Fancy a Great Photography Book?

 Thanks to a combination of my birthday (bought a few nice books) and being off work sick (having the chance to read said books) I've been indulging in some page turning. I'd already banged on about Tim Hetherington's "Infidel" and won't repeat myself, other than to say it's one of finest pieces of modern photojournalism I've come across. So if you have money to burn, a spare book token or simply want to stick a few good reads on your Amazon wishlist why not try:

52 Photography Projects edited by Kevin Meredith
It's a project a week in this book - some simple, some complex, some short-term and some long term. Necessary kit is listed for each project, step-by-step instructions are provided and also detailed notes on any post-processing required. I found this a great book for ideas and inspiration - you're sure to find something in it if you feel that your photography is stuck in a rut. Maybe you have a few hours free and want to try something new. Whatever way you cut it, this is a handy resource to have. Comes in at around £22 in Waterstones or £15 from Amazon.

Little People in the City by Slinkachu
I got the little people idea from Kevin Meredith's book (above) and then discovered the work of the undoubted master of the genre, Slinkachu. This is a collection of his shots and installations and he makes superb use of context/extablishing shots and narrative to produce striking and original compositions. At a little over £10 this is a true joy.

Image Makers, Image Takers by Anne-Celine Jaeger
A massive compilation of interviews with photographers, archivists and curators. The photographers are the most interesting and include those working in fashion, documentary, portraiture and more. The interviews are informative and although this veers towards the arty end of things, it is an engaging and interesting read. The intellegent selection of pictures to illustrate the points made in each interview only adds to the value of this. A snip at around £17

Infidel

Quite by accident, I bought a copy of Infidel today. This is a book of photos by the late Tim Hetherington from his time embedded with the US Marines in Afghanistan and was published in 2010, the year before Hetherington died doing what he loved - taking photos in war zones.
I first became aware of Tim Hetherington thanks to his involvement with the documentary Restrepo, again based aorund the Marines fighting in the Korengal Valley in eastern Afghanistan. It was my documentary of the year for 2010 and if you want to read my review here it is:

http://shitflicks.blogspot.com/2010/10/restrepo.html

This book is a little more than a companion piece to Restrepo. It stands in its own right and reminds me a lot of Don McCullen's work. The portait work is superb; the documentary pictures are fascinating. I was glad I walked into Waterstone's In Ballymena today. This isn't cheap (£25) but it's well put together and beautifully bound. If you're a togger, get this on your Amazon wish list for Christmas - you won't regret it.