The Photobook Thread

[albireo]

I've been thinking of picking up a Robert Adams book lately but I am not sure what to snag. I see American Silence is on sale right now, but are there any others that are a must have? From Stiedl perhaps?

'Los Angeles Spring' (recently beautifully reprinted) and 'From the Missouri West' are my favourite of his, both from Steidl.

 

[logan2z]

'Los Angeles Spring' (recently beautifully reprinted) and 'From the Missouri West' are my favourite of his, both from Steidl.

Both great books. Another one of my favorites is Prairie, published by Fraenkel Gallery in 2011. It's still available and pretty reasonably priced.

For something quite different, check out Skogen published by Yale University Press. Not a typical Robert Adams book, but I like it a lot. Also still available from Fraenkel Gallery..

 

[Patrick Robert James]

Thanks gents. I picked up American Silence. I’ll take a look at the others, especially the Steidl ones. I am curious about Night Walk. I have Wessel’s Night Walk which is excellent. For dark images, printing is everything.

 

[Arthurwg]

Side note. I did not know that the 2023 movie The Bikeriders was directly inspired by the Danny Lyon book.

https://www.focusfeatures.com/the-bikeriders

As far as I can tell, the movie has nothing to do with the book, other than the title.

 

[albireo]

Thanks gents. I picked up American Silence. I’ll take a look at the others, especially the Steidl ones. I am curious about Night Walk.

If you mean "Summer Nights, Walking". I own a copy of 'Eden' and was considering picking up Summer nights, too, but unlike the other two I mentioned earlier, these two are printed on uncoated paper (as I learned thanks to some helpful folks on this thread) and I personally am just not a fan of the look. If possible handle a copy in a bookstore to see if you like the rendering.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

If you mean "Summer Nights, Walking". I own a copy of 'Eden' and was considering picking up Summer nights, too, but unlike the other two I mentioned earlier, these two are printed on uncoated paper (as I learned thanks to some helpful folks on this thread) and I personally am just not a fan of the look. If possible handle a copy in a bookstore to see if you like the rendering.

Yes, Summer Nights... Glad you mentioned the paper thing. I too don't like uncoated paper for dark images. Oh well.

 

[Alex Benjamin]

As far as I can tell, the movie has nothing to do with the book, other than the title.

From The Guardian :

"Jeff Nichols’s motorcycle movie is about a love triangle and a succession crisis – inspired by the immersive 1968 study of Chicago bikers by photojournalist Danny Lyon, whose black-and-white pictures flash up with the closing credits."

The Bikeriders review – potent ode to the violent lives of 60s biker gangs

Jodie Comer, Austin Butler and Tom Hardy are magnetic in this power struggle-cum-love triangle inspired by Danny Lyon’s 1968 photographic study of Chicago bikers

www.theguardian.com

This info is in plenty of other sources.

 

[Pieter12]

Did anyone (else) back the Bruce Bernbaum book “Discoveries of a Lifetime"from Silvergrain Classics on Kickstarter?

 

[MattKing]

Did anyone (else) back the Bruce Bernbaum book “Discoveries of a Lifetime"from Silvergrain Classics on Kickstarter?

I expect you mean Bruce Barnbaum.

 

[Pieter12]

I expect you mean Bruce Barnbaum.

Yeah.

 

[MTGseattle]

Every time there are new posts in here, I am in danger of spending money. I've been trying to get some of Robert Adams' writing into my collection. I got "Along Some Rivers" off of ebay for $10. It's in really nice shape.

I should order one of the Trent Parke titles that are actually available before they all sell out again.

 

[logan2z]

I've been trying to get some of Robert Adams' writing into my collection. I got "Along Some Rivers" off of ebay for $10. It's in really nice shape.

These two are still available from Aperture:

Beauty in Photography

Why People Photograph

As is Along Some Rivers, but it sounds like you got a nice copy for a better price.

 

[albireo]

For something quite different, check out Skogen published by Yale University Press. Not a typical Robert Adams book, but I like it a lot. Also still available from Fraenkel Gallery..

Thank you Logan. What are your thoughts on the "late" Robert Adams? I've been ambivalent about his late work. The early stuff resonates with me much more. His more recent books seem more introspective, more akin to private documents about his quiet life in Colorado with his wife and his dogs etc. They clearly have a meaning to him, and he has the CV to get them published so the Aperture/Yale editors see that meaning too. To me his early work hits differently.

I don't have Skogen but I'd be interested in what you mean by "different."

 

[Arthurwg]

From The Guardian :

"Jeff Nichols’s motorcycle movie is about a love triangle and a succession crisis – inspired by the immersive 1968 study of Chicago bikers by photojournalist Danny Lyon, whose black-and-white pictures flash up with the closing credits."

The Bikeriders review – potent ode to the violent lives of 60s biker gangs

Jodie Comer, Austin Butler and Tom Hardy are magnetic in this power struggle-cum-love triangle inspired by Danny Lyon’s 1968 photographic study of Chicago bikers

www.theguardian.com

This info is in plenty of other sources.

Perhaps it was "inspired by," but nothing about the movie reflects Danny's pictures or the text that goes with them.

 

[logan2z]

Thank you Logan. What are your thoughts on the "late" Robert Adams? I've been ambivalent about his late work. The early stuff resonates with me much more. His more recent books seem more introspective, more akin to private documents about his quiet life in Colorado with his wife and his dogs etc. They clearly have a meaning to him, and he has the CV to get them published so the Aperture/Yale editors see that meaning too. To me his early work hits differently.

I have largely skipped his most recent books for the reasons you stated. I bought Around the House during the COVID lockdown because it resonated with me at the time and it contained a picture of his darkroom/enlarger which was interesting to see, but I haven't looked at the book since.

I don't have Skogen but I'd be interested in what you mean by "different."

The pictures are primarily of dense forest scenes, very dark. I don't think there's another book of his in which the pictures have this sort of aesthetic. I personally like it and it has become one of my favorite Robert Adams books, but you rarely see it mentioned and I don't think it was that popular. From the publisher:

"...shadows predominate, tempered by an ambiguous light that is unique to the Pacific Northwest. Skogen features forty-six previously unpublished images, a body of work that is among the most pictorially complex of Adams's distinguished career."

There's a short Book Tease on the Photo-eye site that will give you a look at some of the photos in the book:

photo-eye Bookstore | Skogen. by Robert Adams | book

The world's foremost online photography bookstore and gallery featuring over 40,000 and over 100 fine-art photographers, ecure ordering, a powerful keyword full-text search engine, new arrivals, bestsellers, out-of-print, BookTeases (™) and photo-eye blog. Our galleries include 30 Represented...

www.photoeye.com

 

[Pieter12]

I have and enjoy Robert Adams' Sea Stone. More contemplative than some of his other work.

 

[logan2z]

I have and enjoy Robert Adams' Sea Stone. More contemplative than some of his other work.

I like that one a lot too.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

One I picked up recently is scott b. davis' sonora. I had a few brief convos with him back in the day but we didn't really run in the same circles. Interesting guy. I think sonora is his strongest work. Reminds me of being out in Anza too. The book is quite the work. Fold outs and all. Put out by Radius.

 

[Pieter12]

One book I am considering (since I can't afford America by Car) is Lee Friedlander: Framed by Joel Cohen.

 

[logan2z]

One book I am considering (since I can't afford America by Car) is Lee Friedlander: Framed by Joel Cohen.

I don't think you can go wrong with Framed. There's a few pictures in there that I don't have in any of my other Friedlander books.

I was going to suggest that you pick up the exhibition catalog for the 2021 MAPFRE Foundation exhibition but it looks like it's no longer available new anywhere - other than Vincent Borelli and he wants $250 for his copy (ok, it's signed). There's always the exhibition catalog for the 2005 MoMA retrospective which is still available (shockingly) from Fraenkel Gallery. It's expensive at $180 but it's probably the most comprehensive book on Friedlander published to date.

 

[Pieter12]

I don't think you can go wrong with Framed. There's a few pictures in there that I don't have in any of my other Friedlander books.

I was going to suggest that you pick up the exhibition catalog for the 2021 MAPFRE Foundation exhibition but it looks like it's no longer available new anywhere - other than Vincent Borelli and he wants $250 for his copy (ok, it's signed). There's always the exhibition catalog for the 2005 MoMA retrospective which is still available (shockingly) from Fraenkel Gallery. It's expensive at $180 but it's probably the most comprehensive book on Friedlander published to date.

I do have the MAPFRE book and like it, as well as In The Picture. And I have Western Landscapes, an amazing book.

 

[logan2z]

I do have the MAPFRE book and like it, as well as In The Picture. And I have Western Landscapes, an amazing book.

Great!

 

[Patrick Robert James]

I have a copy of the MoMA Friedlander if anyone is interested.

 

[logan2z]

I have a copy of the MoMA Friedlander if anyone is interested.

I've got two Yes, I'm insane.

 

[Mike Lopez]

I don't think you can go wrong with Framed. There's a few pictures in there that I don't have in any of my other Friedlander books.

I was going to suggest that you pick up the exhibition catalog for the 2021 MAPFRE Foundation exhibition but it looks like it's no longer available new anywhere - other than Vincent Borelli and he wants $250 for his copy (ok, it's signed). There's always the exhibition catalog for the 2005 MoMA retrospective which is still available (shockingly) from Fraenkel Gallery. It's expensive at $180 but it's probably the most comprehensive book on Friedlander published to date.

I recently came across a stack of the MAPFRE books, still in shrink wrap, being sold as remainders. If I were a little more enterprising, I suppose I could've bought the lot and sold them later on for a profit, but if the "remaindered" price point gets Friedlander's work until more people's hands, then it's all good.