Sally Mann: Immediate Family

by Reynolds Price and Sally Mann

Book Overview

This is a book of remarkable images - intense and intimate - recording the photographer's children as they explore their woodland home in Virginia. The striking photographs show the ambiguities and dramas of family life, hauntingly evoking the mysteries of childhood. All of the photographs in Immediate Family were taken with an 8" x 10" view camera. As Sally Mann herself says in the introduction: 'These are photographs of my children ... many of these...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0714830542
• ISBN13: 9780714830544
• Release Date: May 2001
• Publisher: Phaidon Press
• Length: 88 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Age Range: 13 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 8 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Mann Captures Childhood's Natural Beauty

It's hard to see why there has been such a legal fuss over the photos contained herein, especially the luminous photos of older daughter Jessie, who was interviewed in the 1993 documentary "Blood Ties", which showed other photos not in the book [alas]. I only hope Mann has a chance to have published other photos of her children from this period, as well as some feom the 4 or 5 years immediately after [from about 1990 to 1995]. In the documentary, daughter Jessie was completely relaxed about all of the fuss, and seemed relaxed about being photographed without any clothes on in several photos. She wore nothing in several unpublished photos I've seen from the same period, like photos entitled "Venus After School", and "The Good Daughter". In an Aperture magazine retrospective on her from the early 2000's, she was very succinct in stating that she saw nothing wrong in any of this, and even more previously unpublished photos were published for the first time, proving that Jessie could be the subject of her own book. Here's hoping! This book is not to be missed! Don't let the controversy scare you away, before it's out of print for good!

A Vision of Innocence

Looking through the photographs in this volume, I feel so glad that Sally Mann's children had the freedom to just be themselves. You can see it in the pictures--nothing is "staged" or "put on," though you *will* see the kids playing at being grown up. Mostly, though, these are pictures of her children dressed and undressed, sprawled in the mud or playing games together or taking a nap. There are a few adult friends, but mostly these are photographs of the children. They are wonderful. You realize how precious this fleeting phase of life is, and given this opportunity, you can see that children possess their own kind of beauty. I think it's called 'innocence,' and it is one mode of freedom. It's a kind of freedom that seems endangered in this world, so a photographic record of this sort acts as a kind of testimony that childhood can indeed be carefree, natural, and happy.

seminal work

This collection of works is undoubtedly a seminal work for contemporary fine art photography. Sally Mann's print work is without a doubt some of the most competant and breathtaking I have ever seen. Her scenes are rich with subtle tones and almost ethereal luminance that captivates the viewer. I would not be surprised if she is remembered as much for her printing as she is for the controversial subject matter. The book deals with childhood in a very honest unashamed way. This is problematic for some viewers who think that pictures with children should only portray their happiest moments. This subject matter may not be suitable for the rigid-minded and certainly will be unpleasant for those who believe children, unlike the rest of humanity, can only be presented as cheerful little sprites. The book challanges the viewer and brings up issues of how our cultures representations of female sexuality are interpreted and acted out by young girls. Beyond that it refuses to entertain the idea that nudity in children is necesarily harmful and exploitative. These issues are broached in a beautiful, delicate way. The lives of her children are portrayed honestly and respectfully as she sees them through her lens.

Absolutely beautiful.....

I've read some of the other reviews for this book, and most of the negative ones seem to mostly criticize the expressions on the faces of these children, and how they must reflect a miserable childhood. However, I know that when I was a child, I did not go around constantly with a huge grin on my face, even though my childhood was overall pretty happy. I think that if these photos showed these children all at happy moments and always smiling, then they would be boring, and I wouldn't consider them to be art. I think that these gorgeous photos honestly reflect their childhoods, and the ordeals they went through growing up. Just because the child's faces are blank does not mean that they were unwilling participants in these photos. Also, just because they were raised in an environment where nudity was accepted and not an issue isn't a cause for critism here either, in my opinion. Some people are just raised differently and in different environments, and I think it is fascinating to see how open this family was. I don't find it dirty [...] in any way at all. It's just honest, real photography.

Acceptance

Sally Mann was introduced to me in my college photography class through a video and I was facinated from the start. She is incredibly creative and her ideas were shot down by many because of nudity. It is not nudity, it is a beautiful art that she has been able to transform to film. She is wonderous and very talented. The book helps to show the childrens lives. How they lived within themselves and Sally was simply there constantly repeating, hold that pose. A lot of heart was put into this, creating amazing work.