Of all the photography & National Geographic books I have, this one is certainly one of the best. The content is made up of important themes in the world of photography: THEN AND NOW, FARAWAY PLACES, IN THE WILD, UNDERWATER, THE SCIENCES & IN THE USA. In between these themes are a short section of special assignments by NG photographers such as JAMES L. STANDFIELD who covered The Vatican & DAVID ALAN HARVEY who covered Spain. The photographs are taken from the National Geographic magazines from the past 15 years before 1994.

Overall, the photography of this book covers a wide variety of subjects and have shots taken from all over the planet. From the USA to Italy to Japan, the photographs have most nations covered. This is ideal for a photography book because you will be able to see photographs of many differnt cultures and environments.

What's excellent about this book is that the photographs are taken by different photographers of NG. You can hardly see two photographs by the same NG photographer. This is significant in a positive way because you get to see the pictures from many different points of view.

What I truly like about these book is that majority of the photographs are brillantly & cleverly taken. The art in the photographs of this book is tremendous, amazing, & sometimes poignant too. For example, one photograph taken in Milan, Italy depicts many overhead cables cutting across two buildings with a large poster of a Armani billboard in the background. The caption says 'Gleaming from a billboard, an Armani adverisement oversees Milan's bustling Brera district.....Steinmetz(the photographer) attempted to convey the "MYTHS AND REALITIES" of the nothern Italian industrial metropolis'. Another cleverly taken picture shows a horse carriage in New York, nothing special except that it was 1992 when the picture was taken.

The photographs covers ALL the environments of the planet: LAND, SEA & AIR. The photographs range from the most isolated places that most people have never been to, to the bustling metrpolises. Also, some of the photographs taken are extremely rare, such as the flash of a lightning with the twirl of a tornado taken at the same time.

The art & quality of the photographs of this book is really astounding & sometimes even thought-provoking! Although I paid [a lot] for this book, I have no regrets because it certainly is an EXCELLENT photography book containing photographs of various topics, environments, cultures, expressions etc. In other words, The perfect photography book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions   2. Documentary photography   3. National geographic   4. Photo Essays   5. Photoessays & Documentaries   6. Photography   7. Photojournalism   8. Travel photography   9. Photography / General   

Customer Reviews (1)

Thirties brainwashing
A fascinating photo study of how two nations used photography to push their own political agenda. Author Bendavid-Val sums it up as...'The moral Russian individual was called upon to yeild unselfishly to his people. Americans on the other hand believed that the individual had a basic right to act aggressively on his own behalf, to make his own future...'.

The book starts with a super twenty-four pages of photos, each spread has a Soviet photo facing an American one, both dealing with the same subject, children, street scenes, farm workers, power stations, in a bar, shop windows etc. They do look very similar, least at first glance!

The essence of the book are two portfolios of black and white photos, first the Soviets with seventy-seven then the Americans with seventy-four, they are mostly one to a page and beautifully printed.

The author explains in an illustrated essay the thinking behind taking pictures for propaganda, this could turn out to be a bit of a hazard in the old Soviet Union where creative folk could become non-people as happened to photo-editor Lazar Mezhericher, declared a saboteur in 1937 and photographer Yakov Khalip who had the misfortune to take portraits of NKVD boss Nikolai Yezhov who vanished one fine day, also in 1937. Khalip's work was suddenly tainted!
Incidentally 'The Commissar Vanishes' by David King is an interesting book about the falsification of photos in Stalin's Russia

What the author does not cover is why the American photos are technically so much better than the Soviet ones. I assume this has to do with Roy Stryker's very tight shooting scripts that he made his photographers follow. Also the output of the FSA had to compete with commercial images from ad agencies and the like. The Soviet photographers would hardly have had to worry about such competition and so their photos were much more subjective and creative. Strangely a lot of the American photos were taken in the early forties, despite the book title refering to photography in the 1930s.

Unfortunately there is no index or bibliography, which I would have expected. In the 'Listomania' section of my...'see more about me' page I have made a Top-Ten list of books about about FSA photographs.

Leah Bendavid-Val is to be congratulated on producing an excellent book about documentary photogrphy during the 1930s. These photographs are some of the greatest ever taken. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions   2. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union   3. Exhibition Catalogs   4. History   5. Photo Essays   6. Photography   7. Photojournalism   

Customer Reviews (1)

Wonderful
The quality of prints is wonderful, the photografs are amazing. I have a lot of national Geographics' books and this is one of the best. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions   2. Documentary photography   3. History   4. National Geographic Society (U   5. Photo Essays   6. Photoessays & Documentaries   7. Photograph collections   8. Photography   9. Travel photography   10. History / General   

Customer Reviews (1)

NG Does it again!
One of my favorite things about National Geographic has always been the photos and this book is no exception. It is filled with a beautiful photos that span many years and great changes and advancements in photography. I devoured this book, photos only, in an evening at the local bookshop. When I am looking for a relaxing evening I can think of nothing better than to have a National Geographic magazine or collection of photos to pour over. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Documentary photography   2. History   3. National Geographic Society (U   4. Nature & Wildlife   5. Photo Essays   6. Photoessays & Documentaries   7. Photograph collections   8. Photography   9. Photojournalism   10. Reference   11. Subjects & Themes - Plants & Animals   12. Travel photography   13. Photography / General   

Subjects:  1. General   2. National Geographic Society (U   3. Photo Techniques   4. Photoessays & Documentaries   5. Photograph collections   6. Photography   7. Photography of families   8. Photojournalism   9. Portrait photography   10. Social Institutions   11. Subjects & Themes - General   12. Photography / General   

Subjects:  1. Criticism   2. Documentary photography   3. History   4. National Geographic Society (U   5. Photo Essays   6. Photograph collections   7. Photography   8. Photography, Artistic   9. Photojournalism   10. Subjects & Themes - Travel - World/General   11. Photography / General   

Subjects:  1. Artists, Architects, Photographers   2. Biography & Autobiography   3. General   4. Photography   5. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction   

Subjects:  1. Garden Design   2. Gardening   3. General   4. Landscape Horticulture   5. National Geographic Society (U   6. Photo Techniques   7. Photograph collections   8. Photography   9. Photography of gardens   10. Photojournalism   11. Subjects & Themes - Plants & Animals   12. Gardening / General   

Subjects:  1. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions   2. Exhibition Catalogs   3. Exhibitions   4. Photo Essays   5. Photography   6. Photography, Artistic   7. Reference   8. Soviet Union   

Subjects:  1. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions   2. Manners And Customs   3. National Geographic Society (U   4. Photoessays & Documentaries   5. Photograph collections   6. Photography   7. Photography, Artistic   8. Photojournalism   9. Pictorial works   10. Reference   11. Subjects & Themes - General   12. Weddings   13. Photography / General   

Subjects:  1. General   2. Manners And Customs   3. Photo Techniques   4. Photoessays & Documentaries   5. Photography   6. Photojournalism   7. Subjects & Themes - Fashion   8. Photography / General   

Subjects:  1. Automotive   2. Automotive - General   3. Automotive - History   4. Automotive - Pictorial   5. General   6. Ground Transportation   7. Photojournalism   8. Transportation   9. Photography / General   

Subjects:  1. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions   2. Dwellings in art   3. General   4. House & Home   5. Interior Design   6. National Geographic Society (U   7. Photo Essays   8. Photoessays & Documentaries   9. Photograph collections   10. Photography   11. Photography, Artistic   12. House & Home / General   

Subjects:  1. Artists, Architects, Photographers   2. Biography / Autobiography   3. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions   4. Photography   5. Photojournalism