Your most thumbed photo-book?

[snusmumriken]

Many of us have quite a collection of photo-books. Some of them get quite dog-eared with use. In part, that must reflect how easy they are to handle and carry around, and how expensive they were. But still, wear-and-tear must also reflect interest.

I find that my most scruffy photo book, bought new, is the 1984 Photo Poche paperback on Josef Koudelka. What's yours?

 

[Elmarc]

Paco Gomez, little known outside (or even inside) of Spain

 

[Tel]

Robert Frank's The Americans. Had it since 1972.

 

[Kino]

Robert Frank's The Americans. Had it since 1972.

Haven't had my copy as long, but I agree on the choice...

 

[Paul Howell]

Master of the Photographic Essay W. Eugene Smith

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Probably AA's The Negative and The Print. Every page is dog earred, with covers barely hanging on...

 

[Alex Benjamin]

John Szarkowski's Atget is the book I go back to most often. It's as perfect a photography book as one can think of, a meeting—almost a conversation—between a man who made photographs and another who looked at photographs.

And the quality of the reproductions is absolutely stunning.

That said, no wear-and-tear whatsoever. I treat it as if it were a Fabergé egg . I bought it used, but considerieng the condition it's in, I know that the previous owner(s) treated it as preciously as I do.

 

[Mike Lopez]

John Szarkowski's Atget is the book I go back to most often. It's as perfect a photography book as one can think of, a meeting—almost a conversation—between a man who made photographs and another who looked at photographs.

And the quality of the reproductions is absolutely stunning.

That said, no wear-and-tear whatsoever. I treat it as if it were a Fabergé egg . I bought it used, but considerieng the condition it's in, I know that the previous owner(s) treated it as preciously as I do.

Great choice!

Similarly, I pamper my books to an extreme degree. My preferences and interests vary over time, and there are some books that might see years pass between handlings. But I would say that Michael A. Smith’s A Visual Journey is likely the book that I’ve studied the most. I bought it from MAS 23 years ago and I still find surprises in there. A wonderful visual investment.

 

[mcfitz]

John Blakemore's Black and White Photography Workshop

I've read it cover to cover more than once, and refer to it regularly.

And in French: Noir & Blanc De la prise de vue au tirage, by Philippe Bachelier

The Bachelier has been updated regularly since its first publication in 2003 (I think) and the latest was last year. The Blakemore, however, is now rare and costly if it can be found.

 

[MattKing]

Mine would be the Kodak Darkroom Dataguide - particularly the page with the Film Development Computer dial - but I doubt that is what this thread is really about!

 

[snusmumriken]

John Blakemore's Black and White Photography Workshop

Mine would be the Kodak Darkroom Dataguide - particularly the page with the Film Development Computer dial - but I doubt that is what this thread is really about!

I’m bound to say that my Ilford Manual of Photgraphy from the 1960s is my absolute most-thumbed, but Matt is right: I was really thinking of picture books.

 

[MattKing]

I'm guessing books with lots of narrative in amongst the photos might squeak in as well

 

[Bwbuff]

Paris by Eugene Atget (Taschen).

I pamper most of the new or used hardcover books dust jackets with a mylar protective covers from Brodart. Am I overdo ? I calculated it costs less than a dollar for each cover.

 

[Peter Schrager]

Paris by Eugene Atget (Taschen).

I pamper most of the new or used hardcover books dust jackets with a mylar protective covers from Brodart. Am I overdo ? I calculated it costs less than a dollar for each cover.

ICP In NYC is showing Atget!

 

[mshchem]

Too numerous to mention, but technical books, Ansel books are enjoyable. I love the older books 40's and back. Ilford books.

 

[Bwbuff]

ICP In NYC is showing Atget!

Thanks for the info.

 

[snusmumriken]

About pampering books … as a child I was taught to handle books carefully, even paperbacks. As I’ve got older, I’ve realised that all my books are going to see me out, and that my children aren’t really interested in books. So I’ve relaxed a lot. I’d rather appreciate a photo without a crease down its middle than worry about the spine of the book. If the dust jacket gets ripped, well, that’s what it’s there for. It’s a compliment to the photographer if the book gets used. I draw the line at touching the image area on the page, though …. can’t bear fingerprints.

 

[Mike Lopez]

About pampering books … as a child I was taught to handle books carefully, even paperbacks. As I’ve got older, I’ve realised that all my books are going to see me out, and that my children aren’t really interested in books. So I’ve relaxed a lot. I’d rather appreciate a photo without a crease down its middle than worry about the spine of the book. If the dust jacket gets ripped, well, that’s what it’s there for. It’s a compliment to the photographer if the book gets used. I draw the line at touching the image area on the page, though …. can’t bear fingerprints.

Not to sound snobbish, but it takes a lot for me to buy a photo book with pictures printed across the gutter. That's a terrible design, in my opinion. Most of the finer book publishers seem to agree.

 

[snusmumriken]

Not to sound snobbish, but it takes a lot for me to buy a photo book with pictures printed across the gutter. That's a terrible design, in my opinion. Most of the finer book publishers seem to agree.

I agree with your taste, but those books exist, especially where the original photos are 35mm. Some other options are just as bad, IMO. One is to print ‘portrait’ photos normally and ‘landscape’ photos sideways; the other is to make those two formats different sizes to fit them to the page.

 

[Don_ih]

My most viewed photo book is probably Mirrors and Windows (links to a pdf of it on MOMA). That's in spite of having quite a few other books. I tend to only look through these books once.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

Deus Ex Machina from Ralph Gibson.

I only really pamper the books that I own that fall into the "thisthingisworthalotandIshouldsellitsomeday" category.

 

[Don_ih]

the "thisthingisworthalotandIshouldsellitsomeday" category

I have a copy of Irving Penn's Flowers. It falls into that category. But it has the most incredible colour printing in it - it's amazing.

 

[eli griggs]

"The Photographer's Handbook" , Knoph, 1979.

I've got this by my side right now, for thumbing through for spur of the moment projects and general entertainment.

I've had it since '79 and need to rebind it, I've worn it out, but like some folks will keep an old game ball or pipe for the comfort it gives them, this book grants me similar good feelings.

 

[Chromium VI]

Well... I cannot say only one.
My 1st book on photography: Langford's Basic Photography, (portuguese edition) the last written by the author.
I also love The Keepers of Light, and Photographic Facts & Formulas for alt. processes.
My most loved Photobook is "O Mundo da Minha Objectiva" ("The World of My Lens", 1981) a rare postumous book from Adelino Lyon de Castro, edited and printed at his brother's publisher Europa-America, the book is adorned with poems from the most notable Portuguese poets, and dedications from well-known publishers and writers all over the world. This book has a story: Europa-America was once one of the most important publishers in my country, they owned bookshops, and they published books from every genre (including photo and art) known for publishing new authors. But those glory times ended, and EA bankruptcy closed all the stores and facility, and history was lost. Near me there was one of those bookstores, I remember going there, they had unusual stuff, after closing, the store was bought and turned into another bookshop (an independent one, that kept all the interior and old stock), this is the last survivor of an empire. One day I was scrolling through the shelves and found this book. It was there since the 80's and no one ever bought it. And 40yrs later I was there buying a book, from a bookstore that shouldn't exist anymore, from a publisher that didn't exist neither, and there I was: the 1st owner of this lost rarity.

 

[Taylor K Nankervis]

Simply, an elegant, weighty tome of full colour large format (Linhof Master Technika) plates of the wild Tasmanian wilderness (long before it was trampled to death by people trying to get their own copy-cat photographs!) by the late pre-eminent photographer Peter Dombrovkis (1945-1996).