Founded in 1888 by Gardiner Greene Hubbard, the National Geographic Society has now become one of the largest scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its mission, ‘to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge’, has resulted in one of the world’s most successful magazines. The magazine is now circulated worldwide in over 30 languages and had a peak global reach of 8.3 million people in 2011. Known for its glossy composition and high-quality photographs, the magazine is universally acclaimed.
Now, a new release by Taschen in partnership with National Geographic celebrates an enormous collection of photographs – 1,404 pages of them to be precise – in three volumes. The collection was produced to commemorate the society and magazine’s 125th anniversary – a huge milestone for such a prestigious publication.
Entitled National Geographic – Around the World in 125 Years, Taschen gained unprecedented access to the magazine’s archives to complete the collection. Only a limited 125,000 copies have been made, creating an exclusive collector’s item and giving a unique insight into the magazine’s history. Carefully edited by Reuel Golden, former editor of the British Journal of Photography, who also worked on Taschen’s famous Portrait of a City collections of London and New York, the compilation is certainly comprehensive.
Global picture
The three volumes are separated by location – volume one covers the Americas and Antarctica, while the second reveals historical photographs from Europe and Africa. Finally, volume three addresses Asia and Oceania. All three volumes include some pictures that have never been published before, and explore how National Geographic came to define the idea of a photo essay. The pictures are not purely contemporary – some date back a hundred years or more, giving a unique historical and cultural insight into these moments.
Originally a text-based publication akin to a scientific journal, things changed in 1905 when pictures from Tibet were included in an issue and the distinctive yellow border design was introduced. Today, gracing the cover of National Geographic has become a prestigious achievement for any photojournalist. Many of the world’s most iconic images first found their home on the cover of the magazine.
Perhaps the most famous photograph of all is the picture of 13-year-old Sharbat Gula. A refugee of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, this picture graced the cover of the magazine in June 1985. Her haunting eyes have now been reprinted the whole world over. Taken by Steve McCurry, it’s been named the magazine’s most recognised photograph. McCurry, speaking about the new publication, called it “the best book that has ever been published on the National Geographic archives”.
A cultural investment
Some of the photographs in National Geographic’s archives are the earliest colour photographs ever taken, and certainly the earliest ever published. Reproduced for the first time in a century, we can see the historical importance of the publication. The price point and prestige of the collection, coupled with its sheer scope, create what the company call a “cultural investment to be cherished, shared, and passed down to future generations”.
The position of editor is a highly coveted role, especially for a photojournalist. Chris Johns, who has held the position since 2005, is one of the world’s leading photographers. He had the rare honour of shooting two cover articles for the magazine during his time as a reporter. Speaking on this new collection, Johns called it a “dream come true”. He said it is a “perfect marriage for Taschen and National Geographic to be working together. Taschen’s attention to detail and level of perfection pay homage to each photographer’s vision, unlike any other book we have ever done”.
The history of National Geographic is a tale of evolution. Originally a magazine that conjured up ideas of romantic exploration and far-off locales, it slowly transformed as the world changed. The outbreak of two world wars and then the Cold War prompted the magazine to rethink. Perhaps the defining moment for National Geographic was its coverage of the Cold War – the magazine provided a balanced view of nations beyond the Iron Curtain and showed the struggle, beauty and landscapes of the USSR and its satellite states.
It was dedication to impartiality that earned the magazine praise during this difficult period. In particular, its coverage of the Space Race focused on the scientific advancements while mostly ignoring the backdrop of nuclear proliferation, and therefore managed to educate people without instilling the fear of nuclear war.
Humanity’s story
National Geographic soon began to incorporate world-class nature and underwater photography. Taschen’s collection includes several sections of nature photography. The inclusion of nature images was an important moment for the magazine, as it started to become outspoken about the world’s problems, trying to raise awareness of key issues facing the planet. These included environmental issues, pollution, global warming, and endangered species, and the magazine began experiment with different formats.
Perhaps the most famous of these are the occasional issues produced about a specific country. Often giving a comprehensive profile of a country, these special features form some of the most enduring and memorable editions of the magazine. Coupled with a map of the area, these issues are now collector’s items in their own right. Early in its history they provided an exclusive photographic insight into a country. Perhaps most surprising is the magazine’s survival in the digital age, where photographs are no longer the sole domain of photojournalists.
Douglas Brinkley, American author and history commentator for CBS news, said the collection was “an epic book, a true testament to the size and complexity of our world. For the first time, these photographs are being produced large, at a scale never seen before in book form… to tell a vivid and transformative story about what the planet looked like and what it has become”.
Taschen’s new collection proves how revered National Geographic is as an informative institution – with a long history and immense tradition. It has told the story of humanity – how we’ve changed and evolved – over 125 years. Doubtless, there will be many more to come.
