Photo Books: I'm I crazy?

[Hjortsberg]

I started buying photo books a couple of years ago. A lot of them. I would become interested in a photographer and buy one of their books. If I liked his/her photos, I would buy another book of their work. And I would notice something and I'm wondering if I'm crazy.

Let's take William Eggleston (don't care if you like him or not) or Stephen Shore (ditto), I would buy one of their books with about 100 photos in them. I would buy a newer one a couple of years later and they would have about 80 of the same photos with about 20 new ones. I would buy another a couple of years later and it would, basically, be the same photos in the first one with about 15-20 new photos. I began to feel like I was being suckered. Same with Vivian Merier, to a degree.

I just buy one photo book from one photographer now and that's that.

 

[aizan]

that's a typical problem with buying photobooks over the internet. it depends a lot on what kind of book you're buying. all of the photos in an original monograph are going to be new, but a general survey is going to have a lot of "best hits." try posting a question here before making a purchase!

 

[mdarnton]

That's absolutely a correct perception. Lots of books are organized around ideas or exhibitions, and the photos overlap quite a bit. The only photographers I've bought more than one book of are the ones I really like--HCB, Allen Ginsberg, Mike Disfarmer, and Edward Steichen. The Ginsberg books are all almost identical, since the body of work is small, with one or two new photos in each, but I really wanted to see them all. Most other photographers I just try to find the one book with the best reviews for what I want to see and buy that one.

 

[Andrea Taurisano]

As well as sharing the thoughts above, I've often felt a frustration and a sense of injustice seeing how little effort it takes for well established names to get stuff published (even though it's far from new and far from their best stuff), while I not only think but KNOW that I myself have thousands of good photos which would absolutely deserve publication but will probably never be published just because 1) my name is unknown and 2) there are already millions of photo books struggling to get off the shelves. End of the rant 🙂

 

[shadowfox]

What is a monograph?

Or more specifically, what are monographs supposed to convey?

 

[shadowfox]

I think I can relate, as I've been trying to put together a compelling body of work for some time now.

I like the style of the photos on your website. You have come up with a consistent way to use light to isolate the subject.

 

[fdarnell]

Style

Style

Clearly you have created your own style as the photos on your website all fit together very nicely. You handle the light well, I think and the contrasts and shapes are interesting. My favorite is the photo of the lips close-up - kind of fools the eye initially. Keep at it!

Coming from what is rapidly the older generation and perhaps associated with the age of those gatekeepers I believe you are correct in your assessment of them. But remember, they have to make money and printing books on a large scale can be quite expensive. You could also think that a lot of what is out there is almost "pablum for the masses" - especially what you highlight for subjects in the above posts. They have to push this stuff since it sells, and that within itself is enough to convict current societies tastes.

On the other hand, the beauty of this current age is the economics of self publishing and the internet. You can generate your own success and loyal following at a much lower point of entry costs that in earlier days, like the 70's.

One thing you have to study is the audience. I had the chance to look at a Ford car advertisement from a 1915 newspaper. The language alone would be incomprehensible by most mainstream people today, let alone the amount of imagination required by the reader to put himself in the car.

Doesn't work today as I think in general people are just not as well educated today as they were required to be in the past. At least here in the US. Our comparative test scores support it.

 

[aizan]

a monograph is a book of original work on a new subject. if you want to buy something that doesn't have the same old photos, that's what you want.

the establishment has to sell whatever is in fashion to keep their businesses afloat. there are multitudes of smaller "establishments" for less popular styles, so you just have to get in touch with the right people.

 

[danielsterno]

My prescription is if you are buying them over web in which I do is: 1-to buy them used, most of the time they are as good as new. 2- only buy from a reputable seller like amazon so you can return them. I do return them if they contain may of the same photo's from prior books. Even if the book is new. and 3: look at sellers comments…. Thanks D.