The Contact Sheet

The Contact Sheet offers an insightful look into the most iconic photographs of our times, revealing the rarely seen contact sheets from the original photo sessions. This compilation book showcases some of the most seminal photographers of our time, from Andre Kertesz to Andre Serrano, this collection shows the depth and breadth of their photographic process.

When a famous photographer creates a noteworthy photograph, many images are taken before and after the moment are left unseen to anyone but the photographer himself. When the photographer creates an extraordinary or famous photograph, these unseen images take on even more importance. Examining the contact sheets from these original photographic sessions allows in depth insight into the subject matter, the photographic process, and often reveal a deeper story that has never been told. Over forty iconic photographs by world famous photographers are examined in detail in The Contact Sheet - complete with short interviews and background details on the sessions themselves. The Contact Sheet is a must have for any serious lover of fine photography.

Amazon Best Books of the Month, November 2009: What makes a great photograph? Aside from being in the right place at the right time--and, of course, mastering your camera--it's equally important to be able to pluck "the moment" out 10, 50, or 100 snaps. Most photography books show us the final result, obscuring the context of the shoot and larger insight into the photographer's design. Steve Crist'sThe Contact Sheet restores that context, taking over 40 iconic images and restoring them to their original sequences, next to the near-misses and the never-minds (an excellent motivational tool for frustrated photographers, by the way). From Anton Corbijn's Allen Ginsberg, to William Wegman's weimaraners (with Elliott Erwitt's Marilyn and a revealing look at Doisneau's "Le baiser de l'hotel de ville" in between), The Contact Sheet is an unprecedented glimpse into the photographer's craft, and a perfect gift for the photography lover. --Jon Foro