In Flashes of Brilliance: The Genius of Early Photography and How It Transformed Art, Science, and History, photo editor and writer Anika Burgess provides an enjoyable journey through the early decades of photographic history. From photography’s birth in the 1830s to the early 20th century, Burgess blends art, science, and social history into an entertaining story of innovation and eccentricity. She introduces us to pioneers like Anna Atkins, whose cyanotypes produced the first photobook, and the dynamic duo Muybridge and Marey, whose motion‑capture experiments laid the groundwork for modern imaging technologies
Burgess’s narrative thrives on astonishing and at times humorous anecdotes. Photographers risked their lives with explosive flash powders (sometimes not living to tell the tale) and were known to have lugged massive cameras into hot-air balloons, or even ventured into catacombs and underwater realms to freeze moments no one had ever seen before. Burgess’s storytelling is enriched by dry wit throughout the book. If you’re familiar with Burgess’s writing from Atlas Obscura, you’ll see the thread of their creative writing throughout this book.
Flashes of Brilliance extends beyond technical marvels. The book probes the societal ripples of photographic innovation. Issues like image manipulation, privacy concerns, and surveillance were alive at photography’s inception. Burgess shows how photographs became tools for asserting identity and power, such as self-portraits by Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass. Flashes of Brilliance is not just a history of photography. It’s a well-written, creative narrative about something that many of us take for granted one selfie at a time.
MY RATING: 5
