The Photobook Thread

[Alex Benjamin]

Hi, just found this amazing forum. I‘m from Germany and we don‘t have a forum on photobooks here. At least I don‘t know one. So thanks a lot for this.

To be honest. I like both Parke and Hido. It‘s mostly repetetive stuff. That‘s true. But the production is not cheap and the quality of „The end sends advance warning“ for example is really georgeous in my opinion . There are 6.000 copies of it. That‘s much. But Hido is really well known. So I think it will sell out again very fast like all the other 1st editions of him too.

Art is to a great part marketing. Was ist in the past and will be in the future. If you like it or not.

BTW: Merry Christmas !

Willkommen to Photrio, @photobook44 ! I also like Hido, and did get his latest book.

 

[warden]

Hi, just found this amazing forum. I‘m from Germany and we don‘t have a forum on photobooks here. At least I don‘t know one. So thanks a lot for this.

To be honest. I like both Parke and Hido. It‘s mostly repetetive stuff. That‘s true. But the production is not cheap and the quality of „The end sends advance warning“ for example is really georgeous in my opinion . There are 6.000 copies of it. That‘s much. But Hido is really well known. So I think it will sell out again very fast like all the other 1st editions of him too.

Art is to a great part marketing. Was ist in the past and will be in the future. If you like it or not.

BTW: Merry Christmas !

Welcome! You’ve come to the right place.

 

[nathanbucs]

I would love to own one of Schutmaat’s books in the future. I like his work. The books are out of my price range however.

I tend to look for deals on ebay or forums to save on $$$. I’ve snagged unopened copies of photobooks this way for very good prices. However, this isn’t the best way get copies of limited production runs — prices go through the roof once they’re OOP. Unless they’re reprinted years or decades after…

I’ve spent so much on photobooks but it’s money well spent. Otherwise, I’d be throwing money on gear… my sorry excuse lol

 

[photobook44]

I’ve spent so much on photobooks but it’s money well spent. Otherwise, I’d be throwing money on gear… my sorry excuse lol

If I had the choice to spend 10.000 Euro either in gear like a Leica lens or in good photobooks I would prefer 100 good photobooks for 100 € each. I think it would help me to get a good photographer much more than the fancy lens.

 

[Pieter12]

If I had the choice to spend 10.000 Euro either in gear like a Leica lens or in good photobooks I would prefer 100 good photobooks for 100 € each. I think it would help me to get a good photographer much more than the fancy lens.

I agree that looking at good photos in a good way to improve your photography. But there is no substitute for going out and shooting pictures, no matter the camera or lens.

 

[photobook44]

I agree that looking at good photos in a good way to improve your photography. But there is no substitute for going out and shooting pictures, no matter the camera or lens.

Totally agree if your goal is to get a better photographer. For me this is also a goal, but I’m only a hobby photographer. So basically I make photobooks of my family and my vacations. That’s it. They are not very sophisticated and I wouldn’t think they are art. Most of the time I just enjoy good photography. And that‘s ok for me. I don‘t want to make money with this stuff.

 

[nikos79]

Totally agree if your goal is to get a better photographer. For me this is also a goal, but I’m only a hobby photographer. So basically I make photobooks of my family and my vacations. That’s it. They are not very sophisticated and I wouldn’t think they are art. Most of the time I just enjoy good photography. And that‘s ok for me. I don‘t want to make money with this stuff.

Don’t underestimate these photos, they might be among your most personal work. Many photographers and artists have created some of their greatest images by photographing their own families.

I’d also suggest checking out the “Photographers” thread. There’s an incredible amount of information there, along with opinions, images, and lively debates about some of the most classical and well-known photographers — a great place to start as well.

Since you’re from Germany, I’d also like to recommend a few German photographers I really admire: August Sander, Herbert List, and Toni Schneiders.

And welcome

 

[nikos79]

As for the Japanese photography books mentioned earlier in the forum, I would highly recommend the work of Issei Suda.
Photofile is cheap but sadly his monographs are rare and tend to be pricey.

 

[nathanbucs]

As for the Japanese photography books mentioned earlier in the forum, I would highly recommend the work of Issei Suda.
Photofile is cheap but sadly his monographs are rare and tend to be pricey.

His black and white work is exquisite! Looking to get more of his books!

 

[Alex Benjamin]

Since you’re from Germany, I’d also like to recommend a few German photographers I really admire: August Sander, Herbert List, and Toni Schneiders.

Speaking of German photographers and photobooks, I'm deep diving these days into Thomas Struth's Unconscious Places. Got it a few month ago but only now have time to fully enjoy it.

 

[tcolgate]

Does anyone have suggestions for a book with good prints of W Eugene Smith's work? The two easily available on Amazon have mixed reviews with some suggesting they've had issues with bindings.

 

[photobook44]

I’d also suggest checking out the “Photographers” thread. There’s an incredible amount of information there, along with opinions, images, and lively debates about some of the most classical and well-known photographers — a great place to start as well.

Since you’re from Germany, I’d also like to recommend a few German photographers I really admire: August Sander, Herbert List, and Toni Schneiders.

And welcome

Thanks a lot for your suggestions. I like Sanders work very much, don‘t know the other two yet. But will have a look. There aren’t many good photobooks of German photographers. I like exhibitions of Gursky and some others of the Duesseldorf school, but except the Bechers they haven‘t published many good photobooks in my opinion.

 

[photobook44]

Speaking of German photographers and photobooks, I'm deep diving these days into Thomas Struth's Unconscious Places. Got it a few month ago but only now have time to fully enjoy it.

Just had a look into this. Seems to be interesting. Thanks for mentioning it.

 

[Nitroplait]

Does anyone have suggestions for a book with good prints of W Eugene Smith's work? The two easily available on Amazon have mixed reviews with some suggesting they've had issues with bindings.

I assume you are talking about the Jazz Loft Project and Dream Street.

It seems to me that books of his photographs are mostly published in a manner aligned with how they were intended from his side: Photojournalistic documentation.
The original Minamata book was also executed that way, and I think it is same case for the current Japanese reprint of that book (Aileen Smith oversaw the re-release and I am sure she, if any, would know W. Eugene Smith's preferences).

I wouldn't mind seeing gorgeous reproductions of his work, though.
One probably has to wait for a prestigious museum exhibition catalogue.

 

[logan2z]

There aren’t many good photobooks of German photographers.

Are you familiar with the work of Michael Schmidt? His last book Natur was published by Mack Books in 2014 and is still available.

 

[nikos79]

Speaking of German photographers and photobooks, I'm deep diving these days into Thomas Struth's Unconscious Places. Got it a few month ago but only now have time to fully enjoy it.

Yes Alex, Thomas Struth is a very good German photographer probably one of the most well known too. @photobook44 you will like him as he was also a student of the Becher group.

I haven’t much studied his work though as he did not attract me much in the beginning so I can’t speak much of him. I think his power are the implying things in these large format photographs where he transforms the reality. He is an important photographer.

 

[nikos79]

There aren’t many good photobooks of German photographers. I like exhibitions of Gursky and some others of the Duesseldorf school, but except the Bechers they haven‘t published many good photobooks in my opinion.

Oh no there are so many good ones!
I will try to remember a few but in my mind quickly now they come Adolf Fassbender, Helga Paris, Aenne Biermann and many others that currently slip my mind

 

[Bwbuff]

Are you familiar with the work of Michael Schmidt? His last book Natur was published by Mack Books in 2014 and is still available.

Thank you for the flip through , nice book.

 

[Alex Benjamin]

Does anyone have suggestions for a book with good prints of W Eugene Smith's work? The two easily available on Amazon have mixed reviews with some suggesting they've had issues with bindings.

I have both Dream Street: W. Eugene Smith's Pittsburgh Project and The Jazz Loft. Quality of reproduction is excellent — not to the level of what you'd find in a Steidl or a Mack, but really excellent. I haven't had any problem with the binding of the books, but I do find the earlier version of Dream Street, published by Norton, of a slightly better quality than the new edition by University of Chicago Press.

If you're into W. Eugene's Smith, try to find W. Eugene Smith and the Photographic Essay by Glenn G. Willumson. Print quality of the photos is just above OK, but the text is quite interesting, and you go through many of Smith's early photo essays such as "Country Doctor", "Spanish Village" and "A Man of Mercy".

A good find is also Aperture's W. Eugene Smith: Master of the Photographic Essay, edited by William S. Johnson. You go for that one for quantity, not quality. There's a huge amount of photos, but they are small (usually 9 per page), and none are them are titled. You get a complete overview of his early works, his work during WWII and the Life essays. It's not that expensive on the used market (found mine for 15$ in a use book store in Montreal a few years back).

 

[tcolgate]

I have both Dream Street: W. Eugene Smith's Pittsburgh Project and The Jazz Loft. Quality of reproduction is excellent — not to the level of what you'd find in a Steidl or a Mack, but really excellent. I haven't had any problem with the binding of the books, but I do find the earlier version of Dream Street, published by Norton, of a slightly better quality than the new edition by University of Chicago Press.

If you're into W. Eugene's Smith, try to find W. Eugene Smith and the Photographic Essay by Glenn G. Willumson. Print quality of the photos is just above OK, but the text is quite interesting, and you go through many of Smith's early photo essays such as "Country Doctor", "Spanish Village" and "A Man of Mercy".

A good find is also Aperture's W. Eugene Smith: Master of the Photographic Essay, edited by William S. Johnson. You go for that one for quantity, not quality. There's a huge amount of photos, but they are small (usually 9 per page), and none are them are titled. You get a complete overview of his early works, his work during WWII and the Life essays. It's not that expensive on the used market (found mine for 15$ in a use book store in Montreal a few years back).

Thanks! Exactly what I was after!

 

[Pieter12]

I'll fess up to acquiring Willam Eggleston's The Last Dyes and Friedlander's Kitaj for Christmas. And my daughter finally sent me my copy of Sally Mann's new book that she picked up for me at her talk at the RISD museum. A few months ago I got Richard Sharum's Spina Americana and really like that one, too.

 

[logan2z]

I'll fess up to acquiring Willam Eggleston's The Last Dyes and Friedlander's Kitaj for Christmas.

I saw a flip-through of The Last Dyes on YouTube yesterday. It looks to be very nicely printed. I had considered buying it, but I have most/all of the images in other Eggleston books in my collection so I'll probably pass.

Hope you enjoy it and the other books you received for Christmas.

 

[photobook44]

Are you familiar with the work of Michael Schmidt? His last book Natur was published by Mack Books in 2014 and is still available.

Yes. I know him. Just bought a copy of the 2nd edition of Waffenruhe for 14€ something. Really cheap. It‘s a little bit depressing in my opinion. I don‘t really understand whats going on to be honest.There is a young man sitting in his kitchen with a rabbit, but you can‘t see the rabbit. You can only see the Berlin wall and lots of weed like a mixture of Gossage „The Pond“ and „Stadt des Schwarz“ (City of Black) and a few portraits.I grew up in East Germany and Schmidt in West Berlin. And for me even East Berlin was colorful at that time compared to the rest of the country. So it‘s not easy for me to understand, but maybe it was his personal situtation. His wife had left him before.
I don‘t know his other work yet. So thanks for sharing.

 

[nikos79]

Yes. I know him. Just bought a copy of the 2nd edition of Waffenruhe for 14€ something. Really cheap. It‘s a little bit depressing in my opinion. I don‘t really understand whats going on to be honest.There is a young man sitting in his kitchen with a rabbit, but you can‘t see the rabbit. You can only see the Berlin wall and lots of weed like a mixture of Gossage „The Pond“ and „Stadt des Schwarz“ (City of Black) and a few portraits.I grew up in East Germany and Schmidt in West Berlin. And for me even East Berlin was colorful at that time compared to the rest of the country. So it‘s not easy for me to understand, but maybe it was his personal situtation. His wife had left him before.
I don‘t know his other work yet. So thanks for sharing.

I’ve looked at these photographs from "Natur" too, and honestly, they feel a bit like what you might get if a child wandered through the forest with a camera. I say that because in my opinion even a curious 10 year old might capture something more compelling. Sorry if this comes across as harsh. I just believe that if I can enthusiastically share what I love about certain books, I should also be able to share my honest opinion when something doesn’t resonate with me at all.

 

[Alex Benjamin]

I’ve looked at these photographs from "Natur" too, and honestly, they feel a bit like what you might get if a child wandered through the forest with a camera. I say that because in my opinion even a curious 10 year old might capture something more compelling. Sorry if this comes across as harsh. I just believe that if I can enthusiastically share what I love about certain books, I should also be able to share my honest opinion when something doesn’t resonate with me at all.

Ah... the old "even a child could do it"... hadn't heard, or read, that one in a while...