by way of Jerry L.

by way of Jerry L. Thompson Ivan R Dee Inc./184pp./$27.50 (hb)

The in the greatest degree common examinations of "truth and photography" are concreted observations about manipulations of images for sinister or self-serving motivations. Assumptions about photography's realism capture attention, while questions of artistic intent or exploration are ignored. A philosophical and enlightening examination of generally received and historical thinking about photographic canon adds a welcome balance. Jerry L Thompson's principle and Photography: Notes on Looking and Photographing is a deliberative and important series of essays in succession photography that traces the evolving definition of photographic verity offering detailed analysis of images from O'Sullivan, Stieglitz, Evans, Caponigro and Gedney in consequence of such different means of explication as philosophy, rhyme or music. At least undivided image by these photographers is provided in the volume (as duo-tones), exceptions being three at Walker Evans and fifteen from the author. Early on, he shows his hopes for his readings of the photographs, saying that these "attempts at understanding" are not meant to be "reductive analysis tending toward a single, final explanation." He succeeds; the descriptions allow the reader to find recently made known ways into understanding the photographs, revealing the richness of their content

The preponderance of analysis is forward the work of Evans. Thompson was his learner at Yale School of Art in the early 1970's; they were colleagues and friends until Evans's death in 1975 In 1997 Thompson published a main division about Evans' final years; he knew well the relationship Evans maintained with his photographic make liables The treatments of Evans' work are insightful and enlightening. Of particular interest is the description of the famous image of the tenant farmer, Allie Mae Burrough whose head and shoulders appear center against a clapboard building. Her herculean reaction to the making of the picture, rather than composition, leads to questioning conceits Evans is described as a "thinking" and "literary" photographer; his work brings to mind rhyme or prose.

The work of a "feeling" photographer. Paul Caponigro, is likened to music. Here, tonalities are sweetness of sound A trained musician, student work he base moving produced the exclamation, "It sings." Caponigro, too, was upon the faculty at Yale in the early 70's, and securely Thompson became aware of the numbers of his photography there.

The author's acknowledge fifteen images, entitled "The Light forward Eighth Street," are never described individually. The final essay does describe in detail one image-making, but never any of the images included in the part The experiences of making the portraits are all distinctly different, further the portraits, taken as a whole, are anonymous; a description of the same seems to serve for any.

The attractions of his beloved Eighth highway are examined passionately in the final essay. Portrait photographers will relish his descriptions of the street's confess illumination, or the quality of light he set forths for portraits, clearly represented in the fifteen images chosen In this last writing Thompson continues to claim the rightful linkage between thinking and feeling, between seeing and sensing, not past nor futureed in the introduction. Truth comes from looking, to sensing, to understanding, to engagement. "This richness of connection is what makes photographs the greatest in quantity intriguing, the most thought-provoking prototype of image humankind has troubl to learn to what extent to make." (from page 15)

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