Claudio Marra - In the Shadow of a Dream - Horst photo

DI UN Sogno Nelle OMBRE
IN THE SHADOW OF A DREAM: HISTORY AND LANGUAGES OF FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY
Claudio Marra, 2008, Ed.Senac
Introduction: Marcio Scavone
Translation: Renato Ambrosio
Preface: Simonetta Persichetti

"In the Shadow of a Dream," Claudio Marra book on the history of fashion photography, was a providential indication of Simonetta , because as it says in Georgia Thursday , just below, completely exorcised my older ghosts.
Explain.
Since always, the fashion photographer was considered among the various photographic categories, the black sheep. The futile. The sold. A cheap prostitute, blinded by the glitter and luxury of dubious taste. Easy money. I spent my professional life carrying on his shoulders this feeling of guilt for having made the wrong choice, the betrayer of the holy office.
And suddenly it's not that!
Claudio starts its journey through history and redemptive indicating that there is the counterpoint between "fashion photography" versus "fashion photography", a strange and relevant point of view, based on the fact "fashion photographed fashion used =", an obvious analogon allusion to the physical implementation of the event which is the clothing. Continue with the reminder that photography can be considered as denoting a mirror with memory, and then enters the history of fashion photography, remembering that the most disturbing dilemma has always been a photographer: place your photo in order to be an objective mirror of clothing dressed, or be a subjective and engaging way to introduce ourselves a dreamlike atmosphere, unreal dreams.
Thus, the dual image X imagery in fashion begins with Baron Adolf de Meyer and smooth your photos, flou-laden connotative imagery, as opposed to his successor at Vogue, Edward Steichen, the creator of images denoting, simple and direct, with no allusions or concerns, which were not the clothes. Through all the most important photographers of all subsequent decades, including the collectives (such as double-Lamsweerde Matadin), to finish in contemporary snapshot of Jurgen Teller and porno-chic Terry Richardson.
The book is readable and very enjoyable, with important quotes and theoretically well grounded, the only exception I make is the fact that, understandably, the authors give some attention to some photographers patriotic Italians who do not deserve, but certainly without exaggeration and without compromising the work.
What I was delighted in reading to see how Marra highlights not only the importance, already widely recognized fashion photography as a historical document, the fundamental study of the behavior of society, but also places it as a factor provoking erotic desire, sensory , which greatly influences both the advertising and contemporary cinema.
Of course I write all this is awfully suspicious, since the work of photographer lifted my spirits stigmatized and I had more respect for myself, so I asked the generous cooperation of those who know more than me, a researcher and lecturer at Georgia Thursdays , author of the excellent book "Man Ray and the Image of Women" .
The relevant analysis of Georgia follows.
Clicio Barroso, July 2009

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by Georgia Farms
There is always a pleasure when we have in our library a book that talks about photography. The theoretical issues are discreet about photography. Thus, In the Shadow of a Dream, Claudio Marra is a book to enjoy for several reasons.
Firstly, because it deals with the themes of fashion in the photograph (or could be the reverse, the photography in fashion). And it is this aspect that the author structure the imaginary line of conducting its analysis, research and theoretical formulations. Claudio Marra demystifies and emerges to the level of weighting out how to fashion and is significant for language and photographic expression.
We can follow the "lesson" that the author gives us, through the text style light and very clear, revealing the various ways that great photographers drove their careers by working with fashion photographs.
Claudio Marra lists some of the stalwarts who fought with this universe imagistic possibilities of authenticity in the context of artistic creation. That is, the book confirms an intriguing question, which for many is seen sideways on the value of fashion photography. At this point, Marra addresses fundamental questions about the history of photography by this bias.
Falls to the ground so the stigma of superficiality and banality that round (sometimes covertly, sometimes less so) the production of fashion photographers. For professionals who go through this crisis, the book serves exorcises ghosts and such as intensive care as the look of each one can lead the relationship between reality and appearance, fashion as an expression of social and cultural construction of identity.
By combining semiotics and theoretical foundations of great authors who reflected on the photo, Marra reveals the complexity of doing photography. While it is the result of a complaint in an editorial, a dressmaker, of the "lines" and forms a simple dress, the photographer owns the craft and its idiosyncrasies. The mechanism of resolution in between those two points might be disruptions, displacements and striking poetic solutions.
What about the great masters who have written their names in the history of photography: Richard Avedon, Edward Steichen, Man Ray, Muncaksi? In In the Shadow of a Dream, we find the story and the timely and educational considerations beyond the apparent liking.
Claudio Marra's book is further proof that fashion photography is respectable, vivid, and deeply symbolic.