Women Photographers at the National Geographic - Book Reviews - Review

Women Photographers at the National Geographic Author: Cathy Newman Publisher: The National Geographic Society (Washington, DC), [c] 32000 272 pages, US $40.00

Cathy Newman began her career as a writer at the Miami News, and joined the staff of National Geographic in 1978. She is now a senior writer, and covers many topics in a career with them which has including her first text: "Perfume: the Art and Science of the Scent" (1998).

The foreword to this book was written by Tipper Gore, a distinguished photojournalist. Women photographers have been involved with the art and science of photography since the beginning, but there has been a misconception that photography, particularly travel photography and photojournalism, is for men. The introduction, by Naomi Rosenblum, speaks of a famous 1967 photography of the leading photographers of National Geographic: 25 of them, and all men. While the National Geographic Society was founded in 1888, the first official women photographer was Eliza Sodmore, who captured in 1914 the image of Japanese women reproduced in the introduction. The illustration is hand-colored since there was no Kodachrome[R] or other colored film-stock available.

The following illustrations captured my eye, but since it's the National Geographic, all the photographs are outstanding and powerful:

Page 27 - A pastoral country village with children, and the green hills in the background in contrast with the warm brown tones of the buildings and the street. ([c] 1955, location - England, photo by Kathleen Revis)

Page 38 - A ballerina's feet with a cat, looking up at her--presumably impressed with the dancer's pose. The dark gray kitten and the white shoes again a powerful contrast. ([c] 1997, location - New York, photo by Karen Kuehn)

Page 221 - A women kissing her soldier boyfriend -- an image of peace in a dangerous world. ([c] 1996, location - Jerusalem)

Page 251 - Pelicans making a pattern on water -- the order and harmony of nature graphically illustrated. ([c] 1992, location - Mississippi, photo by Anne Griffiths Belt)

The quotation from Margaret Bourke-White on the back cover -- "We see a great deal of the world. Our obligation is to pass it on to others" -- helps us realize how the future of photography may be in the women-students currently intent on this demanding and exciting career. The book should be an inspiration.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Photographic Society of America, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group