Picture Books

[Bill Pierce]

I was asked recently why I have so many “picture books” in my office when so many pictures are available on the internet. This was asked by a very young person who probably knows more about the internet than I do. But there are about 650 “picture books” in my office, and I know more about picture books than they do.

Picture books have obvious advantages over screen images. Image quality doesn’t vary over a range of monitors. And, having been shown a number of pictures on iPads and cellphones, books can actually be bigger. But the biggest advantage is not everybody can get a book published, while anybody can publish on the internet. Nothing wrong with that. The ability to share family photographs or just photographs in general, view news photographs or search specific subject are good things. But the presumption that these are above average photographs just because they are published on the internet is often far from true. While the portfolios of many outstanding photographers are on the internet, they are far outweighed by average and even sub par ones. There is nothing amazing about that. But what is amazing are the comments about these pictures indicating that they are brilliant and outstanding. Maybe it’s just that more people are seeing more pictures taken by more people. In general, the bigger the group of random folk, the smaller the percentage of folks who will be outstanding - outstanding as professional football players, outstanding as mathematicians, outstanding as photographers and outstanding as intelligent commentators on photography. It’s hard to get a book of photographs published; it’s a smaller group. Maybe that’s why I like books so much.

Your thoughts?

 

[Timmyjoe]

Most of my picture books, and I have many fewer than you Bill, are from photographers whose work I admire, and most are from the 1940's through the early 1990's. For inspiration, for pleasure, for trying to copy a technique, I've used them for all these.

For these purposes I find they work better than online images. Something about a black & white print on paper (90% of my books are B&W), especially in the oversized layout of old photo books, just is much more pleasant to study and be with for a period of time. Something back lit internet images can't reproduce.

That, and I just like having them. Makes me feel connected with where photography came from.

 

[NY_Dan]

Hey Bill, did you get a copy of my book published by inkBooks? http://www.inkphotobooks.com I think you'd like it.

 

[rscheffler]

The internet/digital has also made it much easier to publish photo books. OK, self-publish.

 

[Dale D]

My photo book collection is steadily growing, and I find that time spent with the book is more rewarding than time spent looking at photos on the PC screen. I was recently looking at Saul Leiter's Early Black and White (again), and can't tire of soaking that in. Looking at photos on the web or PC has a more utilitarian value for me, like searching for things that are interesting, but not as deeply involving as a printed image. Time with a good photo book is somehow a richer experience for me. And this is even more true with the high print quality of many of today's printed books.

Dale

 

[mrmeadows]

It's very true, as Bill says, that the quality of the photos in photo books is one of their great attractions. Commercially oriented publishers can be very good curators, so their photo books tend not only to have higher quality than the average photo-sharing web site, but the profit motive encourages that they are built on a consensus regarding what amounts to "good" photography ... a consensus among people (photographers, editors, critics, etc.) who are more informed and experienced judges than the average Flickr user who lauds pedestrian photos of cats or sunsets. The combination of profit motive and of quality of curation is one reason why photo books mostly contain high-quality work. Another important attribute for me is that such photo books often are much more than a collection of high-quality single images. Most of the books in my small library not only contain a respected photographer's images, but they include an edited selection encompassing a particular theme from that photographer's work. These photo books tell a story of otherwise unfamiliar events or circumstances and/or they explore the theme to yield a more complete and nuanced account than possible in a single photo, and this is something that a very few web sites undertake to accomplish. Finally, websites come and go, but a photo book is "forever".

--- Mike

 

[kbb]

Photographs printed [well] are superior to electronically [well]displayed photos, because electronic displays are still pretty ugly. This could change in the future.

 

[willie_901]

I'm all for books.

So, who knows of a photobook printer who will produce true B&W photographs without having to spend more than my camera kit costs for a reasonably small number of books?

 

[dasuess]

So, who knows of a photobook printer who will produce true B&W photographs without having to spend more than my camera kit costs for a reasonably small number of books?

I have totally given up on Blurb for any B&W images. I recently tried another printer recommended here on RFF and I was once again disappointed with the B&W output. The color cast was not as bad as Blurb, but it was very noticeable. But at least they provided a full proof of your book and refunded your money (minus the cost of the proof) if you were not satisfied.

I have about given up on being able to produce a small-run B&W photo book that I could afford.

 

[PeterAM]

Although I now shoot 98% digital , my end product is still a print. The next best thing is a picture book; the electronic box is for a quick glance or a search. I've been a book reader/looker all my life and although I read some books on a Kindle these days, I can't imagine looking at a photo book on that device. A forty year career in publishing is also in my internal mix.

 

[Darthfeeble]

When you look at a print, be it book or wall, you are looking at what the artist intended. Computer monitors vary widely in color, tone and Luminance.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I have only three books. One with color film photography, two with film bw.
Where are some photo books I would want to get, but I would never pay for the book with digitally taken pictures in it. Computer screens are better for it...

 

[taemo]

I've lost interest on looking at pictures that are posted/shared online, as a matter of fact I've deleted my Instagram app and rarely check Flickr or Facebook groups for photos now a days.
I just find it so disconnected when looking through a digital screen.
My goal going forward is to obtain as many photobooks as I can (planning on buying some published from fellow RFFs) or making my own books or prints.

 

[Hsg]

The only photobook that I like is Weegee's The Naked City. He says in the book for example that, "murders and fires are my bread and butter" so, one has to admire his wry sense of humor but also his compassion for his subjects... There are a lot of Weegee wannabes but he was unique.


I prefer to look at color photos online because the dynamic range and color depth of a monitor is far superior to a printed paper. Kodachrome like all transparency films that were meant to be seen through a projector look great on monitor screen, of course when they're professionally prepared for web display with correct white balance.

 

[jsrockit]

The only photobook that I like is Weegee's The Naked City.

This is sad...

 

[Hsg]

I like Weegee's Naked city because its a no nonsense photographic book without the pompous ego of the photographer getting in the way of its narrative. I like Weegee, he was a real street guy.

I check out Alex Webb's book on magnum site sometimes, with its stupendous title, The Suffering of Light, just too admire the Kodachrome colors but his compositions bore me now.

I like Salgado's books but from a distance. If I want to see them I go to the reference library.

 

[Kevcaster]

Books are one of man's greatest developments, unequalled by any other medium in my thinking. I jumped onto the bandwagon with iPads and Laptops but when I want to sit down and enjoy the photographs I love by the great photographers then I open a book. In fact in response to this post I opened the Leica Manual (1973) Morgan and Morgan to look for a picture taken by Bill Pierce that inspired me to concentrate on black and white printing in the early 80's. (I was mistaken about the volume, the photograph I remembered was in another publication. Bill, it was a picture of your son taken in available light on the porch of your home and the caption talked of the 'glow' of Tri-X - Maybe Camera and Darkroom magazine).
When I have the house to myself you can find me with a glass of wine, the music up loud and a book. I have recently been enjoying 'Chim', (Andre Deutsch) The Jonathan Cape book on Don McCullin and the Thames and Hudson book, Andre Kertesz of Paris and New York, the latter is a good read as well as a beautiful collection of his work. I have an unopened facsimile publication of The Decisive Moment awaiting my attention and perhaps a glass of wine of finer vintage than usual.
Where are the new photographers? You may wonder. I have some and follow four or five on Flickr but find them largely unsatisfying, lacking in lyrical composition and wit, wondering myself if I demonstrate yet again attachment to things familiar and a reliance on nostalgia as the editor.
The World Press photo contest images of 2015 have some outstanding images, shocking, poignant, uplifting and informative, these I view on the iMac and find the single viewing enough for now, will I return to them - maybe, I sent links to my brother and feed the curated Magnum Photo images for 2015 to my friends on Facebook.
I visit the galleries and exhibitions and I like the way that curation of a body of work, by the author or by others, creates an essence or extraction. I think that time has this effect on music, the dross sinking to the bottom leaving ever thinner layers of great songs, works and melodies as we approach the top. Books work in this way, publishers curate and edit, the market decides and the results can sit on our shelves waiting for the evening when I have the house to myself.
Happy New Year to all in RFF
Kevin