Five Photography Books for Father’s Day: We ask top London galleries

Sunday, June 20th, 2010 | Author: Zarina Holmes

By Sojournposse Editors. 20 June 2010

Sojournposse got asked a lot by our audience about photography books to recommend as gifts. So we asked leading London photography galleries and publishers – Tate Modern, Trolley Gallery, Foto8 Host Gallery, The Photographers’ Gallery, The Prix Pictet and Royal Geographical Society – to suggest five great books as gifts for Father’s Day (A few suggested six, but they are good suggestions so we allow it).

We are happy to find that the lists apply all year round beyond Father’s Day. If you have your own top five, or think we miss out a really good book, please share with us on comments form below. Enjoy browsing.

The Tate Modern

The Tate Publishing team were first to respond with a great selection. If you haven’t yet, visit their current exhibition Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera.

Tate Modern Top 5 from left: Francis Alys Postcards, Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera, Mitra, Jeff Wall: Modern Artists Series and Red Star Over Russia.

Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera. With images from the 1870s through to the present day this book features the work of street photographers and paparazzi, surveillance and documentary photography in an examination of what can be called ‘invasive looking’.

Red Star Over Russia. A collection of Soviet photographs and posters from the collection of photographer David King.

Jeff Wall: Modern Artists Series. A profile of the career of internationally acclaimed photographer Jeff Wall who recreates everyday scenes in large, narrative photographs.

John Baldessari: Pure Beauty. This book is the most comprehensive volume on the Californian artist known for his quirky photo collages.

Francis Alys: Postcards. An affordable artist’s book of 26 postcards which Alys used to record his actions and broadcast his ideas.

Mitra Tabrizian. A book on the Tehran born photographer and film maker whose work involves local people as actors to stage elaborate scenes for her large-scale photographs.

FOTO8/Host Gallery

Photojournalism journal, Foto8, and Host Gallery team have compiled a good list ranging from Robert Frank’s The Americans; a classic, self-published book by Bert Teunissen, to a more expensive, limited edition book with a print.

Foto8 Host Gallery Top 5 from left: Dead Eagle Trail, The Americans, East of A New Eden, On The Road and Pipe Dreams.

The Americans by Robert Frank. The Steidl edition of The Americans celebrates the 50th anniversary of this landmark book. It features two images printed from different negatives than the ones used in all other editions. Images printed from different negatives than the ones used in all other editions. The design of the book was overseen by Robert Frank.

On the Road by Bert Teunissen. The offset printed tabloid comes in an edition of 2,500 and is presented rolled, tied with a specially printed ribbon and in a custom printed box. On The Road is an introduction to these Travelogs. A selection from the thousands of negatives produce a book that concentrates on the more that 50,000 miles that Bert traveled by car for this project. All images were shot from behind the steering wheel while driving through Europe. They were made with the Olympus Pen; the legendary half-frame camera of the 60s and 70s.

East of a New Eden by Alban Kakulya and Yann Mingard. The photographers Yann Mingard and Alban Kakulya document the places and landscapes that mark the end of the Western world in this photographic survey of the EU’s Eastern European external borders.

Dead Eagle Trail by Jane Hilton, Limited Edtion. Dead Eagle Trail is a culmination of numerous road trips that Jane Hilton has taken across the United States whilst documenting the fading legacy of the American Cowboy culture. This book is a celebration of The West, from the buckaroos of Nevada to the cowpunchers of Arizona. The special limited edition version of 50 contains signed C-Type Hand Print and individually numbered signed book, inside slipcase.

Pipe Dreams by Rena Effendi. Besides corporate public relations campaigns, little photographic evidence exists about the impact of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline has had on Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey.

Trolley Books/Trolley Gallery

Maverick art books publisher and gallery, Trolley Books/Trolley Gallery, is the publisher of Gentlemen of Bacongo (recommended by Photographers’ Gallery and our editors). They also recommend six other books for Father’s Day.

Trolley Books & Gallery Top 5+1 from left: America off Track, Open Wound, Don't Be So, The Chain, Love Me Turkmenistan and Recollections.

Recollections by Philip Jones Griffiths. Beautiful black and white images by the Magnum photographer of Britain in the 1950s and 60s. From Wales to Liverpool, London to Northern Ireland.

Don’t Be So by Paul Fryer. Illustrated by Damien Hirst. Poetry with a punch, and illustrations to go with.

The Chain by Chien Chi Chang. Handbound concertina publication in engraved metal case.

Open Wound. Chechnya 1994-2003 by Stanley Greene. A tome which examines a dark and bloody period of history.

America off Track by Jarret Schecter. The vast landscape of America, seen through the window of a train.

Love Me Turkmenistan by Nicolas Righetti. Satirical view of the leader and the country he shaped around his own image.

Royal Geographical Society

The Royal Geographical Society (RGS) doesn’t recommend books. It is not a gallery as such. However, this society has funded many great geographical expeditions documented via photography. They informed Sojournposse that this month they have awarded wildlife photographer, Frans Lanting, The Cherry Kearton Medal and Award.

Lanting frequently contributes to the National Geographic magazine. You can buy the RGS membership as a gift so dad could enjoy the society’s talks and events.

The Photographers’ Gallery

At the time of writing, The Photographers’ Gallery team were busy changing their exhibitions. However their bookshop manager managed to give us excellent suggestions. The gallery also sells cameras and other types of photography gifts.

Photographers' Gallery top list from left: Gentlemen of Bacongo, We English, Stenoflex Classic Pinhole Camera Kit and Small Trades.

Small Trades by Irving Penn. Published by Getty Books.

We English by Simon Roberts. Published by Chris Boot.

Gentlemen of Bacongo by Daniele Tamagni. Published by Trolley Books.

Athletes by Anderson & Low. Published by Twin Palms.

Stenoflex Classic Pinhole Camera Kit. £25.00

The Prix Pictet

The Prix Pictet has put together a list of all photographers that were shortlisted for either the first or second Prix Pictet. Many of the projects highlight issues that are often overlooked, or unknown to the public.