Dear friend of Beyond Words,

Many thanks to the large number of customers who have submitted their nominations for the Best Photo Books of 2010.  Before we get into the detail, some explanations. We have accepted publications from late 2009 but nothing before that. We have provided links to our relevant website entry where appropriate.  We have not included titles on our website when they are available at a vast discount from elsewhere.  Some of the suggestions are (commendably!) hard to find – we have given the best online source we can find for these.  Okay, on with the nominations.

I would like to nominate: Miroslav Tichý by Miroslav Tichý and Roman Buxbaum  (Hardcover - 26 Apr 2010). Only having just recently discovered Miroslav Tichy's work in a paperback published a few years ago, this book not only contains many more images but also details his working methods and gives an insight into the person. The book is also well printed and bound.

Michael Kenna & Bianca Rossini: Love in Black and White
An incomparably beautiful pairing of Michael Kenna's photography with poetry. Makes a wonderful romantic gift as it did for me !! 

Sylvain Margaine: Forbidden place
An amazing collection of interiors of abandoned buildings from all over the world including a number of English mental Hospitals.  Great light although not the best print quality. (http://www.jonglezpublishing.com/en/english-catalog/forbidden-places)

Steve Bloom: Trading places - the merchants of Nairobi
With an eye for colour and impact - his trademark - Steve Bloom records the struggle to survive and the pride of ownership of the poor but independent traders- wonderful ! 

Peeter Tooming
Stunning black and whites from Estonia's best known and regrettably deceased photographer.  (Ian bought this at the Tallinn Photomuseum  - we regret we’ve not been able to find an online source.)  

Ellen Kooi:Out of Sight 
Beautifully lit constructed tableaux staged in North east Netherlands in the style of Dutch Old master paintings. Released to coincide with an exhibition in Paris (November 2010 ). Reminiscent of Tom Hunter.  (Note: You can see images from this book on the Filigranes Editions website.

Of the 30 photographic books I've acquired this year, only four were published in 2010, and of these, the one I continually refer to is a small unpretentious hardback catalogue published by Dublin's Douglas Hyde Gallery to coincide with its summer Stephen Shore show.  Complete with a 1988 photograph taken in Sutherland, and an essay by Mark Haworth-Booth, this is a little gem (sadly already out of print)

Dorothea Lange: A life Beyond Limits
Linda Gordon's engrossing portrait of a unique photographer working in complex times.

Lake District Mountain Landscape (Francis Lincoln)
Climber Alastair Lee stays up high and out late to capture special moments above the fells.

Joe Cornish: A Photographer At Work (Argentum)
Eddie Ephraums spends four years shadowing Britain's foremost landscape photographer.

A Walk In The Woods (Francis Lincoln)
Archie Miles highlights British destinations for lovers of wild woodland.

Photo-Wisdom (Blackwell/Chronicle)
Inspiring and provocative collection of insights by some of photography's premier league.

Bruce Davidson: Outside Inside: Journey of Consciousness
 
Simon Roberts: The Election Project

Stanley Greene: Black Passport
 
Carl De Keyzer: Congo Belge
And companion volume Congo Belge en Images (the latter available from www.schaden.com)
 
Alec Soth: From There to Here
 
James Mollison: Where Children Sleep
 
Victor Palla & Costa Martins:  Lisboa (reprint) http://www.pierrevonkleist.com/lisboa.html
 
John Gossage:  The Pond (reprint)
 
Street Photography Now
 
Alec & Carmen Soth: Brighton Picture Hunt (out of print)

Tim Flach: Dogs: Gods
Tim Flach follows up his hugely successful Equus with Dogs: Gods, an insight into the world of canines which will challenge the way you look at these fascinating creatures. The visual narrative flows superbly through the book as you turn the pages. Flach's usual attention to detail and innovative compositions shine in this book

I have chosen 3 books which I've bought in the last 12 months and which were published in late 2009 to 2010.  All have a Japanese flavour!

Wim Wenders: Journey to Onomichi
Wender's favourite film, Tokyo Story, inspired him to visit the small Japanese coastal town where much of the action takes place.  Deceptively simple and imbued with a rich and beautiful eye for colour, the photographs speak of the pleasures of discovering the mysteries of a previously unknown place.

Stephen Gill: Coming Up For Air
Gill forsakes his habitual London territory and heads for Japan.  Gill's trademark blurry vision is taken to new levels - the images, with their cool, watery palette, seem to be on the verge of dissolving in front of your eyes. A beautifully produced cloth bound hardback with individually hand-painted dust jacket.

Rinko Kawauchi: Murmuration
Commissioned by Brighton Photo Biennale to produce a work in response to the city, Japanese photographer Rinko Kawauchi's photographs of 'murmurations' of starlings flocking over the sea during the winter dusk, and her corresponding images of crowds of people in the summer months, capture the ephemeral beauty of the everyday.  

As the bookseller of Beyond Words, my recommendations might be met with some suspicion!  However, it would seem unfair to solicit contributions and not make one myself.  Just a list without commentary (time is short!) but, if you go to Newsletters on the website, you’ll find where I’ve raved about them previously:

Todd Hido: Road Divided (signed copies in stock)

Mark Power: Sound of Two Songs

Alec Soth: From Here to There

Dan Dubowitz: Wastelands

Angus & Patricia MacDonald: The Hebrides

Andre Kertesz: Kertesz

Finally, information on an class run by Roddy Simpson.  I attended this class myself a few years ago – it was well presented and very informative.

“Photography has a distinguished place among the arts in Scotland because it is the only art form that the Scots practised to the highest standard from the time of its invention” (Sara Stevenson).

This comprehensively illustrated survey will look at the rich wealth of images produced from the start of photography in Scotland and throughout the Victorian era.
Starts Tuesday 11 January 2011 from 2.00pm to 4.00pm for ten weeks in the Music Room, 11 Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh, Fee £75 or £50 (conc)

Best Wishes,

Beyond Words

Tel: (01620) 895985

Email: info@beyondwords.co.uk
Web: www.beyondwords.co.uk

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