What good photography books you reading these days?

[JAPster]

<p>Hello all.<br>

I was curious to know what good photography books are currently being read by serious photographers. If you are reading any good photo books right now, and feel you are profiting, pls take a moment to sound in & give your feedback.... positives & negatives.<br>

regards,<br>

AP</p>

[shaloot]

<h4>I'm not a "serious" photographer but currently I'm enjoying/rereading some classic Tom Clancy and Ken Follett books. Love the old spy drama and tech/warfare speak.</h4>

[allen_friday]

<p>"Art and Fear." I re-read it every year or so. </p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>I am reading "Katrin Eismann" book on "Restoration & Retouching" it's a very good book, a little different than your average how-to book. I just hate going through the tons of pages on introductory stuff.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>Most recently, a large collection of photos by <a href="http://www.milansklenar.com/">Milan Sklenar</a> simply titled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Milan-Sklenar-Photographs-Chris-Morgan/dp/0968236219"><em>Milan Sklenar: Photographs</em> </a> . Not much narrative about each photo or discussion of equipment and technique, just a collection of his b&w photography over a period of a couple of decades, with some commentary and essays. I don't recall why I bought the book several years ago, other perhaps than the quality of the photos and the essay title that piqued my interest, "Meditations on the repositioning of photography in a post-documentary era." Since documentary photography is one of my main interests I suppose I was interested in learning why the term "post" might be applied. I always seem to be behind the curve and verging on terminally unhip.</p>

<p>I also keep handy some copies of <em>ibid</em> , collections of stock art from the b&w film photography era, to remind myself of a time when grain was considered a flavor rather than a flaw, and discussions of aesthetics were not skewed by often humorous obsessions with pixels, noise and the aspect ratio and sizes of the recording medium. What a quaint conceit people used to have about photography, before this enlightened age.</p>

[photojen]

<p>Somanna~ Ken Follett is my favorite author...</p>

[jpo3136b]

<p>Frost, Lee. "Lee Frost's Simple Art of Black and White Photography." David and Charles, 2004. ISBN 0-7153-1633-8.<br /> I liked the section on toning and lith printing. It has some beginning process advice, and some products mentioned, but it was not an over-blown catalog of equipment-dependent advice. If anything turns me off to a book on photography, it's an over-reliance on equipment in the text of the book. I prefer general technique and process to any kind of equipment endorsement every time.</p>

<p>If I want to see an ad about equipment, I'll consult a catalog. I generally feel that way about photography books. They can be horrible when it comes to using too many equipment endorsements.</p>

<p>Any type of computer-related or software related book is almost completely unreadable for this reason. I read over one good text on flowcharting for basic software applications. It taught me far more about the digital side, especially web pages, web stores, slideshows and so on, than any other digital photography book. I think the thing is about ten years old now. I have no idea what the title is; I only consult it occasionally; I just remember that it has a green cover.</p>

<p>Because of that book, I plan out a lot of stuff on paper before I bother with the computer. Today's tutorials are near-useless compared to the planning and problem solving approach that book demonstrated. That book helped put me in the driver's seat with the computer; even after the technology got more complicated.</p>

<p>Computing with your hands on the computer can be too reactive. Computing with a plan keeps you in charge. I liked that flowcharting book. Without it, I would be overwhelmed by some of the projects I've had to tackle every now and then. The contemporary tutorials on anything computerized tend to predicate themselves on the idea that the user is reactive. Another good reason not to bother with them.</p>

[clay2]

<p>Ansal Adams revised 3 volume set. Just finished 'The Camera', now reading 'The Negative'.<br>

Going to Toronto Camera Show this Sunday to look for volume 3, 'The Print'.<br>

/Clay</p>

<p> </p>

[JDMvW]

<p>I finished, but am still going back to, a Taschen book which is every single picture that was published in <em>Camera Work</em> , Alfred Stieglitz's publication from 1903 to 1917. The quality of the illustrations is not up to the larger reprints of many of the pictures in the Life Library of Photography (1st ed, with actual gravures like the originals), but it is pretty good, even though reduced in size.<br>

It starts with a very pictorialist Steichen and ends with more modern shots from Paul Strand. Even if you don't like all the "painterly" effects, it's still important stuff to see where we have been.</p><div></div>

[charles_freeland]

<p>Two books on the photography of Josef Koudelka: First, "Chaos", a very large format book published by Phaidon Press. The production is lavishly 1st class. And, second, a retrospective overview of Koudelka's work, simply entitled "Koudelka", published by Thames & Hudson, which is also well done. In recent years, Koudelka has worked with the 617 format, using black and white film. I never wanted a 617 camera until I saw his work and what could be done compositionally with that format. I do use 612, but now I would love to try 617 in b & w. Both books are highly recommended.</p>

[ken_l2]

<p>I picked up several volumes of the "Life Library of Photography" the other day at a thrift shop, and right now I'm still going through them just admiring the photos (and reading some excerpts.)</p>

<p>For those not familiar with this series, it's a series of 20 volumes or so, each dealing with a specific topic of photography, i.e., volumes on <em>'The Art of Photography', 'Photojournalism', 'The Studio', 'Light and Film'</em> , etc. Published in the early 70s, these books are an excellent photographic resource, and the quality of the reproductions in them are stunning. (There was a second printing in the 80s which wasn't quite up to the quality of the original edition.) </p>

<p>Volumes of this set can occasionally be found in thrift stores, and if you do find some, I highly recommend getting them.</p>

[Ray House]

<p>I found a beat up copy of On Photography by Susan Songtag at my library used book store. Just started reading it so I really can't make much of a comment. My thoughts after only a few pages are that she was ahead of her time and quite an intellectual. I also think its going to be an interesting and enlightening book.</p>

[mark_loader]

<p>"The Moment It Clicks" and "The Hotshoe Diaries" by Joe McNally...informative, inspiring and fun. Crazy Joe is a loose cannon so it's hard not to love him! "Digital Photography" Vols 1-3 by Scott Kelby...bite size chunks of knowledge made easier to digest by Scott's easy manner and conversational writing style.</p>

[mark_schafer1]

<p>One of the few newer books that are actually a read on photography is Annie Leibovitz "Work". Great insight on her shoots, the stories and the prep that goes in, that usually nobody talks about (Which leads to the recently released "Photographer's life", "American Music" and "Women" for some images if you want a closer look).<br>

Then there's Avedon's "Fashion", the show closes next week in NY.<br>

I also enjoyed recently all of Robert Polidorie's architecture books and the fantastic view of contemporary Africa by Pieter Hugo in "The Hyena and other men".</p>

[gregers_mansfeldt]

<p>I'm re-reading a rather old book (1990) "Sehen - Gestalten und Fotografieren" by a German Professor of photography.<br>

I checked on the Internet that it is (has been) also available in English under the title: "Vision, Composition and Photography".<br>

Greg</p>

[Andy Collins]

<p>I'm currently reading Galen Rowell's "Inner Game of Outdoor Photography" and I'm always referring back to Ivor Matanle's "Collecting and Using Classic SLRs", a book I should stay away from because it always gives me ideas of more cameras to try to find. I've also gotten out one of my older photo books, "Landscape Photography, The Art and Techniques of Eight Modern Masters" written around 1984 featuring such notable photographers as Angelo Lomeo, Sonja Bullaty, and Yuan Li. Sometimes it's nice to get away from everyone's "Digital Guide to..." books and return to basic photographic techniques that are valuable whether you're shooting digital, film, or pinhole cameras.</p>

[gary_watson]

<p>Re-reading Geoff Dyer's <em>The Ongoing Moment</em> , among the better books I've tackled on how to think about and look at photography--really a very subtle technical discourse by a non-photographer.</p>

[clay2]

<p>Ken L.<br>

I have the complete Time-Life set of books. The basics of photography never change, digital, film,<br>

its still all about "Light".<br>

Best regards,<br>

/Clay</p>

[alice_springs]

<p>I'm reading, "Revelations" by Diane Arbus, complied by her oldest daughter.<br>

This woman was a true genius, to say the least, and I wish I had found out about her sooner. I would recommend this book to anyone who is sick and tired of hearing about the same female photographers over and over again (that is: Annie Leibovitz, Dorothea Lange, Imogen).<br>

Check out this book! Diane Arbus was revolutionary and it's too sad that she couldn't stick around longer.</p>

[benbangerter]

<p><em>The History of Photography</em>, by Beaumont Newhall. Published in 1982 by MOMA, obtained used from an Amazon seller. Some duplication of images from other, similarly titled works, but interesting nevertheless.</p>

[ken_l2]

<p>Clay,</p>

<p>I think I have the full set, plus a few duplicates. I haven't found a listing of all of the volumes, so I'm not sure if there is a volume or two that I haven't acquired yet. I picked up my volumes in thrift stores and used book shops in a piecemeal fashion over the years. </p>

<p>You're right about it all being about 'light.' Unfortunately, it seems many people ignore the older books thinking that the principles of light, composition, seeing, etc. have somehow changed with digital. In my experience, many older books are superior to some 'digital' how-to books in that the older books tended to concentrate on the basics of making a photo, rather than devoting 90% of the book to 'fixing it in Photoshop.'</p>

[william l. palminteri]

<blockquote>

<p ><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=4709195"><em>Ken L</em></a><em> </em><a href="../member-status-icons"></a><em>, Sep 19, 2009; 10:27 p.m.</em><br>

<em>Unfortunately, it seems many people ignore the older books thinking that the principles of light, composition, seeing, etc. have somehow changed with digital.</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Ken, you're right, nothing's different, but Adobe has invested millions in convincing an unsuspecting public that "You can fix it in p/s".<br>

Yeah, just grab a shot, in RAW of course (extra flexibility to fix thoses errors), and spend hours inside p/s fiddling with the file to get something "artistic".</p>

<p>My favorite book is still "Feininger on Photography" by Andreas Feininger, © 1949.<br>

I first read the book in 1961, and I still refer to it. </p>

<p>Bill P.<em></em></p>

[bob_bill]

<p>"Faces" by Ben Maddow. A history of portraiture. Substantial work. 6.5 lbs hard cover. Not airplane reading. Available on Amazon for as little as $11 used. Nice companion to Newhall's History of Photography or Hirsch's Seizing the Light. </p>

[rick_helmke1]

I was just looking over 'Linda McCartney's Sixties' published apparently not long before her death. It has some excellent work from her shoots of the musicians that became famous in the 1960's. Many you know and quite a few you may not. It was all done using stage lights or other available lighting. What struck me though is how many of them are no longer with us and have been gone for many years. Well photographed, written and designed. Two others I enjoy are Richard Avedon's 'Woman in the Mirror' and the recent 'Vanity Fair Portraits'. Both are a bit pricey but excellent. Every time I read one of these I want to throw my digitals over the fence.....

 

Rick H.

[michael_oxford]

<p>The Mind's Eye - The writings of Henri Cartier-Bresson</p>