Camera Era by Barbara Levine and Martin Venezky the Book

A beautiful little bound bundle of visions arrives by mail, a gift from pioneer vernacular photography collector Barbara Levine.  Camera is both catalog and book tied to an exhibition running now through Mid-May in Houston and a wonderful stocking stuffer for summer socks! 

Only Ms. Levine has the noogies (and has earned the rights) to name a book and project simply Camera Era.  She is one of the most important and prominent (thankfully) champions of the found photograph.  That this volume comes at a time when vernacular photography is finally being appreciated as something special is appropriate, as Barbara had much to do with the field being recognized.  Yes, there is a market for these once common, now extinct beautiful physical objects with surface, form,  wear and age.  There are images and there are photographs. 

Photographic images created digitally are void of much and will never achieve the same legitimacy or authenticity to me…digital images are mere pristine bits and bites which do not really exist.  Photographs bend and wear. It is how they show love.  

Camera Era is as much a book of photos as it is the standard photographic accoutrements.  Love notes, captions, lays to photograph claim and directions for appreciating an image from the long gone souls who took the originals.  Labels.  Quotes.  Arrows.  A comely young woman is labeled HOT DOG!  and the scribe is right.  I recognize at least one photo which has traveled the world wide web without her permission, Barbara now being the legitimate owner of it by her claim.  Finders Keepers, Finders Sharers.  Show Barbara some love.

Barbara Levine has a blog HERE which tells more about the book.  A slim volume big in punch.  Learn More about Barbara HERE.  Camera era is HERE.  Barbara is one of my heroes.