Women Photographers

Far too often photography, like so many other vocations or avocations, is considered man's domain. Therefore, most photographic books have been written either by men or about men. Over the years, however, books such as The Woman's Eye, Julia Margaret Cameron: Her Life and Photographic Work, Julia Margaret Cameron: 1815 1879, The Gentle Eye, Imogen Cunningham: Photographs, Laura Gilpin: An Enduring Grace, etc. have appeared to document the unusual photographic skills of such noted individuals as Bea Nettles, Alisa Wells, Gertrude Kasebier, Eudora Welty, Barbara Morgan, Margaret B. White, Julia Margaret Cameron, Dorothea Lange, Imogen Cunningham, Laura Gilpin and Clementina, Viscountess Hawarden. These truly special works have not surfaced as often as one would like. Therefore, it was a pleasant surprise to discover Constance Sullivan's edited work, Women Photographers. Opening with the likes of Maria Chambefort's hand-colored portrait (1850) and Lady Filmer's calling cards (1864), this work reveals a history not only of women photographers, but also of photography itself. Sullivan has orchestrated a visual feast of photographic artistry which spans 140 years of creative achievement. In designing this work, the editor has endeavored to include the greats and the lesser known. The mixing and blending of these outstanding women photographers in a semi-chronological fashion encompasses the photographic achievements of: Julia Cameron, Berenice Abbott, Dorothea Lange, Cindy Sherman, Diane Arbus, Mary Ellen Mark, and Annie Leibovitz; with lesser known photographers--Margaret Watkins, Aenne Biermann; and recent achievements of Jan Groover, Wendy Snyder MacNeil, Nan Goldin, etc. This work is a book of photographs which could, because of its striking portrayal of beauty, strife, sorrow, and dignity, stand alone. Many so-called photographic works bog the reader down in such a quagmire of prose that the visual effect suffers. In this case, however, Eugenia Parry Janis is careful to tailor her essay to simply and effectively enhance the pictures without trying to reveal any grand thesis or purpose. In an age of "equality," some reviewers and photographers have questioned the use of the book's title, Women Photographers. The best way to respond to this criticism is to note the many books on Indian, black, and 19th century photographers. This book's title merely provides a means of classification for a group of rare and often times neglected individuals--women photographers. Sullivan's adept editing coupled with Janis's essay provides the reader with a fascinating and diverse view of photography at its best. The work is a must for all devotees of exceptional photograpy. Dr. Carl Edwin Lindgren COPYRIGHT 1993 Photographic Society of America, Inc.