The Contemporary Photobook Magazine
Review by Brian F. O’Neill · On the one hand, many people define cities as the sum of their innovative minds, cultural milieu, and the enterprising spirit that seems to emanate from a place. Another line of insight into the nature of cities concerns the interpretation of their becoming. As historians and cultural geographers have... Continue Reading →
Review by Brian Arnold · Pres-tige /pre ste(d)ZH Noun Widespread respect and admiration felt for someone or something based on perception of their achievements or qualities John Cutter, one of the principal characters in Christopher Nolan’s 2006 film The Prestige, tells us there are three basic acts composing any magic trick. The first is called... Continue Reading →
Review by Gerhard Clausing • When you first hold this large loose-leaf book project in your hands, the sheer impact of its size and its images is overwhelming. We get that same feeling when we are overwhelmed by incessant appeals on all our “entertainment” media which are our constant companions – on phones, television, etc.... Continue Reading →
Review by Hans Hickerson · Julia Mejnertsen’s HUN explores nature, hunting, and the mother / daughter relationship. They are interconnected in the book because Mejnertsen’s mother is an avid hunter. Interestingly, Mejnertsen’s mother appears blind to the moral dilemma of killing animals, including a threatened species such as the African elephant. For her mother, discovering... Continue Reading →
Review by Hans Hickerson · Time travel is possible via photos, at least time travel of the mental sort. Photographs from a specific time and place are still there, frozen where and when they were made. With a little imagination you can enter their world, especially when they are packaged as thoughtfully as those in... Continue Reading →
Review by Hans Hickerson · What happens when art tries to avoid becoming Art? That’s what I asked when thinking about Kevin Klipfel’s Sha La La, Man. I have my own ideas by way of an answer, but it is ultimately up to viewers to decide for themselves. The book views like a personal photo... Continue Reading →
Review by Brian F. O’Neill · There has been a surge of image-text photobooks in the market in recent years. In some, the texts and images operate rather independently, while perhaps still holding onto some underlying issue. In others, the text is treated as an opportunity for a more traditional analytical “lens” on the subject... Continue Reading →
Review by Paul Anderson • Remembrance, ephemerality and transitions are what come to mind when looking through this beautifully executed photography book by Elliot Ross. The enigmatic objects that are central to all these images are crows. The monochromatic images are elegant, have simple compositions, and gracefully employ motion blur that imparts a spiritual feeling... Continue Reading →
Review by Hans Hickerson · What is the difference between a photobook and a zine? When you consider it, there does not seem to be a clear line separating the two. For zines you think of something cheaply produced, sometimes handmade, in limited quantities, and with less focused and more informal content than books. Books... Continue Reading →
Review by Lee Halvorsen • Amy Horowitz takes us for A Walk in the Park and magically transports the reader into the stories of those she’s photographing. Washington Square Park and the West Village in New York City are rich with diversity and young people discovering themselves and adulthood in today’s world. Horowitz brings us... Continue Reading →
PhotoBook Journal 