| US Photographic Institutions |
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Center for Creative Photography
http://dizzy.library.arizona.edu/branches/ccp/ccphome.html
Co-founded in 1975 by Ansel Adams, the Center is an archive, museum and research centre that seeks to address photography as an art-form and cultural record. A small selection of the Center's 60,000 (indexed) photographs is available online. The site also features texts on photography, information on research fellowships at the centre, and information on their education programme. |
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Center for Photography, Woodstock
http://www.cpw.org/
With a focus on the community local to the center this site mainly gives information about workshops, residencies and information relevant to members. The exhibition programme recognises the work of local artists rather than presenting well known international artists. This does mean it is possible to see work unavailable elsewhere but there is only a small selection of images to be seen. |
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George Eastman House
http://www.eastman.org
The George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film is an outstanding collection of over 400,000 photographs/negatives and 15,000 pieces of photographic technology 'representing every process and printing medium employed'. Its website includes online galleries to sample some of this extraordinary collection, which includes the largest archive of daguerrotypes in the world. The website also includes a 'timeline of photography' starting in 1700. Click on any part of the line and find out what was happening in the world of photography and beyond. |
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International Center for Photography, New York
http://www.icp.org/
The International Center for Photography in New York City describes its mission as the 'presentation of photography's vital and central place in contemporary culture and to lead in interpretation issues central to its development'. The site's rather sparse entry pages should not deter. There are online exhibitions and good documentary support for present and previous shows. All essential information - location, opening times, cost, facilities - is provided. ICP also has an extensive archive for research purpose that concentrates on photojournalism and documentary photography. |
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Metropolitan Museum, New York
http://metmuseum.org/collections/department.asp?dep=19
Although only one department in the Metropolitan Museum's outstanding collection of art, the website devoted to photography is compact and enticing. The photographic collection (15,000 items) starts with the origins of photography in 1830 and continues into the present. Most of the works come from Europe and America (although Japanese photography is well represented). The site offers 50 highlights to see online, easily viewed in batches of 10 or individually. One notable strength of the collection is its archive of the first three decades of British photography. |
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Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago
http://www.mocp.org/
Concentrating on photography produced since 1959 by Americans and US residents, The Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago describes its function as an examination of the 'cultural, social, and political implications of the image'. Its events programme is suitably theoretical. The website gives a comprehensive account of past, present and future exhibitions (with press releases provided). |
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Museum of Modern Art, New York
http://www.moma.org/docs/collection/photography/index.htm
Minimal site for the important photography department at the Museum of Modern Art. The collection has 25,000 photographic works by a range of photographic practitioners: artists, journalists, scientists, entrepreneurs and amateurs. John Szarkowski's ideological directorship still dominates the institiution with a subsite devoted to his famous book 'Looking at Photographs' - first published in 1973. As well as the usual information about current shows, events, how to get to the museum etc, etc, there is also a section devoted to recent acquistions. |
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Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego
http://www.mopa.org/
The Museum has both a permanent collection and a vigorous exhibition programme. The summaries of these two strands of the Museum's activities offer a number of images and text about contemporary and modern photographers. Other than the above, this site principally offers information about visiting the museum. |
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The Californian Museum of Photography
http://www.cmp.ucr.edu/
Unlike many websites, this is not a bland electronic advertising board but an active extension of the activities of an institution. The Californian Museum of Photography examines the relation between 'photography, new media and politics'. Features include links to sites using images as part of the Kosovan war, digital portraits taken on a Californian street, mini-animations, live webcam broadcasts from the museum, and essays to accompany impressive temporary exhibitions. The museum's collection represents 1,000 photographers, has 10,000 cameras and a vast collection of vintage of stereographs. |
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The Light Factory
http://www.lightfactory.org/
Current and recently exhibiting artists are represented by a small selection of images but the main job of the site is to describe the services of the Light Factory, especially for the local arts community. Information is therefore offered about darkroom facilities, classes and membership. This is unlikely to be of use to the general visitor. |
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The Photography Resource Center, Boston University
http://web.bu.edu/PRC/
This resource centre contains a library and organises an exhibition and education programme. The site contains vestiges of these programmes including an online exhibition though not containing many images. There is also a long list of the members of the organisation giving links to their websites, other than that the site does not offer much. |
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San Francisco Camerawork
http://www.sfcamerawork.org/
A non-profit artists' organisation Camerawork publishes a journal, organises exhibitions and other events such as talks. The site gives an outline of past and current exhibitions. This site is otherwise designed for regular users of its facilities, such as its membership. |
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