master books W


e’ve neglected the existence of photo- graphic books for a


while, in part due to the sheer volume of technique and third- party camera manual titles com- ing on to the market in rapid succession. There are countless “how-to” guides published for each system – and with the best will in the world most working photographers are going to get little from basic introductions to specific genres of photogra- phy as even these lean heavily towards the technical aspects. As a wide discipline, pho- tography is hard to pin down. With increased exposure to documentary work, I found the release of Thames & Hudson’s Magnum: Contact Sheets, compiled and edited by Kristen Lubben, grabbed my attention and started the slow-cooker equivalent of creative juices. Background noise that informs the mind’s eye; these are not manuals.


Fortunately the aforemen- tioned Magnum title is currently available at Amazon for a very reasonable price, so with that in hand, and some more titles chosen from Thames & Hudson’s late-2011 catalogue, I’ve put to- gether a few inspirational titles for winter reading.


photography_


a catalogue which includes some stunning large format art books, Hegarty on Advertising is a compact blend of inspira- tion, drama and biography with some incredibly useful advice on branding and business confi- dence. Of the titles I selected, this one stands out as being the must-have, the valuable lesson and entertainment combined that over Christmas will get you thinking about how to present yourself, how to build your identity, how – in essence – to be a success in a market where your equity and product is es- sentially cerebral. After all, you may charge £10 or £1,000 for an 11 x 16 print – and if the latter, someone will always show up charging less –- your asset is your creativity and insight.


John Hegarty’s career in advertising is probably well known to anyone who lived through the boom period of the ‘80s. BBH’s profile as an agency transcended the industry insider knowledge to become an icon used in both serious and satirical coverage of the era. His delivery in the book is fast, clear and witty – and the formatting brings little slices of humour or wisdom to the fore; you can skim-read and find something relevant.


Read from cover to cover, it’s a great success story and very inspirational. For the working photographer, it’s a series of quotes, tips and slices that can be applied to both the market- ing and the shooting side of the business.


Pattern and Ornament in the Arts of India Henry Wilson ISBN 978 0 500 515822 £32.00


Hegarty on Advertising John Hegarty ISBN 978 0 500 515563 £16.96 Hardback


Not, perhaps, the most obvious of titles when choosing from


MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY 16


Considering the language of colour and composition, I went for what is probably one of the last books most photogra- phers would consider – a fairly dry text looking at the forms


Richard Kilpatrick chooses four books which could enhance your vision and improve your prospects


tion tied in with the roots of specific motifs to convey further meaning within the image.


Afterwards


Natalie Herschdorfer ISBN 978 0 500 543986 £29.95


found in traditional Indian art from architecture to fabrics. There’s logic behind it, however. Underneath every photograph that finds a target market from high-street studio to high-art gallery, there is a structure and phraseology that resonates with the buyer. And where better to separate that from the mun- dane “put your lights here, use this background, process it this way, use this frame” school of thought than to find the source of cultural tastes. You need to step back a little from the presentation, which focuses on detail, and look at the line and form. The shapes and colours are an evolutionary process – a natural progression formed by light and material – that continues to influence modern tastes now. With a global marketplace for pho- tography and world-wide sales tools at your fingertips, more thought about what will appeal at a core level to any given buyer could result in a real commercial edge.


This may not be the ideal title for that purpose, but what it presents, it presents well with clear stencil drawings and col- ours, combined with short texts discussing the regional, religious and physical influences on the designs. On a most basic level, it would help with presentation and marketing to the region; following on, I found myself considering design elements as aspects of posing and composi-


If the story of photography like that exemplified by Magnum is “being there”, this body of work collated by Natalie Herschdor- fer is the footnote, not even the sequel. Afterwards looks at the aftermath of globally and individually significant and traumatic events - most obvi- ously Hurricane Katrina and of course, the attacks on the WTC in 2001 - and demonstrates a more reflective, vulnerable style of documentary photography. Featuring the work of 34 photographers, each section begins with a discussion of the work. The exhibits are not all focused on a specific event; some have a wider remit, all are powerful. Some are abstract. All tell a personal story; they bring you sharply back into contact with the complexity of human- ity. The book ends with a series of short texts and analysis.


To be inspired in a practical way by this title? I don’t know. Maybe just take that extra risk if you see something that touches you; walking around Paris and seeing unprecedented numbers of homeless people (to my eyes, anyway) and the speed with which life passed by, I wanted to stop right there and capture it – but I didn’t. Every photographer in Afterwards has seen something in their subjects and brought it to the fore, and in a busy commercial environ-


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