Your most inspiring photo book?

[condyk]

I find that looking at others shots can be a great education in composition and imagination. Books can be much nicer and easier to handle than checking out shots online too. Do you have any particular photo packed books that you love, especially if the shots have inspired your own creativity?

I'm happy to kick off with a couple:

On this Earth: Photographs from East Africa by Nick Brandt
Wide Angle: National Geographic Greatest Places by Ferdinand Protzman

[cjm]

One I like is

"the private lives of animals" by Roger Caras. Although half the pictures are B&W because its a old photo book it is most amazing, especially coming from a age before cropping was available.

I have these old Alberta Magazines from the 60's & 70's and they are very amazing because they had photographers take creative pictures of everyday life. I tend to collect picture books I see at a garage sale that I like.

[flyb0y]

Any National Geographic issue.

[Sean-Mcr]

I've got a fair few Dave

Cross town by Helen Levvit. reissue but still a future collectible, which is not why i bought it, it's simply visual poetry

Figments of the real world: By Prof John Szarkowski on the works of Gary Winogrand. Another reissue on a remarkable man with a remarkable eye

Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Man, the Image and the World: A great retrospective of his work which you well know i admire

Robert Frank the Americans. One of the greatest windows in to the soul of America ever made. Two years of travelling the states on grant from the Guggenheim and it changed the face of documentary photography

Bruce Davidson: Subway- Revised edition. ( Beautifully candid)
http://www.magnumphotos.com/c/htm/Fr...RJSJ42A&DT=ALB

Bruce Davidson has become my favourite photographer. His images floor me & give me a series reality check on my own ability but make me want to take photographs. Not to emulate him, nobody could. But i have some sort of drive and his work helps me understand it better.

I have a few more books on his work. Portraits, time of change. East 100th street and Brooklyn gangs.


Joe Cornish: First light i don't really shoot landscapes but i think this is the UK's best landscape photographer and one of the best in the world. Beautiful work, beautiful book

It's become a real love collecting books, there is simply noting like seeing work in print. They've become really special to me, i've never been one for having emotional attachments to objects but they're beyond that for me

Oh, have Robert Capa's retrospective to

[SWPhotoImaging]

Originally Posted by cjm

. . . especially coming from a age before cropping was available.

So, when was cropping unavailable? Even in the earliest days of film photography, with contact printing, one could cut a negative with scissors and print the "crop".

Maybe with daguerreotypes there were some difficulties in cropping, since the metal plate was exposed in-camera.

[condyk]

Originally Posted by Sean-Mcr

Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Man, the Image and the World: A great retrospective of his work which you well know i admire

Robert Frank the Americans. One of the greatest windows in to the soul of America ever made. Two years of travelling the states on grant from the Guggenheim and it changed the face of documentary photography

These two are on my list, esp. the first. I'm also interested in his India shots. There must be some fascinating images from his many travels there. It's a fascinating country today, let along then.

[Sean-Mcr]

You're going to chuckle here mate...

Every single photograph in the book is a full 35mm frame just as it came from one of his Leicas. He never cropped his photos and god knows (and the rest of the world) i'm no bresson. But i admire that greatly

[condyk]

Originally Posted by Sean-Mcr

You're going to chuckle here mate...

Every single photograph in the book is a full 35mm frame just as it came from one of his Leicas. He never cropped his photos and god knows (and the rest of the world) i'm no bresson. But i admire that greatly

Yes, some people are just too lazy to go the whole way and achieve perfection

[dewmuw]

I have this and look at is often for inspiration Chased by the Light - Jim Brandenburg

Any of Laurie Campbell's books. (get well soon Laurie)

Bonobo by Frans Lanting

Not a book but E Chambre Hardman's work is inspiring. Particulalry his images of my town.

[condyk]

Ok, I just got a great book. Truly inspiring. Is it a photo book tho? Well, it's a book of photographs about graffitti called Banksy: Wall and Piece. Features many of his extraordinary pieces and showcases a guy with an amazing eye, a cutting edge and a great sense of humour. Thought provoking and fun to browse.

Something of relevance for photographers who think gear will make a great shot: [i]'All artists are prepared to suffer for their work but why are so few prepared to learn to draw.'/I] I likee this guy.

[Claire]

I really like Bambi Cantrell's book on wedding photography. Lots of inspiring images within that genre.

[rdenney]

Quiet Light, by John Sexton

Rick "who gave up on black and white because of the impossible standard this book set" Denney

[cjm]

A book I really liked was the K.I.S.S. Guide to Photography by John Garrett. My parents bought it for me about 4 christmas' ago and I still look at it from time to time. It taught me all about F stops, and other things.

[rickyjones24]

First light by Joe Cornish, the mans a genius.

Worthy mentions of 3 more to " light of the earth", Worlds top photograpgers on landscape and "photos with impact"