Ralph Gibson is a contemporary American photographer born in Los Angeles, California in 1939. He studied photography while in the U.S. Navy then at the San Francisco Art institute. He went on to assist Dorothea Lange and Robert Frank while developing his personal voice as an artist. Many of Gibson’s photograph reveal only a small fraction of the scene yet suggest a much larger, often mysterious or erotic, narrative. His compositions are often minimal yet further study reveals their rich complexity.

“To be able to see in concrete terms what was created in a fraction of a second is a rare luxury. Even though fixed in time, a photograph evokes as much feeling as that which comes from music or dance. Whatever the mode – from the snapshot to the decisive moment to multi-media montage – the intent and purpose of photography is to render in visual terms feelings and experiences that often elude the ability of words to describe. In any case, the eyes have it, and the imagination will always soar farther than was expected” – Ralph Gibson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gibson is fascinated by the photographic book and founded his own printing press, Lustrum Press,in 1969. He is fascinated by the images or narratives that occur in the viewer’s mind as a result of the combination of two or more photographs.

Here are some of the best photography books by Ralph Gibson for your library:

                                        

You can see more of Ralph Gibson’s amazing photography by visiting his website http://www.ralphgibson.com.