At last summer is over! - Any good books?

matti · Oct 7, 2007

This year I actually thought I should miss the summer when it ended. But now, when it is over, I feel so good about being able to get down in the dark room, take care of the developing back log and engage in some APUG-discussion. (Since I sent of my print exchange prints last week, I don't have to feel too guilty, coming here either.)

To really get going again, I would like some inspiration. For me, that means books! So, can anyone please advice on a couple of books to order from Amazon or an antiquarian?

It can be technical, photo books, maybe a good art book on composition in classical paintings, some photo historical stuff, alt techniques. Actually it can be anything as long as it gives me inspiration the same way I find inspiration in Thorntons Edge of Darkness, Sally Manns Immediate family, Keepers of Light or th book "Bystander" on Street photography.

I already decided to find something by Anders Petersen.

/matti

dferrie · Oct 8, 2007

What, summer is over! It never got started in Ireland
As I'm going to live in denial and continue to wait for summer, I can't suggest any books yet.

David

Schlapp · Oct 8, 2007

We are having a late summer here - Oh, and the light in winter is better than the summer.

colrehogan · Oct 8, 2007

It still feels like summer here too. I'll be glad when it cools off a bit. I can get out more with the camera. My only problem with winter is when we turn on the heat in the house. It makes printing very difficult because the humidity drops to low levels.

David Brown · Oct 8, 2007

colrehogan said:
It still feels like summer here too. I'll be glad when it cools off a bit. I can get out more with the camera.

Sorry, I have a back-log of books to finish myself, but I've not had one lately that I would recommend.

Summer is alive and well in Texas, too. Still, a couple of us are heading to the Hill Country on Wednesday to brave the "higher than average" temps (it's never average - have you noticed?) and burn some film. All hail air conditioning!

matti · Oct 8, 2007

What? No other people living at 59°19′ N here? And Lewis doesn't count. I suppose it is 15°C there all year around. (It was when I sailed there in July seven years ago.)

Please, try. Soon I will start to reread BTZS for the third time, and I know I won't really get it this time either. Even though it is good, it's not really that much of an inspiration.

/matti

Schlapp · Oct 8, 2007

And why doesn't Lewis count?

Struan Gray · Oct 8, 2007

For general reading on art and the life of artists I find nobody interests me as regularly and as pleasurably as Peter Campbell, who writes essays in the twice-monthly London Review of Books. Many are available for free here (although minus the often interesting illustrations):

http://www.lrb.co.uk/contributors/camp01

If you haven't already got Gerry Johansson's "Sverige" you should rush out and buy a copy as soon as the bookshops open.

Jersey Vic · Oct 8, 2007

It's been near 90f for days in NYC...we call it Indian Summer over here.

It may be dry for some but I found Beaumont Newhall's "The Daguerreotype in America" fascinating, funny and inspiring. If a 10 year old "operator" could make a perfect $1 dag in Mathew Brady's NYC galleries, I can make a decent cyanotype.

http://www.amazon.com/Daguerreotype-America-Beaumont-Newhall/dp/0486233227

Also "The Poet of Prague" about Josef Sudek. He had one arm and lugged an 8x10 or a huge panoramic camera all over that city and I was moaning about my Mamiya c330f.

http://www.amazon.com/Josef-Sudek-P...8232428?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191877091&sr=1-1

Be well

Victor

matti · Oct 9, 2007

You are in the middle of the Gulf Stream. You are spared from our horrible -20 C freezing days. OK, you get the darkness, but I bet it is still about 15 C outside in January, isn't it? Some day I will move away from the cold.

/matti

Schlapp said:
And why doesn't Lewis count?

matti · Oct 9, 2007

Hi, thank you. I never saw "Sverige" but found some images on the web. Looks interesting! But I can't find it on an online bookstore. So guess I have to actually walk to a bookshop!

I'll check out the lrb-stuff. But for some reason I can not take in online material as well. It feels a bit too much like work...

/matti

Struan Gray said:
For general reading on art and the life of artists I find nobody interests me as regularly and as pleasurably as Peter Campbell, who writes essays in the twice-monthly London Review of Books. Many are available for free here (although minus the often interesting illustrations):

http://www.lrb.co.uk/contributors/camp01

If you haven't already got Gerry Johansson's "Sverige" you should rush out and buy a copy as soon as the bookshops open.

matti · Oct 9, 2007

Thank you! This is exactly what I had in mind. (My daughter is only six, I wonder if it is OK to let her play with mercury vapors or if I have to wait four years.)

We call it Indian Summer here as well, it's just that we don't have it... maybe I should restart this thread in a month?

/matti

Jersey Vic said:
It's been near 90f for days in NYC...we call it Indian Summer over here.

It may be dry for some but I found Beaumont Newhall's "The Daguerreotype in America" fascinating, funny and inspiring. If a 10 year old "operator" could make a perfect $1 dag in Mathew Brady's NYC galleries, I can make a decent cyanotype.

http://www.amazon.com/Daguerreotype-America-Beaumont-Newhall/dp/0486233227

Also "The Poet of Prague" about Josef Sudek. He had one arm and lugged an 8x10 or a huge panoramic camera all over that city and I was moaning about my Mamiya c330f.

http://www.amazon.com/Josef-Sudek-P...8232428?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191877091&sr=1-1

Be well

Victor

Black Dog · Oct 10, 2007

I've just got this book called 'Foto-modernity in Central Europe 1918-45'-looks fantastic and covers one of the most exciting eras of photography. Contains work by Sudek, Funke etc and many lesser known but fascinating photographers.Also 'Atget:the pioneer'-looks at a hugely influeuntial photographer and his legacy.You can see why the Surrealists (see also previous book) loved his work.
Mario Giacomelli-Italy's Bill Brandt (rather a crude generalization but well worth a look).

matti · Oct 10, 2007

Thank you. I ordered the Atget-book. I have been thinking of finding something about him. The Foto-modernity in Central Europe 1918-45 wasn't really an easy book to find...

/matti

Marco B · Oct 10, 2007

Hi Matti,

I don't know if you have already seen it passing by in the last couple of weeks, but you might like to check out my forum post here:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I found this book really an eye opener...

Cheers,

Marco

Black Dog · Oct 10, 2007

Matti-I bought my copy of 'Foto' of Amazon (published by Thames & Hudson).If you like the Atget book then Walker Evans & Company (ed Peter Galassi) is top stuff and a good companion. 'Self Portrait' by lee Friedlander is another fave of mine-classic offbeat stuff (retrospective recently published again edited by Peter Galassi).

Jim Chinn · Oct 11, 2007

"Power of Art" by Simon Schama. It discusses a key masterpiece from eight masters (Carvaggio, Bernini, Rembrandt, David, Turner, Van Gogh, Picasso and Rothko). This is the companion book to a PBS series from last year.

Very compelling read about the issues and struggles that great artists go through.

Black Dog · Oct 11, 2007

Simon Schama is such a great writer on art-if you work in the landscape then 'Landscape & Memory' should definitely be on your shelves.

At last summer is over! - Any good books?

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