Comments on: Take A Break

By: Quora

Quora — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 23:04:53 +0000

What photography readings are usually assigned as part of an MFA/BFA in photography program?…

Some interesting readings are:

Vilem Flusser – Towards a Philosophy of Photography
John Szarkowski – The Photographer’s Eye
Stephen Shore – The Nature of Photographs
Susan Sontag – On Photography/Regarding the Pain of Others
Walter Benjamin – The Wo…

By: Andrea Isola

Andrea Isola — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 22:14:43 +0000

Great list, but with a very important lack:

“Towards a philosophy of photography”, by Vilem Flusser.

Read it, it opens a really new view on photography.

By: PJ

PJ — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 18:25:00 +0000

You might add Geoff Dyer, ‘The Ongoing Moment’ (2005, Pantheon/Random House US; Little, Brown, UK).

By: mei

mei — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 00:43:03 +0000

Also in defense of Sontag….she knew more about photography than many photographers out there.

By: Alan McCartney

Alan McCartney — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:48:29 +0000

Came across this one a few months ago – Photography Is by Mishka Henner. It contains all the above plus much much more and all in one book! http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1362817

By: Suzanne and Amanda

Suzanne and Amanda — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:06:21 +0000

We love our book:

The Photographer Survival Guide available at Amazon; Barnes & Noble and most bookstores.

Rob is even featured in it!!

By: juan luis

juan luis — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 03:06:56 +0000

Photowisdom is a great resource

http://www.chroniclebooks.com/index/main,book-info/store,books/products_id,8201/

By: Jon@sharperstill.com

Jon@sharperstill.com — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:59:57 +0000

@Paddy,
Yep, thoroughly enjoyed this fresh take on photography. It’s focussed, for sure, on American works of a specific period but it made me see new things in favourites…

Jon

By: A List of Photo Book Lists | Ocular Octopus

A List of Photo Book Lists | Ocular Octopus — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:18:53 +0000

[...] A Photo Editor posted a list of 32 books. There is some overlap with Pop Photo’s list, but not much. Ansel Adams appears here again, but there is more theory represented. Happy to see Robert Adams’ excellent writing make the list. Still, geared towards an outward looking viewpoint for photography. APE always elicits interesting, sometimes combative commentary. This post has some additional good recommendations in the comments. [...]

By: Jonathan Worth

Jonathan Worth — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 10:48:29 +0000

“After Photography” by Fred Ritchin, is a great “of the moment” book for anyone that’s trying to work through the massive shifts in our medium and practice that are taking place.

By: Gustavo Pellizzon

Gustavo Pellizzon — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:47:12 +0000

Great book list! Thanks!

By: Sean Arbabi

Sean Arbabi — Fri, 01 May 2009 20:33:05 +0000

I’ll pitch mine out there – on exposure

The BetterPhoto Guide to Exposure – Amphoto/ Random House

Current, getting great reviews, selling well, easy to read, solid images, and with a real-world approach to a subject that deals with every aspect of photography- from lighting to composition, digital to film, understanding metering to knowing your camera functions.

http://www.amazon.com/BetterPhoto-Guide-Exposure/dp/0817435549/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241209970&sr=1-1

Workin’ on two new books as well- I know, shameless self-promotion. Is there any other kind?

By: Jeff James

Jeff James — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:06:39 +0000

I agree, The Ongoing Moment by Jeff Dyer is a really good read.

By: Jay Sullivan

Jay Sullivan — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:49:02 +0000

Hey, I noticed no one’s posted anything here in a while.
Read a great book over the holidays called ‘At Work’ by Annie Leibovitz.
This is a great book for those who simply love commercial photography… and Annie.. of course.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0375505105/interactiveda8436-20

By: Reinfried Marass

Reinfried Marass — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:44:43 +0000

For those who are interested in ‘composition’.

‘Photo Design’ (and maybe ‘Color Design’) by Harald Mante.
A benchmark.

It’s a ‘quick reference’ guide to the German ‘Bauhaus’ rules (W. Kandinsky, P. Klee, O. Kokoschka, …)

Don’t go for the reprints (it’s ‘watered stock’, imho).
Go for the originals (1969, 1970) … you’ll find them at antique book stores or via the net. Licensed in 5 languages.

Harald Mante is one of the most distinguished teachers of the photographic arts and an internationally recognized master of photography.

By: Bridgette Holmes

Bridgette Holmes — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:23:20 +0000

syncretical cincture gasping calamondin afterswell madrasi tsessebe otocranic
Wildlife Genetics International
http://www.clintonhauntedhouse.com/

By: stm

stm — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:08:02 +0000

- Vitamin Ph: New Perspectives in Photography; by T.J. Demos and Editors of Phaidon Press
- The Art of Collecting Photography; by Laura Nobel

By: Giovanni Del Brenna

Giovanni Del Brenna — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 13:04:36 +0000

I’ll add this one to the list:
In Our Own Image: The Coming Revolution in Photography (Aperture Writers & Artists on Photography) by Fred Ritchin
A inspiring book and also a good insight on the digital photography era.

By: Colin McAuliffe

Colin McAuliffe — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 02:20:37 +0000

I really like Bang Bang Club by Greg Marinovich and Joao Silva
and the Zanzibar Chest by Aidan Hartley.

By: Gregg White

Gregg White — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:10:28 +0000

I just picked up a good one I think and did a quick review/summary on my site title is “Documentary and Anti-Graphic Photographs Check it out.

By: reporter

reporter — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 03:50:59 +0000

Before Photography by Peter Galassi. He explains how the way of seeing many of us take for granted came about.

By: Clif Page

Clif Page — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 07:24:00 +0000

Contact: Theory, published by Lustrum Press
Photographic Communication: Principles, and challenges of Photojournalism – compiled by R. Smith Schuneman
PhotoSynthesis by Bryan Moss

A quote from the last:
“What happened before you got here is irrelevant. What may happen in the future is anybody’s guess. All that’s left is what’s happening now. So take a picture of it.”

I will travel with week with Camera Lucida and my old copy of Photography & Society by Gisele Freund since they are small and will take up less space.

By: jmgiordano

jmgiordano — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 02:15:27 +0000

one book tht never makes anyone’s list but one that taught master Cartier Bresson is Zen and the art of Archery.
you would be SURPRISED at what this book has to do with photography. I always carry it in my bag as a reminder

By: ben roberts

ben roberts — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 01:06:24 +0000

in defense of sontag, just because someone has never picked up a camera, it doesn’t mean that their opinions are any less valuable…

for all you tog’s looking for work/commissions… plenty of the people who hold the purse strings have possibly never taken a serious photograph in their lives – however they know what they like… and if that’s not a valid opinion, then what is?

By: echard wheeler

echard wheeler — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:06:45 +0000

may I add “Art and Fear”

I think Ted Orland is one of the co authors.

Thanks for the great list

Oh and the book about Weston by his wife Charis, “Through another Lens”

By: Darrell Eager

Darrell Eager — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 21:37:59 +0000

In defense of Susan Sontog, she might not have picked up a camera but she’s given much credit for some of the success of Annie L.

By: colin pantall

colin pantall — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 21:07:01 +0000

memories of a dog – Daido Moriyama

pictures of innocence – Anne Higonnet

By: Townsend Harris

Townsend Harris — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:11:05 +0000

There’s good news these last 168 years: photographs are peculiar kinds of pictures, and photographic skills aren’t a prerequisite for having something intelligent and helpful to write about them.

By: JM Colberg

JM Colberg — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 18:29:52 +0000

@6: One sparrow doesn’t make a Summer. If you stick with stuff like “The Print” by Ansel Adams… I’m just not so sure how useful/helpful that is.

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 18:01:29 +0000

Ted Orland, taught my art photography classes at the University of Oregon.
What a fun time! Very West Coast style . He was Ansel Adams assistant , and had lots of cool stories . Although he was more interested in shooting topless coeds in hot springs. Still a great guy.