SPOTLIGHT ON PHOTOGRAPHY ART

Increasing appreciation of photography as an art form sees a number of major books launched this season, in addition to exhibitions.

Of the books, The Genius of Photography is set for wide success, not only because of its presentation, wealth of photographs and stories behind the photographs but because it is linked to the  first ever major BBC television series on this art form being shown this winter. By Gerry Badger and published by Quadrille, it is priced at £25.

Another mighty tome comes from Thames & Hudson, Edward Steichen’s Lives in Photography, and its launch coincides with an exhibition of his work at the Jeu de Paume in Paris that continues until the end of the year.

Iconic shots of Garbo, Chaplin and Astaire and other stars of the 1920s and 30s are included, as well as many society dames of the times, plus such figures as Churchill, George Bernard Shaw and Colette.

He was certainly a prolific photographer, as shown is the extensive variety of the work in this volume, covering everything from nudes to war, advertising and portraiture, in a range of styles.  And his influence, notably at Conde Naste and then as Director at The Museum of Modern Art in New York, was enormous.

Published by Thames & Hudson, £48

VIP ENTRANCE TO TUT EXHIBITION

The wonders of Egypt have landed in London's Docklands, the stunning Tutankhamun exhibition housed there in that testament to modern architecture, the Dome - or as it is now called, the O2. This has certainly been improved since its former manifestation but still has the air of a draughty airport building about it.

But no matter: We were privileged to have a preview tour of the glittering exhibition. There has been some critical carping about Tut being a lesser pharoah, but that hardly detracts from the splendour of the exhibits, which are going to be attracting capacity crowds until the show ends next August. However, the famous mask shown here and used in all the promotional material, is not one of the exhibits, remaining in Egypt.

Many visitors will obviously be coming from outside the London area. For those still planning their visit, a special deal between the Hilton Hotels Group and the Tut organisers offers VIP tickets, fast track access to the exhibition, and accomodation. The Hilton's Tower Bridge hotel has really entered into the spirit of the thing, with an Egyptian-themed room complete with Egyptian Menu! Prices start from £159 based on two adults sharing. VIP tickets may also be booked for children. See the www.hilton.co.uk site for more details.