These nine essays focus on the many techniques of rendering the photographic portrait, such as photo-collage, multiple exposures, digitalization and animation. The book includes nearly 150 images, ranging from Francis Galton's composite pictures from the 1880s, pictorialism at the turn of the 20th century, experiments by the avant-garde and subjective photography of the post-war years to contemporary synthesized photographs and interactive sculptures. The book arranges the photographs into five thematic sections, revealing how the act of reinventing the classic image of the human face compels us to re-examine our relationships with others and with life itself. The artists featured in the book include: Chuck Close; Anton Corbijn; David Hockney; Hannah Hoech; Man Ray; Duane Michals; Stefan Moses; Louise Noguchi; Nam June Paik; Gerhard Richter; Alexander Rodchenko; Edward Steichen; and Andy Warhol.