Startled by every day

Consider the odd moment when a word on a building is juxtaposed with someone on the street: the temporary commentary, twisted vision or blatant pun. Word on the Street, which features an introduction by UC Berkeley professor emeritus of art history Peter Selz, is chock-full of such pictures. Photographer, author and finely tuned observer Richard Nagler, a San Francisco resident, has created a collection of images which capture these moments of incidental street commentary. Nagler’s rare photos show signs of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s artist sensitivity and Dorothea Lange’s grit and realism. But he is not above making jokes; watch for his wit and ironic wisdom in this insightful collection. Many of the scenes from Word on the Street are in Northern California, providing a second sort of thematic vision. Nagler’s third book on photography hits a home run for those who like to be startled by the everyday.