Camera Clues: A Handbook for Photographic Investigation - Hardcover

Product Description: Nationally known historical investigator Joe Nickell tells us how to identify and date old photos and how to distinguish originals from copies and fakes. He addresses forensic application, "surreptitious photography," and legal concerns. Particularly intriguing is his discussion of camera tricks, darkroom deceptions, retouching techniques, computer technology, and trickery detection. Nickell concludes with an exciting look at "paranormal" photography: alleged photographs of ghosts, UFOs, and legendary creatures, "miracle pictures," and psychokinetic (ESP-produced) photos. In Camera Clues , Joe Nickell shares his methods of identifying and dating old photos and demonstrates how to distinguish originals from copies and fakes. Particularly intriguing are his discussions of camera tricks, darkroom manipulations, retouching techniques, and uses of computer technology to deceive the eye. Camera Clues concludes with a look at allegedly "paranormal" photography, from nineteenth-century "spirit photographs" to UFO snapshots. Written in a clear, lively style, this book makes for fascinating reading and will be of keen interest to photography enthusiasts. -- Library Journal. The scope of this text is wide enough to accommodate a variety of photographic investigators. . . . The use of case studies from both the nineteenth and twentieth centuries bolsters the relevance of this handbook, which is a valuable tool for solving photographic mysteries. -- National Genealogical Society Quarterly.