The first ever photobook was created by a woman called Anna Atkins and it was a book called Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions and it was made in 1843.
Why do photobooks play a big part in the history of photography?
It has been a very helpful way for the early photographers to have their work be appreciated as it was a way for them to publish their work but it has also helped them in other ways too as it has helped photography become an art medium that is recognized 'fine art' and to be considered as complex and as fulfilling as paintings were.
Why was Anna Atkins such an important part of the history of photobooks?
Anna Atkins was an important part of what is now the photobook because she was one of the early Victorian pioneers of the photobook and photography being an art. She was also the first ever female photographer, her photography style consisted of mainly cyanotype.
Three most influential photographic books:
Robert Frank – The Americans Mark Borthwick – Not in Fashion Stephen Shore – American Surfaces
What is a concertina?
A concertina book is a book that has concertina folds, it is a method of parallel folding with the folds alternating between front and back. And in terms of Photography it will have pictures printed on it creating a photobook.