In Focus: National Geographic Greatest Portraits

National Geographic has, of course, always been noted for outstanding photography. The book In Focus is certainly no exception. It offers outstanding portraits from every corner of the Earth. Some of the subject matter seems ordinary, but these skilled photographers are able to turn the ordinary into photographs that you will not forget. This is an excellent book to go through slowly while perusing the photos at length. The skill and the vision of the photographers is evident throughout. The book is a companion volume to two other National Geographic books - Through the Lens and Wide Angle. All the books are excellent.

highly recommended for any amateurs seeking ideas for portrait photography, very informative with little sections written out for history as well as organization into time periods of photography!

I bought this for my 20 year old daughter by her request. I glanced at the pictures and they really get your attention

This is truly one of the great books of people pictures, a treasure chest of images truly deserving the self-imposed subtitle of "greatest portraits". Trust me on this. Having spent almost 40 years in the news business as a reporter, photographer and editor, I have some experience in recognizing good pictures and hiring people who can produce good pictures. By any standard, these are great pictures. A "great picture" hinges on an intangible called the moment of peak action. Let me explain that by referring to a photo not in this book; the angry defiant look of Sir Winston Churchill in the portrait by Yousouf Karsh of Ottawa, Canada. Churchill was angry because Karsh had just taken away his cigar, which Churchill had just lit of relax after a speech to the Canadian parliament. It's probably the most famous portrait ever of Churchill. Had I taken that picture, instead of the angry portrait I'd have waited and asked Churchill to "smile". As everyone knows, it would have been a lousy picture of a great man. Karsh had the genius to recognize the precise moment of peak action; likewise, in picture after picture in this book, I saw the same superb talent in capturing the most evocative expression of the subjects. This is the heart of great photography; I think I can recognize it, just as an art critic can recognize a great painting without being able to do it. Photography is the most accessible of the arts; every parent wants "great" pictures of their children, every lover wants "great" pictures of their beloved, every tourist wants that memorable vacation memory. This book is a superb course in what great pictures look like; it's not just a museum of the finest, it's also a teaching example of "here's what a good picture is like" for anyone who takes pictures. This quality can inspire your quality. If we are to learn, we might as well learn from the best whenever possible; if we are to enjoy great art, we might as well have the best. This book is an example of both; the price is incredible for such a treasure trove. It's awesome. Buy it; it'll improve your pictures, and your life.