In Focus：National Geographic Greatest Portraits

Thepricklypoliticalimplicationsofportraitphotographyareperhapsattheirmostevidentinthishefty(sevenpounds)andgorgeouslyglossycompilationofworkbyNationalGeographicphotographers.AsthefrankessaysbysuchphotographersasSamAbell,JodieJobbandWilliamAlbertAllardbeginningeachchapterreveal,behindtheunthreateningNationalGeographiccameraslenses,oftenless-than-admirablemechanismswereatwork.StuartFranklinwritesoftheeditorialpressureonphotographerstoprovide"picturesofprettygirls"tothepointwhere"hundredsofbare-breastedwomen,allfrompoorercountries,werepublishedatatimeofboomingsubscriptionrates."EditorBendavid-ValwritesofNationalGeographic'spropensityforavoidingcontroversialissuesathomeintheUnitedStates;turmoilhasbeenlessthornytodocumentinfarawayplaces."Theemotionaldistancewaseasytomaintaininanagewhencommunicationwascumbersomeandlong-distancetravelwasuncommon."Still,aphotographofthieves'severedheadsonabillboardinChina,oreventhephotograph"AfghanGirl,"publishedin1985andarguablyNationalGeographic'smostwell-knownphotograph,piercethroughthisself-imposedemotionalshield.Beyondtheisolationismandvoyeurismissomethingoddlymovingaboutthiscollectionof280-plusportraits:itformsagiantmosaicofAmericanidentity,aself-portraitcomposedofhowwelookatothers.