Goldsmith A. The Photography Game: What It Is and How to Play It

Viking Press, 1971. — 200 p.Photography, once a hobbyist's pastime, is today both an art form and big business. In The Photography Game Arthur Goldsmith, Director and President of the Famous Photographers School, discusses the many ways in which the camera has revolutionized modern communication and ways of seeing, and tells how the amateur photographer may make the long leap into the professional field. Following a brief introduction summarizing the history of photography, he gives a short course in the best use of cameras and equipment, and analyzes the ways in which the eye and the camera absorb and interpret images. His text goes far beyond that of the multitude of technical manuals available in every camera shop to explain the nuances possible in photography and the characteristics that distinguish truly great pictures.Separate chapters deal with the evaluation of test reports, the function of commercial camera and photo shows, the advantages to the professional of using custom darkrooms, and what to do about model releases. How to get assignments and clients, how stock pictures can become a source of income, and the financial rewards to be expected in various fields are all thoroughly covered. The author's reports of his interviews with Henri Cartier-Bresson, Alfred Eisenstaedt, and W. Eugene Smith, and his account of the work of Dorothea Lange, show how four masters of the art have approached and solved the problems and challenges of photography.