Book excerpt: Here is a comprehensive, accessible and authoritative illustrated reference to the history, art and science of photography. In one single, elegant volume, it features over 300 iconic photographs and contains more than 1,200 concise yet fully detailed entries on all aspects of the subject. Though much information can today be found online, locating it takes time and sources can have questionable provenance and uncertain academic credentials. All previous dictionaries of photography are now outdated, as well, focusing either on the famous and influential practitioners of the genre or presented as mere glossaries of technical terms. This landmark publication, newly available in paperback, is the culmination of ten years of development and research. Working with an international expert panel of 150 consultants and 79 researchers, Nathalie Herschdorfer has triumphed in creating the first source of information for all scholars, practitioners and collectors of photography to turn to in the future.