Instantly Eternal

Author: National Geographic Society
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: "Instant Eternity – Legendary Portraits by National Geographic Photographers" is another masterpiece published by the National Geographic Society this year. The book showcases a microcosm of human society from different decades of the last century through the character photography works of multiple outstanding photographers from National Geographic Magazine. It includes not only internationally award-winning works but also previously unpublished photographs. The authors reveal the stories behind the classic images with engaging language. The captivating images and elegant, profound text are a perfect combination. The 280 photographs in the book are all captured by master photographers who are accustomed to viewing the world through their lenses and telling compelling stories through vivid portraits. As Chris Johns said in the preface, "Capturing the spirit and essence of a person is an immeasurable challenge, but when a photographer does so and creates a photograph, they experience the joy of creation." This extraordinary photographic collection is a clear testament to that statement. How is a great portrait photograph taken? In the face of the master photographers and their magnificent works of the National Geographic Society, every photography enthusiast undoubtedly asks this question. And the 280 stunning photographs in this book provide the answers – each great portrait photograph has its own unique language, freezing the subject, scene, and creative techniques in a single moment, firmly capturing the reader's attention. Whether noble and dignified, commanding and intimidating, cunning and deceitful, or enigmatic and incomprehensible, they confront the readers directly. Perhaps we cannot simply define the characteristics of such great portrait photographs, but we can intuitively feel their presence. One of the authors of the book, William Albert Allard, wrote: "A great portrait photograph has the power to express the inner spirit of the subject, transcending time, space, and cultural barriers to convey a simple yet universal message: This is another person living in the world, I hope you can meet them." The photographs in this book are carefully selected from the extraordinary photographic archives of the National Geographic Society, spanning over a century, reflecting themes from every corner of the Earth and covering every aspect of photographic art. These photographs not only reflect the unique perspectives of world-class photographers in observing life but also represent our shared emotional pursuits and the expression of human nature. Photographer William Albert Allard captured a photo titled "Eduardo’s Face Covered in Tears" in Peru in 1982. He described the scene at the time: "Suddenly, a taxi sped toward a flock of sheep that couldn’t dodge in time, half of them were knocked down into the fields below the road. The taxi drove away, and we stopped our car behind it. When the child lifted his tear-streaked face toward us, I pressed the shutter. The photographer’s instinct told me to capture this moment." The story of the photograph didn’t end there. After its publication, people reached out to Eduardo for help, and donations from across the United States exceeded $6,000. The National Geographic Society also contacted an organization called CARE, which later found Eduardo and organized an event in his village. They not only bought sheep for his family to compensate for the loss but also purchased a water pump for the entire village. When discussing his insights into photography, William Albert Allard said: "A great portrait photograph has the power to express the inner spirit of the subject, transcending time, space, and cultural barriers to convey a simple yet universal message – This is another person living in the world, I hope you can meet them." The photographs take us across time and space, evoking emotion as we gaze at unfamiliar faces or backs. It can be said that these photographs reflect not only the unique perspectives of world-class photographers in observing life but also represent our shared emotional pursuits and the expression of human nature. For this photographic collection, Mr. Yang Enpu, a professor at the Beijing Film Academy and a renowned photography critic, said in an interview with a reporter: "The works in this book are very different from the artistic photography that Chinese people are accustomed to. They are using a different way of thinking and a different perspective to capture images. In this collection, what moves us is not technique or beauty but the wisdom, culture, and historical sense it embodies. This is the inspiration this book offers to Chinese photography." Song Jianmin, the chief editor of China Photography Publishing House, said: "A good photograph is not just something to look at, but something to think about. This book gives us a profound historical sense and a heavy cultural accumulation. The figures in the book seem to reach out and grasp your hand." "What matters is the shock to the soul, not the ice cream for the eyes," Yang Enpu said. It is worth noting that many of the authors in the book are not professional photographers but scientists, writers, geologists, and sociologists. They do not treat photography as an end in itself but as a language. When taking photos, they emphasize not the aesthetic qualities of the images but their humanistic qualities. An author writes in the book: "We have no connection with art, yet we are engaged in portraiture, science, and history." Yang Enpu said: "Here, photography is a broader concept. It lets us know that artistic photography is only a part of photography, not the whole. This is something worth Chinese photographers striving for and pursuing." When discussing this photographic collection, Yin Qiang, an associate professor at the School of Journalism at Renmin University of China, said he read the book twice after receiving it. The works in this collection may not be 100% perfect, but each one carries deep meaning and significance. For example, some photographs from the period before and during World War II do not capture the cruelty of war but instead show peaceful and harmonious scenes, intending to awaken people to the horrors of war. This is also the personality of National Geographic Magazine – "keeping a distance from everything unpleasant." According to journalists, the 280 photographs collected in this book are carefully selected from the National Geographic Society’s archives of 10 million images. As one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations, the National Geographic Society has been unique in natural photography, cultural photography, and animal photography since its founding in 1888. In 1890, National Geographic Magazine published its first photograph, and from the late 19th century to the early 21st century, it repeatedly broke new ground in photographic reporting, constantly challenging people’s perceptions. These photographs span over a century, and the book "Instant Eternity – Legendary Portraits by National Geographic Photographers" is also divided into several stages corresponding to the development of photographic equipment and technology: from early heavy cameras requiring long exposure times to the advent of color film, and then to lightweight, multifunctional cameras, all of which have brought portrait photography into a new, natural phase. The book explores the evolving role and pursuit of photographers themselves while also showing how their works reflect the world and influence the way we see it. When discussing the collaboration with the National Geographic Society, Zhang Lin, the manager of the International Department of Fashion Magazine, told a reporter that Fashion Magazine has a strong foundation for journal and book cooperation with the National Geographic Society. In 2003, Fashion Magazine obtained the Chinese simplified edition copyright of "Through the Lens – The Greatest Photographs of National Geographic." It is understood that at the time, "Through the Lens" had 20 versions in dozens of countries and regions, all printed uniformly in Spain and released globally simultaneously. This large-scale cross-border collaboration in book publishing was unprecedented in China and is also at the forefront internationally. Zhang Lin said that after the success of "Through the Lens," the National Geographic Society increased its efforts to redevelop and utilize its core resources, and "Instant Eternity" is the result of this effort.