SUMMARY
Timed with photography's 200th anniversary, Nathalie Herschdorfer's "This is Photography: The First 200 Years" sidesteps defining the medium. Instead, it traces photography's evolution from 1826 to 2026 through a chronological arrangement of key photographs and contextual entries. The book weaves in thematic essays and allows readers to observe the medium's development and internal dialogues over time, from early experiments to contemporary works.
TAKEAWAYS
A new book chronicles 200 years of photography, coinciding with its bicentenary.
The book avoids a definitive explanation of photography, instead showcasing its history through images.
It presents photographs chronologically, from 1826 to 2026, with contextual essays.
The approach allows for observing photography's continuous development and self-argument over time.