Recent Books
Fall 2001

This section is currently under construction.

As a photographer, teacher and collector, books play an important part in my life. Photographic books in particular. There are of course all of the common "How To" books which appear on the shelves of even the smallest bookshop. But of much greater interest to me are the scholarly works and the portfolios of great photographers.

There are book reviews on this site at several locations. The main review section is found on theBookspage, but individual special reports, such as the one ofAnsel Adams at 100, and W. Eugene Smith’sPittsburgh Projectare also available. Finally, contributorAlain Briothas provided us withBriot’s Books, a compilation of his favourite landscape photography books.

This page is devoted to several books that have come my way during the Fall of 2001. Each has turned out to be very special in its own way. Titles and thumbnails are linked to the appropriate order page atAmazon.com.

Michael

Creative Landscape Photography

There are a lot of bad "how to" photography books about. This though is one of the better ones, and worthy of investing in if you want to round-out your library.Niall Benvieis a Scottish photographer with a good eye and an easy writing style. The book contains a large number of well done, though largely not exceptional photographs.

Not a beginners book, it nevertheless will be of interest to anyone just becoming enthusiastic about doing landscape work.

Bystander – A History of Street Photography

Every now and then I encounter a book which has a profound affect on me. Sometimes it’s the words, sometimes the images. In this case it’s both. 

Bystanderwas originally published in hardcover in 1994 and has just been (2001) reissued as a large-format softcover book. The update includes an extensive new section on Street Photography Since 1970 and includes photographers and their images right up to 2001.

Bystander is written by 

Other articles and portfolios related toStreet Photographythat can be found on this site include…

Documentary and Street Photography 
The Midway
A Midway Portfolio
Rangefinder Renaissance 
Leica M6 TTL 

Looking at Photographs : 100 Pictures from the Collection of the Museum of Modern Art

Book of 101 Books‚ Seminal Photographic Books of the Twentieth Century

Desert: The Mojave and Death Valley

Large Format Nature Photography 

The History of Photography
As Seen Though The Spira Collection

Most histories of photography are about images. This one is predominantly about cameras. And what a beautiful book it is. Published byAperture, it is based on the collection ofFred Spira, the founder ofSpiratone Inc.  

If you were a photographer during the ’60s through the 80’s the nameSpiratonewill resonate. You likely will also have purchased any number of photographic accessories from this New York based mail-order company.

What you may not know is that after WWII Fred Spira put together one of the greatest collections of photographic equipment in any private collection ‚more than 20,000 items. This beautifully illustrated volume uses that collection as the taking off point for this illustrated history. 

For anyone who loves cameras, who wants to understand the history of our art and passion, this is an indispensable addition to your book collection.