About

PhotoBook Journal is an international virtual magazine that focuses on photographic based books and publications and that provides commentary and reviews for contemporary projects, monographs, and small edition artist books. We discuss content, book design, layout and production attributes, book trends, and photobook news, and on occasion we interview photobook artists, publishers, and designers.

Our vision:

We are an independent voice.

We embrace noteworthy photobooks, whether they come from major publishers, small presses, or are self-published.

We review a printed photobook, as the physical nature of the object is important: cover, paper, layout, sequence, and visuals, as well as texts as supplementary or explanatory materials where provided.

We strive to present book reviews that are accessible and understandable to a broad range of readers.

Volunteer reviewers at PhotoBook Journal share a passion for photography and the photobook. We choose books to review that have something to contribute to the photobook conversation. Our goal when we write a review is to look at what the book is doing and to share this with our audience. Readers should come away from reading with a better understanding of the book, including a curated set of page spreads that highlight the visuals.

Are you an experienced photographer or writer with advanced insights into photobooks? If so, and if you would like to contribute to PhotoBook Journal, send us an example of your writing about a topic in photography.

While we are unable to provide compensation, besides the books you review, your url is linked in your byline, your voice becomes part of the photobook conversation, and you have a platform for expanding your personal photographic social network through interactions with fellow reviewers as well as publishers and photographers.

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The editorial staff is composed of artists and photographers who investigate contemporary issues, projects, and themes while appreciating the book object as well as being book collectors. Our all volunteer staff are active in photographic/photobook events, book signings and photo festivals as participants, book judges, curators and portfolio reviewers.

Editors:

Editor: Hans Hickerson

Assistant Editor: Lee Halvorsen

Founder & Editor Emeritus: Douglas Stockdale

Editorial Consultant: Gerhard (Gerry) Clausing

Contributing Editors:

Paul Anderson

Brian Arnold

Olga Bubich

Melanie Chapman

Bill Edwards

Steve Harp

Brian O’Neill

Matt Schneider

Rudy Vega

Administration team:

Design: Deborah Davis Design

Digital Architect: Jonas Yip

Guest Editors:

Darin Boville, Richard S. Chow, Micah McCoy, T.W. Moore, Anne Murray, Brian Rose, Lodoe-Laura Haines-Wangda, Dia Yunzhi Wang

PhotoBook Journal magazine Alumni:

Alaina Dall (Copy Editor)

Kristin Dittrich (Shift School)

In Memoriam:

Christine Riedell (Guest Editor)

Wayne Swanson (1951 – 2024) Contributing Editor (2019 – 2024)