Photography and the Making of the American West, by Paul Clee, Published by The Shoe String Press, Inc.

A Linnet Book
Grades 7-up
Published October 2003
xvi, 128 p., illus., notes, bibliog., webog., index
ISBN 0-208-02512-X.
Cloth, $27.50

"This is a readable and insightful history that weaves together the story of the development of photography and the exploration of the American West. It clearly shows how the images that were captured influenced public opinion and ideas about the Westward movement. There were photographers who specialized in documenting U.S. government expeditions. Others focused on how people lived in towns. Clee devotes a chapter to the ways in which the medium was used to depict the lives of Native Americans, often for self-serving purposes. Photographers from the very famous such as Edward S. Curtis and Mathew Brady to lesser-known practitioners are identified, and brief descriptions of their contributions show how diverse the perspectives were. The difficulties they encountered as they toted their equipment through the vast expanses and the challenges of processing from daguerreotype to photogravure show the determination and dedication of these artistic pioneers. The author includes both an extensive bibliography and Webography. The approximately 20 black-and-white photos effectively represent the varied perspectives of the photo-graphers. This look at the Westward movement through the camera lens will make a strong addition to most collections." — School Library Journal (1/04)

Photography and the Making of the American West

by Paul Clee

Chosen as a Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004 by the National Council for the Social Studies in cooperation with The Children's Book Council.

Photography came on the American scene at about the same time the exploration and settlement of the West was getting underway. The converging of these processes resulted in a complex interrelationship which has influenced the public perception of the frontier, its landscape, and its inhabitants from the 1840s onward.

By telling the story of who the early frontier photographers were, how they worked, and what influenced them, Paul Clee shows how their vision became our own. From the famous—Edward S. Curtis and William Henry Jackson—to the obscure, these men documented what they saw for a variety of purposes both practical and artistic. Sometimes they manipulated subjects or events to achieve desired effects for the folks back East. Other times they brought nineteenth century ideas and sensibilities to their work, rendering for an eager audience a West that perhaps never was or would be.

For all study of the Westward movement, how the new medium of photography affected history is undeniable; and the popular American imagining of the West has been forever influenced by its images.

About the Author

Welsh-born Paul Clee holds MA degrees in English and in photography. He is retired from teaching at Tacoma Community College in Washington and currently lives in Arizona. This is his first book for young people.

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