Photography Books?

Ash · 10-15-2006

Hey everyone,

I'm after some good photography books. Fine-art, portraiture etc. I have a few already but they're all upstairs so I can't list them without losing my comfy place on the sofa, but it's the obvious like "The Photo Book" etc.

Any recommendations preferably with multiple photographers or maybe some of your favourites?

A big list of your current favourite books as well as the classic choices would be nice, that way I can browse through and a choose some I may like. And yes, I'm being as broad as possible

Thanks!

Gid · 10-15-2006

20th Century Photography published by Carlton Books. ISBN1 84222 239 2.

Its an A5 paperback a has 3 or 4 images plus some biog on 55 of the most influential (YMMV) photographers of that century. Covers off the likes of Eugene Atget through to the likes of Martin Parr and Sebastiao Salgado with all the usual suspects in between.

ClaremontPhoto · 10-15-2006

'Magnum Landscape' is a must. Now in paperback too and tons of big name Magnum guys doing landscape. Not just pretty pretty, but also landscape of war urban landscape and so on. Small enough to go in your bag. AMZN price £6.56

'World Photography' (not sure that it's still avialable but it should be in the public library). About thirty big name phootographers get two or three pages to write about photography and about six pages each for photos. Big enough to.. Well it's biggish. Not cataloged at AMZN.

back alley · 10-15-2006

too bad shipping would be so high, i have boxes of photo books that i would give away/sell/trade but it's not workable.

Ash · 10-15-2006

damn, it really is a pity the shipping is a bitch for paper!

ampguy · 10-15-2006

my favorites are those with example photos I like, or if it's about the business, with actual data from their stock photo sales.

I like all of John Shaw's books on nature and landscape photography, and even bought his PS CD-ROM even though I don't use PS.

Hicks & Schultz books are good reads as well.

spysmart · 10-15-2006

Check out Ragnar Axelson : he has a few images in the new Leica M brochure

http://www.rax.is/ with a book titled 'Faces of the north'

doitashimash1te · 10-15-2006

Kodachrome: The American Invention of Our World, 1939-1959 (Paperback)

JohnL · 10-15-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by back alley

too bad shipping would be so high, i have boxes of photo books that i would give away/sell/trade but it's not workable.

I'd suggest you list them (a few at a time) in the classifieds. Set a minimum price plus shipping for account of buyer. You might get rid of them and certainly the buyers would appreciate them. First check the values (e.g. on Amazon) so you don't sell something that's now hard to find and fetching $500 for $2 ...
Best of luck

bob cole · 10-15-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash

damn, it really is a pity the shipping is a bitch for paper!

Not so, Ash...books go the least expensive rate: media mail...a couple or three dollars for a book...

JohnL · 10-15-2006

"Snaps" by Elliott Erwitt

John Camp · 10-15-2006

If you're shipping books in the states, there is actually a "book rate" that is very low. If there's no rush, moving them doesn't cost that much.

For rf enthusiasts, I'd recommend "Open City: Street Photography since 1950"

Toby · 10-15-2006

There was a series of small paperback size books called photofile in english and photo poche in french. Over the nineties I collected volumes on Don McCullin, Joseph Koudelka, sebastiao selgado, andre kertesz, Bruce davidson, W. Eugene Smith, Robert Frank and of course HCB and some others. I looked on amazon and it seems the series will be reprinted in Feb 07 and they will cost about £8 each which is cheap when you consider the average monograph is £30+. They are great books that really helped my education as a photographer

ClaremontPhoto · 10-15-2006

Also, apart from books, check out The Photographers' Gallery in London near Leicester Square tube.

It's two buildings almost next door to each other, and there's a small admission charge. One of the galleries has got a decent cafe inside and it's sort of nice to sit with a coffee and look around at the photos at the same time.

Years ago I was a member which means that you pay by the year and get free admission any time and an invitation for two to first night exhibition openings where you get to meet the photographer whose work is on show that month.

And they have a bookshop!

nico · 10-15-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by spysmart

Check out Ragnar Axelson : he has a few images in the new Leica M brochure

http://www.rax.is/ with a book titled 'Faces of the north'

Amazing photos!!
thanks for the link,
bye
nico

RayPA · 10-15-2006

We were talking photo books in this THREAD. I second the Magnum Landscape book. It's a good one. I'd suggest just start getting the photographers you like. I could recommend Moriyama (and I do), but he may not be your "cup."

.

back alley · 10-15-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob cole

Not so, Ash...books go the least expensive rate: media mail...a couple or three dollars for a book...

there is no such rate in canada unfortunately.

Ash · 10-15-2006

Damn, Canadian post sounds as bad as Royal Mail!

Thanks for all the suggestions, and I may just have to sort out some gallery memberships in London for next year!

Crasis · 10-15-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by back alley

there is no such rate in canada unfortunately.

Yeah, it's too bad.

Hey.. I just thought of something. I'm local

Ash · 10-15-2006

Quick! Hike up the prices for the books!!

jonasv · 10-16-2006

The new Magnum book, Magnum Stories - have only flipped through it in a store but it's very high on my wish list now.

James Nachtwey: Inferno & Sebastiao Salgado: Workers: An archeology of the modern age - I don't think either of these needs much explanation!

Bruno Stevens: Bagdad - still the best photojournalism book on Iraq.

Tim Dirven: Yesterday's people - just have a look at this preview gallery: http://www.themorningnews.org/archiv...ple/index.html

Pherdinand · 10-16-2006

Photo icons from Taschen is a good one. I have the 25y anniversary thick edition, very entertaining.

ANyway...I see it is not mentioned yet: Slightly out of focus by Robert Capa is the best photography related book i've ever read. Also as literature it is very good IMO.

aprea · 10-16-2006

Snaps by Elliot Erwitt. probably one of the only books you need.

Michael I. · 10-16-2006

stuff I own and like

Janloup Sieffe retrospective (large taschen book)
HCB retrospective(man world image)
family of man
magnum 50 years of Israel
Micha Bar Am - (Israeli Magnum war photog.)
World of Wegee
Magnum (80-90 retrospective big softcover colorful jacket book)
camera in conflict
the weimar republic through the lens of the press
Alex Levac (most excellent Israeli street photog)-dog's life,our counry
Eugene Smith(small taschen book)
Andre de Dienes marylin Monroe
Eve Arnold autobiography
Helmut Newton Autobiography

Stuff I want

Rodchenko retrospective
Evgeniy Khaldey-WWII \ Nurmnberg Process
Capa - Israel 1948-1950 \ Korea
David Douglas Duncan
Think Pink - a photo essay about japan's sex clubs

RayPA · 10-16-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pherdinand

Photo icons from Taschen is a good one. I have the 25y anniversary thick edition, very entertaining.

ANyway...I see it is not mentioned yet: Slightly out of focus by Robert Capa is the best photography related book i've ever read. Also as literature it is very good IMO.

Taschen does a very good job with their photo books. I picked up a Brassai book recently and spent as much time marveling at the quality as I did the images. Very well done.