Graham, David. Taking Liberties. Photographs by David Graham. Signed.

Introduction by Robert Venturi. Pond Press, 2001. Fine hardcover with protected dust jacket that is fine except for a short tear on top of back cover. Warmly inscribed and SIGNED by the photographer. 1st edition.  Summary:

Taking Liberties: Photographs by David Graham is a vibrant, celebratory photographic monograph that documents America's eccentricities and individualistic spirit. The book features full-color photographs of everyday oddities, roadside attractions, and expressive citizens, complete with an introduction by the prominent postmodern architect Robert Venturi.

• The Pursuit of Happiness: Inspired by the United States Constitution, Graham traveled across the continental United States to document people who express their personal liberty in unique, creative, and unapologetic ways. The book highlights folk artists, eccentric hobbyists, and colorful individuals living life entirely on their own terms.

• A Landscape of Kitsch and Americana: The monograph captures the quirky, often surreal architecture of the American roadside. Graham covers thousands of miles to shoot roadside attractions, vernacular hand-painted signs, and unexpected monuments, such as a full-sized statue of Vladimir Lenin standing outside a Dallas hamburger stand.

• David Graham is an internationally recognized contemporary American photographer celebrated for his vibrant, highly saturated color portraits and documentary images that capture the eccentricities, kitsch, and individualistic spirit of the American cultural landscape. Traversing the country for over three decades, Graham documents everyday citizens, roadside attractions, and localized customs with a unique blend of sharp, surreal humor, irony, and deep empathy. His work, which explores themes of personal freedom and vernacular self-expression, has been widely exhibited and is held in major permanent collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Over his career, Graham has published several acclaimed photographic monographs chronicling his travels, most notably his debut American Beauty, followed by Only in America, Land of the Free, Taking Liberties, and Almost Paradise.

• Vibrant Color Aesthetic: Known for his masterly use of saturated, bright color photography, Graham captures the "zany" color palette of everyday America with a combination of sharp humor, irony, and deep affection.

• Architectural Dialogue: The introduction by Robert Venturi—co-author of the seminal architectural text Learning from Las Vegas—underscores the book’s visual connection to vernacular architecture, popular symbolism, and ordinary, everyday design.

• David Graham is an internationally recognized contemporary American photographer celebrated for his vibrant, highly saturated color portraits and documentary images that capture the eccentricities, kitsch, and individualistic spirit of the American cultural landscape. Traversing the country for over three decades, Graham documents everyday citizens, roadside attractions, and localized customs with a unique blend of sharp, surreal humor, irony, and deep empathy. His work, which explores themes of personal freedom and vernacular self-expression, has been widely exhibited and is held in major permanent collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Over his career, Graham has published several acclaimed photographic monographs chronicling his travels, most notably his debut American Beauty, followed by Only in America, Land of the Free, Taking Liberties, and Almost Paradise.