Re: [Leica] book recommendations--

[Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>]

Patrick Snook wrote:
snip There's even a page of contact prints from one
> complete roll--which reveals the photographer's several attempts to
> capture a particular moment, to compose a particular scene.  Very
> instructive.
> 
> This leads me to another thought:  where else can we find this in
> published works of photographers?  Can anyone recommend any other
> photographers who expose (!) their methods in this way: showing a full set
> of contact prints, or rejected shots, for a particularly successful
> picture? (I dimly recall that one of the Kertesz books has similar
> content.)
> 
> Best regards,
> Patrick Snook

As far as this forest from the trees, figure/ground Gestalt idea you've
got going here (inviting the critics to the rehearsals) goes. I thought
of the Book "Celebrating the Negative"  by John Loengard (not to get too
negative). After searching the house for a half an hour I found it,
looked through it and it only has a very few examples of contacts and
groups of negs, most are single large negs and include a hand or two and
light table tools etc. But I still recommend it here.
It is interesting to see which parts of the negs they don't print (I
think they call that cropping). As far as gaining a perspective goes,
finding some high ground you would enjoy what this book could do to your
perceptions. I got mine used for $20, it sold new for $30 at Powell's.
Mark Rabiner