How Long to Read The Instant and Its Shadow

How Long Does it Take to Read The Instant and Its Shadow?

It takes the average reader 1 hour and 15 minutes to read The Instant and Its Shadow by Jean-Christophe Bailly

Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more

Description

A compelling and innovative reflection on the way photography captures and condenses time Two photographs, connected by a ladder, separated by a century. First, William Henry Fox Talbot photographed a faithfully realistic image of a ladder against a haystack in the English countryside.One hundred years later, an anonymous photographer captured another ladder, “photographed” alongside an incinerated man by the blinding light of the atomic bomb. These two images underpin a poetic and theoretical reflection on the origins of photographic technique, the imaginative power of montage, and the relation of photography to time itself in Jean-Christophe Bailly’s The Instant and Its Shadow, translated into English for the very first time. A rare find of intellectual caliber and theoretical rigor, The Instant and Its Shadow pursues a unique and powerful reflection on the first hundred years of photography’s history and on the essence of the photographic art in general. Inspired by the unexpected coming together of these two iconic images, the book begins by retracing Talbot’s invention of the photographic calotype in the early nineteenthcentury, highlighting the paradox that saw Talbot wishing to imitate the representative arts of painting and drawing while simultaneously liberating the image from any imitative paradigm. This analysis leads Bailly to elucidate photography’s relation to material and visual reality. A meditation on photography’s seeming ability to stop time follows, concluding with the photographs of Hiroshima and the photographic nature of the atomic bomb. Building on an inspired juxtaposition of The Haystack with the Hiroshima photographs, the book becomes a testament to the potency of photomontage, arguing that “the more singular an image, the greater its connective power.” Bailly’s book is at once a lyrical homage to some of the founding texts of photographic theory and a startling reminder of the uncanny power of photography itself. Part theoretical reflection, part lyrical reverie, The Instant and Its Shadow is packed with profound and stellar insights about the medium.

How long is The Instant and Its Shadow?

The Instant and Its Shadow by Jean-Christophe Bailly is 74 pages long, and a total of 18,796 words.

This makes it 25% the length of the average book. It also has 23% more words than the average book.

How Long Does it Take to Read The Instant and Its Shadow Aloud?

The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 1 hour and 42 minutes to read The Instant and Its Shadow aloud.

What Reading Level is The Instant and Its Shadow?

The Instant and Its Shadow is suitable for students ages 8 and up.

Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.

When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.

Where Can I Buy The Instant and Its Shadow?

The Instant and Its Shadow by Jean-Christophe Bailly is sold by several retailers and bookshops. However, Read Time works with Amazon to provide an easier way to purchase books.

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