Description:
In The Photographic Legacy of Frances Benjamin Johnston, Maria Elizabeth Ausherman offers the most comprehensive study to date of one of America's most influential early photographers. Drawing on extensive archival research from the Library of Congress, Ausherman traces Johnston's nearly seventy-year career--from portraiture and photojournalism to her groundbreaking documentation of historic architecture and landscapes across the American South. As one of the first women to build a professional career in photography, Johnston helped define both the artistic and documentary possibilities of the medium while shaping early movements in architectural preservation. This book illuminates Johnston's enduring impact on photography, preservation, and the visual record of American cultural heritage.
Review Quotes:
"Ausherman offers the fullest account available of the remarkable career of Frances Benjamin Johnston, one of America's finest photographers and recorders of the national heritage. This book is exceptional for its assured handling of Johnston's place as pioneer woman photographer and leader in the movement for architectural recording and preservation."--John Maynard, New York University
"Given the importance of Johnston's work, a comprehensive study is long overdue. Ausherman traces connections between her early work--in portraiture, artistic studies, and photojournalism--and her later architectural and garden photography. This book explores Johnston's innovative impact on early photography."--Ian J. Firth, University of Georgia