Harald Mante’s “Photography Unplugged”

Harald Mante has a new book out titled “Photography Unplugged” from publisher Rocky Nook. The book is intended as both a catalog of Mante’s work and as an example of working in an unedited, untouched way, more “natural” way. From the book’s description:

© Harald Mante

Harald Mante is regarded as one of the outstanding contemporary photographers in Germany. He started out as a travel photographer whose work was published in numerous magazines and books and later taught photography in the tradition of the Bauhaus school of design, applying image and color composition concepts to photography.

This book is meant to present the wealth of Mante’s photographic work and at the same time to advocate a pure, straight approach to photography, untouched by digital image editing tools — uncropped and unmodified captures of scenes as seen through the viewfinder.

Photography Unplugged is meant to sound a voice which is singing to a slightly different tune than the digital photography choir.

Harald Mante’s photographs, all captured on Kodachrome’s legendary slide films, will inspire beginners and expert photographers alike, and will reveal the beauty and magic of masterfully composed photography.

Of course I put “natural” in quotes, because I don’t necessarily agree with this approach. Not to say it isn’t a valid one, it certainly is, but it seems to me that there’s nothing “natural” about the photographic process, and simply stopping the series of artistic decisions or lack of at the point of capture seems somewhat contrived to me. If you’re going to do “something”, then why not do “something” else too?

Of course the book isn’t just a philosophy pounded into your head, it’s also chock full of Mante’s work, which true to form are indeed frequently well composed.

Curious what some of the readership might think?

Resources

• Mante’s website
• Some of Mante’s portfolio

Availibility

• Harald Mante’s “Photography Unplugged”

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