Photo Books

[Raymond Bleesz]

I try to keep a library of current books on the aethetics of photography, perhaps some good reads re: the history of photography or maybe a book which has insight into today's art scene.

One of the last books I read and reread what entitle, "Art & Fear" by Bayles or Orland. Another book which was suggested by Ted Orland was entitled The Gift by Hyde which was not necessarily a book towards photography.

What are you reading, what books have you added to your library, what are your suggestions???

Raymond

[Robert Langham]

I've been on a blitz lately. Wanted to fill in some O'Keefe information, especially to clarify her New Mexico connections. On Amazon.com I could get nearly every O'Keefe book there was for nearly nothing. Of course, if you are going to learn about O'Keefe, you have to get informed about Stieglitz, so for .99 cents to a couple bucks I loaded up on Stieglitz. Nearly everything written. If you want to know about those two then it's inevitable that you need to investigate Strand. I did. So I stacked up the Strand tomes. Interesting his early connections to Stieglitz, O'Keefe, New Mexico. There is even a book about his New Mexico work. Stieglitz connected not just to Strand but to Steichen. Again- made a stack of Steichen books. There's a lot. Early years, war years, WWII years and his famous Navy work. Of course that drags in Newhall. Lotta stuff on Newhall. I already had all the Adams stuff, which I bought retail and paid a fortune for over the years. Backed up and bought several fairly obscure Weston books. California and the West in an ORIGINAL and the 78 reprint. Peanuts.

This much research worth about 12 credit hours but probably didn't break 150 total, including shipping in used books. I don't mind them marked up and paperbacked. I buy the cheapest copy. Currently passing them around, giving them to students, et, et.

I'd read about all these folks, seen many common books, been to lectures, et. Really considered myself well informed. Now I have a LOT more background on the whole group.

Fun how one thing leads to another. Used books on Amazon.com is a wonderful thing.

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