Inspirational Books

[John]

Every two weeks I'm in Waterstones in Manchester and often come across some really inspirational books. I thought every time I see one I should share the details with you. Please do the same for any that you are aware of.

This time it's Genesis by Sebastiao Salgado : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Genesis-Sebasti ... do+Genesis

This sumptuous Taschen book is bursting with the most incredible black and white photography that I have seen for a very long time. There are some staggering people pictures in there as well as images of the natural world. It's definitely on my want list!

[Paul Jones]

Good thread John...

I'm a collector of photography books, in fact my latest one arrived in an Amazon box just this afternoon.
Mostly concerned with photographing people in one sense or another.

The last books I bought are:

The Art of Boudoir Photography: How to Create Stunning Photographs of Women by Christa Meola
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0321862708/?tag=paujon-21


Boudoir Photography: The Complete Guide to Shooting Intimate Portraits by Critsey Rowe
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1907579192/?tag=paujon-21


Fashion Photography 101: A Complete Course for the New Fashion Photographer by Lara Jade
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1908150459/?tag=paujon-21


Pro Digital Fashion Photography by Bruce Smith
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1905814380/?tag=paujon-21


Professional Portrait Retouching Techniques for Photographers Using Photoshop by Scott Kelby
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0321725549/?tag=paujon-21


My all-time favourite photography book is:

Shooting Sex: The Definitive Guide to Undressing Beautiful Strangers by Bob Carlos Clarke
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/3283004463/?tag=paujon-21
(I'm lucky to have got a signed copy before he died)


Let's keep this thread going.........

[Paul Jones]

Gosh, is there only John and me who read photography books.........?

[John]

Don't worry Paul, I read a lot of them and I'll find another one on Tuesday!

[kevinlowe]

My most recent purchase was 'Cardiff after Dark', a fantastic collection of street photography.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cardiff-After-D ... after+dark

It's on my shelf next to the two 'Beauty in Decay' books and the 'Altered Images' books by RomanyWG which have been talked about quite a bit on the forum.

[John]

Today's Manchester trip had me looking at some different books that can stretch our imagination and keep us from the rut of "club photography".

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chicks-Guns-Lin ... +with+guns is not a glamour book, but a quite fascinating set of imaginative portraits showing girls who shoot guns, with their favourite weapons. OK matron, you can stop sniggering now, because this is actually a very interesting and imaginative work!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fred-Herzog-Pho ... hotographs This is very unusual. mundane subjects, but riveting photographs. It's a great lesson in how the everyday world around us can be made to look very, very good. We could all do this, so why don't we?

[Paul Jones]

My most recent purchase was 'Cardiff after Dark', a fantastic collection of street photography.

That's given me an idea for an ADAPS field trip... 'Wigan on a Saturday Night'

[Paul Jones]

... keep us from the rut of "club photography".

Amen to that!

Chicks with guns - is not a glamour book, but a quite fascinating set of imaginative portraits showing girls who shoot guns

When I saw the title I wasn't expecting that. The shots seem very well done.
Being a member of a gun club, it's actually a pet hate of mine that on modelling sites you see some crappy, cliche, tacky shots of girls holding firearms (badly).

Fred Herzog - a great lesson in how the everyday world around us can be made to look very, very good. We could all do this, so why don't we?

Indeed.

[John]

So here's this week's suggestions:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Contemporary-Ch ... hotography looks a very exciting volume. It's great to see how other societies view photographic art.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Camera-Work-Alf ... amera+Work The complete photographs from this legendary publication.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logorama-Ludovi ... s=Logobook Here's an odd one, but if we think about the logo, then in terms of design it has to have something to tell us about visual impact.

Three very different books, but all looking worth exploring.

[John]

Today's trip into Waterstones in Manchester yielded:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Robert-Bourdeau ... tion+Point - this is an amazing collection of mainly black and white images. This shows yet another way to use monochrome to produce powerful shots that would be diminished by colour.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kodak-Girl-Mart ... Kodak+Girl - Girls have been involved with photography from the start and this is archive material covering one of the longest advertising campaigns ever - George Eastman's Kodak Girl. Can be read by boys and girls!

[Walter Brooks]

My trip to Waterstones (Deansgate) at the weekend was marred by the chatterers in the coffee area breaking my concentration!
Today, unexpectedly I was able to call into the branch in the Arndale and between Metrolink trams I emerged with -

Art Photography Now by Susan Bright; and

John Gay's black and white document of English life in the second half of last century.

And a few weeks ago - Taschen's 50 Photo Icons. The story behind the pictures from Niepce's View From The Study Window in 1827 through to Hoepker's View Of Manhattan From Williamsburg in 2001; and
Sefton Samuels' Northerners. A black and white portrait of a no nonsense people.

Something to inspire despite the age of the images - and the one that got left on the shelf until Christmas maybe was
DUFFY - a substantial tome of super black and white snaps at £45!

Regards

W

[Paul Jones]

DUFFY - a substantial tome of super black and white snaps at £45!

If it's the same one, it's £28.80 on Amazon - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1851496572/?tag=paujon-21

[Walter Brooks]

Thanks Paul, it is the one - although with Amazon you don't get the aggravation of not being able to avoid the conversations of others over coffee, especially when they want everyone to know their business! But I could just at a pinch enjoy ordering it from the comfort of my chair, especially as the nights draw in and winter looms ...
W

[John]

Another couple of weeks has gone by, and more inspirational books for your consideration:

The first is prospect http://www.amazon.co.uk/Prospect-Thomas ... mas+Schiff and this is a fantastic collection of architectural panoramic photography. I was really impressed and although it's not exactly cheap it's beautifully printed and worth the Amazon price.

Northerners http://www.amazon.co.uk/Northerners-Sam ... ortherners is us oop North, and is a fine collection of black and white reportage. Not perhaps any unexpected content, but a very good selection of gritty images.

Happy reading till next time!