Stephen Bray

Photography & Psychoanalysis: the Development of Emotional Persuasion in Image Making (Photography & Consciousness) (Volume 1) Stephen Bray 1st edition

This concise, illustrated, work informs about the histories of photography and psychoanalysis. It describes how they came together in the 20th Century to revolutionize political propaganda and sales messages. It references the works of several 20th Century and contemporary photographers including: Edward Steichen, Brian Duffy, Helmut Newton, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Nan Goldin, Gregory Crewdson, Larry Clark, and Wang Qingsong. It includes a chapter summarizing and critiquing many of the thoughts of the philosopher and activist Susan Sontag, as well as being completely up-to-date with a Chapter about photographers Cindy Sherman and Miru Kim. The book demonstrates how images may be understood, and interpreted, using the ideas of Freud, Jung and Lacan. Written in simple language this isn't a work about how to make technically 'better' images, but rather a book to help you understand the psychological impact of images. You are introduced to various characters who influenced the development of both photography and psychoanalysis during the 19th and 20th centuries, and you are helped to appreciate the impact they continue to have today. Psychological and photographic concepts are added into the narrative until it becomes possible to look at examples of contemporary advertising images and campaigns using appropriate tools. Later, the text moves to look at the development of art, and domestic photography, including the force that commercial photography places upon these. In a relatively short journey you are guided through psychoanalysis and systems theory, photography, surrealism, advertising and much more. "This is your chance to understand, and free your mind from, assaults by those images which, every day, make you feel less, and less, happy, unless you buy, buy, buy." If you sell products, or services, it will help you to create more effective advertisements.