Edward Weston's California Landscapes

Book Description

Walker Evans' radical photography of the 1930s demonstrated that unembellished photographic fact could serve as a highly poetic language. These works expanded the potential of the art of photography and at the same time defined a lasting iconography that recognized advertising, movies, and car culture as central images of modern American identity. Walker Evans & Company focuses on Evans as a central figure in the arts of the 1920s and 30s, and includes works in photography and other mediums that influenced Evans or were influenced by him, or which resonate in a significant way with aspects of his imagery, sensibility, and style. Among the other artists whose work is featured are: Eugene Atget, Mathew Brady, Stuart Davis, Robert Frank, Lee Friedlander, Edward Hopper, Roy Lichtenstein, Ed Ruscha, August Sander, Andy Warhol, and Edward Weston. Published in conjunction with the second of three cycles of millennial exhibitions at The Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Customer Reviews:

Photo Fine Art.......2007-05-21

Peter Galassi focuses on Evans as one of the great photographers of the twentieth century who also had a huge influence on many American photographers (and some contemporary graphic artists) and the ten visual chapters in this beautiful book provide a convincing case.

Photography as an art form has had a hard time proving it. Unlike fine art paintings, which exist as an entity, photography has mainly presented a visual record in many printed mediums (newspapers, magazines, advertising, packaging, posters) all seen by the public but not as art. Walker Evans helped to change that perception in America.

The first two chapters are interesting because Galassi features photographers who influenced Evans, especially Eugene Atget and his studies of Paris. The remaining eight each start with work by Evans then the chapter theme is carried on by other well-known photographers (and artists) who drew inspiration from the style and subject matter in his work. The hundred creative folk featured are a who's who of American photography since the 1940s.

Just over three hundred images are shown printed in an impressively fine screen (more than 250dpi) that brings out the wonderful detail in so many of them. Galassi contributes a fine introduction and each photographer get a comprehensive list of their photos in the back of the book. Overall I thought this was a fascinating survey American art photography whose origins clearly owe so much to Walker Evans.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

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A must read if you are an artist...
Daybooks of Edward Weston
The Weston experience- an introspective look
Into the Intimate Life of Ed Weston
An intimate look into the mind and soul of an artist

The Daybooks of Edward Weston
Beaumont Newhall
Manufacturer: Aperture
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0893814458
Release Date: 2005-06-15

Book Description

For more than fifteen years, Edward Weston kept a diary in which he recorded his struggle to understand himself, his society, and his medium. Seldom has an artist written about his life as vividly, intimately, or sensitively. His journal has become a classic of photographic literature.

A towering figure in twentieth-century photography, Weston sought to awaken human vision. His restless quest for beauty and the mystical presence behind it created a body of work unrivaled in the medium.

Customer Reviews:

A must read if you are an artist..........2006-08-09

I can tell that this was a really interesting book. After reading it front to back more than once, I now have a new outlook on Edward and his work. I finally understand what he was trying to convey though his images thanks to this book. Edward Weston had a fascinating life especially with all who he encountered. This is a must read if you are an artist, photographer or not!

Daybooks of Edward Weston.......2005-09-20

Second time reading Weston's Day Books over thirty years. First time I was young and only looking for technical hints. This time I'm much more interested in relationships, family, and Weston's struggle with his art, money and life A must read for all artists.

The Weston experience- an introspective look.......2004-06-13

A fascinating introspective look into the mind of one of the great American photographers of the beginning of the 20th century, Edward Weston. With his intricate, yet simple, and sometimes abstract images, Weston created a world of his own together with his "one true love," his camera. By evidently pouring his soul into every entry of his daybooks, Weston makes the reader gain a greater understanding of his technique and extraordinary eye for beauty. The chronological organization of entries takes the reader from Weston's days in Mexico through his days in California.
Not only writing about photography, Weston describes his many acquaintances (his encounters with Stieglits are most interesting), his dinner parties, his adventures in a foreign land, his romantic dealings, etc. It was interesting to read of his take on Mexico of the 1920's. Also interesting is the glimpse into the life of a struggling artist who depends of every "sitting" to survive...the life of a true artist. The pairing up of his writings with sporadic clusters of his wonderful photographs enhanced and completed this Weston experience. Alltoghether a fascinating compilation of thought, highly recommendable.

Into the Intimate Life of Ed Weston.......2003-04-18

This book is a great book to get to know the thoughts of Edward Weston on his daily work of photography and personal life. This is a diary type book of daily entries of thoughts. It has some funny points and sad points (as a lives do). Photographers today can identify with the great Photographer on his progress of daily work. If you want to see Edward Weston's thoughts in his daily life this is the book to get! I'd have to say it's awesome to know the thoughts and happenings of a great photographer of the past!

An intimate look into the mind and soul of an artist.......1998-01-10

This book stands alone in the annals of art history. No other book gives such an intimate view into the day-to-day trials of a working artist. Weston, who from time to time fostered ambitions of becoming a writer, genrously shares his thoughts and his experiences over a 15 year period, culminating in a remarkable portrait of the artist as a human being. While literary critics may have occasion to fault his prose, which at times seems flowery and verbose, given his Victorian-age education this can be forgiven of him. Weston takes us through his decision to leave his family and travel to Mexico, where he chronicles not only his own work, but that of other artists. He writes of the bullfights, love affairs, the scenery, and of the many unforgettable characters he met along the way. Weston moved in many circles, and thoroughly enjoyed himself, whether his company be artists or revolutionaries. He shares with the reader his many instances of self doubt, of guilt, and of poverty. He also shares his many triumphs, as his original photography begins to garner commercial success. We see Weston as an art critic, giving unflinching opinions of the works of Diego Rivera, Carlos Orozco, Robinson Jeffers, and a host of others. He is no less honest in his evaluation of his own work. Included in the volume are 72 extremely well-reproduced photographs divided into the various periods of his photographic life. We are givin a behind-the-scenes look at how these photographs were made, from both the artistic and the technical point of veiw. Most importantly, the Daybooks is not just for photographers or Weston afficianodos, but for anyone who appreciates a well-written autobiography of a remarkable artist.

Edward Weston: The Flame Of Recognition (Aperture Monograph)

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Edward Weston: The Flame Of Recognition (Aperture Monograph)

Manufacturer: Aperture
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0893815330
Release Date: 2005-06-15

Book Description

In the years since Edward Weston passed away in Carmel, California, he remains in memory as a man of great spirit, integrity, and power. To me he was a profound artist and friend in the deepest sense of the word. Living, as I do now, within a mile of his last home, sensing the same scents of the sea and the pine forests, the grayness of the same fogs, the glory of the same triumphal storms, and the ageless presence of the Point Lobos stone, I find it very difficult to realize he is no longer with us in actuality.

Edward understood thoughts and concepts which dwell on simple mystical levels. His work--direct and honest as it is--leaped from a deep intuition and belief in forces beyond the apparent and the factual. He accepted these forces as completely real and part of the total world of man and nature, only a small portion of which most of us experience directly. As with any great artist or imaginative scientist, the concept is immediate and clear, but the "working out" takes time, effort, and conscious evaluations.

Edward Weston's work stood for him as a complete statement of the man and his art. He favored the grand sweep of creative projects. He was aware of the loneliness of the artist, especially the artist in photography, photography where out of the uncounted thousands of photographers only a handful of workers support the best photojournalism, illustration, documentation, and poetic expression. And it was Weston who accomplished more than anyone, with the possible exception of Alfred Stieglit, to elevate photography to the status of fine-art expression.

His approach bypassed the vast currents of pictorial photography, photojournalism, scientific-technical photography, and what is generally lumped together as "professional photography" (portraits of the usual "studio" kind, illustrations, and advertising). Through his kind of photography he opened up wonderful world of seeing an doing.

Many were the students and experts whose lives and concepts were profoundly modified by Edward's non-aggressive, non-preaching, but ever-comprehending approach. "Seeing" the Point Lobos Rocks was one thing, making wondrous pictures of them another thing, but encouraging another person to "see" something in his own way was the most important thing of all.

Edward's works need no evaluation here. I would prefer to join Edward in avoiding verbal or written explanations and definitions of creative work. Who can talk or write about the Bach Partitas? You just play them or listen to them. They exist only in the world of music. Likewise, Edward's photographs exist only as original prints, or, as in this Aperture monograph, in superb reproductions. Look at his photographs, look at them carefully, then look at yourselves--not critically, or with self-deprecation, or any sense of inferiority. Read the material from his Daybook and letters so carefully compiled, edited, and associated with the photographs by Nancy Newhall. You might discover through Edward Weston's work how basically good you are, or might become. This is the way Edward would want it to be.

--Ansel Adams, 1965

Margrethe Mather and Edward Weston: A Passionate Collaboration

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Good art, bad art history

Margrethe Mather and Edward Weston: A Passionate Collaboration
Beth Gates Warren
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0393041573

Book Description

An examination of the personal and professional relationship between two important American photographers. Margrethe Mather has been remembered mostly through the commentary of fellow photographer Edward Weston, who referred to her as "the first important person" in his life. In fact, Mather was probably the greatest influence on the development of Weston's early career. They first met in 1913 and soon developed a close relationship, eventually working together as full-fledged artistic partners and even co-signing the photographs they produced. Weston was also madly in love with Mather, and the two engaged in a brief affair during his first marriage. This book, which features work by both artists, chronicles their twelve-year association and sheds light on Mather, whose artistry, sexual identity, and mysterious past were overshadowed by the massive reputation of Edward Weston and his subsequent association with Tina Modotti. 94 duotone photographs.

Customer Reviews:

Good art, bad art history.......2002-04-20

Almost nothing has been written on the pictorialist movement in California in the early 20th century, yet every well know photographer in California was active in it. This book is an imaginative look at one of the best and most mysterious practitioners. Mather and Weston found themselves in L.A. at the time in history when the movie industry was taking shape and a lot of creative and adventurous people came out here. This book captures some of that atmosphere.

Mather is interesting as a woman, as an artist and member of an eclectic group of West Coast artists, one of whom was Edward Weston with whom she worked and did other things for about 12 years. There is no question that they stimulated each other. Nothing could be less important except to get you to buy a book, I think.

Warren weakens Mather by linking her to Weston, trying to make the case that she influenced him. Her analysis is superficial to the point that her writing seems like an "infomercial". This is not surprising since the author used to work for an art auction house.

She would be far more informative if she had pointed out the differences between their approaches to the same subjects. Artists, particularly photographers of the place and time in question, met each other in clubs where they showed each other their work and talked about it. Everyone knew everyone and their influences helped define the differences between them. The Impressionists hung out together, the Dadaist hung out together as did almost every group or movement in art history. It is not informative for the author simply to restate this commonplace.

One of Mather's photographs of a boy wrapped in a kimono Warren compares with Weston's photograph of Tina Modotti in a kimono taken some years later. The subject is not new, and both photographs are wonderful but entirely different. Mather's is graphically 30 years ahead of its time, abstract, soft and easy.
Weston's is bold, sharp and explicit, and a dramatic break with pictorialism. It was probably influenced by Stieglitz, not Mather, according to those who wrote about Weston's meeting with Stieglitz. These two pictures, like many of the others Warren compares, are not even about the same thing.

In the end, this is a book about Edward Weston and not Mather. No new light is shed on either one of them, despite the huge bibliography of reference material. Not all of the works listed support Warren's case but she never mentions this of course.

There is a lot of art in this biography but not much art history. The photographs are well selected and presented. Margrethe Mather made some exceptional photographs which brought her a just amount of fame.

Mather's personal life would make a good movie. She was beautiful, talented and led a mysterious life which ended somewhat tragically. She died unknown mostly because she wanted to, and that is an important part of her story which Warren explores in this book.

Warren is working on a longer treatment of Mather. Hopefully she will pay more attention to the substance of the artist's work and her personal life and distract us less with her association with Weston.

This book is graphically rich and stimulating food for thought. Buy if for the art and dig up some of the material referred to in the footnotes.

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A Weston Must-Have

The first time

Best Overall Volume of Edward Weston's Work

Best Overall Volume of Edward Weston's Work

good homepage

Edward Weston: Forms of Passion
Gilles Mora
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Weston, Edward | ( V-Z ) | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Edward Weston: The Form of Nude (Monographs)

Edward and Brett Weston: Dune

The World's Top Photographers: Nudes: And the Stories Behind Their Greatest Images (The World's Top Photographers)

The Photographer's Eye

Ruth Bernhard: The Eternal Body: A Collection of Fifty Nudes

ASIN: 0810939797

Customer Reviews:

A Weston Must-Have.......2001-10-18

Anyone curious about Weston or wanting to own a representative selection of his work should buy this book. This IS Weston. This is not a few selected prints of his on a single theme, this is a wide representation of the best of Weston's work. One will find for oneself that ALL of Weston's pictures are about passion, that's what makes a picture a Weston. Here in this book are beautifully reproduced plates of his finest images, every one exuding shape and energy, and exquisite composition, none just ordinary. There are images of factories, fields, sand, wood and also the human body, all of which have been captured in all its glory by Weston. He teaches us that there is energy, art and passion in an amazing number of ways. Don't miss this fine book.

The first time.......2001-09-21

It was a nude Weston's photo of Tina Modoti, layed down on a rural house floor, in México, that had put me on the trail of both. Since then I've been delighted with the sensibility and the astonishing "color" of the B&W photos of them, nudes bodies, "nude" nature, what ever... It was the first time, almost ten years ago.

Best Overall Volume of Edward Weston's Work.......2001-07-01

Review Summary: Edward Weston was trained as a portrait photographer and expanded his vision to include many natural shapes, including seashells, nudes, vegetables, trees, landscapes, and eroded rocks. He also did a little industrial photography, where the forms he saw also revealed pure shapes of interest to him. These shapes usually had a modernist feel to them that brings to mind Plato's theory of forms, pure ideas behind what we see every day. This book is fine overview of all phases of Mr. Weston's career, and contains many interesting and valuable essays about his career. The book is improved by having over 80 images that had not been published before this volume. The 320 duotone images are on very fine paper and are extremely well reproduced. Many would have benefited from being printed in larger sizes. If you decide to own only one book of Edward Weston's work, I suggest you choose this one.

Viewer Caution: This book contains many nude images of women, men and children that would surpass what would allow the material to obtain an R rating as a motion picture.

Review: Edward Weston's photography reveals a personal fascination with form, shape and shadow that provide a unique vision into the natural world. He was especially intrigued to see how the shapes of one object or subject could complement another. For example, his female nudes are often posed outdoors in sand dunes or beach settings where the gentle curves play off of one another. Where he focuses on eroded rocks, each one combines with another to express the equivalent of an abstract sculpture, standing out exposed by the erosion around the harder rock that forms the image.

While his landscapes could be every bit as majestic as Ansel Adams's best work, Weston's tastes and interests developed mostly independent of the leading photographers of his time. That independence gave him a greater versatility as a photographer and a more personal style. Few would mistake his ability to locate the patterns within nature and human-made objects for the work of any other photographer. To me, the artist closest to his vision was Georgia O'Keeffe.

My favorite images from this book include: Ruth Shaw, a portrait, 1922; Armco Steel, 1922; Nude, 1925; Dancer, 1927; Chambered Nautilus, 1927; Cypress, Point Lobos, 1929; Bedpan, 1930; Pepper, 1930; Soil Erosion, Carmel Valley, 1932; Church at "E" Town, 1933; Nude, 1935 (first one); Bug Tracks in Sand, 1935; Whale Vertebrae, 1934; Dunes, Oceano, 1936; Nude Series of Charis, Oceano, 1936; Zabriskie Point, 1937; Tree, Lake Tenaya, 1937; Point Lobos, 1940; Dillard King, Monteagle, Tennessee, 1941; Civilian Defense, 1941; and Nude, 1945.

While you look at these works, you will imagine that Edward Weston is at your side . . . pointing out details that you might not have noticed. His photography always has that character of being a reflection of his eye, rather than what the casual observer would naturally see. Both realities have equal validity, but your mind and eye will prefer Weston's.

In the biographical material, you will learn about his weakness for changing partners and how that helped to provide his muse. Many of the models for his female nudes are his lovers (including his second wife, Charis) and his nudes of children are of his son. His passion for Tina Modotti brought him to Mexico and helped draw his attention to many fascinating scenes.

After you finish enjoying this work, I suggest that you think about what inspires you. What would you be happiest and most proud being remembered for as your source of inspiration? How can you express yourself in more personal ways that show your most inner self?

May your passion inspire the goodness in others!

Best Overall Volume of Edward Weston's Work.......2001-07-01

Viewer Caution: This book contains many nude images of women, men and children that would surpass what would allow the material to obtain an R rating as a motion picture.

May your passion inspire the goodness in others!

good homepage.......1999-03-26

no commen

Average customer rating:

Super, but not perfect...
Magnificent Book!
Outstanding

Edward and Brett Weston: Dune
John Woods , Kurt Markus , and Charis Wilson
Manufacturer: Wild Horse Island Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0967732123
Release Date: 2003-08-02

Book Description

Description: Dune collects, for the first time, the sand dune photographs of both Edward and Brett Weston, two giant names in modern photography. Previously, their remarkable dune photographs--dramatic abstractions of light and shadow and sensuous shape--were featured as samples in overview publications on the artists, just a picture here and there. This lush volume brings together father and son in a personal, unique fashion, showcasing the photographs each made in the same locations. Adding depth is an original essay by Brett Weston's longtime friend, traveling companion and biographer, John Charles Woods. Woods' intimate, forthcoming narrative describes what it was like to accompany the younger Weston into the dunes and what his habits and personality were like. Charis Wilson, Edward Weston's one-time wife, excerpts a passage from her acclaimed book Through Another Lens, in which she tells of a 1936 trip she and her husband made to the dunes of Oceano, California. Also included are correspondence between father and son, and excerpts from Edward Weston's daybooks.

Customer Reviews:

Super, but not perfect..........2007-05-22

Lovely book with satin pages. Material a little samey in some respects but interesting (slight) contrast in styles neatly illustrated. Minimalist, a little text but I am glad I own it. Not a knockout, but enjoyable and a pleasure to own. Certainly opened my eyes and will be a valued part of my collection.

Magnificent Book!.......2004-02-07

Without doubt one of the most magnificent books related to photography ever published. The Westston's photgraphs are out of and well beyong the realm of "pictures" -- the treatment of the photographs and Kust Markus' text and treatment of the Weston's works reverantly rings true and honest, no pretentious drivel here!

Outstanding.......2003-08-28

What a terrific book on the 2 great masters of 20th century photography. A joy to read and the reproductions of the Dunes are some of the best I have seen in any book on EW or BW. Highly recommended for the collector of Westons and others. A real treasure and I keep on opening it to view such beautiful images.

Edward Weston: The Form of Nude (Monographs)

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Beautiful B&W

Edward Weston: The Form of Nude (Monographs)
Amy Conger
Manufacturer: Phaidon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0714845736

Book Description

Edward Weston (1886-1958) is one of the seminal figures of twentieth-century photography. An exponent of straight photography', Weston was committed to making photographs free from technical tricks and incoherent emotionalism' which were able to capture the essence of the subject. His series of self-portraits, nudes, landscapes and close-up still-lifes defined modernist photography in their formal elegance, simplicity and abstraction. The first photographer to win a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1937, Weston is among the most influential figures in the history of photography.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful B&W.......2006-11-06

Amy Conger has produced a beautiful collection of Weston's photos, selected form about 25 years of his work. As the title suggests, most of these are wonderful figure studies. The remaining few are still-lifes or landscapes. Many of these, like the shells p.48, pepper p.69, or radish p.74 present the same curves and compositions as his nudes.

In part, these help to bring out a geometric contrast that seemed to fascinate Weston: the merger of flowing curves of figure with harsher, angular geometries. One (p.70) creates a square frame of crossed arms containing the roundness of the model's breasts. Others show the elegant gawkiness of knees and elbows (p.75, 91), or the columnar architecture (p.77) of the body's supporting members. Two photos (pp. 102, 103) present a generously rounded black model, coincidentally named Weston - just enough to leave me hoping for more, in contrast to Weston's more common work with slender, light-skinned women.

Although I enjoy this book immensely, one thing about it baffles me. For some reason, Conger's publisher chose to use the same format and cover photo (Nude, Bertha Wardell) as a much earlier book by Charis Wilson - something that could easily fool potential readers into mistaking one for the other. It's not that Conger was unaware of Wilson's book, in fact Conger notes it in her bibliography. I guess I'll never know.

Or need to. It's a great collection anyway. Conger's brief biographical note at the beginning (echoed in Spanish at the end) was helpful, but the pictures truly speak for themselves.

//wiredweird

Tina Modotti & Edward Weston: The Mexico Years

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Tina Modotti & Edward Weston: The Mexico Years
Sarah Lowe
Manufacturer: Merrell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1858942454

Book Description

Tina Modotti and Edward Weston travelled to Mexico in 1923 at the start of an extraordinary period of artistic creativity that became known as the Mexican Renaissance. Although often perceived as being principally embodied by the politically motivated work of Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros and JosŽ Clemente Orozco, the Mexican Renaissance was shaped by the contribution of dozens of artists, both Mexicans and expatriates, and gave rise to an exceptionally hospitable environment for innovative art-making. The work Modotti and Weston made in the 1920s marks the beginning of a Modernist photographic aesthetic that left an indelible mark on the history of photography in Mexico. Each contributed to this history individually: Modotti is known for beautiful still-lifes that gave way to Modernist images of Mexican workers and poetic revolutionary icons. Weston's Pictorialist-influenced imagery was abandoned in favour of sharp, clear, 'straight' photographs and an engagement with form. Also included in this exquisitely produced book is a selection of images by two Mexican photographers, Manuel çlvarez Bravo and Mariana Yampolsky, whose work was influenced by these two foreigners.

Edward Weston (Masters of Photography 7)

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The Perfect Appetizer
Great Aperture Book
A Summation of a Spectacu

Edward Weston (Masters of Photography 7)
R. H. Cravens
Manufacturer: Aperture
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0893813052

Book Description

A towering figure in twentieth-century photography, Edward Weston sought to awaken human vision-- to lead viewers to "see through their eyes, not with them." His restless quest for beauty and the mystical presence behind it created a body of work unrivaled in the medium.

This volume of Aperture's Masters of Photography series offers Weston masterpieces drawn from photographs spanning more than four decades. Included are his early Pictorialist images; industrial studies of Armco Steel; stunning portraits from his Mexican period; the breakthrough still lifes and landscapes of the thirties; and the sometimes acerbic images of the later years.

R. H. Cravens's essay draws upon Weston's writings and recollections by sons, lovers, and friends. What emerges is the profile of "a thoroughly American genius-- courageous, pure, troubled, unorthodox, and utterly sure of its purpose."

The Aperture Masters of Photography series is devoted to those individuals whose achievements have accorded them vital importance in the history of the art form. Each volume presents a selection of the artist's greatest images. Published to Aperture's standard of excellence, the Masters of Photography series provides a comprehensive library of the artists who have shaped the medium.

Customer Reviews:

The Perfect Appetizer.......2004-07-04

The excellence of this small unassuming little gem alters the traditional photographs of Mexico in the 1920's. Edward Weston
saw a reality, a starkness and a purity in the daily Mexican life not often portrayed by the photographers of its own country. The romanticism
of his pictures make you want to become part of the experience. He, hand in hand with Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Tina Modotti. Mariana Yampolsky are part of a
post-war Modernism that embraced Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. I explored
all of the above as a result of this tiny little Aperture book. I recommend it to anyone with many or few dollars, the experience is overwhelming and speaks to you with passion. It leaves you wanting more......

Great Aperture Book.......2000-09-25

Wow, a photography book that you do not have to buy with a loan application or perfect credit. Weston was such a commanding presence in so many photographic fields, and this overview of his work is great. One quibble: I wish there had been better ties between the women in his life and the nudes featured here. Who was who? Also, his bio mentions the last photo he took, but does not include it. Other than that, great work by a great artist and a great inspiration.

A Summation of a Spectacu.......1999-03-26

If you were to only buy one of Edward Weston's books, this would be the one -- and for less then $10...

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