With photography facing a threat from the surge of artificial intelligence and snapshot-like images from Instagram, it has become ever so essential for us to return to our roots. Before, plenty of people or algorithms told us what trendy images would get you more followers, and photographers would create images that would leave indelible marks on consciousness. While that kind of photography persists, it has become rarer in the highly digital world. To ensure you don’t lose your path along the way, we have collated a list of photo books to help you push your creative boundaries and create work you will be proud of. After all, the challenge is to surpass yourself!
If you are unhappy with your work, no amount of public validation will satisfy you. So, let the following photobooks help you discover your voice.
Ansel Adams Photography Trilogy
Ansel Adams is one of those photographers whose critical thinking, reasoning, and mastery of the craft can teach generations of new photographers. A legendary landscape photographer, Adams was an advocate of environmental conservation and an educator. He has written numerous books, but his photography trilogy, The Camera, The Negative, and The Print, are his most well-read works. The three-part series delves into the working of all three components that go into making an image. Printing, which is a dying form, is as crucial as understanding the camera. So, if you are a beginner, you must get your hands on this to perfect your knowledge.
You can buy the photobooks here.
Decisive Moment by Henri Cartier-Bresson
As the father of modern photography, Henri Cartier-Bresson’s photographs are celebrated and applauded. In fact, it was his precise timing that changed the way we look at photography and also gave rise to the term “the decisive moment.” In his book, the photographer writes about how he captures a photograph that is so well-timed and composed. If you want to perfect your frames, then this book is a must-buy.
You can buy it from here.
At Work by Annie Leibovitz
Not too long ago, we wrote about Annie Leibovitz’s exceptional book Women, and today, we must include another striking series from the photographer, At Work. This is one of those photo books that delves into the photographer’s workings. The publication talks about her approach to her subjects, including the gear she relies on. If you are a documentary photographer, then this book can help you understand how to communicate with different subjects.
You can purchase it from here.
Magnum Contact Sheets
If you ever find yourself stuck while selecting the best images from your assignment, then this is one of those photo books that will help you understand the process better. By using the contact sheets of various photographers from Magnum, the photobook depicts how each photographer worked. For instance, you can see how they framed the subject and what went on while selecting the final image. You will also see how the world’s most iconic images were made.
You can purchase it from here.
The Americans by Robert Frank
Any list of photo books is incomplete without Robert Franks’s groundbreaking work, The Americans. The photo book was published in 1968, at a time when the country was grasping racial inequality, corruption, injustice, and the stark reality of the American dream. Despite the decade-long difference, the images are thought-provoking and continue to be revealed even today. If you are a documentary photographer, then this book must be on your list.
You can purchase it here.
Peter Lindberg On Fashion Photography
If you are keen on pursuing fashion photography, then let us introduce you to the works of the late German fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh. In this book, you will learn how he changed the way we perceive the genre and how he used authenticity to depict models in the most dignified way. The photo book is divided based on the design Peter worked with, which will give you an idea about how he approached each campaign with a distinct vision.
You can purchase it from here.
The Ballad of Sexual Dependency by Nan Goldin
A visual diary of Nan Goldin, the photo book has become a cultural cornerstone since its publication. Through the intimate photographs, the book depicts Nan and her friends’ world and their relationships with those around them. The book shows a world where boundaries, laws, and rules keep shifting; there is a sense of condiment and liberation in the relationships. Moreover, it is not an easy read, so you must take your time to understand the depth of the images.
You can purchase the book here.
Diane Arbus: An Aperture Monograph
Diane Arbus passed away in 1971, leaving behind a rich legacy of work. In this retrospective, you will see 80 photographs depicting the impact of her work and what makes the images so controversial even today. One of the most hard-hitting bodies of work, the images change our perception of the world and its individuals.
You can purchase it from here.
Why People Photograph by Robert Adams
A classic book on photography by photographer Robert Adams, it highlights various themes such as collectors, humor, teaching, money, and dogs. Through the essays, you will learn about the role of art and the artist and how the two are separate from one another. The author also writes about other important photographers such as Edward Weston, Paul Strand, Laura Gilpin, Judith Joy Ross, Susan Meiselas, Michael Schmidt, Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange, and Eugène Atget.
You can purchase it from here.
The Great LIFE Photographers
LIFE magazine has selected some of the most era-defining photographs of every century. In his photobook, you will not only look at the images but also get a better understanding of the great masters of photography who shaped the medium today. This photo book is a must-read for beginners and serious enthusiasts.
You can purchase it from here.
William Eggleston’s Guide
Considered a master of color photography, this book is essential for anyone who wants to understand how color photography came to be. In addition to color, the photographer also depicts the mundanity of everyday American life, which will continue to resonate even today. So, when you are left amazed by the composition and the use of hues, you will also have to dig deeper into the complexities and emotions of the images.
You can purchase it from here.
Helmut Newton. Legacy
Born in Berlin, Helmut Newton fled to Australia and then moved to Paris, where he became a fashion photographer. Over the next five decades, Newton went on to make some of the most era-defining images, which are now a part of the photobook Helmut Newton. Legacy. The publication looks at about 500 images, some iconic, some never seen before, but all highlighting the genius of the photographer. From fashion to celebrity portraits to nudes, Newton’s photographs have a tension and a story. This is one of those photo books that will help you to understand the genre and the medium better.
You can purchase it from here.
On Photography by Susan Sontag
This is a thought-provoking book that will make you ponder the meaning and importance of photography. Through the pages, you see Sontag argue over the role of photographs and how the medium can be used to control the world. If you look at current events, you surely can see that photographs play a critical role in shaping opinions and narratives. Although controversial, the book is an exceptional read for anyone who wants to look at the world beyond the confines of Instagram reels.
You can purchase it from here.
Ways of Seeing by John Berger
John Berger was a painter, poet, art critic, and novelist whose works became very critical in the way we see photographs. Ways of Seeing was written as an adaptation of his BBC television series, which was created in 1972. The book mainly deals with paintings and images, but overall, it highlights the history of visual arts and how visual cues end up changing the way we see images. This is one of those books that will help to open your mind to our visually hungry world and how we use pictures and mass media as a means to support certain ideologies or political parties.
You can purchase it from here.
Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography by Roland Barthes
Roland Barthes is another person who has extensively written about photography. Like the two books above, Camera Lucida is another publication you must get your hands on. The author uses various photographs as examples to highlight which images touched him or failed to do so. The themes, too, vary: from politics to journalistic to fashion to street. As one of his quotes states in the book: “The Photograph then becomes a bizarre medium, a new form of hallucination: false on the level of perception, true on the level of time: a temporal hallucination, so to speak, a modest, shared hallucination (on the one hand ‘it is not there,’ on the other ‘but it has indeed been’): a mad image, chafed by reality.”
You can buy it here.
We hope these photo books help you in your endeavor. As you go through them, continue to apply what you have learned in your practice.
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