jusxusfanatic
Well-known
Makes sense, but I never owned a book related to photography! Gonna start off with something simple
What book do you guys recommend?
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brennanphotoguy
Well-known
I'm sure there is a painting forum you can join then.
Also, Larry Fink has some great work as well.
tunalegs
Pretended Artist
The Amateur Photographer's Handbook by Aaron Sussman is one of the better how-to books I've come across. It starts out like most books for beginners but then goes far beyond others I've read with in depth explanations about things like how filters work etc. As it was first published in the 1940s and revised several times over the next few decades it tends to give a lot more "hands on" advice than more modern books, and some of the earlier editions even contain instructions for using things like flash powder.
MIkhail
Well-known
I am sorry... apparently forgot to consult with you... Will be more careful from this point on.
jusxusfanatic
Well-known
Yep, gonna buy Elliot Erwitt's Snaps this weekend . It's gonna be my very first book related to photography, and I quite like his style. I wanted to buy a Fan Ho one buy it's just a bit too expensive to me
brennanphotoguy
Well-known
That would be appreciated. I'll make my inbox available for you to send your comments to for approval before posting.
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
This depends partially upon what you want to see.
If you want to study form then photography may not be something to look at, at all. As suggested, paintings, drawings and sculpture can teach a lot about seeing.
I've been a journalist and "street photographer" for almost two decades now and have found that artistic movements in history have informed my eye recently more than the works of prominent photographers.
A good exercise might be to find the artistic movement which tugs at you to look longer and think as if you are the painter, at first just looking to see the art in the world around you; then frame it within a viewfinder of a camera.
The social movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries have really informed how I see the modern world. That is, the paintings and prints of these movements.
The Meiji period in Japan is fascinating with its rapidly changing art. Immediately following, Japan and the whole world began seeing socialist uprisings.
The non-photographic art is still representative of what was happening in the world at the time and can easily be looked at with an eye to "street photography."
Recently, my personal favorite artistic era is that of the Mexican revolution and following. This is due, in-part, to the extraordinary Mexican Revolution art exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art which recently closed and permanently moved to Mexico City. I also grew up in New Mexico and the greater southwest part of the USA, so the Mexican influence is something that informed my whole young life.
Look at the work of the prominent Mexican muralist and nationalist artists: Orozco, Siquieros, Rivera, Tamayo, Khalo and Leal. These all painted with the social uprisings in mind and it is very apparent in their works. One of my favorite paintings is of Zapatistas by Alfredo Martinez. Many downturned sombreros with several pairs of wary eyes. It is a theme that has been revisited by photographers quite a bit.
Having served in the US Navy as a combat photographer, I used to concentrate on the purely photographic visual documentary but I feel that I have personally grown out of that mode and I'm seeing the world differently, its abstractions inform reality more than I had previously seen. That said, my favorite documentary books are "Minamata" by W. Eugene Smith and "Vietnam Inc." by Philip Jones Griffiths.
Photographic books are good but visual art and seeing the world to photograph it is far more than photography.
Phil Forrest
If you want to study form then photography may not be something to look at, at all. As suggested, paintings, drawings and sculpture can teach a lot about seeing.
I've been a journalist and "street photographer" for almost two decades now and have found that artistic movements in history have informed my eye recently more than the works of prominent photographers.
A good exercise might be to find the artistic movement which tugs at you to look longer and think as if you are the painter, at first just looking to see the art in the world around you; then frame it within a viewfinder of a camera.
The social movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries have really informed how I see the modern world. That is, the paintings and prints of these movements.
The Meiji period in Japan is fascinating with its rapidly changing art. Immediately following, Japan and the whole world began seeing socialist uprisings.
The non-photographic art is still representative of what was happening in the world at the time and can easily be looked at with an eye to "street photography."
Recently, my personal favorite artistic era is that of the Mexican revolution and following. This is due, in-part, to the extraordinary Mexican Revolution art exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art which recently closed and permanently moved to Mexico City. I also grew up in New Mexico and the greater southwest part of the USA, so the Mexican influence is something that informed my whole young life.
Look at the work of the prominent Mexican muralist and nationalist artists: Orozco, Siquieros, Rivera, Tamayo, Khalo and Leal. These all painted with the social uprisings in mind and it is very apparent in their works. One of my favorite paintings is of Zapatistas by Alfredo Martinez. Many downturned sombreros with several pairs of wary eyes. It is a theme that has been revisited by photographers quite a bit.
Having served in the US Navy as a combat photographer, I used to concentrate on the purely photographic visual documentary but I feel that I have personally grown out of that mode and I'm seeing the world differently, its abstractions inform reality more than I had previously seen. That said, my favorite documentary books are "Minamata" by W. Eugene Smith and "Vietnam Inc." by Philip Jones Griffiths.
Photographic books are good but visual art and seeing the world to photograph it is far more than photography.
Phil Forrest
Dan
Let's Sway
Phil,
I drove up to Philly to see that Mexican show and totally agree with you about how powerful -- and educational -- it was, especially the posters. Wish there had been a more expansive section devoted to the photographers and photographs. How about the 'Stridentists' and 'Stridentism'? That was new to me.
I drove up to Philly to see that Mexican show and totally agree with you about how powerful -- and educational -- it was, especially the posters. Wish there had been a more expansive section devoted to the photographers and photographs. How about the 'Stridentists' and 'Stridentism'? That was new to me.
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A lower priced option is to look around at some of the members websites and see what they share.
Helen Hill might be a great start. She posts on flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/helenartemishill/
Lots of great folks share ideas, photos, and such here.
B2 (;->
Helen Hill might be a great start. She posts on flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/helenartemishill/
Lots of great folks share ideas, photos, and such here.
B2 (;->
nikonhswebmaster
Retired NHS Webmaster
Personally I go to shows, and I buy books -- simultaneously.
With the advent of Amazon, sometimes I will order a book while in the show, and because it takes me a few days to get home, the book will be waiting there for me (happened recently at the National Gallery in DC).
Also I get on jags. I now probably own too much Gregory Crewdson, after going to Gagosian a year ago.
I prefer monographs. But more importantly, I live in a city where I can go to many incredible photo shows each month. Usually about a dozen. Shows are more meaningful to me, and you can have coffee with friends, and talk about the work.
Also I take photos of work I enjoy with my iPhone, recent from Wash DC attached (Sharon Core, Still Life, 2009).
With the advent of Amazon, sometimes I will order a book while in the show, and because it takes me a few days to get home, the book will be waiting there for me (happened recently at the National Gallery in DC).
Also I get on jags. I now probably own too much Gregory Crewdson, after going to Gagosian a year ago.
I prefer monographs. But more importantly, I live in a city where I can go to many incredible photo shows each month. Usually about a dozen. Shows are more meaningful to me, and you can have coffee with friends, and talk about the work.
Also I take photos of work I enjoy with my iPhone, recent from Wash DC attached (Sharon Core, Still Life, 2009).
Attachments
benlees
Well-known
I would go to the library. See what you like, move on from there.
americansuburbx.com has lots of stuff
americansuburbx.com has lots of stuff
nikonhswebmaster
Retired NHS Webmaster
I take the bus to Philly a couple of times a year, incredible museum.
Really cheap hotels always available, and great food in Philly.
jusxusfanatic
Well-known
I mean. should I even buy Elliott Erwitt's Snaps as my first book? Does buying book inspire you more than looking at then online?
brennanphotoguy
Well-known
Yes. Looking at something "physical" inspires me more than on a computer screen. Whether it's a zine, print, gallery, book, etc.
lynnb
Veteran
I wouldn't angst over your first photography book. You will undoubtedly buy more. There's lots of good suggestions in this thread, including MIkhail's. You will find inspiration in lots of artists/photographers' works. Why not look at a few of the suggestions in Google images and Amazon reviews and decide from there.
I think the most benefit would be a book that will give you insight into ways of seeing, and into what makes a good image (whether photograph or art), but that's just my opinion.
My original suggestions were intended to give you the analytical language and the techniques used to analyse photographs, to better understand the medium.
I think the most benefit would be a book that will give you insight into ways of seeing, and into what makes a good image (whether photograph or art), but that's just my opinion.
My original suggestions were intended to give you the analytical language and the techniques used to analyse photographs, to better understand the medium.
twopointeight
Well-known
Put this one on the TOP of your list: "Valparaiso", by Sergio Larraine.
grouchos_tash
Well-known
I love looking at my books. I think, much like film vs digital photography, you spend more time really absorbing the images in a book rather than just quickly consuming images you see online.
I buy books because photography exhibitions are always too far away from me.
I forgot to add, some of my favourites that I own are:
Stephen Shore
Jeol Meyerwitz
Elliot Erwitt
Josef Koudelka
Robert Frank
W Eugene Smith
Henri Cartier Bresson
Brassai
Robert Doisneau
Robert Capa
jusxusfanatic
Well-known
You know what, very good suggestion! I really like Serigo's style. But I'm gonna get Snaps first~ Elliott is still better to me tbh 🙂
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Go to your local remainder bookshop and buy half a dozen remaindered books for the price of one new one. Let chance guide you: you'll learn far more about what you like, and what you don't, than you will by concentrating on one fashionable or "iconic" photographer.
Cheers,
R.
Cheers,
R.
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
Magnum Contact Sheets by Kristen Lubben. An extraordinary book.
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