latest additions to your library

During my recent visit in Wetzlar I could't avoid to buy an "M book"...
I found interesting "Der Leica M Photograph" for three reason:
  1. photos
  2. description and suggestions about the M style of taking photo (we already know many of these but it's a nice reading)
  3. being written in german it's for me a good way to keep practicing my skill in this language!

I like the fact it's a book which describes a a system but it's more about a philosophy than an "instruction book", it's a book about photography but more concerned on the vision and the human approach than the technical informations.
Unfortunately I didn't find an english translation...
robert
 
jsrockit said:
It's pretty well done, but typical for his box sets... meaning they could've edited down more. I wouldn't pay full price for it... it's still pretty good if you are really into Eggleston (I guess I am).

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So for a "semi" fan, which ONE would you recommend?

I guess you are a good one to ask, you seem to be really into Eggleston :D
 
jsrockit said:
It's pretty well done, but typical for his box sets... meaning they could've edited down more. I wouldn't pay full price for it... it's still pretty good if you are really into Eggleston (I guess I am).

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Well, I almost have all the same Eggleston books as you.. I skipped the Los Almos set as the single volume was better.. I love the Chromes set however... For Now is great..I single volume of the Democratic Forest I love, so I have high hopes for the big set I'm a big Eggleston fan but I don't buy everything like that book of clouds... no go... For the beginner The Guide is a really good introduction and I would recommend that one as well..
 
jsrockit said:
It's pretty well done, but typical for his box sets... meaning they could've edited down more. I wouldn't pay full price for it... it's still pretty good if you are really into Eggleston (I guess I am).
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Would you recommend the Steidl Democratic Forest set? I'm also a big Eggleston fan, but haven't yet been able to justify this splurge to myself.

I have the big Los Alamos set (as I think I've said here before), and I agree about the original publication being much more tightly edited, but does one ever regret seeing more Eggleston pictures? I certainly don't (I may just have answered my question above :D)
 
stephen.w said:
Would you recommend the Steidl Democratic Forest set? I'm also a big Eggleston fan, but haven't yet been able to justify this splurge to myself.
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I've spent some time looking at the set and think some of the volumes are much stronger than others, so much so that I have held off buying the set (I have both Chromes and Los Alamos Revisited so my inclination was to buy the new set). That said, one or two of the volumes are strong enough that I have considered buying the set for those alone but, even discounted at around £250, I have for now left it in the "save for later" part of my Amazon basket.

I agree about the clouds book. I'm nowhere near enough of an Eggleston completist to consider paying good money for that.
 
michaelwj said:
So for a "semi" fan, which ONE would you recommend?:D
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The Guide, as mentioned, is a classic. I also rather like the small format From Black and White to Colour – it's a rather nice book to flick through. However, the best single volume I have is probably the book that which accompanied the Whitney The Democratic Camera exhibition of a few years ago. Not sure if it is still in print.
 
We just got "The Cat Who Went To Heaven", a sort of Buddhist fairy tale. Or something. Very bizarre concept, as there is no heaven and hell in Buddhism, (unless you're Pureland, which is a different animal), other than what we make for ourselves here on earth, although circumstances and others can put us there sometimes.

I enjoyed the book, and the cover is cute as all get out, but really, all beings already have Buddha nature, so I don't get it. Which is OK, because not getting it and not being attached to not getting it is the path, so in that sense it was a helpful book.
 
ian_watts said:
I've spent some time looking at the set and think some of the volumes are much stronger than others, so much so that I have held off buying the set (I have both Chromes and Los Alamos Revisited so my inclination was to buy the new set). That said, one or two of the volumes are strong enough that I have considered buying the set for those alone but, even discounted at around £250, I have for now left it in the "save for later" part of my Amazon basket.



I agree about the clouds book. I'm nowhere near enough of an Eggleston completist to consider paying good money for that.
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Thanks, Ian - very useful to hear. No discount here on my end unfortunately, but I may still take the plunge.


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I have looked through a copy of the multi volume Democratic Forest here at work (museum). I think this is a case of too much of a good thing. If it was just three volumes it would be much better. I was overwhelmed with repetitive images of trees, miscellaneous object and corners of things that have the same angle or viewpoint. The quantity of images diminished the quality of work during this time, which comes across as an artist in search of a theme, rather than maintaining his philosophy of image taking. With a couple of exceptions, the work felt drab and boring. And I am a fan of his work.
 
Stefan Wood said:
I have looked through a copy of the multi volume Democratic Forest here at work (museum). I think this is a case of too much of a good thing. If it was just three volumes it would be much better. I was overwhelmed with repetitive images of trees, miscellaneous object and corners of things that have the same angle or viewpoint. The quantity of images diminished the quality of work during this time, which comes across as an artist in search of a theme, rather than maintaining his philosophy of image taking. With a couple of exceptions, the work felt drab and boring. And I am a fan of his work.
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Hence the "Democratic", I guess.

I think the Guide and Chromes are an interesting pair to own, since one is essentially an edited down version of the other.
 
Stefan Wood said:
I have looked through a copy of the multi volume Democratic Forest here at work (museum). I think this is a case of too much of a good thing. If it was just three volumes it would be much better. I was overwhelmed with repetitive images of trees, miscellaneous object and corners of things that have the same angle or viewpoint. The quantity of images diminished the quality of work during this time, which comes across as an artist in search of a theme, rather than maintaining his philosophy of image taking. With a couple of exceptions, the work felt drab and boring. And I am a fan of his work.
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I never look at all of the books in one sitting...max 1 to 2 volumes. As with everything Eggleston, there will be ones you love and other that you have to ignore.
 
Just found in a charity shop "A Country Camera 1844-1914" but there's several cameras involved, not one. In other words a collection of photographs from that period.

Regards, David
 
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