Photography Visionaries by Mary Warner Marie, Laurence King Publishers, 312 pages, $53.
In every artistic field there are people who break new ground, who constantly push the boundaries, who through their work take the entire group to a new level. Sometimes this is done from instinct, other times through grit and determination, in many cases they don't necessarily know where they are heading but believe they are on the path to something better. These visionaries aren't always given the credit they deserve at the time but are later recognized for their contribution.
In this collection of noteworthy photographers there are many different types of leaders present. Some like Ansel Adams have become icons in the world of photography while others like Lewis Hine who used his photography to fight against child labour contributed so much but died nearly penniless. Mary Warner Marien presents the work chronologically of 75 photographers. Some achieved great public recognition for their work and others may not be as well known but influenced many who followed. Each one is shown through a main single image, a one-page description of their background and career with a portrait, and then two more pages of photos and a timeline.
While the limited number of photos appearing with each photographer is frustrating it is the combined impact of all their careers that makes this book work.
