The Contemporary Photobook Magazine
Review by Lee Halvorsen • I was gifted this book by the author and PBJ editor, Hans Hickerson who expressly did NOT want a review, only for me to enjoy his journey down this tortured and touching trip down memory lane. The vibrant colors of the small book’s cover capturing a computer screen were familiar and... Continue Reading →
Review by Lee Halvorsen • This fascinating book blends striking photography with human sociology, using the metaphor of a two-way mirror to reflect a Europe beyond postcards—and the people at its margins looking back. It is puzzling, yes, but undeniably compelling. In Yesilyurt’s opening manifesto, he makes clear that his aim is not to present... Continue Reading →
Review by Lee Halvorsen • A gripping tale of friendship and a hidden land is preserved in this story with stunning images from Cuba some thirty years ago. DeStefano traveled to Cuba in 1993, 1996 and again in 1998, during Cuba’s “Special Period” where everything for Cuba’s common person was hard to get…food, gasoline, currency,... Continue Reading →
Review by Lee Halvorsen • This book is a collection of magical, imaginative moments in what must have been a difficult, almost grieving time for the artist and her father. Her father, mostly “invisible” in the book, was leaving his Amsterdam apartment of thirty years because the building had been sold. He was downsizing and... Continue Reading →
Review by Hans Hickerson · In art, as elsewhere, less is often more. Pare something down, eliminate unnecessary details and distractions, reduce it to its essence, and you end up with a core that resonates beyond its supposed limits. Eugene Richards’ New World works like that. His 56 black and white photographs depict scenes from... Continue Reading →
Review by Gerhard Clausing • As you start viewing João Linneu’s JJ VFF VV, you quickly get the idea that joy and pain go hand in hand and that a good portion of stamina pays off. The parents waited ten years to get the OK and participation of their son Valentín for this impressive journey... Continue Reading →
Review by Hans Hickerson · Here’s a winning formula for doing photography: Carry your camera with you everywhere. Explore the world, what’s out there – people, places, life, reality. Be humble. Be patient. Look at your photographs and learn from them. Don’t let ideas or pre-conceived formulas keep you from recognizing and connecting with your... Continue Reading →
Review by Gerhard Clausing • This photobook, To Love, Fear and Consume by Kostis Argyriadis, presents a host of challenges to the viewer. First and foremost, what do the three verbs in the title suggest? Our lives are certainly full of challenges, and in our present time we feel particularly vulnerable and are anticipating many... Continue Reading →
Review by Lee Halvorsen • Imagine sitting in an overstuffed chair, in a hushed, book-lined sanctuary, completely spellbound by a virtuoso storyteller spinning tales of love, war, resilience, post-war recovery in Europe and the canvas of artistic mid-century New York City. This wonderful collection of firsthand images of post-war transitions in Europe and Manhattan was... Continue Reading →
Review by Lee Halvorsen • This book is a masterful blend of history, urban transformation, and culture brought together in the context of a street known round the world: Manhattan’s Broadway. Throughout 1905, C.G. Hine a businessman and amateur photographer made images along Broadway, organized them geographically by city block, and then created hand-made books... Continue Reading →
