Understanding a Photo

Berger's writings on photography are excellent proof of the attention and care he gives to thinking. There must be a reason why we enjoy reading his writings so much: for him, thought is never a gesture, vanity, or an intellectual exercise. It is as if the instinctive curiosity of a small child has matured into adult discipline. A truth that draws us in, stemming from his sincere and compassionate identification with the object he observes. Secondly, there is that aesthetic criterion which Berger defines in a simple way: "Does this work contribute to people learning about their social rights and encouraging them to demand them?" These writings also have another characteristic: for Berger, analysis is never just criticism and questioning; it always tells us a visible or invisible story belonging to the photograph. He is also a storyteller.

As this collection, compiled by Geoff Dyer, is designed as a special edition on photography, it also includes sections from Berger's previous books. Additionally, there are texts written for exhibitions or as introductions or afterwords to catalogs but not included in any of his books. We believe that the pleasure you derive from reading Berger will continue with these as well.