July 2021
In the “What Makes This Photograph Great?” video series, FBCL’s Bryan Bankston critiques amazing photographs by master photographers in order to help others gain a better understanding of the elements that make a photo exceptional.
A professional photographer, Bankston has a Bachelor’s Degree in Photography and a Master’s Degree in Studio Art. He works at the Cinco Ranch Branch Library.
To learn more about the artists, discover biographies, interviews, and more from our Gale in Context: Biography database.
Episode 1: Gregory Crewdson
This episode focuses on works by American surrealist photographer Gregory Crewdson. Click here to view the video critique and here to access more information on the artist.
Episode 2: Gordon Parks
This episode focuses on works by prominent African-American photographer and filmmaker Gordon Parks. Click here to view the video critique and here to access more information on the artist.
Episode 3: Ansel Adams
This episode focuses on works by prominent landscape photographer and environmentalist Ansel Adams. Click here to view the video critique and here to access more information on the artist.
Episode 4: Annie Leibovitz
This episode focuses on works by American portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz. Click here to view the video critique and here to access more information on the artist.
Episode 5: David Hockney
This episode focuses on “the Scrabble game,” a photograph by British painter and photographer David Hockney. Click here to view the video critique and here to access more information on the artist.
Episode 6: Anton Corbijn
This episode focuses on “The Joshua Tree,” a photograph by Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn. Click here to view the video critique and here to access more information on the artist.
Episode 7: Keith Carter
This episode focuses on “Fireflies,” a photograph by Keith Carter -- a photographer, educator, and artist from Beaumont, TX, known for his dream-like photos of people, animals, and objects. Click here to view the video critique and here to access more information on the artist.
To see more videos in the “Photography Basics” series, click here.
For more information on how to use the Gale in Context: Biography database, click here for a video tutorial.