Lyle Rexer: The Edge of Vision: The Rise of Abstraction in Photography Paperback – Illustrated, September 30, 2013

I found the text and illustrations extremely interesting, although the text may sometimes be abstruse. Having to use one's brain, or a dictionary, from time to time is not a bad thing. An interest in the subject of abstract photography, or in the author's words, "undisclosed photography", "a vision of things that have not yet been seen", certainly makes the effort worthwhile. Could the same points have been made more simply? Yes. That would not have been a bad thing either.Writing this review, I find that I want to read the book again and spend more time with its images. The book offers a fresh approach to the history of photography, one that I think is important as art photography meets the digital age.

This is a beautiful and informative treatment of abstract photography and i highly recommend it to you. The author does a good job of explaining the unusual photo processes and neatly tracks the developments of abstract photography from the beginning of art photography up to the present. i especially loved that the book grants considerable space to 21st century photographic works and the frontier of digital photography. i was glad to learn of several compelling current artists. the prints are beautiful and broadly representative. i find myself thumbing through often. a terrific piece of work for the academic and the casual enthusiasts.

As an artist who flirts with abstraction and an educator who tries to open up a discussion with students on the nature of abstraction and representational images in photography, I ate this book up.I loved Lyle Rexer's Photography's Antiquarian Avant-garde and I love this book, not just for the collected images but the writing.Thank you Mr. Rexer for a new resource.

It is a little heavy on the "art critic speak" as some other reviewers have said.But the choice of pix is great and the text was enough to get me going.Overall it inspired my own photography in the direction of adding abstraction to the mix when the spirit is right.This book succeeds because it avoids using art critic bull to try to sell you a load of crap art.I'm not saying I liked every print in here but it avoids being one endless stream of Andy Warhol-esque "here I pissed on the canvas now you explain how it is art."

The book is filled with deep and insightful articles and ideas to inspire. I would recommend this book to any photographer that wanted to explore the abstract side of photography.

Well written & interesting. However, I found it a little too detailed and repetitive for my taste.

A very nice retrospective look at the importance and nature of abstraction in creating meaning that transcends the obvious.

if you are researching abstract abstraction contemporary photography this book is a must read. it's easy to read, understand and gives many useful references

Anyone wanting to read this book needs a good knowledge of English, so I'll write in English. The book is a well-written description of the development of abstract photography from the start of photography to present day. There are plenty of illustrations to support the text too. I found (and find) the book interesting for the history, and inspiring for my own photography.

A wonderfully written book and a good selection of photographs.

What a superb study. As you might guess from the title, this is NOT a practical manual showing you how to set your aperture or play around with your shutter speed. It's an extremely well written, thoroughly referenced scholarly work offering an alternative history of photography through explorations of 'abstraction' and its developments. I like the way it highlights the diversity of approaches, bringing out subtleties and complexities that belie any simple categorization. It's beautifully illustrated - there's inspiration enough in the images alone - and well presented. For all its intellectual rigour, it's immensely readable. You're engaged right from the start. This is far from a 'quick-read-and-that's-it' kind of book, however, and you will almost certainly find yourself returning to it as a dependable source of reference (especially as it also contains a selection of primary texts) and to re-examine its arguments. If you're looking for a stimulating exploration of the historical, artistic and cultural development of abstract photography, from early practice to contemporary thinking, then make a space on your bookshelves for this excellent publication.

I have seen that book before in the library, and I had to have my own copy!Worth having if you're into abstract photography

Very interesting book, passing by all history of photography, focusing on the more vanguard approaches to the medium. Interesting point of views.