The fourth edition of this comprehensive history of photography spans the entire history of the medium, from its early development to current practice, and provides a focused understanding of the cultural contexts in which photographers have lived and worked. Mary Warner Marien discusses photography from a truly global viewpoint and examines a wide-range of images through the lenses of art, science, travel, war, fashion, the mass media and individual photographers. Professional, amateur and art photographers are all represented, with Portrait boxes devoted to highlighting important individuals and Focus boxes charting particular cultural debates. This indispensable book shows how photography has charted, shaped and sharpened our perception of the world.