- University Libraries
- Subject Guides
- Photography
- Critical interpretation
Photography: Critical interpretation
Best article databases
- Art Abstracts and RetrospectiveChoose databases & check to include:
Art Abstracts & Art Index Retrospective,
Communication Source,
Film & Television Literature Index
Also consider: America History & Life &/or Historical Abstracts - Communication Sourcejournal articles & more on all aspects of photography and film.
- International Bibliography of Art (IBA) This link opens in a new windowincludes articles on photography & photographers
- Oxford Art Onlinearticles on artists (selected photographers), styles, & movements
- WorldCatfor books and DVDs/videos GVSU doesn't own; use Doc Delivery option in "Get it@GVSU".
General & Newspaper Databases
To cover all the bases.
- JSTORgeneral - historical: search your photographer's name.
- Global Newsstream1400+ newspapers: search your photographer's name.
- Periodicals Archive Onlinegeneral - historical (1802-1995): search your photographer's name.
- Project Musegeneral: search your photographer's name.
- New York Timeshistorical newspaper: search your photographer's name.
Search tips for finding articles
- use "quotation marks" around phrases
- truncate - with an asterisk * - truncat* finds truncate, truncated, truncation
- use AND to combine unlike ideas: dance AND promotion
- use OR to connect synonyms: advertisements OR campaigns
Put it all together:
- "hip hop dance" in one box
- AND (promot* OR advertis* OR campaigns) in the next box
- use parentheses in single-box searching - when you don't have another set of boxes, e.g.,:
- "hip hop dance" AND (promot* OR advertis* OR campaigns)
Use the left or right menus to narrow your results, e.g., by language, date, subject, etc.
- Databases have a citation and sometimes they will also contain an abstract, or summary, of the article.
- Databases also often cite multiple types of resources - books, essays or chapters, government documents, etc.
- Some databases will also have the complete item (called the full text): you should see a link to an HTML or PDF document. Or click on
- this will check other library databases for the full text.
Photo journals & their websites
Use the website to search for info, then request the actual journals from the link; pick them up at the Desk on the 1st floor.
Aperture (website)
- includes a blog, books, magazine, photos, exhibitions, and a search box: use the search box to find photographers.
- Request Aperture journals and pick them up at the 1st floor Desk.
- To find books mentioned on the website, use the Library Search to find them.
Photographies
- Journal articles from 2008 to the present:
- history and theory
- digital technologies
- economic, political, and cultural change
- contemporary issues, emerging critical debates, and practices
- locating debate within the humanities and social sciences
- Journal articles from 2008 to the present:
- W magazine byPublication Date: current year in print
- Request W issues and pick them up at the 1st floor Desk.
- 2008-present available digitally as well (no images)
- Last Updated: Apr 16, 2025 12:33 PM
- URL: https://libguides.gvsu.edu/photography