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Part of
Photography in Children's Literature
Edited by Elina Druker and Bettina Kümmerling-Meibauer
[Children’s Literature, Culture, and Cognition 17] 2023
► pp. 67–91

Chapter 3
As ‘objectively’ as possible. On truth and objectivity in photographic early-concept books

The case of The First Picture Book and The Second Picture Book by Mary Steichen and Edward Steichen

Photographic picturebooks appear to have a special relationship to reality. In contrast to paintings and drawings, photos are often said to convey true and objective information about the world. Drawing on recent work in picture theory and the philosophy of pictures, the question is posed as to what extent this general picture is correct. This chapter contributes to the theoretical debate by analyzing The First Picture Book (1930) by Mary Steichen Calderone and Edward Steichen (phot.), viewed as a photographic archetype. Moreover, the differences to The Second Picture Book (1931) by the same authors are worked out. The main thesis of this chapter is that photographic early-concept books serve the purpose of implicitly teaching children about the representational nature of pictures. This is the basis for children’s understanding of picturebooks in general.
Article outline
  • Truth and photographs
  • Objectivity and photographs
  • Compositionality in photographic picturebooks and the impact of texts
  • Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 19 September 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/clcc.17.03mei
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