Called to the Camera: Black American Studio Photographers [Hardcover]

A timely reconsideration of the history of photography that places Black studio photographers, and their subjects, at the center

From photography’s beginnings in the United States, Black studio photographers operated on the developing edge of popular media to produce affirming portraits for their clients, as well as a wide range of photographic work rooted in their communities.Called to the Cameraoffers a comprehensive history of this work, from the nineteenth-century daguerreotypes of James Presley Ball to the height of Black studios in the mid-twentieth century, and considers contemporary photographers responding to Black studio traditions today. In addition to showcasing famous photographers such as Ball, James Van Der Zee, and Addison Scurlock, this volume brings attention to dozens of other artists across the country, including Florestine Perrault Collins, Austin Hansen, and Henry Clay Anderson. The book features more than one hundred extraordinary vintage photographs, many of them unique objects and some, like those by the Hooks Brothers Studio, published here for the first time. Highlighting Black subjects on both sides of the camera,Called to the Camerapresents a broader and more inclusive history of photography.A timely reconsideration of the history of photography that places Black studio photographers, and their subjects, at the center“Essays contextualizing the wealth of images accompany crisply reproduced photos, which guide us along a journey through the church gatherings and sports games of everyday life, and pivotal figures in Black American history.”—Hyperallergic
 Brian Piperis assistant curator of photographs andRussell Lordis the Freeman Family Curatorl3#