The Focal Encyclopedia of Photography

*Over 450 color images, plus never before published images provided by the George Eastman House collection, as well as images from Ansel Adams, Howard Schatz, and Jerry Uelsmann to name just a few

The role and value of the picture cannot be matched for accuracy or impact. This comprehensive treatise, featuring the history and historical processes of photography, contemporary applications, and the new and evolving digital technologies, will provide the most accurate technical synopsis of the current, as well as early worlds of photography ever compiled. This Encyclopedia, produced by a team of world renown practicing experts, shares in highly detailed descriptions, the core concepts and facts relative to anything photographic. This Fourth edition of the Focal Encyclopedia serves as the definitive reference for students and practitioners of photography worldwide, expanding on the award winning 3rd edition.

In addition to Michael Peres (Editor in Chief), the editors are:
Franziska Frey (Digital Photography), J. Tomas Lopez (Contemporary Issues), David Malin (Photography in Science), Mark Osterman (Process Historian), Grant Romer (History and the Evolution of Photography), Nancy M. Stuart (Major Themes and Photographers of the 20th Century), and Scott Williams (Photographic Materials and Process Essentials)

Michael Peres joined the teaching faculty of Rochester Institute of Technology’s School of Photographic Arts & Sciences in 1986. He is a professor of biomedical photography and teaches photomicrography, biomedical photography and other related applications of photography in science. He served as the chair of the biomedical photographic communications department from 1989 until June 2010 when he was appointed associate administrative chair of the School. Peres has enjoyed a varied photographic career that began in 1973. Some of his professional activities include serving the coordinator of the R‧I‧T Images from Science project as well as one of the coordinators of the RIT Big Shot project. Peres has received numerous awards including the 2003 RIT Eisenhart outstanding teaching award and the Gitner prize (2x) presented by the RIT College of Imaging Arts & Sciences for outstanding achievement in the graphic arts. In 2007 Peres was awarded the Schmidt medal by the BioCommunications Association for lifetime achievements in the field of bio-communications.