The Photographic Illusion: Using the Mind's Eye to Create Photos for Collectors and Clients

This volume in the Masters of Contemporary Photography series looks at the work of Duane Michals, an American photographer known for staged, conceptual pictures. It reproduces black-and-white and color photographs, and shows working material from his assignments, including contact sheets, experimental shots and trial magazine layouts next to the pictures finally chosen. Michals gives technical details for his best-known images, covering lighting, lenses and camera angles. The chapters include "Escape from the familiar", "Sequences: setting up pictures to explore the mysteries" and "Single images: using light to create illusions". Ronald H. Bailey wrote the text, which sets out Michals' working methods and his approach to making images for both collectors and commercial clients. The series is described as "how I do it" instruction by working professionals rather than a general how-to course. The book combines Michals' photographs with commentary on how they were made.