Magazine. Continuing our long-standing tradition of collaborating with some of photography's premier publishers, writers, photographers and photo professionals, photo-eye is pleased to present the Best Books of 2011.
For us, it is always fascinating to witness the shift in trends and interests within the photobook community. This year we saw a peak of interest in crime related photography with Watabe Yukichi's A Criminal Investigation, Christian Patterson's Redheaded Peckerwood, and Deborah Luster's Tooth for an Eye on several lists. Two giants of photobook publishing -- Aperture and Nazraeli -- made a sizable impression on our contributors, as well as the relatively new publisher Mack Books. And 2011 proved that the self-publishing boom seems to be going as strong as ever. When considering whom to invite for our annual Best Books list, we try to look at all of the diverse corners of the photography world.
View all selected books. Photobooks 2011: And the winner is… The constant stream of best books of 2011 lists that have appeared in the past couple of weeks got me wondering whether there are any books that are getting all the plaudits.
I have pulled together 52 lists in total (the final update to this post was made on 29 December), including my own, (the sources are listed at the bottom of the post). Some contrarians like Blake Andrews included books that weren’t published this year, but for this statistical exercise I have only included books that were published in 2011. After compiling the results (I gave 1 ‘vote’ to any book that was on any of these lists) one book has risen to the top of the pile with 19 votes. And the winner is… 1st Place (19 votes) - Redheaded Peckerwood, Christian Patterson (Mack) 2nd Place (14 votes) - A Criminal Investigation, Yukichi Watabe (Xavier Barral/Le Bal) - Illuminance, Rinko Kawauchi (Aperture) 3rd Place (10 votes) - Paloma al aire, Ricardo Cases (Photovision)
The Best Photo Books of 2011. In this always-on age of tweets and tumblogs and tablets, of Flickr and Facebook, of “reality” programming and insta-celebrities, we’d like to pause a moment and look at some books.
Remember books? Remember breathing? Fine Art Singular visions that push the limits of the photographic image From "Francesca Woodman" A new monograph of the deceased artist's work accompanies a major exhibition © Francesca Woodman Francesca Woodman edited by Corey Keller D.A.P. Color Correction by Ernst Haas Steidl A multifaceted study of textures and hues, Haas’s work veers from recognizable cityscapes to close-up abstractions. From "History's Shadow" © David Maisel History's Shadow by David Maisel Nazraeli Maisel is best known for imagery that reveals the consequences of time upon his subjects: In this ghostly series he rephotographs X-rays from museum archives, showing antiquated objects and skeletal figures in a new light, both literally and figuratively. From "Double Life" © Kelli Connell.
The 11 Best Photography Books of 2011. By Maria Popova What the world’s last living nomads have to do with Victorian strongwomen, tweed, and the unseen Beatles.
After the year’s best illustrated books for (eternal) kids and finest art, design, and creativity books, my best-of series continues with a look at the best photography books of 2011 — visual treasure troves that tell an important story, reveal a fascinating piece of history, or just deeply delight with a fresh perspective on a familiar subject. Annie Leibovitz is one of today’s most prolific and celebrated photographers, her lens having captured generations of cultural icons with equal parts admiration and humanity. Unlike her other volumes, her latest book, out earlier this month, features no celebrities, no luminaries, no models — at least not directly.
Instead, Pilgrimage is Leibovitz’s thoughtful meditation on how she can sustain her creativity in the face of adversity and make the most of her remaining time on Earth. The Niagara Falls in Ontario. The Best Photo Books Of 2012. In our digital era, the bound photo book has lost none of its luster, either as an intimate encounter for the viewer or a stunning showcase for the artist.
Here are 60 excellent examples to back that up. (Plus a few pretty amazing e-books for good measure.) Culture From: Mario Testino: Private View © Mario Testino Mario Testino: Private View Taschen, $70 The pages of Vanity Fair and other glossies have been the perfect settings for Testino’s signature ability to mix glamour, humor and saturated hues with aplomb. Vogue: The Editor’s Eye edited by Eve MacSweeney Abrams Abrams, $75 Since its inception 120 years ago, Vogue’s photo editors have been charged with shaping the magazine—and the fashion world—through work by such esteemed photographers as Irving Penn, Richard Avedon and Annie Leibovitz.
Harry Benson: The Beatles Taschen, $700 Benson’s Beatles are jubilant and unscripted—four lads on the knife-edge of global fame and later being swept up in its vortex. The Photographic Work by F.C.