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I'd like to buy a friend's daughter who's studying photography, a really nice book for her 18th birthday.
I don't really want one that's a bit 'teachy' because she gets that at college, I just want one that has some amazing photographs in that would perhaps give her some inspiration.
Any ideas because I'm a bit clueless on the subject.
Many thanks.
Depends the definition of "Jaw Dropping" to be honest
I personally like street photography, normal day to day moments caught on camera. Vivian Maier is a particular favourite
Failing that, i'd look at the National Geographic books
https://shop.nationalgeographic.com/collections/books-photography
Mick Rock The Rise Of David Bowie
A mate has those two and I’m always browsing through them at every opportunity, he’s got others that I’d recommend but they’re well into £100’s of £
For me, Sebastio Salgado is the most jaw-droppingest going...His Genesis and Workers projects are somewhat iconic
Oh...and anything by Ansel Adams, but I'm a B&W nerd....
In the interests of disclosure Dougie is a friend. He takes quite a few magazine shots but AFAIK none for STW (despite being a biker). It is “sort of” an instructional book - but unlike any other I have seen in that it is more of a guidebook for how to get there rather than how to work the camera per se.
obviously how meaningful it is to the intended recipient depends on if they are a lanscape person, if they are in Scotland/likely to visit some of the places, etc.
http://shop.andrewwilsonphotography.com.au/product/coast-tasmania/
Amazing place, great photographer, was introduced at the launch as there are 1000's of pics of the coast that look fantastic, these are real.
Good mate of mine from back in Tassie and his old sea dogs is great but more as an oral history
http://shop.andrewwilsonphotography.com.au/product-category/books/
The only photographer who's work I'd pay money for
One of our customers is very into his black and white images. I like them because there are trees and puddles.
www.mattbotwood.com
(Tried to make that a link, but wasn't happening. Is this place still not back to normal? Is this the new normal?)
Edit: the site made it a link after all, pressing the link icon just created a dancing keyboard.
Why not get her a selection if lower priced ones (depending on budget)?
Ive got this one and think it’s got some inspiring shots:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Photography-Now-Sophie-Howarth/dp/0500289077
Anything by Don McCullin; gave one of his - war based - to daughter of former partner. She (daughter, not mother) took a degree in photography at Gloucester and loved the book
Go to Waterstones and have a look.
Just an opinion, but hopefully a considered one (studied photography at art college, also @18yrs)
I could recommend a handful of personal favourite photographers, maybe even pick one out, but I fel that I made that mistake at art college. Received (on request) for xmas one coffee table book of one photographer whose work I admired greatly and then soon idolised. Yet looking back, it narrowed my view of what photography could be, so subsequently I became almost defensively derivative of one style/discipline (B/W landscapes and ruins). Took almost forever to get out of that groove. 13 years to be precise. And I still relapse 😬
There is so much variety for a mind to gorge on. Portrait, candid/street, abstract, fine art, advertising, travel, still life, figurative/fashion, landscape, journalistic, wildlife, etc, etc. I can see see the temptation of prescribing one stunning book from a particular lens-swinger. But who to choose? Arbus, Adams, Capra, Leibovitz, Maier, Brant, Mapplethorpe, Araki? I certainly would have a hard time choosing one. So why not a book containing a wider collection of images from number of photographers?
With that in mind, this springs to mind:
The Photography Book (2nd Revised Edition, 2014)
Hardcover: 576 pages
Publisher: Phaidon Press
I have the first edition and it's a real joy. You can get lost for hrs. If I had to criticise, I suppose (for personal preference) it's a little light on landscapes/wildlife, so I'd probably package it along with something like this or Nat Geo as mentioned.
But, if purchasing just one as a starter (and with hindsight) for me I'd go for something like 'The Photography Book'
Heres a little review I found of the older paperback version:
Following on from above, have a browse around the websites of Taschen, Phaidon and Thames & Hudson. Plenty of incredible books out there. If it was my birthday I'd ask for https://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/photography/all/44829/facts.national_geographic_around_the_world_in_125_years_asia_oceania.htm
And this is great https://thamesandhudson.com/magnum-magnum-9780500288306
Requiem- Vietnam war photographers who were killed there, the cargo plane cut in half by an artillery shell photo is properly stunning.
The Bikeriders is my most recent purchase
Is it wrong that I'm considering buying that Soviet bus stops book? But then I'm also crowdfunding a book of post war modernist high rise architecture, so maybe I'm a bit odd.
Maybe look at Francesca Woodman for something a bit leftfield. One of my favourite photographers. Or Norman Seeff. But really it depends what she's into.
Or something like the Magnum retrospective from a few years back.
Buy two,, one for this year and one from her year of birth, world press photo yearbooks. Always has had dropping photos.
Liking withersea's recommendation -
Just seeing the covers on Amazon, stunning.
There's a book called Century, which is basically 100 yrs of photographs from 1899-1999.
My brother bought me a copy years ago. It's a chunky old thing; probably 3" thick and full of great photos. It came in a nice box.
I think they also do a 'mini' version now, although I imagine that doesn't quite have the same impact as the original.
Here is the mini one; I think the original is about 4x the size.
http://uk.phaidon.com/store/general-non-fiction/century-9780714842790/#tab-1
Is it wrong that I’m considering buying that Soviet bus stops book?
Hopefully not as I bought it too 🙂
DezB let me know if you can't find the one for her year of birth, I may have one you can have for the cover price. I have a large collection and I'd rather they were enjoyed and/or contributed to a meaningful present.
I managed to find one for my year of birth, albeit it's in Dutch!
Is it wrong that I’m considering buying that Soviet bus stops book?
The Russian Sanatorium holiday book looks better!
The Salgado "Genesis" book is truly jaw-dropping. It will make you amazed that the world contains so many penguins.
Dreich from Matt probably wins, but I can recommend this book that I was given as a present ...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scotland-Photographs-Shahbaz-Majeed/dp/1445666219
Depends what she's into - photography's a big subject. I just got Landscape Photographer of the Year for my birthday the other day, number 11, and the first half is mind-blowingly good, tho it tails off a bit later. I have a similar Outdoor Photographer book and that too is amazing. Century is really great, tho there's a lot of brilliant but disturbing photojournalism in there. I'm into that kind of stuff, but lots aren't. I have a photo book about colour called Chroma - that's pretty stunning, and varied. Ansel Adams, Salgado, Don McCullin, Steve McCurry, Martin Parr etc all great too - but she might find it a bit samey if the particular photographer's subject/style isn't her thing. Same goes for the landscape and outdoor books, to be honest. I'd possibly try to find out if she has a particular photography interest, then choose accordingly. A browse in a good bookshop will help.
@withersea - [i]DezB let me know if you can’t find the one for her year of birth[/i]
Sorry for my confusing wording - OP is choppersquad. I was just admiring your recommendation 🙂
Soviet bus stops (volume 2)
Worth it for this alone 🙂
Brilliant!
We've not got many, but this one is absolutely stunning by Pentti Sammallahti:
https://www.dewilewis.com/products/here-far-away
Also quite like a good Magnum retrispective, some hugely differently styles within that group.
I’m a pro (as in, I make a living from shooting commercially) young ish photographer and my biggest inspiration is Olivia Bee. Her client list is enviable
Oliviabee.com
For some reason I can’t link the book on my phone but it’s on amazon called Kids In Love by Olivia Bee
The sample images on amazon are shit; her best work is in this book rest assured
Somebody else could be Ryan McGinley - his work is profound and world renowned and has released a host of books
I loved Soviet Bus Stops - if any book is going to make you want to visit Abkhazia, this is it.
Edward Burtinsky - Essential Elements is amazing :
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edward-Burtynsky-Essential-William-Ewing/dp/0500544611
https://melvinnicholsonphotography.co.uk/
I'll be honest I know the guy and he doesn't have a book, but does do great courses and tuition.
I got my cousin a voucher towards tuition and he loved it and was already a reasonably accomplished photographer.
Just another option.
If she's interested in social photography then get her "Cardiff After Dark" by Maciej Dakowicz
its superb and sits in our loo
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cardiff-After-Dark-Maciej-Dakowicz/dp/0500544190
Here's a taster
https://www.maciejdakowicz.com/cardiff-after-dark/
I also have Soviet Bus Stops - and its excellent
Thanks everyone......some truly outstanding book recommendations there.
It's going to take me a while to choose one out of that lot, and to be honest I think I might just buy myself one too.
Your input is much appreciated.
Wow....Withersea, if you've got a large colection of World Press Photo Year books you might want to see what they're selling for on Amazon!
If you can find a copy then The City is a Novel by Alexey Titarenko is stunning.
http://www.alexeytitarenko.com/publications/
If if she likes minimalist monochromatic landscapes then any of Michael Kenna’s Nazraeli press published books if you can find one that isn’t silly money. Or Forms of Japan which is also stunning https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/3791381628/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apu_i_l3SgBbFGT49TF
or a yearssubscription the US publication LensWork magazine, beautifully printed and always contains stunning work and interviews.