Photo book recommendations?

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Matt
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I'd seen some images by Fan Ho, and wanted to get a decent coffee table book, but at £680 on Amazon I think perhaps it's a touch out of my budget, but it got me thinking.

Any recommendations of other artists to look for?

I've never really spent too much time deeply studying other artists work as a body of work, always just looking at images here and there, so anything that has a defined style would be of interest

Thanks in advance
 
Genre?
 

Anything to be honest

I'd like to really try and build on my knowledge about photography as a whole, so I'd not rule anything out

I only know of a few of the super famous photographers (Adams/Leibovitz etc.) but I didn't want to just go straight to them and miss out on other interesting things

I'd like to build up a collection so a fair few options would be goo
 
Some of the books I've really enjoyed...

Magnum Contact Sheets: Lots of photographers allowing you to find something that you enjoy. Seeing the creative process of how the "greats" selected that single image from many also provides a real insight. Proper weighty coffee table book too. Also "The Essential Collection, 250 Photographs You Must See" is a good book to start to get a feel for photoraphers you might want to learn more about.
Street Photography Now: Fab book with many modern street photographers taking photos of something other than people on phones.

I have more interest in British photographers (with the exception of Elliot Erwitt - I keep looking for stuff of his I haven't got that's "reasonably" priced) so books like "Land" by Fay Godwin, Martin Parr's "Think of England" and/or "Last Resort" are just great to look through. I really like Andy Gotts' "Degrees" which has some great anecdotes as well as some stunning portraits. Funnily enough, looking through my shelf, it's mostly people stuff, with Eve Arnold, Cecil Beaton, Don McCullin etc. The exception to that is Simon Marsden. I think I have all his books. His IR work on film is inspiring - but not for everyone!

I have a saved search on eBay for photography books with -(magazine) in the title (which cuts all the mags). You then need to just scroll past all the "how to" books and you can find some real bargains. Mostly charity shops selling stuff on.

Also - try your library! Our town library has some great books, and I've really enjoyed thumbing through Gregory Crewdson's work (not sure I'd buy it) as well as other stuff you can pick up for free!
 
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Look out for used copies of Creative Camera Yearbook and BJP Annuals from the 70's. 80's or 90's - remarkable variety of work and should be pretty cheap.

Photography - A Cultural History by Mary Warner Marien is a heavy tome even in softback, that gives a broad sweep and lots of info.

The Photographer's Eye by John Szarkowski.

The Nature of Photographs by Stephen Shore.

Photography: An Independent Art by Mark Haworth-Booth.

Magnum Contact Sheets has been mentioned already.

The list is endless, but you will come across practitioners whose work you'll want to explore further, and with the internet you don't immediately have to leave your armchair ...

Keep drilling down, and soaking it all up.
 
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Thanks everyone I'll take a look at the above and start the process :)
 
Geoff Dyer - The ongoing moment

It was recommended to me by my tutor after an assignment and it’s a breath of fresh air. I’ve struggled with the contemporary side of photography but after you’ve got past the initial chapter of Dyers book and got used to his style, I found it informative and and really interesting. It’s one of those books you keep reading and find you’ve lost all sense of time.

Dyer concentrates on themes and subjects that photographers seem compelled to return to such as blind beggars, accordion players, benches, fences, hats and poverty. In doing so he shows the influences of photographers and artists on other photographers, concentrating mostly on Stieglitz, Strand, Weston and Evans but also linking in other photographers such as Atget, Kertesz, Ormeral, Wilson and Winogrand. There’s a detail to the background of the photographers lives, how they linked and influenced each other or were influenced.

The way that Dyer explains the connections and influences of the images, with examples has actually made real sense to me now. Instead of looking at images in isolation and not really understanding their significance, this book really helps explain where I’d previously not understood why some images were perceived to be exemplary. In concentrating on single types of images, you can see the influences over a centenary of photography and photographers. There is a comment in the book where Dyer himself says that there a strange rule in photography where we never see the last of anyone or anything. The images disappear then year later reappear.

My main criticism of the book as a paperback is the limited images, many as small black and white images difficult to distinguish but there are colour pages in the center of the book. It's worth reading and referencing the images on the internet.
 
As for artists work - wow that would be a huge list. I've bought lots from seeing artists works in exhibitions.

Martin Parr,
Robert Franks the Americans,
Vivian Mayer,
England Observed by John Gay
Photography a critical introduction by Liz Wells,
Any of the books detailing the work of Magnum photographers
The genius of Photography (or watch the videos), https://www.youtube.com/user/GeniusOfPhotography
or https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBE59F806E627C84E

If you like new your street photography, check out Cheryl Dunn, http://everybodystreet.com/ an interesting film of current and famous new york photographers. Bonus free material here https://vimeo.com/ondemand/everybodystreet

Photography as Contemporary Art by Charlotte cotton
Landscape photographers such as Salgado, even local interest ones like David Wilsons Pembrokeshire.
If you're interested in flash technique then Joe McNally books like the Hotshoe Diaries
or Chasing the Light - Ibarionex Perello
 
Geoff Dyer - The ongoing moment

It was recommended to me by my tutor after an assignment and it’s a breath of fresh air. I’ve struggled with the contemporary side of photography but after you’ve got past the initial chapter of Dyers book and got used to his style, I found it informative and and really interesting. It’s one of those books you keep reading and find you’ve lost all sense of time.

Dyer concentrates on themes and subjects that photographers seem compelled to return to such as blind beggars, accordion players, benches, fences, hats and poverty. In doing so he shows the influences of photographers and artists on other photographers, concentrating mostly on Stieglitz, Strand, Weston and Evans but also linking in other photographers such as Atget, Kertesz, Ormeral, Wilson and Winogrand. There’s a detail to the background of the photographers lives, how they linked and influenced each other or were influenced.

The way that Dyer explains the connections and influences of the images, with examples has actually made real sense to me now. Instead of looking at images in isolation and not really understanding their significance, this book really helps explain where I’d previously not understood why some images were perceived to be exemplary. In concentrating on single types of images, you can see the influences over a centenary of photography and photographers. There is a comment in the book where Dyer himself says that there a strange rule in photography where we never see the last of anyone or anything. The images disappear then year later reappear.

My main criticism of the book as a paperback is the limited images, many as small black and white images difficult to distinguish but there are colour pages in the center of the book. It's worth reading and referencing the images on the internet.

Sounds good, just bought a copy :)

What a good idea for a thread, some good stuff in here(y)
 
I'd seen some images by Fan Ho, and wanted to get a decent coffee table book, but at £680 on Amazon I think perhaps it's a touch out of my budget, but it got me thinking.

Any recommendations of other artists to look for?

I've never really spent too much time deeply studying other artists work as a body of work, always just looking at images here and there, so anything that has a defined style would be of interest

Thanks in advance

I've been waiting for a re-issue or new book of Fan Ho's stuff for a while now...

In the meantime I'd recommend for similar classic B&W street/documentary work to start your shelf off with :-

Robert Frank - The Americans, and London/Wales. I love London/Wales perhaps more so than it's more famous sister book.
Sergio Larrain - Valpariso (and his London book if you can find it cheaply)
Henri Cartier-Bresson - The Decisive Moment
Bernard Plossu - Europa
Daido Moriyama - Record
Raymond Depardon - USA
Philip Jones Griffith - Dark Odyssey
Brassai - Various books by different publishers as copyright has expired
Robert Doisneau - Also various
Eugene Atget - Paris
Josef Koudelka - Exiles
Bill Brandt - Shadow and Light
 
Books I've bought this year (all recently printed/released so you should be able to find them for close to retail):

Christopher Anderson - Approximate Joy
Daido Moriyama - New Shinjuku
Masahisa Fukase - Ravens
Todd Hido - Bright Black World
Vanessa Winship - She Dances on Jackson
Mark Steinmetz - Past K-Ville
Alec Soth - Niagara
Tom Wood - Women's Market
Garry Winogrand/Geoff Dyer - The Street Philosophy of Garry Winogrand (highly recommend this if you like The Ongoing Moment)
Dana Lixenberg - Imperial Courts
Gregory Halpern - ZZYYXX
Hannah Starkey - Photographs 1997-2017
 
Some good recommendations and to add to the list:

Helmut Newton: SUMO
Irving Penn: Centennial
Todd Hido: Intimate Distance
Bruce Davidson: Subway
Garry Winogrand: The Street Philosophy Of
Richard Avedon: Performance
Karsh: A Fifty (or Sixty) Year Retrospective
Araki by Araki
Wim Wenders: Written In The West
Peter Lindbergh: A Different Vision on Fashion Photography
Stephen Shore: Uncommon Places The Complete Works
Alec Soth: Sleeping by the Mississippi
Elliott Erwitt: Personal Best
 
I think two shelves is just a starting point.:D
 
How about a hardback photo book for under £20?

Martin Parr - The Non-conformists. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Martin-P...h=item545c275fab:g:k1wAAOSwOIlbxMUY:rk:1:pf:0 If nothing else, it might help you to 'see' photo opportunities in every-day type surroundings. Apparently Santa is bringing me a copy of this book. :)
I wish I was getting that for Christmas. But I already have it!

For anyone how likes black and white photos of Britain in years gone by check out Café Royal Books for cheap 'zine' type books. You have to get in quick for the Martin Parr books. ;)
 
It's worth checking the galleries bookshops - I've picked up quite a few where they were going cheap because they wanted space. I've bought quite a few when visiting the Tate on the southbank in London
 
Just picked up "The Battle of Bogside" by Clive Limpkin which has been re-released. Can only get it from the puiblisher : http://www.ghpress.com

Some very powerful images indeed. I don't think a single one is "pin sharp".

"If this gets really nasty" I asked him "where's the best place to cover the street fighting?"
"London", he replied, and poured me another on the house.
 
Also in a totally contrasting way, I received my Kickstarter backed "209 Women" last week. It's a fab book for looking at how a bunch of different people interpret portraiture.
 
Dennis Stock's "California Trip" has been re-issued. $35 with $7 for postage. Absolutely fab images - if you like high contrast B&W street photography of THE SIXTIES.

https://shop.mexicansummer.com/product/dennis-stock-california-trip/

When I ordered it, I figured I'd have to wait, but I got a dispatch note within 24 hours and it arrived today, RM Tracked 48, so it didn't come from America even though it is priced that way.
 
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