The Contemporary Photobook Magazine
Copyright of the Estate of August Sander, 2003 courtesy Schirmer Mosel Verlag In 1929 August Sander (1876 – 1964), a German portrait photographer published his first book Antlitz der Zeit (Face of Our Time) by Kurt Wolff Verlag with an essay by the German writer Alfred Doblin. This famous book was re-issued by Schirmer Mosel... Continue Reading →
I recently received a news flash from the used book portal AbeBooks regarding the three most expensive photobooks sold through them in 2009, which are impressive sales figures: 1. Sumo by Helmut Newton - $10,867 Limited edition of 10,000 and this copy is signed by the German-born fashion photographer. This massive photography book measures 20 x 28... Continue Reading →
Copyright Riitta Paivalainen, 2009 courtesy Kehrer Verlag In Imaginary Meetings, the eight year retrospective of the young Finnish photographer Riitta Paivalainen, I have found some very delightful and thoughtful conceptual photographs. This book is an accumulation of a number of projects that Paivalainen has created, building on a similar theme utilizing similar subjects, advancing her ideas... Continue Reading →
Copyright Jim Goldberg 2009 courtesy Steidl Reviewing Jim Goldberg’s photobook Open See, published this year by Steidl, it may be initially a stretch to think of this body of work coming from the Magnum photographic agency as a photojournalist project. In more than one way it is difficult to think of this body of... Continue Reading →
Copyright Harry Cock 2006, courtesy Stichting Fotografie Noorderlicht Omstreken (Environs) is the title for the twenty-five year retrospective of Dutch photojournalist Harry Cock. The Dutch word is used to indicate the area and localities that are surrounding you, a fitting description of the territory for Cock’s focus. Similar to Gunnar Smoliansky who photographed his local Swedish surroundings for the... Continue Reading →
Photographs copyright of Stefan Heyne 2009, courtesy of Kehrer Verlag Heidelberg The title of Stefan Heyne’s recent photobook “The Noise; The Exposure of the Uncertain” is perplexing. The three accompanying essays that have translated from the original German to English only provide a little assistance. In an attempt to understand the accompanying photographs, I am digressing... Continue Reading →
copyright Douglas Stockdale Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, a wonderful Holiday and the very best for the New Year! Douglas Stockdale
I have been thinking about my list of Best PhotoBooks for 2009, and I am in sort of a quandary. The implication is that this list would be for the books that were published in 2009, but the fact is that many interesting books published in 2008 took a while before I could acquire them. And I have... Continue Reading →
Copyright Todd Oldham, Bedrock City, 2008, courtesy AMMO books I have been thinking about Joerg Colberg's post about a lack of "cutting edge" photobooks, while I am working on my list of best photobooks in 2009. Joerg states "...there isn't much of a variety in photo books...the format itself is so conservative". I think that for... Continue Reading →
Update on the results from the Swann Galleries Photographic print and literature auction of December 8 (2009): Highlights of the Photographic Literature portion of the sale included: Early works: Francis Frith’s Egypt Nubia and Ethiopia, 100 albumen stereoviews, London, 1862, $10,200 Camera Work Number 20, featuring three images by Stieglitz, New York, 1907, $6,000 Classic... Continue Reading →
PhotoBook Journal 