1+1=3: The Development of Photographic Narrative in Book Form

Although much has been written about the history of the "photobook" in the past decade, most surveys published about the subject are shaped by the photo-thematic or geo-specific compartmentalisation employed by Martin Parr and Gerry Badger in their ground-breaking study of this book practice. Since the publication of "The Photobook: A History, Vol. I" in 2004, only a few authors have attempted to explore the essential narrative mechanisms that seem to define this particular form of visual storytelling. The central aim of this essay is to uncover the historical evolution and context of the narrative mechanisms that shape "photobook" making and determine how the development of photographic printing technology enabled the transformation of photographic narrative on the page.