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In 1957, Eugene Smith, a thirty-eight-year-old magazine photographer, walked out of his comfortable settled world - his longtime well-paying job at Life and the home he shared with his wife and four children in Croton-on-Hudson, New York - to move into a dilapidated, five-story loft building at 821 Sixth Avenue (between Twenty-eighth and Twenty-ninth streets) in New York City’s wholesale flower district. Smith was trying to complete the most ambitious project of his life, a massive photo-essay on the city of Pittsburgh.

821 Sixth Avenue was a late-night haunt of musicians, including some of the biggest names in jazz - Charles Mingus, Zoot Sims, Bill Evans, and Thelonious Monk among them - and countless fascinating, underground characters. As his ambitions broke down for his quixotic Pittsburgh opus, Smith found solace in the chaotic, somnambulistic world of the loft and its artists. He turned his documentary impulses away from Pittsburgh and toward his offbeat new surroundings.

From 1957 to 1965, Smith exposed 1,447 rolls of film at his loft, making roughly 40,000 pictures, the largest body of work in his career, photographing the nocturnal jazz scene as well as life on the streets of the flower district, as seen from his fourth-floor window. He wired the building like a surreptitious recording studio and made 1,740 reels (4,000 hours) of stereo and mono audiotapes, capturing more than 300 musicians, among them Roy Haynes, Sonny Rollins, Bill Evans, Roland Kirk, Alice Coltrane, Don Cherry, and Paul Bley. He recorded, as well, legends such as pianists Eddie Costa, and Sonny Clark, drummers Ronnie Free and Edgar Bateman, saxophonist Lin Halliday, bassist Henry Grimes, and multi-instrumentalist Eddie Listengart.

Also dropping in on the nighttime scene were the likes of Doris Duke, Norman Mailer, Diane Arbus, Robert Frank, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Salvador Dalí, as well as pimps, prostitutes, drug addicts, thieves, photography students, local cops, building inspectors, marijuana dealers, and others.

Sam Stephenson discovered Smith’s jazz loft photographs and tapes eleven years ago and has spent the last seven years cataloging, archiving, selecting, and editing Smith’s materials for this book, as well as writing its introduction and the text interwoven throughout.

W. Eugene Smith’s Jazz Loft Project has been legendary in the worlds of art, photography, and music for more than forty years, but until the publication of The Jazz Loft Project, no one had seen Smith’s extraordinary photographs or read any of the firsthand accounts of those who were there and lived to tell the tale(s) . . .

The virtuoso images of one of the most in-demand fashion photographer, now assembled in one volume for the first time

How can a photographer of internationally known stars create iconic portraits that linger in the memory — especially since these actors have already been photographed and filmed millions of times? Vincent Peters — who has been working since 1995 for magazines such as Vogue and GQ and fashion brands including Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Yves Saint Laurent — relies entirely on the classic art of portrait photography for his pictures.

Focusing on small gestures and subtle productions instead of prominent poses, he ensures that his subjects do not disappear into the backdrop and that their faces are the focal point. Emma Watson’s features are lent a tragic note with white makeup.

Photographs of stars such as David Beckham and Christian Bale are markedly masculine. Even more intimate are the images that Peters has taken in private surroundings, like when he accompanied Monica Bellucci during the years. His sophisticated lighting has the most impact in his black-and-white photos, bestowing them with a breathtaking cinematic quality.

- Sensitive portraits of international stars including Kim Basinger, Cameron Diaz, Scarlett Johansson, John Malkovich, Charlize Theron, and many others

At the turn of the 20th century, the American photographer Edward Sheriff Curtis (1868–1952) started on his 30-year project to produce a monumental study of North American Indians. Using an approach that was both artistically and scientifically ambitious, he recorded, in words and pictures, the traces of the traditional Indian way of life that was already beginning to die out.

With tireless personal commitment, Curtis visited 80 American Indian tribes from the Mexican border to the Bering Strait, gaining their confidence through his patience and sensitivity. His work was printed in 20 volumes between 1907 and 1930 as The North American Indian, but with only 272 copies, originals became extremely rare.

This book gathers Curtis’s entire American Indian portfolio into one publication, offering renewed access to and appreciation of his extraordinary achievement, which is as much a precious historical document as a triumph of the photographic form.

About the series:

Bibliotheca Universalis — Compact cultural companions celebrating the eclectic TASCHEN universe at an unbeatable, democratic price!

Since we started our work as cultural archaeologists in 1980, TASCHEN has become synonymous with accessible, open-minded publishing. Bibliotheca Universalis brings together more than 100 of our all-time favourite titles in a neat new format so you can curate your own affordable library of art, anthropology, and aphrodisia.

Bookworm’s delight — never bore, always excite!

Gathered around the fire, source of life, protected from the elements by ice and animal skins, the peoples of the great north bring pleasure into their bleak existence by using what meagre sustenance they find in nature. Tales and histories inspire the imagination of these peoples during the long winter evenings, giving rise to a little-known culture, that of men for whom day is often night. The distinctive identity passed on to us so vividly by the peoples of the great north is gradually disappearing, particularly in the mad rush to colonize northern Siberia and in the frenzied search for wealth beneath the earth.

Whether you’re a pro looking to update and diversify your portfolio, or an amateur ready to experiment with exacting new styles, you’ll find inspiration and clear how-to in The Portrait Photographer's Lighting Style Guide. Today’s most popular portrait styles are broken down with lighting diagrams and exposure information, as well as the story behind the shot, to create an indispensable reference for anyone interested in creating more up-to-date, professional-style portraits.

Inside you’ll find:
• Diagrams for lighting 60 portraits in a wide variety of styles
• Gear, lens, and exposure information for each shot
• Photoshop tutorials for everything from RAW processing to HDR, digital makeovers, and more
• Inspiring photographs - including celebrity shots of Angelina Jolie, Samuel L. Jackson, and more - from 11 international photographers

Heidi Hollinger, in a photographic tour-de-force, has captured the spirit of the Russian people as they adjust to their new freedoms. Her sympathetic portraits reveal how some "emerging" Russians relish their new opportunities while others, rooted in the past, struggle to survive in their changing world. The wide-ranging collection in this sumptuous volume includes images of workers, entertainers, artists, military officers, religious leaders, cosmonauts, Stalins great-grandson, and Lenins niece, among others. Accompanying the portraits is a fascinating text by Jonathan Sanders, who provides insight about the people of modern Russia and Hollingers importance in documenting them during this intriguing, troubled era.

For nearly a decade, Hollinger has lived in Russia, at first as a visitor and gradually as an insider, gaining access to such high-profile politicians as Mikhail Gorbachev and Vladimir Putin, as well as other top-echelon personalities. At the same time she explored Moscows lower depths: mounted on in-line skates and armed with mace, she invited typical Russians to her studio to pose for a portrait. Her "working folk" images are in the tradition of pre-Revolutionary masters, who also wandered through the streets in search of representative faces to photograph.

Heidi Hollinger, who was born in Montreal and lives in Moscow and Montreal, contributes her work to leading publications, including Newsweek, Time, Esquire, and The New York Times Magazine. Her photographic books have been published in Canada and Russia. Over the last decade she had more than thirty one-woman shows across the world from Omsk, Siberia to Los Angeles. Her photographic books have been published in Canada and Russia. Her photographic books have been published in Canada and Russia. Jonathan Sanders is a well-known historian and veteran CBS News Moscow correspondent. He served as Ferris Professor of Journalism at Princeton University and taught courses in Soviet and Russian history and television at Columbia University. The former assistant director of the Russian (now Harriman) Institute, Dr. Sanders is currently the Director of the Project on the Russian Future. He is the author of Abbevilles critically acclaimed book, Russia 1917: The Unpublished Revolution.

Scott Schuman just wanted to take photographs of people on the street who looked great. His now famous blog ['the bellwether American site that turned photo blogging into an art form'New York Times] was an attempt to showcase the wonderful and varied sartorial tastes of real people - not only those of the fashion industry. The book is a beautiful anthology of Scott's favourite shots from around the world. They include photographs of well-known fashion figures as well as those shots of the anonymous passerby whose imagination and taste delight the viewer.

From the streets of Rio to Bejing, Stockholm to Milan, these are the people that have inspired Scott and in turn, inspired designers and people of all ages, wages and nationalities with an interest in fashion. Intimately designed and created with Scott, the book is a handsome object in its own right, in full colour on hand-picked, quality paper

Made in India. The Sartorialist’s portrait of the country’s unique style and beauty

Scott Schuman, a.k.a. The Sartorialist, has been travelling to India for over a decade to capture its wildly original beauty in markets, music festivals, city streets, and cricket fields, and across cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Chennai, and Mumbai. The result gathers all the unique qualities that have brought him worldwide renown: a photojournalist’s eye, a humanist’s empathy, and a fashion aficionado’s appreciation for design.

An intoxicating mix of colour, pattern, and texture, The Sartorialist: India is a photographic tribute to the country’s diversity and splendour. Famed American photographer and blogger Scott Schuman journeyed to India many times to capture its wildly idiosyncratic styles, whether on the streets, in markets, on the cricket fields, or at residences in cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Pushkar, and Mumbai.

Schuman’s affinity for his subjects is evident, and he celebrates people of all ages and from all walks of life, from ravers, transgender subjects, wrestlers, surfers, grandfathers, and fashionistas to children and labourers. He also shines a light on the new India as much as on the time-honoured. The casually chic layering of textiles, the enduring prevalence of traditional attire, and India’s pure physical beauty all add up to a richly satisfying visual and cultural experience. The images are also illuminated by an introduction by the acclaimed fashion writer Bandana Tewari.

This vibrant monograph is Schuman’s first for TASCHEN, and it showcases all the unique qualities that have brought him worldwide renown: a photojournalist’s eye for a decisive moment, a humanist’s sense of empathy, and a fashion aficionado’s appreciation for design.

The photographer:

Based in New York City, Scott Schuman had worked in fashion marketing and branding when, in the early 2000s, he began casually photographing stylish people he encountered on the street and posting the images to a blog he called The Sartorialist. Schuman quickly garnered an avid following, and went on to shoot campaigns for Gap, Verizon, Nespresso, DKNY Jeans, Absolut, and Burberry. His work resides in the permanent collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography.

The author:

Bandana Tewari is former fashion features editor and is now editor at large at Vogue India. She has contributed to numerous publications including Elle and Marie Claire and writes a column for The Business of Fashion.

The editor:

Reuel Golden is the former editor of the British Journal of Photography. His TASCHEN titles include Capitol Records, Mick Rock: The Rise of David Bowie, both London and New York Portrait of a City books, Andy Warhol. Polaroids, The Rolling Stones, Her Majesty, Football in the 1970s, the National Geographic editions, and The David Bailey SUMO.

The Selby Is in Your Place was conceived when fashion and interiors photographer Todd Selby began taking portraits of dynamic and creative people - authors, musicians, artists, and designers - in their home environments and posting them on his web site. Nosy by nature, he wanted to see how personal style was reflected in private spaces. Lucky for us, he found his answer in the color-rich and eclectic quarters of a diverse group of subjects, including Simon Doonan and Jonathan Adler, Faris Rotter, Andre Walker, and Olivier Zahm, in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Tokyo, Sydney, and London. Each profile is accompanied by Selby’s watercolor portraits of the subjects and objects from their homes, and illustrated questionnaires, which Selby asks each sitter to fill out. This book consists of over thirty profiles, many of which have never-before-seen, selected exclusively for the book. The result is a collection of unique spaces bursting with energy and personality that together create a colorful hodgepodge of inspirational interiors.

Vanity Fair parties have become a legend of their own. Larry Fink, famous for a keen, uniquely sensual documentary eye, has been the official photographer of these events. His look is clear and honestly searing; his flashlight is married to the instant in devilishly expressive ways. He shows the main celebrities of the glamorous movie world anxiously at leisure.

Die Oscar-Partys von Vanity Fair sind in den letzten zehn Jahren selbst zur Legende geworden. Diese Gipfeltreffen der größten Hollywoodstars sind das ultimative Stelldichein der Schönen, Berühmten, Glamourösen und Reichen. Larry Fink, berühmt für sein scharfes, lustvoll-dokumentarisches Auge ist seit zehn Jahren offizieller Vanity Fair-Photograph der Veranstaltung. Sein Blick auf Superstars und ihre Entourage steht in starkem Kontrast zu allem, was wir vom offiziellen Hollywood kennen und erwarten: Er ist klar und unerbittlich. Und sein Blitzlicht verbündet sich in diabolisch aufschlussreicher Weise mit dem viel zitierten Augenblick. Seine Bilder halten die Atmosphäre der Partys fest, die an Soireen an einem königlichen Hof erinnern. Mit seinem sinnlichen und intuitiven Auge zeigt uns Larry Fink die wichtigsten Stars der glamourösen Filmwelt in krampfhaft guter Laune.

For more than 100 years, National Geographic has set the standard for nature, culture, and wildlife photography. In Through the Lens, 250 spectacular images - some famous, others rarely seen - are gathered in one lavish, newly formatted volume.

Through the Lens is divided into geographical regions with a special section devoted to space exploration. Each geographical section features an outstanding array of photographs that exemplifies the area’s unique people, wildlife, archaeology, culture, architecture, and environment, accompanied by brief but informative captions. From Barry Bishop’s heroic Mount Everest climb in the 1950s to the glorious wildlife of Asia and Africa, from ancient Maya culture to the Afghan woman found 17 years after her piercing green eyes captivated the world, these are some of the finest and most important photographs ever taken.

Featuring master photographers from the late 1800s to today, including Frans Lanting, David Doubilet, David Alan Harvey, Jodi Cobb, William Albert Allard, Nick Nichols, and Annie Griffiths Belt, Through the Lens is an extraordinary photographic celebration of some of the greatest the world has to offer.

For more than 100 years, National Geographic has set the standard for nature, culture, and wildlife photography. In Through the Lens, 250 spectacular images - some famous, others rarely seen - are gathered in one lavish, newly formatted volume.

Through the Lens is divided into geographical regions with a special section devoted to space exploration. Each geographical section features an outstanding array of photographs that exemplifies the area’s unique people, wildlife, archaeology, culture, architecture, and environment, accompanied by brief but informative captions. From Barry Bishop’s heroic Mount Everest climb in the 1950s to the glorious wildlife of Asia and Africa, from ancient Maya culture to the Afghan woman found 17 years after her piercing green eyes captivated the world, these are some of the finest and most important photographs ever taken.

Featuring master photographers from the late 1800s to today, including Frans Lanting, David Doubilet, David Alan Harvey, Jodi Cobb, William Albert Allard, Nick Nichols, and Annie Griffiths Belt, Through the Lens is an extraordinary photographic celebration of some of the greatest the world has to offer.

A tribute to the eternally modern charm of stars and personalities who radiate sophisticated, timeless style. Through glamorous images of celebrities — both contemporary and past — this exquisite volume celebrates the legendary style of actors, models, musicians, socialites, and more.

A curation of the most emblematic figures of the last century, this tome features a who’s who list of style icons from the red carpet, Hollywood films, and magazine covers: from Jane Birkin, Brigitte Bardot, Lauren Hutton, and Audrey Hepburn to James Dean, Marlon Brando, and Mick Jagger. Also spotlighted are beloved icons of our time, including Gisele Bündchen, Blake Lively, George Clooney, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Beautiful photographs underscore each personality’s unique charm and elegance, while informative texts describe the time period and style. The result is a book that’s as enchanting as the legendary figures represented within its pages.

About the Author:

Carlo Mazzoni is the former editor-in-chief of L’Officiel Italy. He recently launched a new magazine, The Fashionable Lampoon.

Around the world in 1424 days: the epic voyage behind the making of the book 1000 Families

Part travel journal, part scrapbook, this unique book traces the four-year, 250,000-km journey of photographer Uwe Ommer during the making of TASCHEN’s 1000 Families. Called a “family album of planet earth,” 1000 Families is a vast collection of portraits taken by Ommer in over 130 countries in all corners of the world. Naturally, a voyage of such epic proportions bears its fair share of anecdotes, adventures, mishaps, and souvenirs, and Transit traces the experience via stories and images. From closed borders and broken bridges to late rainy seasons, curious customs officers, thieves, coups d’état, raging fevers, and a far from “unbreakable” Land Rover, Ommer found truth in the maxim “just about everything that can go wrong, will.” This amusing and original compilation paints a vivid picture of what it’s like to travel to the most remote corners of the globe for four years, meeting countless people and observing the great cultural and social similarities and differences that mark the human race.

About the photographer:
Uwe Ommer became fascinated with photography at a young age and in 1962 moved to Paris, where he initially worked as a photographer’s assistant. Within a few years, he opened his own photography studio, primarily shooting fashion and advertising photos. Quickly gaining respect for his work in Paris, Ommer began showing in local galleries and eventually published his first book, Photoedition Uwe Ommer, in 1979, a collection of personal and advertising works. In the following years, he would publish five more books of his photographs. In 2002, Uwe Ommer was awarded an Honorary Fellowship to the Royal Photographic Society for the impact of his lifetime of work. His other books for TASCHEN include Black Ladies, Asian Ladies, Transit, and 1000 Families.

In an increasingly mobile society, it’s common to cross the globe many times in a single month. Journeys that might once have taken weeks, now take hours. All of this travel is a suitable metaphor for Andrew Macpherson’s rise to the pinnacle of celebrity photography. He has literally travelled the world to profile the best-known people of our age; Charlize Theron, Reese Witherspoon, and George Clooney to name a few. As he’s done so, he’s also embarked on an artistic journey to bring something fresh and inviting to each of his images. In this quest, he employs a multitude of varied techniques, playing with form, context and colour. A note of poignancy overshadows this work. Many of the original negatives were lost in a warehouse fire. It is a testament to the strength of Macpherson’s work that even scanned from magazine pages - as some of these images are - the results still radiate vitality and power.

Originally from London, Andrew Macpherson is now based in Los Angeles. His body of work includes covers for Rolling Stone and Vogue. He has photographed personalities as varied as Bono, Muhammed Ali, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone and John Malkovich.