Photographs & Stories by Michael Kenna | My Photo Bookshelf

I’ve long admired Michael Kenna’s pictures, but only recently since taking black and white photography more seriously in my own work did I start to study Michael’s photography more closely. I studied his work online and watched lots of video interviews, but I really wanted to see his work in print, so luck would have it that while I was looking into the books Kenna had published, he announced Photographs and Stories. This book caught my attention as it was a great opportunity to look back at his work spanning 50 years and I wasted no time popping it into my basket.

Author’s synopsis

In celebration of Michael Kenna’s fiftieth year as a photographer, we are thrilled to announce the publication of Michael Kenna: Photographs and Stories.

Kenna has selected one image for each year beginning 1973, when he enrolled in the Banbury School of Art, and for each subsequent year. Following the “Photographs” section is “Stories,” in which Kenna gives context to each image and considers how it connected to his own life at the time. 

Michael Kenna is arguably the most influential landscape photographer of his generation. Often working at dawn or during the night, he has concentrated primarily on the interaction between the ephemeral atmospheric conditions of the natural landscape, and human-made structures and sculptural mass.

Over ninety books and catalogs have been published on his work. His exquisite, hand crafted, silver gelatin prints have been exhibited throughout the world and are included in such permanent museum collections as The National Gallery, Washington, D.C.; The Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai; and The Victoria and Albert Museum, London. In 2022, Mr. Kenna was made an Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Ministry of Culture.

My thoughts about the book

First off, I love how this book has been presented. It oozes class. The cloth cover, the stunning cover picture, the foil lettering and best thing of all, the Japanese Kasadaka paper inside. It’s a thick, warm matt paper that fits with Michael’s monotone work perfectly. It looks amazing and feels even better to touch.

The book opens with a foreword by Ann Jastrab, Executive Director, Centre for Photographic Art in CA and then flows straight into Michael’s pictures. As you can imagine the photos included are incredible and with them sequenced in chronological order, one thing that stands out to me is how Michael’s style has remained so consistent over the years. To stay true to one’s artistic vision, shrugging off contemporary trends and the lure of modern camera equipment must take significant amounts of self-belief. There was, however, one conspicuous shift in style and that came in 1989 when Kenna transitioned to the square format. From this point in the book, all of the photos were in a 1:1 aspect ratio.

While studying photobooks over time, I’ve started to learn what I think works and what doesn’t (for me) and one of those things I do like with regards to design is to keep the photo pages clean and uncluttered with minimal text and this book is a perfect example of that. Under each image is just a few words detailing where and when the picture was taken, but the stories behind each photo are printed toward the end of this fine book. This approach is fast becoming one I prefer the most when there is a story to be told about the image and is a great compromise between letting the pictures breathe on the page whilst still ensuring their stories can be told.

This book is special. While reading it I enjoyed a delightfully visual and tactile experience and because of that, it gets elevated right up there as one of my favourites.

Book Details

• Hardcover

• Size: 11.5 x 13 inches

• Pages: 106

• Photos: 51 duotone plates printed on Japanese Kasadaka paper

• Availability at the time of writing: Back in print. Available from https://www.setantabooks.com

Gathering Time by Simon Baxter | My Photo Bookshelf

If you visit my website regularly, then it will be no secret that I love woodland photography and have been actively taking photos of trees for a few years now, so when Simon Baxter, one of the most talented woodland photographers out there releases a book, it automatically has a place on my bookshelf.

Author’s synopsis

‘Gathering Time’ is a photographic book by professional woodland photographer, Simon Baxter. It expresses the calm, quiet awe and emotion of woodland, as well as Simon’s unique connection to this beautifully complex world. Driven by the freely available therapeutic benefits of nature close to home, Simon has spent several years crafting woodland images to communicate his fascination with trees and appreciation for the sanctuary their home has provided.

My thoughts about the book

Gathering Time was released a few years ago and although I’ve just got around to posting about it here, it’s a book I’ve owned for some time and often flick through when in need of some inspiration. It’s one of those rare photography books where you will struggle to spot any filler images as every one in there is of such a high quality and very much deserves its place in the book (can you tell I’m a fan of his work yet?).

The book starts with a wonderfully written forward by Joe Cornish (another of my landscape photography heroes), followed by the book’s introduction. Simon’s introduction tells the story of what led him to photograph the woodland and the many benefits it brings. Amongst the beautiful woodland imagery are a scattering of essays, each telling a story, recalling memories or providing a window into Simon’s thought process. It’s a clever and insightful way to organise the book and group the photos together both visually with the sequencing and conceptually with the writing.

I’m a big proponent of using photography and nature to help improve mental well-being and Simon writes openly about his own, personal struggles both physically and mentally and how surrounding himself with the natural world went a long way to support his physical and mental healing.

I’ve spent many hours flicking through the pages of this beautifully crafted photography book and if you appreciate high-quality woodland imagery as I do, then Gathering Time should be at the very top of your photography book wishlist.

Book Details

• Hardcover

• Size: 300mm x 240mm

• Pages: 128

• Photos: 90

• Availability at the time of writing: Still in print. Available from the author’s website: https://baxter.photos/shop/gathering-time

Fieldwork by Finn Hopson | My Photo Bookshelf

Being local to Brighton and the South Downs in the UK, I’ve long followed Finn Hopson’s landscape photography, admiring his photos of the Sussex Coast and the surrounding area both online, and when in the local area, visiting his gallery along the Brighton seafront to see his work in person.

It was during one of those visits to his Gallery when I picked up Fieldwork; the first of a trio of books Finn plans to release featuring the photos he has taken in and around Brighton and the South Downs.

Author’s synopsis

How many ways can you look at the same thing and see something different? How many times can you visit the same place and find something new?

“Fieldwork is the result of twelve years spent collecting different versions of the same thing. It’s a scrapbook of shapes, patterns, colours and light which define the South Downs. My approach is not about finding a singular ‘decisive moment’ but instead deciding to be there for as many moments as possible. This is a place that speaks to me more deeply than anywhere else, and this is my attempt to compile a kind of visual dialect to describe it.”

The book features more than 100 photographs of the South Downs, accompanied by a selection of words from the ancient Sussex dialect which evolved to describe some of the subtleties of this unique landscape.

”These pictures are not a definitive collection of iconic locations, or a compendium of must-see spots. Instead, my hope is that others who know the Downs will recognise something of their own experience, and those who are yet to visit may feel somewhat intrigued by the prospect.”

My thoughts about the book

As mentioned in the synopsis above, this isn’t a book full of iconic, recognisable views of Sussex, but a collection of well-crafted, photos of some of the many beautiful views of the South Downs taken during countless visits to this ancient landscape. In traditional style, the book starts with an introduction written by the author and in Fieldwork, Finn talks about his connection with this landscape, providing the perfect backstory to his book.

After the introduction, the book gets straight into the pictures of the South Downs, perfectly depicting the natural and man-made geometric shapes in the landscape. With only a scattering of words from the ancient Sussex dialect providing convenient places to pause throughout the book, the design is clean and uncluttered; just the way I like it.

Maybe it’s because I know this landscape well, but what I particularly like about the work in this book is how at first glance, it’s made up of a collection of impressive photos of the landscape but as you flick through the pages, you start to see a deeper story being told in the work. The South Downs is a hive of activity with walkers, workers, animals and various forms of agriculture and Finn has subtly included much of this activity throughout the book, which not only helps to portray the impressive scale of the landscape but tells a deeper story about how important the landscape is to so many.

This is a well-sequenced, high-quality photography book and even if you’ve never visited the South Downs before, this expertly crafted collection of photos is still able to take you on a journey through what is an incredibly unique and captivating landscape in the southeast of England.

Book Details

• Hardcover

• Size: 300mm x 240mm

• Pages: 144

• Photos: 105

• Availability at the time of writing: Still in print. Available from the author’s website: https://www.finnhopson.com/photobook-products/fieldwork

At The Edge Of Permanence by Gill Moon | My Photo Bookshelf

The Edge of Permanence is a photobook by Gill Moon, featuring a range of pictures from a week-long photographic study of Coigach, a peninsula in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. Gill is a landscape photographer and author based in Suffolk, England. I’ve followed Gill’s work for quite some time and was pleased to be able to buy number 5 of this limited run of 50 photography books.

Author’s synopsis

Nothing in life or the landscape is permanent.

We live life in moments, ephemeral and transitory, happy and sad, difficult and rewarding. The same is true of the landscape – it changes all the time.

But there are locations that have a durability about them that makes them feel unchangeable and permanent. Coigach in the North West Highlands of Scotland is one such place.

Coigach lies about 20 miles north of Ullapool in the North West Highlands Geopark. The landscapes within the park contain some of the oldest rocks (3 billion years old) and some of the earliest evidence of life found anywhere in Europe.

But on a more local level the area is made up of habitats and wild places that are transient and vulnerable and which change on a daily basis. Set against the seemingly permanent mountains of Assynt This project explores life in the liminal zones. Those ever changing realms where no moments are the same.

Although I have been to Coigach several times, in both summer and winter, I felt it was important for the images to represent as short a time frame as possible. For me this gives the most intense feeling of change. All the images in this project were taken during the course of one week in June 2022. They come together to form my observations of an amazing place.

My thoughts about the book

One of the many things I like about Gill’s work is how varied her work can be, from wide, uncluttered coastal vistas to smaller, intimate scenes and this book is a great example of that. For me, it’s the varied body of work that sets this book apart as a photographic study rather than just a book of pretty photos. Not only has Gill photographed those epic landscapes which would draw the attention of most of us, but she has also looked much deeper into the landscape, isolating some of the unique subjects and textures one could easily overlook. Regardless of the subject, all the photos have what I consider to be Gill’s distinctive style, from carefully composed, uncluttered compositions to high quality and consistent post-production.

The book itself is well presented, with thoughtful image sequencing throughout. The subjects and tones across the various page spreads complement each other well and the flow throughout the book feels smooth and deliberate. The weighty, matt paper suits the work well and feels appropriately tactile while thumbing through the pages.

Gill also includes seven or eight poems in her book, each written to accompany the photo on the opposing page. I’ll assume Gill wrote these as I didn’t see anyone else credited. I’m no poem connoisseur but I know what I like, and I like that these poems were included. Not only did I enjoy reading them as they helped me connect further with the work, but their inclusion provided a nice opportunity to pause to consider the work.

I very much enjoyed reading this book and love the photos Gill has included. If there happens to be any left at the time of reading, do consider popping over to Gill’s website to buy yourself a copy.

Book Details

• Hardcover

• Pages: 80 pages printed on 200gsm matt paper

• Availability at the time of writing: In stock and available from Gill Moon’s website here: https://gillmoon.com/product/at-the-edge-of-permanence

Trees - A Photographic Exploration by Gary Turner | My Photo Bookshelf

After listening to Gary Turner speak about his photo book projects with Euan Ross on the In Discussion podcast over at https://biblioscapes.com, I popped over to Gary’s website and picked up both his Long Exposure zine and this one he calls Trees, A Photographic Exploration.

Author’s synopsis

A beautifully curated collection of black and white and colour photography of trees.

More than 40 photographs, carefully arranged across 24 pages, allowing you to explore the subtle details of trees and their setting in the British landscape.

My thoughts about the book

Let’s cut to the chase. I really like this book. Being just 24 pages and A5 in size, it seems a simple concept but when you start to read it, you quickly realise it goes far deeper than that. I admit, having a mutual admiration for trees means I approach this review somewhat biased, but something about this book connected with me.

There are 40 photos, all featuring trees and within the collection, so much is represented. The book starts by celebrating the form and composition of the tree with a collection of black and white photos transitioning to colour photos for the second part of the book with all of the seasonal tones represented. Throughout the book, there are portraits of trees, landscapes featuring trees and intimate photos with creative use of depth of field.

A particularly nice touch was to interweave extracts from Rudyard Kipling’s poem, “The way through the woods”. A fitting addition to such a lovely little book.

Book Details

• Softcover

• Size: 210mm x 148mm

• Pages: 24 printed on 200gsm silk paper

• Availability at the time of writing: In stock and available from the author’s website here: https://www.shutterspot.co.uk/product/trees-a-photographic-exploration-zine/

Working The Light | My Photo Bookshelf

Alongside newly published books, I also enjoy picking up older, usually second-hand photography books. I like to look back and enjoy the earlier work of my favourite photographers and read about their approach to photography back in the day. Working the Light was first published in 2006 and features three of the UK’s most well-known landscape photographers; Joe Cornish, David Ward and Charlie Waite. I bought this book to feel inspired, to learn from their critiques, and to find out how they went about taking photos almost two decades ago.

Author’s synopsis

Working the Light offers readers a unique chance to participate in a masterclass with three of Britain’s leading practitioners and teachers of landscape photography. Alongside a portfolio of their latest work, Charlie Waite, Joe Cornish and David Ward write about the genre for which they are best known: how they came to it, what inspires them, their current projects and the directions in which they see their work developing - for example, what role might digital play for any of these lovers of film?

Each of the three section of the book explores the theme of ‘working the light’ - surely the most critical and challenging aspect of landscape photography - with Joe Cornish writing about Wilderness Landscapes, Charlie Waite discussing Inhabited Landscapes and David Ward concentrating on inner landscapes.

Each section also contains a Gallery Workshop in which the trio critique images submitted by clients of the renowned travel company Light & Land, offering the kind of constructive comment and positive advice that one would normally only expect to get in the field.

 Working the Light gives its readers a real sense of taking part in a location workshop with Waite, Cornish or Ward while also preserving their wisdom in permanent form that can be referred to in the future. Follow-up volumes are already planned, with the next in the series looking to explore the concept of Developing Vision and Style.

My thoughts about the book

It’s an interesting concept and one I like quite a lot. The book is made up of three chapters, each dedicated to one of the three aforementioned masters of their craft and each focused on a sub-genre of landscape photography. Within each chapter, you are taken on a bit of a journey, starting with a collection of photos and writing from each photographer, followed by a gallery of images submitted by previous clients of the Light & Land workshops and at the end of each chapter, Joe, David and Charlie offer their thoughts on those photos.

What I like the most about the book is that it’s not just about showing successful photos, but the three photographers also share what they consider unsuccessful images and write about how they might have been improved. This is important, as it teaches us that even those we consider the pinnacle of landscape photography are always learning and still need to work hard on their craft to take the best photos possible.

This book includes some thought-provoking quotes and useful tips for taking better images, and the critique offered to the submitted photos is both fair and respectful.

Even based on today’s standards, this book still holds its own and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, drawing inspiration from the photos shared within.

Book Details

• Hardcover

• Size: 260mm x 234mm

• Pages: 160

• Availability at the time of writing: Unavailable from the usual UK booksellers. Consider buying a used copy.

A Year Amongst Trees by Brad Carr | My Photo Bookshelf

Towards the back end of 2022, I was listening to a Biblioscapes episode featuring Brad Carr as he talked about his photobook featuring woodland photos he took over the course of a year back in 2021. He spoke about the project and his love for the woodland with so much genuine enthusiasm, I immediately went online and added his book to my collection.

Author’s Synopsis

This zine contains a collection of photographs from my 2021 portfolio and tells the story of a year which changed me as a photographer and human. Featuring a series of short stories, a poem that I felt inspired to write whilst out in nature, a little insight into why I create and where my love of the woodland was born.

There are stories to be told everywhere out there in nature. I hope that this zine inspires you to get out there and tell your own.

My thoughts about the book

When I picked this zine up for the first time, my initial impression was how good the soft touch cover felt in the hand. It has a luxurious feel to it, which adds so much to the overall reading experience. The book has a nicely written introduction, with childhood memories and a touching encounter Brad had with his Nan, which inspired much of his photography in 2021.

The book is jam-packed with beautiful woodland photography, and if you’ve followed me for any length of time, you will know that woodland photography is a subject I also have a strong connection with, making the overall reading experience even more special. The photos are overflowing with atmosphere and whether taken in warm, late summer light or on a cold, misty morning, Brad was able to capture that mood in his photos and unleash it via this book for us all to experience.

Alongside some of the photos, Brad included some stories which feature his thoughts about a particular photo or encounters he had while out in the field. There is a raw honesty and vulnerability in these stories and when I finished reading a page, I would find myself pausing, just to let the words sink in before moving on to the next page. This is a testament to how strong of a writer Brad is.

Overall, the book’s layout works well. The images were well-sequenced and flowed nicely with a good text-to-picture ratio. My only (very small and subjective) niggles were twofold. The first, and one I’ve mentioned before is when a picture spans more than one page. I can understand why it’s done, but for photography books, where the image is the main visual element, I find it very distracting. I also found having the paragraphs of text centre justified a little distracting. It may just be me, but it is harder to read, and I feel paragraphs of text should be left-justified. As I said, these are tiny issues.

Photography zines are typically less expensive and with it, carry lower expectations than a larger, more expensive coffee table book, but I think for projects like this and other smaller bodies of work, they are a fantastic way to get your work in the hands of others and should never be considered inferior. In a world where self-publishing has never been so accessible, I would love to see more landscape photographers use the zine format to help get their work printed and out in the world. Maybe I need to start taking my own advice.

Brad has a blog article to accompany his book here. He also has a YouTube channel centred around creativity, photography and nature.

This little book packs a big punch, oozing creativity from both the photos and the written word. If you can, do buy this gem of a woodland photography book.

Book Details

• Softcover

• Size: 210mm x 148mm

• Pages: 52

• Availability at the time of writing: In stock and available from Brad Carr’s website https://www.bradcarrphotography.co.uk/books-zines/a-year-amongst-trees-2021-zine.

Woodland Sanctuary by Simon Baxter & Joe Cornish | My Photo Bookshelf

You may have noticed that I enjoy a bit of woodland photography. In fact, I just enjoy the woodland and spending time exploring my local forest camera in hand or not. So, when two well-established photographers joined forces and released the Woodland Sanctuary book to accompany their exhibition to showcase the trees and woodland of the North York Moors, I jumped at the chance to own a copy. I don’t say this lightly, but Joe Cornish and Simon Baxter have both significantly influenced my landscape and woodland photography over the past few years, so, owning a book and experiencing more of their work in the printed form was an exciting prospect.

Author’s Synopsis

Trees and Woodland of the North York Moors

Woodland Sanctuary is a joint exhibition between photographers Simon Baxter and Joe Cornish. The work was gathered over the last six years, all of it within the North York Moors National Park.

This book is its hand-held equivalent. It is a record of the pictures and words from the exhibition. It also contains a few pictures for which there was insufficient space in the gallery! Arranged in a series of artistically inspired themes, we hope the photographs convey a sense of joy and wonder, and sometimes other complex emotions that can be triggered by looking at trees, and walking through the woods.

My thoughts about the book

I wasn’t able to attend Simon and Joe’s Woodland Sanctuary exhibition in person and although I thoroughly enjoyed the videos they released, there is no substitute for being there in person to view their work hanging on the wall, so I guess this book is the next best thing.

For the £20 I paid, this softcover book is packed full of 90+ beautiful woodland photos, organised by themes, including taken alongside rivers, scenes shaped by humans and 7 others. It’s such a unique and effective way to present their work, aligning them to a narrative that has a deeper meaning than just the aesthetic of the scene itself.

The book starts with an introduction by Joe Cornish, who provides some of the background to the work, the artists and the exhibition. This is followed by an artist statement from them both, talking about their own journeys that led them to create their own, deep connections with the woodland.

It goes without saying that the work presented in this book is on another level, but what I like even more is how distinct the work is between the two artists. As I flicked through, I would instantly recognise Simon’s or Joe’s work without the need to look at the text underneath. Although these two photographers have their own distinct style, the thoughtful sequencing allowed them to place their photos harmoniously side by side with a nice flow throughout each chapter.

To own some of the best woodland photography I’ve seen to date for as little as £20 is quite unique. This is a book I’ll return to time and again for inspiration.

Book Details

• 300gsm fine uncoated softcover

• Size: 300mm x 240mm

• Pages: 92 Litho printed on170gsm Silk Art Paper

• Availability at the time of writing: In stock and available from Simon Baxter’s website https://baxter.photos/shop/woodland-sanctuary Also available on Joe Cornish’s gallery shop website here.

Littoral | My Photo Bookshelf

I first heard about the books created by John Ash and Paul Gotts a couple of years ago when they released a previous book called New Beginnings. Unfortunately, I was too late to bag a copy of that book before it sold out, so when Littoral was released, I made sure not to miss out again.

The typical format of the most recent books released by John and Paul over at https://makingaphotobook.co.uk is that they will commission a limited number of photographers who will shoot to a pre-determined theme. The resulting images will be curated and published in the final photobook. What makes the books even more special is that the photographers have given their time for free as the proceeds of the book are donated to a charity in keeping with the theme of the book.

Author’s Synopsis

Littoral is a stunning new hardback photobook published in June 2023.

Black and white images from three talented photographers have been reflected on and woven together by a master storyteller at the peak of his powers.

The book is about memories and personal stories – the images and words will resonate with readers everywhere.

Photographs by: Lynn Fraser, Ali Lewis and Fiona McCowan

Words by: Jeff Young

Foreword by: Jack Lowe

My thoughts about the book

As the title suggests, Littoral includes photos with a shoreline theme running through them and with proceeds going to the RNLI, it all ties together nicely. At the very beginning is a forward written by Jack Lowe. The forward is written with much thought and affection for the RNLI as those familiar with Jack Lowe will surely know about his project to photograph all 238 lifeboat stations onto glass plate. It’s a fascinating and worthwhile project you can read more about here: https://lifeboatstationproject.com.

In the book are 35 back-and-white photos taken by Lynn Fraser, Ali Lewis and Fiona McCowan. All three of these accomplished photographers had their own unique take on the brief so the photos included are wonderfully diverse. Still, with praise for the curation and sequencing, they flowed incredibly well. I particularly liked the range of subjects in the work from small, intimate rock scenes, to man-made subjects such as swimming baths and lighthouses.

Woven in among the photos are some creative words written by Jeff Young. Inspired by the photos, I found these passages worked well to both add some artistic narrative as well as to introduce a timely pause between each collection of images.

I thoroughly enjoyed Littoral, and with an important underlying message for both supporting the RNLI and protecting our oceans, it made for an even richer experience.

Book Details

• Hardcover

• Size: 250mm x 250mm Square

• Pages: 58 pages printed on Fedrigoni 170 gsm paper.

• Availability at the time of writing: Unavailable from the usual UK booksellers. Consider looking for a used copy if available. Link to the book’s original website: https://littoralphotobook.co.uk/

Quiet Light by Adam Gibbs | My Photo Bookshelf

Adam Gibbs is a well-known landscape photographer based in Canada and by the time I discovered and started to follow Adam on his YouTube channel, he had already sold out of the first and second editions of Quiet Light. So, when the third edition was released, I ordered myself a copy as soon as I could.

Author’s Synopsis

Photography is all about light. Light is the key to creating mood, dimension, and often is the main subject of the photograph itself. "Quiet Light" is my homage to the main ingredient that makes an image, light. In this book, I share over two decades of my nature photography from around the globe. For me, the enjoyment of photography doesn't necessarily come from the final image; the joy comes from discovery, exploration and ultimately chasing the light. I hope you enjoy these images as much as I have experienced in creating them.

My thoughts about the book

Released in 2019, Quiet Light showcases 25 years of nature photography taken by Adam Gibbs. Apart from being an admirer of the pictures Adam takes on his YouTube channel, the main reason I wanted to get a copy of this book is that Adam is a big proponent of taking photos in soft, defused light such as you would find on cloudy or misty days and this is a style of photography I’ve found myself gravitating towards. Bagging an epic scene in stunning light is all well and good, and something I still enjoy from time to time, but for me, nothing beats a morning exploring my local woodland in misty or soft light, seeking out simplified shapes and woodland characters amongst the intimate landscape on offer.

As with all the Kozu books I own, it’s well made with superb picture quality. The sequencing of the images is quite clever, with pictures paired together with complimenting shapes and subjects along with a more extended colour-based theme throughout the book, starting with green and finishing with more subdued blues and greys.

Finally, the photos. Although common in being tastefully taken and presented, there’s quite an array of subjects, from the forests of British Columbia to the mountains in the Chinese province of Anhui. From small, intimate scenes to grand vistas, they are all wonderfully impactful images while somehow remaining calm and subdued.

This third edition may well sell out and, if you can, I recommend adding it to your landscape photography book collection.

Book Details

• Hardcover

• Size: 300mm x 240mm Landscape

• Pages: 87 pages printed on 170gsm paper

• Availability at the time of writing: First and Second Editions are sold about Third Edition is in stock and available at the time of writing from Kozu Books https://www.kozubooks.com/books-new/quiet-light-by-adam-gibbs-third-edition

The Long Exposure by Gary Turner | My Photo Bookshelf

I came across Gary Turner and his A5 zines when listening to him being interviewed on Euan Ross’s Biblioscapes podcast. With what seems like the rise of the Zine in recent years and with a particular fondness for long-exposure photography, I popped over to Gary’s website and grabbed a copy.

Author’s Synopsis

My (Gary Turner’s) first foray into the world of self-publishing resulted in this limited edition zine comprising 24 pages of beautifully calming black and white, long exposure imagery of water.

My thoughts about the book

What I like about the zine format is how accessible it is for both the reader and the book creator. Zines tend to be less expensive to make and subsequently buy, which means when I come across one I like, I’ll usually buy it there and then instead of adding it to my ever-growing list of more traditional, more expensive photo books.

It might be easy to assume that with a lower price point comes inferior quality and if this zine by Gary Turner is anything to go by, that’s absolutely not the case. The Long Exposure zine is a collection of 24 black and white, long-exposure photos all with one common theme. Water. The collection includes photos taken of natural streams and waterfalls to man-made piers and canals. With 200gsm silk paper pages, the book looks and feels a nice quality and the paper choice works well to ensure the pictures retain a healthy amount of contrast which, for the photos included is important.

I really like the collection of photos Gary has put together but there are a handful that really stand out to me. Rocker Pier (which is on the front cover) is fantastic. It’s an incredibly strong composition, simplified by the softening effect the long exposure technique provides but I think my favourite is the picture of Salts Mill Wier which I particularly like as the long exposure has resulted in some fantastic patterns in the water which in my opinion makes this good photo into a great one.

Being a smaller zine full of strong long exposure photos, it’s hard not to recommend this book but as it’s no longer in print, I highly recommend the eBook version which, at the time of writing is for sale. See the link below.

Book Details

• Softcover

• Size: A5

• Pages: 24 pages of 200gsm silk paper

• Availability at the time of writing: No longer in print but an eBook copy is currently available from: https://www.shutterspot.co.uk/product/the-long-exposure-zine/

Masters of Drone Photography | My Photo Bookshelf

At the time of writing, I’ve owned a drone for almost a year now and having other options in my camera bag to capture the landscape from a different perspective has been a lot of fun. With that, I’m always looking for new ideas and inspiration to draw from, and when I came across this book on Amazon, knowing how the “Masters” series of books are presented, I knew this would be a book I would enjoy.

The synopsis

Masters of Drone Photography orbits the world of 16 leading lights, each with a creative vision of how, where, and why drones should be used to create stunning photography. Through probing Q&A style interviews, beautifully reproduced images, captions telling the story of each picture, and detailed technical information, the reader is given an insight into the photographers’ working practices, from their career paths and inspirations, to the equipment and techniques they employ to create their breathtaking and visionary works.

My thoughts about the book

As I mentioned above, this isn’t the first book I’ve owned in the “Masters” series, I also have Masters of Landscape Photography on my bookshelf, so I know the general format of the book and particularly enjoy the questions posed to each photographer and the variety in the answers provided. This gives a useful “behind the camera” perspective and contains many hints and tips the reader can implement into their own work.

The general format is, there are 16 photographers featured in the book, each sharing 6 of their own aerial photos with a small caption alongside. On top of the pictures they share, the author of the book posed 8 different questions about their work. At the end of each section is a thumbnail of each picture and some technical details such as the done and camera settings used.

I enjoyed the variety of photographers included in the book, as with photos ranging from top-down pictures of whales in Hawaii to colourful, urban basketball courts in New Zealand, it opened my eyes up to what I could achieve when I’m out taking pictures with my drone.

Talking of the photographers, the quality of the pictures included really were top-notch. All are very different and all display their own unique take on this genre of photography. After each chapter, I would often put the book down and open the laptop to research the photographer further and in many cases subscribe to their social media pages to continue to follow their more recent work.

All in all, if you enjoy drone photography and want some creative inspiration, or just want to admire the work of other, established drone photographers, then I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book.

Book Details

• Hardcover

• Size: 230mm x 285mm

• Pages: 176

• Availability at the time of writing: Still in print and available from leading bookshops.

Shoreline by David Southern | My Photo Bookshelf

I’m unsure how I originally came across David Southern and his close-up, abstract work. It could have been a podcast or maybe on Instagram via another member of their Parhelion creative. Still, either way, the timing could not have been more perfect, as around the same time I started to become more interested in this genre of photography, I also came across David and his Shoreline book.

The synopsis

All the images within the book were captured within a 40-mile stretch of coastline. With his imagination let off the leash David did not limit himself to seeing an attractive pattern or shape etched in rock but rather enjoyed the liberation of finding subtleties of light, shade and water flow that created compelling images.

My thoughts about the book

When this book first arrived, not only was I blown away by the imagery on show, the lines, the patterns and details but the imagination to see familiar-looking shapes and objects and communicate these through clever titles. The below page spread is a perfect example of David doing this. It’s easy to see that so much work went into each and every individual photo to make the very most of the compositions on offer.

On the day I received the book, I had a quick flick through a few of the pages and noticed the creative image titles, so when the time came to spend a bit more time with the book, I had a lot of fun studying each image and trying to guess what the title might be after. I was wrong almost every time.

The book itself is well presented, with minimal text except for David’s introduction and a forward written by Rachael Talibard (which is a nice touch.) The sequencing works really well with some fantastic image pairings but as mentioned in other photo bookshelf posts, I’m not a huge fan of pictures that span multiple pages as it partly obscures the image and can often interrupt the flow and this book has a few of them.

This fantastic project and beautiful imagery deserve to be shared in printed form and this book does the job perfectly. I’m thrilled to have it on my bookshelf.

Book Details

• Hardcover

• Size: 240mm x 280mm

• Pages: 116

• Availability at the time of writing: Still in print and available from the author’s website at https://www.southernphotography.co.uk/

Landscape Within by David Ward | My Photo Bookshelf

I have followed David Ward’s work for a number of years and consider him up there with some of the British landscape photography masters such as Joe Cornish or Charlie Waite, so, as I started to grow my own photography book collection, I was please to find David’s 2004 book Landscape Within and quickly added it to my bookshelf.

The synopsis

While no photographer would deny the importance of mastering the technicalities of the craft, most would agree that true satisfaction comes from using technique to realize more profound, creative goals. In this book, distinguished landscape photographer David Ward investigates the goals of photography and how they can best be achieved. He is concerned, primarily, with the nature of creativity as it is experienced and practiced by photographers, and with the thought processes that go into making an image that aspires to be a work of art. In exploring these issues, and in drawing on his own superb work, he has produced a book that goes far beyond the "how to" manual, addressing questions that, though rarely asked, go to the heart of every photographer’s ambitions. David Ward has been a fine-art landscape photographer for more than 20 years; his work has appeared in many publications, including Outdoor Photographer and Amateur Photographer.

My thoughts about the book

With so many books covering technique, technical know-how and gear, this soft-cover book from David Ward is more about art, creativity and “the why”. David covers so many topics, too many to list here. Still, some of the more notable for me was his views on photo manipulation, the art of seeing, what defines an intimate landscape, historic references and much, much more.

I particularly liked chapter 4, The Art of Seeing. Here David talked about having creative concentration and although he didn’t directly reference Mindfulness, he talked about it in all but name itself including how the mind needs to be clear and focused on the task at hand and not distracted by everyday life. He referred to it as peaceful daydreaming, which I kind of like too. With a focus on the intimate landscape, I also enjoyed how David describes the differences between what makes a scene intimate vs a wide vista and then proceeds to dissect the building blocks of the intimate landscape photograph, talking about the form, texture, perspective and rhythm.

This book was published in 2004 so, at the time of writing, nearly 20 years ago. Although there are some references that give this away, the fundamental message is as true today as it was then. To put it bluntly, I think this book has aged very well as it focuses on the creative, rather than the technical side of our craft.

Along with the excellent writing, David has included lots of his beautiful intimate landscape photos throughout the book. Not only do these photos illustrate the book nicely, but they also provide a timely rest for your eyes and mind to gaze at before taking on the next page as for me at least, some of the writing is a bit full on and takes a couple of reads to click.

For anyone who likes to study landscape photography a little further, to gain a deeper understanding of the craft as well as learn a little of the history along the way, then this is well worth a read.

Book Details

• Softcover

• Size: 223mm x 228mm

• Pages: 128

• Availability at the time of writing: Unavailable from the usual UK booksellers. Consider buying a used copy.

Woodlands by Nigel Danson | My Photo Bookshelf

I’ve been photographing the woodland for a couple of years now and throughout this time, Nigel has been such an inspiration to me while honing my own woodland photography craft. So, when Nigel released his Woodlands Book, I bagged myself a copy straight away.

Nigel’s synopsis

I feel that woodland photography offers something more than just the fun of the pursuit of a beautiful image. It is the exact opposite of the adrenaline driven climb up a mountain for first light to get that magnificent shot as I showed in Vistas.

I take a trip through the seasons and share my favourite images of oaks, beeches, silver birch and many more woodland scenes from the UK and further afield.

My thoughts about the book

Following on from Vistas, Woodlands is the second in a trilogy of landscape photography books and features a large collection of Nigel’s stunning woodland photography.

There is a familiar look and feel to Woodlands and that’s because this hardcovered book has the same cloth finish and foil lettering as Vistas and that consistent design runs throughout the inside pages with the same layout and lettering. It’s a sturdy, well-crafted book which feels solid and durable.

The images, as you might expect if you follow Nigel’s work are top-notch. I particularly like the photos that have his trademark painterly look, as I think this approach to editing works really well for woodland scenes and with just a small amount of text here and there, the photos taking centre stage on the page. The images are grouped together in chapters based on the season they were taken and personally, I think that’s the right way to present a book like this as it allows for the most natural flow from cover to cover. That being said, sequencing the images within the chapters may still prove tricky but Nigel’s done a good job here too.

The book finishes off with a little information about the gear Nigel used and I like this approach. Gear is not the be-all and end-all and should not detract from the photo itself, but dedicating a page or two at the end is a good, subtle way to address any questions readers might have about the gear used to capture these photos.

This is a fantastic woodland photography book and I certainly recommend it, especially for those who love to spend time amongst the trees like me.

Book Details

• Hardcover

• Size: 300mm x 240mm

• Pages: 128

• Availability at the time of writing: The book is now sold out, but you can sign up to be notified of future print runs on Nigel’s website here https://www.nigeldanson.com/products/woodlands

Between The Wind by Ben Horne | My Photo Bookshelf

I’ve been watching Ben Horne on YouTube for a couple of years now. Being into my wide, dramatic vistas at the time, his work was interesting to me but I wouldn’t say I was in awe of his work, but as my photography tastes matured and my interest in small scene photography increased, I started to pay closer attention to his work, appreciating his artistic and technical abilities that much more. As my fondness for Ben’s photography increased and knowing he had released his first book some time before, I added it to my photobook wish list and by the time I eventually got around to wanting to buy his book, it was unsurprisingly sold out. I was kicking myself at the time as I genuinely thought that ship had sailed. Fast forward to just a few months ago and while browsing the Kozu Books website, I noticed there were a few back on sale so without delay and feeling incredibly fortunate, I made the order.

The synopsis

There is something to be said about limitation. It sparks within me a sense of creativity, and allows me to produce work I’m truly satisfied with.

For the past decade, I’ve worked exclusively with large format film. The limitation of this medium can be overwhelming at times, but I’ve learned to be patient, to think through my composition, and to wait for the best light.

I treasure those moments when I stand next to my camera, a stopwatch in one hand, a cable release in the other — patiently waiting for the wind to settle before opening the shutter.

Each photo in this book represents a moment of calm — a moment between the wind.

This collection of work spans from 2009 through present day, and was photographed entirely on 8x10 and 4x5 color film.

My thoughts about the book

First up, I love the title of this book. Ben goes into a bit more detail in his introduction but to summarise, using a large format film camera and the inevitable longer shutter speeds needed to soak in all that light, Ben often finds himself waiting for the wind to drop before taking his images, thus achieving sharp, blur-free results. Very clever indeed.

As you would expect from Kozu Books, it’s solidly built and of high quality. The cover is natural cloth with foil text which works well considering the type of imagery the book contains. The book starts with a foreword by Charles Cramer followed by Ben’s introduction, getting straight into the imagery from there.

If you are already aware of Ben Horne’s work, you will know the style and subjects contained within his photos but for those less familiar, Ben is a large format film photographer who has been taking multiple trips a year to national parks such as Zion and Death Valley since 2012 and has been documenting these trips by using his large format film camera. So not only does Ben have to seek out interesting subjects and strong compositions like the rest of us, he also has to take well-exposed, sharp photos with a large, bulky film camera at the same time. That’s dedication for you. This book is a collection of photos Ben has taken from the salt flats in Death Valley to intimate scenes containing lone leaves and abstract details in Zion.

No good photobook is complete without the right flow of images and between Kozu Books and Ben, they have done a great job on the sequencing. Throughout the book you will find a perfect pairing of photos, be it from the same location, similar or complimentary colours or subjects that share a common theme such as the same type of tree of both containing flowing water.

If you like beautiful portraits of trees, abstract shapes and textures and intimate scenes found on the valley floor then this book is a must have for your bookshelf. Thats if you can find a copy of course.

Book Details

• Hardcover

• Size: 300mm x 240mm

• Pages: 96

• Photos: 68

• Availability at the time of writing: Unavailable from the publisher (Kozu Books). Consider buying a used copy if available.

Beach Pebbles Rock by Rob Whitworth | My Photo Bookshelf

I’ve never really given the humble beach pebble much thought. We have many pebble beach’s down here on the UK’s south coast so being so used to them, I tend to take their existence for granted. That all changed when I came across Rob Whitworth’s Beach Pebbles Rock project. You could say this book was the result of an impulse buy as within about 30 minutes, I had come across Rob’s @beachpebblesrock Instagram page, checked his website, found the book and checked out.

The synopsis

Rob Whitworth is a graphic designer and professional photographer with a love of the natural world. His fascination with beach pebbles started at an early age, when a friend gave him a paper bag full of them for his tenth birthday. Every pebble on the beach is unique and endlessly fascinating. The subtleties of colour and tone; the infinite variations of form; their tactile nature, rough and smooth and cold; the density and weights that differ for similar sizes; their intricate surface patterns. All works of art in their own right.

Initially posted on Instagram @beachpebblesrock, these photographs have received so much positive feedback and encouragement from artists, ceramicists, designers and others who draw inspiration from the natural world, that the idea has continued to grow, and this exhibition at Inspire Makers is a progression of the project.

My thoughts about the book

Rob has collected beach pebbles for many years and looking for something creative to do during the initial Covid lockdown back in 2020, he began to take photographs of his collection. After posting them on Instagram, and with some positive feedback, he decided to create this beautiful small book.

Apart from a brief introduction, this book is less about the written and all about the visual narrative. Rob's background in graphic design really shows in this book as the minimal design means the pebbles take centre stage allowing their unique textures, patterns and shapes to stand out which to me, is the entire point of the book. Rob’s eye for a pleasing arrangement is also clear to see and I appreciate the time and patience needed to organise the pebbles by size, colour, shape and texture into some well-balanced, harmonious compositions.

Apart from the pleasing aesthetics, a lesson I learned from this book was how I take so much of the natural world around me for granted and rarely do I look properly at the things we see every day. Seeing how different the colours were and their unique patterns absolutely opened my eyes and reminded me to look around more often, paying closer attention to nature’s smaller details, whether I’m out with my camera or not.

Reading this book is an incredibly satisfying experience and if you’re into your small, intimate photography then getting your hands on a copy of Beach Pebbles Rock is a no brainer.

Book Details

• Hardcover

• Size: 155mm x 216mm

• Pages: 72

• Photos: 120

• Availability at the time of writing: Still in print and available from the author’s website at https://www.robwhitworth.com/books

Joe Cornish. A Photographer at Work | My Photo Bookshelf

Joe Cornish is widely regarded as one of the UK’s top landscape photographers and this book, written from the point of view of fellow photographer Eddie Ephraums, is a unique insight into the way Joe went about his craft back in the early 2000’s. With an opportunity to observe one of the country’s leading landscape photographers out in the field, this was a must-have addition to my bookshelf.

The synopsis

This highly original book explores the philosophy and working methods of one of the UK’s greatest landscape photographers. Over a four-year period, Joe Cornish and Eddie Ephraums - friend, collaborator and fellow landscape photographer - have created a unique record of Joe’s working approach in a variety of locations.

Each of these locations reflects a different aspect of the creative photographic process. Through conversations between the two, and Eddie’s revealing images of Joe at work, plus Joe’s own pictures from each location, we learn about the exploration of photographic ideas. The book also offers insights into the motivation and decision-making involved in landscape photography.

The genesis of A Photographer at Work coincided with the transition for both photographers from a traditional, exclusively film-based way of working to one that now embraces the use of digital compact cameras, digital SLRs and, most recently for Joe, a large format digital camera. The two authors explore the opportunities that each of these new tools has opened up. For example, Joe now uses a digital compact as a sketchbook and for exhibition-quality prints, while Eddie has employed one to make many of the photographs in the book.

With inspiring images and an absorbing conversational narrative, this book will appeal to everyone with an interest in photography and in the artist’s creative journey.

My thoughts about the book

When I became more interested in owning photography books and studying the craft of other photographers, it didn’t take me long to buy a book or two which featured the work of Joe Cornish. I’ve been an admirer of his work and overall photographic philosophy for many years now so when I discovered the now out of print A Photographer at Work, and after hunting down a used copy, into the basket it went.

This book is written by Eddie Ephraums who, over a period of a 4-year period, accompanied Joe to many locations and through his own pictures and words, documented him as he worked. Eddie has created a fascinating insight into the way Joe approaches and takes his photos. Each chapter features a new location, behind the scenes photos and written observations as Joe takes a photo and although this book has Joe Cornish In the title, it’s as much the fantastic work and craft of Eddie as a documentarian as it is about Joe the landscape photographer. In my opinion, it works well.

One of the reasons I watch landscape photographers out taking photos on YouTube is that I like to understand what the photographer was thinking, even visualising when taking the photo. It helps me understand what they are trying to achieve and importantly what they are trying to say with their image. That’s why I like books like this as not one for creating YouTube videos himself, it’s the closest I will get to observing one of the landscape photography greats at work.

Book Details

• Softcover

• Size: 216mm x 254mm

• Pages: 144

• Availability at the time of writing: Unavailable from the usual UK booksellers. Consider buying a used copy.

The Landscape by Paul Wakefield | My Photo Bookshelf

After hearing so many recommendations for this landscape photography book by other collectors, I had to see what all the fuss was about and I’m glad I did. In this Photo Bookshelf post, I’m talking about The Landscape by Paul Wakefield.

The synopsis

THE LANDSCAPE is the latest book by British photographer Paul Wakefield. A long-awaited monograph that includes photographs of both epic proportions and intimate detail. Natural landscape is presented through five different sections: Shorelines, Rockscapes, Drylands, Woodlands and Snowscapes.

Paul’s work combines a classic landscape tradition with a contemporary sensibility and reflects his lifelong passion for the natural world. Paul was born and grew up in Hong Kong and has worked continuously on his own landscape projects while using his vision of landscape on advertising commissions. He has published four books previously, three of which were with Jan Morris, renowned author of travel literature.

My thoughts about the book

The first thing I realised when I purchased this book was its size. It’s a big one. So big in fact that it doesn’t fit on my bookshelf! But here’s the thing, having spent time with the book, ready and studying the photos, I can’t imagine it working any other way now. The larger photos look stunning and with the extra real estate, the borders are still a good size meaning even though they are bigger, each photo can stand alone and be allowed to breathe without feeling awkward or cramped on the page.

The book starts with a foreword by Robert Macfarlane and an introduction by Wilton, both written beautifully with a host of quotes and metaphors as they describe Paul’s work and offer their interpretation of the photos.

As mentioned in the synopsis above, when the photos start, they are presented in five different sections: Shorelines, Rockscapes, Drylands, Woodlands and Snowscapes. Within each section is a collection of mostly intimate landscape images with a few wider vistas intertwined. The book flows beautifully and the high-quality paper used suits the imagery perfectly.

For any landscape photographer, this timeless book is a must have. I’ve had the book just a few months and already read it twice and I know for sure, I’ll be drawing inspiration from it for years to come.

Book Details

• Hardcover

• Size: 290mm x 363mm

• Pages: 128

• Photos: 80

• Availability at the time of writing: Still in print and available from the author’s website at https://www.paulwakefield.co.uk/the-landscape

Surrey Landscapes by Nick Oakley | My Photo Bookshelf

I’ve lived in Surrey all of my life and explored this wooded county with and without my camera countless times, so when I saw Nick Oakley was releasing his Surrey Landscapes book on Indiegogo, I had to get myself a copy.

Author’s synopsis

This coffee-table book celebrates both the popular hot-spots and less well known corners of the county and is also a call from the countryside to those who want to see more. There are no other landscape photography books celebrating the breadth of Surrey’s natural spaces, so this collection of images, bringing together work from the last two years, is a perfect keepsake or gift for anyone who enjoys the county’s countryside and landscape photography.

My thoughts about the book

I was interested to see the locations featured, to both enjoy some landscape photos taken of places I know well and at the same time, get some inspiration for future photo locations I might visit. This book delivered on both counts. The photos featured in the book are great, capturing the Surrey landscape across all seasons and for each photo, Nick has included a paragraph of text describing the photo, the conditions or the location in more detail.

There’s a good mix of both popular and lesser-known locations and for the locations I wasn’t aware of, Nick included some high-level location information as well as a handy map of Surrey at the beginning of the book with each photo plotted. Keeping the location information high level was a good move in my opinion as he gives you an idea of the general area the photo was taken but to try and visit the exact same spot still requires a bit of exploring and effort on our part.

It’s worth mentioning that this book cost just £12 (£16 including shipping) and for a landscape photography book, that’s incredibly good value. The book is well-made, solid in construction and as mentioned before, full of great photos and useful information. My only negative point is the choice made by the author to print the pages with a highly reflective, glossy finish. I found this a little unconventional and quite distracting while reading the book.

That being said, the book was still amazing value and worth every penny.

The previous paragraph has been edited since the post was first published. I had assumed that there was a correlation between the glossy pages and the production costs of the book, suggesting that it was a quality issue. I have since been corrected by the company that printed the book that the glossy finish was a creative choice and not in any way down to price or quality. I stand corrected and have retracted that point. Check the comment below for more information.

I’m pleased I spotted this book when it went on sale and I will certainly use it to draw inspiration for location ideas around my home county.

Book Details

• Hardcover

• Size: 240mm x 240mm

• Pages: Contains 45 colour photographs across facing pages

• Availability at the time of writing: Still in print. Available from the author’s website: https://nickoakleyphotography.co.uk