The Ten Best Photography Books on My Shelf - #3

We're closing in on the end of the list, and it's been difficult to arrange the last three entries. Now remember, these are just the ten best photography books on MY shelf, not ANYWHERE. I certainly don't own every photography book ever published.

#3 - Ansel Adams at 100 - John Szarkowski

Released on the 100 year anniversary of Ansel Adams birth (2002), in my opinion, it is one of the great photographic publications. After beginning with a long biographical section on Adams that contains many rarely seen portraits of Adams and contemporaries, it moves to the photographic section of the book. First up of the 114 reproductions included are some of Adams early images from 1920, and then moving chronologically through his life. It is amazing to witness his growth as a technician and as an artist, The reproductions are immaculate and strikingly beautiful. My favorite section of the book is where on opposing leaves, it compares two Adams prints made from the same negative at different periods in Adams life. In all of the cases provided, the images are very different, but both beautiful, proving that as Ansel was fond of saying "The negative is the score, and the print is the performance."

The book's paper is custom-made, it is bound in linen and presented in a linen slipcase. A heavy book that is a pleasure to view.

There is a paperback version available, but I have not personally seen it and have heard reports of a lack of quality in some of the printings, so I cannot vouch for the paperbacks quality as I can the original hardcover.

The Ten Best Photography Books on My Shelf - #8

Today's entry on the Ten Best Photography Books on My Shelf is #8.

#8  Looking at Photographs: 100 Pictures from the Collection of The Museum of Modern Art by John Szarkowski

One of the simpler books on my shelf in format, and one of the most educational. A collection of 100 black and white photographs from the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, accompanied by a typical one page critique written by Mr. Szarkowski. For nearly 30 years, from 1962 until 1991, Szarkowski was the Director of Photography for the Museum of Modern Art. One of the great intellects and champions of photography as fine art, Szarkowski put together this book to help teach photographers and other artists to look at photographs critically, with intelligence and understanding.

The photographs are arranged chronologically by date of creation, beginning with an 1845 Daguerreotype and continuing on to a 1968 silver print. Some of the images being discussed are by more recognizable names such as Steichen, Weston (Edward), Man Ray, Modotti, Moholy-Nagy, Kertesz, Arbus, Strand, Cunningham, Bresson, Winogrand, and Caponigro, while others, although giants in photography, may be lesser known to the non-photographer public, such as Bennet, Hine, Boubat, Giacomelli, Krause, Metzker, and Koudelka.

Szarkowski's knowledge, patience, and passion for photography sings clearly through in each essay, opening the eyes of anyone that takes the time to really look at any of the images included. This is a "must read" for anyone that wants to really understand and appreciate the craft of photography.

"Photography, if practiced with high seriousness, is a contest between a photographer and the presumption of approximate and habitual seeing. The contest can be held anywhere - on a city sidewalk, or in a scientific laboratory, or among the markers of ancient dead gods." - John Szarkowski