A Photographic Mind

Some of the books that I have acquired in 2014; not that have been first published in 2014; not just by photographers under 30 years old or their first publications or massive sellers or sold out before they were published or that I have a box of in the back room that is appreciating in value nicely or that I have for sale. This cannot be a list of the greats or the best or anything like that, because, like most of us, I don’t have the budget to buy everything that is hyped and hoped, or have every photobook sent to me like I’m the British Library, or even have the time to look at them all online. Just what I’ve come across and found interesting, inspiring or intriguing, and had the budget and the inclination at the time to get for myself.

And the list is (in no particular order, with no winner or loser, not a top ten or a bottom thirteen):

“Understanding Stanley”, Rosie Barnes, Lampshade Books, 2014

“Hidden Islam”, Nicolo Degiorgis, rorhof, 2014

“Oasis Hotel”, Nicolo Degiorgis, rorhof, 2014

“Volunteer”, Paul Seawright, Artists Photo Books, 2013

“Ocean Beach”, Douglas Ljungkvist, Kehrer, 2013

“The Line”, Palindromo Mezanos, Universidad de Cadiz, 2013

“Interrogations”, Donald Weber, Schilt Publishing, 2011

“New Topographics”, Britt Salvesen and Alison Nordstrom, Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona, George Eastman House and Steidl, 2009 (reprinted)

“Post Structure”, Josef Schultz, 2013

“Something Like a Nest”, Dave Sewell, 2014

“Crystal Love Starlight”, Mayumi Hosokuna, Typhoon Books, 2014

“Replacing Arcadia”, Jim Cooke, Centro de Arte de Salamanca, 2002

“It scared the shit out of me so I am leaving”, Calin Kruse, Dienecht Publishing, 2014

“The Sundays of Life”, Bela Doka, 2010

And one that I’ve bought though Kickstarter, but haven’t got yet and am very much looking forward to getting:

“Last Stop”, George Georgiou, 2014

And finally a book that was proposed and launched online, but hasn’t printed, and needs to be out there:

“Isreal”, Zed Nelson (http://www.zednelson.com/?Israel:text)

Now what is the point of this list? To show how I am both up with the in-crowd, the photoglitterati, but have a mind of my own? To tell you about some photobooks that have given me interest and/or an emotional response? Or to get your attention to present what I think is of value, as opposed to being just popular and at the cutting edge of contemporary photography’s curator/guru crowd world?

No, it’s just a way for me to re-kickstart my blog and get myself writing. To have a chance to sound off about all the endless list making, competition winning, celebrity focussed memes and tropes that are out there, and have increasingly made photobooks a game for the photorati, deep pocketed or gatekeepers in the structure of authority that is the photography world nowadays.

I hope that you will find something of interest here that you hadn’t considered before. They should all be findable on the usual book dealer websites or search engines for the self-published ones.

Happy Holidays with your chosen books!

©2014 Robert Ashby
http://www.aphotographicmind.net