Book Recomendations

Can any of you recomend any books on Photography. I have seen threads in the past on beginers books but this is not what i am intrested in.

I would like to read books that cover subjects such as the History (i am clueless on whos who and what there influence was), particular areas of photgraphy such as documentry or anything that others have found intresting.

I am open to all ideas

'The Photograph' by Graham Clarke is worth a look I reckon book-wise; and there was a TV series which I enjoyed very much called 'The Genius of Photography' which can be picked up pretty cheaply on DVD on amazon or similar... it also had an accompanying book which is still available. If you look on amazon you will probably find there is a bewildering array of likely books...

The Focal Encyclopedia of Photography by Michael R Peres
ISBN- 9780240807409
(comes with a CD, but the local library copy is deficient in this)

The Encyclopedia of 19th Century Photography by John Hannavy
ISBN 0-415-97235-3

The Encyclopedia of 20th Century Photography by Lynne Warren
ISBN 0-415-97665-0

Local libraries may stock or at least be able to get them for a small fee. If you're feeling 'flush' then you could always consider purchase


These should give you a good few hours of reading. Far to much to borrow all 3 at the same time

regards
Bernard

Thank you both for the recomendations, you have been very helpfull.

There is indeed a bewildering array of books on amazon, i did not know where to start.

Will see if my local library has or can get any of the books recomended, almost spat my Guiness out when i saw the price of the encyclopedias.

Mark

Image Makers, Image Takers
Irving Penn, Still Life
Art Photography Now, By Susan Bright

anything by Micheal Freeman but particularly 'Photographer's Eye'

I asked the same question (of a pro photographer) 2-3 years ago when I was moving from 35mm film to digital. He recommended Michael Langford's "Advanced Photography" (Focal Press). I have the 6th edition (1998 ) and found it quite useful. Maybe there is a more recent edition by now?

Even Photoshop Elements takes some mastering. I bought an older version (7) to save money. Some people recommended "The photoshop elements 7 book" by Kelby & Kloskowski; others recommended "Advanced photoshop elements 7 for digital photographers" by Philip Andrews. I have found each of these books helpful and at the same time baffling. I usually end up consulting both of them, side by side!

Good luck,

Martin

I go with these and also Dave's "photographers eye" suggestion to ad to this "Ways of Seeing" John Berger. Not aimed at photographers but helps alot with composition relevant in photography as in painting.

The best book I've read was 'The Image' by Michael Freeman, mostly about the design of images (although I think his Photographer's Eye may cover similar material). For documentary you could check out the latest copy of World Press Photo (annual press photo competition/book). The British Journal of Photography (monthly magazine) prints a lot of interesting work.

Seconded. It's a fantastic book on composition.

I have also read his "Perfect Exposure" which is also very useful and helps to move beyond a technically perfect exposure for a given scene and use other exposures to produce different results.