Picturing Joy: Stories of Connection

By George Lange

For more than fifty years, photographer George Lange has been obsessed with connecting with the world through his work. Whether he was shooting a movie star or a family member, he saw his own search for joy reflected in the images. 

While growing up in Pittsburgh, Lange cherished his happy childhood, and he found himself unconsciously yearning for that feeling in his adult life. He strove to re-create those fleeting sparks of childhood joy in his relationships and his photographs. “Each day I am trying to find the place we are all connected, but I never know where that place will be. I create spaces where my subjects feel safe and trusting and can share their part of their own joy.” 

Picturing Joy: Stories of Connection is a lively guide to Lange’s approach to life as well as the highlights of his career. This optical and optimistic book captures his curiosity, energy, and enthusiasm for people and photography. It also distills wisdom gleaned from a lifelong search for quotidian beauty that might otherwise go unnoticed. Through intimate stories and more than eighty photos, Picturing Joy invites readers to appreciate life with all their senses and to change their perspective by being open to new things. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Flashpoint
• Release date: Nov 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9781959411369

George Lange

As a seven-year-old Pittsburgh kid, Lange began snapping photos, exploring the world, and asking tons of questions. After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design, Lange worked for Duane Michals and Annie Leibovitz before establishing his own career. His work has appeared in Vogue, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Esquire, People, the New York Times, and many other publications. He shot many of the iconic images from TV shows such as Friends, Frasier, Dawson’s Creek, and Seinfeld, as well as ads for TLC hit shows including Cake Boss and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, and corporate campaigns such as a recent one for DICK’S Sporting Goods featuring youth sports. Lange’s first book, The Unforgettable Photograph: 228 Ideas, Tips, and Secrets for Taking the Best Pictures of Your Life (2013), is an easy-to-understand guide on how to capture meaningful moments. Published by Workman, the book sold more than fifty thousand copies, spawned multiple foreign language editions—including editions in Germany, France, Spain, and China—and landed him on the Today show, Good Morning America, and in publications including Parade, Reader’s Digest, and the Wall Street Journal. Lange currently lives in Pittsburgh, PA.

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