The definitive history of photography book, Seizing the Light: A Social & Aesthetic History of Photography delivers the fascinating story of how photography as an expressive social construct came into being, and its continued development, maturity, and transformation.

Covering major events, practitioners, works, and social effects of photographic practice, author Robert Hirsch provides a concise and discerning chronological account of photography, drawing on influential examples. This fundamental starting place shows a multiplicity of makers, inventors, issues, and applications, exploring the artistic, critical, and social aspects of the creative thinking process. This new edition has been fully revised and updated to include the latest advances in technology and digital photography, as well as information on contemporary photographers such as Granville Carroll, Dinh Q. Lê, Meryl McMaster, Shirin Neshat, and Penelope Umbrico. New topics include the rise of AI, mobile and drone photography, surveillance cameras, image manipulation, protest and social justice photography, and the role of social media in photography. Highly illustrated with over 200 full-color images and contributions from hundreds of artists around the world, Seizing the Light serves as an intriguing gateway to the history of photography.

Written in an accessible style, it is perfect for students newly engaging with the practice of photography and for experienced photographers wanting to contextualize their own work.