Chapter 8
In and out of focus
Anna Riwkin’s photojournalism and photographic picturebooks
Anna Riwkin was a Russian-Swedish photographer who contributed significantly to the growing use of photographs in
children’s picturebooks during the second half of the twentieth century. This chapter investigates the photographic techniques and
genres in Riwkin’s works for children. Using a selection of reportage portraits and photo books by her as a starting point, the
chapter discusses the relationship between words and images in photo narratives for children. During the early part of her career,
Riwkin specialized in portraits and dance photography and during the 1930s, she added journalistic work to her repertoire. Traces of
all these genres are evident in her photographic picturebooks. They express realist and documentary ambitions, aiming to capture the
perspective of the individuals portrayed, but at the same time their images are staged and embedded in a narrative, which affects
their expression and style. Riwkin’s choice to work with children’s literature also raises questions about women photographers’
position within the field of photography. How were women photographers perceived within different types of photography? Should the aim
to work with children’s books be understood in relation to the artist’s socially engaged approach or was it seen as particularly
suitable for a female photographer? Since Riwkin was one of the pioneering women photographers in Europe, the reception of her work is
of utmost interest, both when it comes to contemporary critique and the perception of her work in later photographic research.
Article outline
- Child portraits in picturebooks
- Women photographers
- Depicting otherness
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Notes
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References