Full Description
This newly revised edition of Emily Kathryn Morgan's pioneering study offers an in-depth exploration of Street Life in London, the groundbreaking collaboration between journalist Adolphe Smith and photographer John Thomson and first published between 1877-78. Combining powerful essays with innovative photography, Street Life in London sought to expose the realities of urban poverty in Victorian London.
The first comprehensive analysis of the origins, development and impact of Smith and Thomson's work, this book situates Street Life in London as a landmark in socially conscious photography. Hailed as "one of the most significant and far-reaching photobooks in the medium's history" (The Photobook: A History), its influence far outweighs its initial commercial failure. More than just a document of its time, Street Life in London marks the beginning - though not the conclusion - of an ongoing dialogue between text and image in the pursuit of education, reportage and social justice.
Contents
Foreword: Dr Michael Pritchard
Introduction
Revisiting and Re-examining Street Life In London
John Thomson: Life and Writings
Adolphe Smith: Life and Writings
We Are Not The First On The Field
Making Street Life In London
True Types of the London Poor
Street Life In London as Photo-Text
Conclusion
Bibliography
