I N T R O BY T H E C U R ATO R & E D I TO R It is with great pleasure that we introduce Volume 2 of International Masters of Photography, a labor that was a year in the making. Volume 1 was very well-received and gave us a great impetus to proceed further. This second volume follows the same approach that we established last year with the first book of the series: to include the broadest possible spectrum of the art of photography created by talented practitioners from all over the world, to create a panoramic chronicle of this most lively and rapidly developing of all the visual arts. Again, we include not only well-established and well-known photographers, but also younger, emerging and often unknown talent. The common denominator, we believe, is just this last: talent. And each talent, as we think the viewer of these pages will ascertain, is different. It is interesting that in an art which was once belittled as being a mere recording of reality could foster such strong individual identity in its expression. In fact, one could say that this quality of identity is one of the most important markers of artistic talent in photography. Also important is that we feature photographers from literally every corner of the world, from large cities and rural areas alike. Of course we have here photographic artists from the centers of New York, Los Angeles, London and Paris. But likewise, there is formidable talent from a plethora of locations elsewhere, and often this gives the art new and fresh perspectives. Finally, we adhere to the same expansive approach to genres and types of photography, from classical landscape, wildlife and fashion photography (in some cases using only classical emulsion film), to highly digitally- altered images, to polaroid pictures, and from photography with visible light to imaging with infrared and x-rays. All we believe is photography, and all must be included to give a comprehensive cross-section of the art. It is our hope that we entertain and enlighten the readers of this book, and also that we give photographers everywhere further impetus and inspiration to develop their talent. Despina Tunberg - Curator -
Thomas Tunberg - Editor -