8 29 June 2019 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113Also out now
The latest and best books and exhibitions
from the world of photography
M o te l Ve g a s
By Fred Sigman, Smallworks Press, £23.58,
188 pages, hardback, ISBN 978-
WHEN we think of American
locations, be it the arid vistas of
California’s Death Valley or the
neon-saturated metropolis of New
York’s Time Square, we often do so in
cinematic terms. We’re so accustomed to seeing these
generous landscapes onscreen we can’t help but
project narratives into their empty spaces. Such is the
case with art historian, globetrotter and photographer
Fred Sigman, who has produced this evocative book,
which takes a look at the various motels that sit within
downtown Las Vegas and Fremont Street.
As casinos boomed on the southern end of the Strip,
the downtown area remained static, meaning that each
motel has retained its classic design of the 1950s and
’60s. It’s a place that remains in relative obscurity and
yet through Sigman’s lens, it is brought back to life. He
allows each structure to speak for itself and, therefore,
allows us to dream of the stories that have taken place
within their walls. ★★★★★Oliver Atwell© FRED SIGMAN© COLIN MURRAY
Photography
in India
Prestel, £49.99, 304 pages, hardback, ISBN 978-3-7913-8421-I
ndia. Its dazzling cultural diversity,
gorgeous light and jaw-dropping
scenery are like catnip to
photographers. Even in today’s
image-saturated age, the Indian sub-
continent lures millions of visitors with
cameras, from the smartphone-toting
masses to well-heeled punters on
photography workshops, through to
die-hard travel pros still trying to make a
buck from this hugely over-shot place.
Photography in India, meanwhile, is one
of the most interesting and addictive
books I have seen this year. This
beautifully produced volume chronicles
how generations of photographers have
responded to this beguiling country,
interspersed with sharp and insightful
essays on the changing cultural context
behind their pictures.
The history of photography in India runs
parallel with the rise of the British Empire,
and whatever your thoughts on the Raj,
the infl ux of soldiers and colonial offi cials
with cameras gave us a rich heritage
of 19th- and early 20th-century
photography to enjoy. ‘Enjoy’ is maybe
not the best word and some of these
early pictures are shocking to the modern
eye. One of the opening images shows agroup of Andamanese orphans with their
bewhiskered Victorian ‘keeper’. Then
there is Felice Beato’s 1858 shot of
an execution following the failed Indian
Mutiny (although hanging was relatively
merciful compared to some of the
punishments handed out). As well as
gifted amateurs, some of the greatest
pioneers of Victorian photography, such
as Francis Frith and Samuel Bourne,
also feature.
Move into the 20th century, and the
seismic effects of Indian independence
bring big documentary names such as
Cartier-Bresson to the sub-continent;
as you’d expect, Mary Ellen Mark’s
hard-hitting documentary work on sex
workers is also covered in depth.
Please don’t assume this book is
skewed towards western visitors attracted
to the exotic or dramatic, however. Indian
photographers feature strongly, particularly
the post-war generation. There are some
wonderful young Indian artists working
in India right now, such as Sohrab Hura
(born 1981), so it’s reassuring to see
that great photography is still being
passionately pursued in this fascinating
and beguiling country.
★★★★★Geoff HarrisJagmandir Island
Palace, Udaipur, 1873,
by Colin Murray
(1840-1884)BOOK
BOOK
BOOK
Italy
By Gray Malin, Abrams, £28.99, 144 pages,
hardback, ISBN 978-
I THINK I’m missing something with
this book. The photographer Gray
Malin (whose work you can buy not
only as books and prints, but also
as towels, iPhone cases and er...
cocktail kits) says it is ‘the story of my love affair with
Italy.’ In its pages, we are shown several things: harsh,
overhead light, fuzzily rendered (and no doubt extremely
expensive) boats in marinas, and the photographer’s
loafered feet. Sockless, of course. There’s plenty of
evidence that he enjoys ice cream, a glass of wine and
boat trips. There’s very little, however, to show that he
sets his alarm early to capture the day’s best light. A
handful of reasonably pleasing diptychs and triptychs,
and some nicely composed aerial shots do little to break
up what is a pretty average book. A love affair with Italy
it may be, but a love affair with creative photography?
Not so much. ★★★★★Ailsa McWhinnieBy Nathaniel Gaskell and Diva Gujral