Photography/photographers and cameras in novels

[allancobb]

<p>I know this question has been asked regarding cameras in movies and TV shows, but what about fictional novels? Anyone know of any novels or anything fictional involving cameras/photography beyond a passing reference, where some aspect of photography was a primary element of the story? Anything where the author gets into specifics, i.e., brands, processes, etc? Just curious and looking for something fun to read. Thanks in advance!</p>

[bobcossar]

<p>"Blow Up" comes to mind and there's the Hitchcock classic "Rear Window"...(I think thats the name)</p>

[bobcossar]

<p>OOPs...sorry...these are films.....worth a look though</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>David Seltzer's novel <em>The Omen</em> (and the subsequent films, one of which involved a screenplay by him) featured a photographer and Creepy Supernatural Darkroom Mishaps with Fortune Telling Film Fogging.</p>

[phyrpowr]

<p>"Burnt Sienna", David Morrell</p>

[clay2]

<p>Donald Hamilton's 'Matt Helm' series has Helm as a photojournalist for<br>

his cover as a government agent. Some of Hamilton's non-Helm books also are<br>

photography oriented.<br>

/Clay</p>

[rnt]

<p>I'm reading a new John Sandford book "Heat Lightening". Our hero is passing time on a stakeout by reading a wildlife photography book and learning to use his new D3 which, by the way, would probably be great for low light surveillance!</p>

<p>Wasn't the bad guy in 'Red Dragon', the leadup to 'Silence of the Lambs' a photographer? I seem to remember a darkroom scene...</p>

[bangengeman]

<p>I believe the "Red Dragon" guy (Ralph Fiennes) was a driver/delivery guy for a processing/developing lab, and I think the blind girl was a technician for the darkroom -- now that I got time to think about it, it doesn't make sense (or I have to watch the movie again).</p>

<p>Can comics be considered books? Spiderman anyone? There has to be a Spiderman novel out there, right?</p>

[iliafarniev]

<p>E-eh, but darkroom there was not for photos, he was breading <em>night flying insects</em> in capti

[Karim Ghantous]

<p>Oh yes... that Dick Francis one, what's it called. Damn. Forgot the title now. But it was pretty good. The whole story was about a photographer and very sensitive photos that he had to bring to light or something.</p>

<p>In Len Deighton's <em>SSGB</em> a couple of characters discussed putting away a couple of Leicas as investments.</p>

[scot]

<p>"Trick of Light' by David Hunt. It's an excellent crime novel and is heavy on photography. There's a sequel, the title of which I forget.</p>

 

[colin carron]

<p>Some UK entries :<br>

'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' - JK Rowling (Argus C3 used in the film)<br>

'Reflex' - Dick Francis (quite good photographic puzzles in this one) and cameras show up in a couple more by DF<br>

'Have his Carcase' - Dorothy L Sayers - where the heroine has to photograph a dead body with her VP Kodak before it gets washed away by the tide.</p>

<p> </p>

[kirsten jette]

<p>I'm amazed that nobody else has mentioned Stephen King! "The Sun Dog" is one of his "novelas" (long short story) in his book "Four Past Midnight". Fantastic story, polaroids still give me the creeps! Even if you don't normally like Stephen King, check it out. It's not a big time investment and the concept that he explores is very interesting. And if you've only seen his movies, trust me, he's actually a very good writer, far better than his movies would lead you to believe.</p>

[William Kahn]

<p><em>The Smoke Jumper</em>, Nicholas Evans (author of <em>The Horse Whisperer</em>)</p>

[Matthew Currie]

<p>Paul Theroux"s <em>Picture Palace </em> is a novel about a famous woman photojournalist looking back on her life and work. Don't remember too many details, having read it many years ago, but I recall it wasn't bad.</p>

[clay2]

<p>Just remebered another:<br>

Eric Adler's 'Epitaph for a Spy'. His film is seized and they can't<br>

understand why he shot a whole roll of film of pictures of<br>

pigeons wandering around on his hotel balcony. He claimed it<br>

was for the various lighting conditions. His military photos were<br>

concealed. At the end, his epitaph was :<br>

'He needed the money'.<br>

/Clay</p>

[clay2]

<p>OOps,<br>

May be 'Ambler', not 'Adler'.<br>

/Clay</p>

[rogerjporter]

<p>the Mercury Visions of Louis Daguerre started out great, i don't know how much is made up and how much is pure fiction, but by the end it melts into a sappy romance reducing Mr Daguerre into a clown from a Harlequin romance novel. the premise is he is a brilliant photographer and painter and slowly goes insane from mercury poisoning, and his entire life he pines over a lost love from his youth. I have been meaning to track down a real biography to check out the real story.</p>

 

[frans_waterlander]

<p>The Bridges of Madison County.</p

[KenPapai]

<p>FAREWELL TO THE MASTER, by Harry Bates, publ. Oct. 1940, a short story.<br>

(and filmed as THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL) (Gort = "Gnut")<br>

"He himself had come to feel an almost proprietary interest in the exhibit, and with some reason. He had been the <strong>only freelance picture reporter</strong> on the Capitol grounds when the visitors from the Unknown had arrived, and had obtained the<strong> first professional shots</strong> of the ship. He had witnessed at close hand every event of the next mad few days. He had thereafter photographed many times the eight-foot robot, the ship, and the beautiful slain ambassador, Klaatu, and his imposing tomb out in the center of the Tidal Basin, and, such was the continuing news value of the event to the billions of persons throughout habitable space, he was there now once more to get still other shots and, if possible,<strong> a new "angle</strong>."<br>

<br /> This time he was <strong>after a picture which showed Gnut as weird and menacing</strong>. The shots he had taken the day before had not given quite the effect he wanted, and he hoped to get it today; <strong>but the light was not yet right</strong> and he had to wait for the afternoon to wane a little..."<br>

Pretty cool!<br>

-Ken</p>

[allancobb]

<p>Thanks to everyone for all the responses! I have plenty of reading material now for the holiday season. Cheers, Allan</p>

[eileen gurska]

<p>Another Stephen King Novela - "N" - it's a eerie stort story in his "Just after Sunset" short stories. </p><div></div>