On Photography

Walter Benjamin's essay 'A Short History of Photography' (1931) made boldstatements about photographic pioneers such as David Octavius Hill andNicephore Niepce, and the social and historical context of their work. Thisfirst selection of Benjamin's writings on photography includes a new translationof this influential essay as well as a range of Benjamin's other writings,both published and unpublished, some of which are translated intoEnglish for the first time here.