| Dates: | 1899 - 1986 | | Born: | US, OH, Cleveland | | Active: | US | | Gender: | Male |
American photographer.Preparing biographies
Biography provided by Focal Press
Known as a modernist photographer and filmmaker, Steiner was a founding member of the New York Film and Photo League. His sharp focus, carefully composed photographs portray quotidian America, their exquisite detail and textures presented with a modernist’s eye for meaning in form. A successful career in magazine and advertising photography supported his passion for art photography and avant-garde film. In 1929 he produced his first film, H2O. Steiner’s artistry in documentary filmmaking led to his collaboration with photographer Paul Strand as cameraman on Pare Lorentz’ documentary film, The Plow that Broke the Plains, and in 1938 with Willard Van Dyke, on The City, a critically acclaimed film about New York.
(Author: Garie Waltzer - Photographer and consultant)
Michael Peres (Editor-in-Chief), 2007, Focal Encyclopedia of Photography, 4th edition, (Focal Press) [ISBN-10: 0240807405, ISBN-13: 978-0240807409]
(Used with permission)
Readings on, or by, individual photographers
Steiner, Ralph, 1978, A Point of View, (Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press) [Δ]
Steiner, Ralph, 1985, In Pursuit of Clouds: Images and Metaphors, (Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press) [Δ]
Steiner, Ralph, 1986, In Spite of Everything, Yes, ( Albuquerque: Harwood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, University of New Mexico Press) [Δ]
If you feel this list is missing a significant book or article please let me know - Alan - alan@luminous-lint.com | |
Family history
If you are related to this photographer and interested in tracking down your extended family we can place a note here for you to help. It is free and you would be amazed who gets in touch.
alan@luminous-lint.com |
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The following books are useful starting points to obtain brief biographies but they are not substitutes for the monographs on individual photographers. |
• Capa, Cornell (ed.) 1984 The International Center of Photography: Encyclopedia of Photography (New York, Crown Publishers, Inc. - A Pound Press Book) p.486-487
• Coke, Van Deren with Diana C. Du Pont 1986 Photography: A Facet of Modernism (New York: Hudson Hills Press, The San Francisco Museum of Art) p.184
• Fernandez, Horacio (ed.) 2000 Fotografía Pública: Photography in Print 1919-1939 (Aldeasa) p.228 [This Spanish exhibition catalogue is one of the best sources for illustrations of photomontage and book design for the period between the two World Wars.]
• Witkin, Lee D. and Barbara London 1979 The Photograph Collector’s Guide (London: Secker and Warburg) p.242-243 [Long out of print but an essential reference work - the good news is that a new edition is in preparation.]
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If there is an analysis of a single photograph or a useful self portrait I will highlight it here. |
Photographic collections are a useful means of examining large numbers of photographs by a single photographer on-line.
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