Peter Beard by Nejma Beard
Peter Beard is one of a kind. Besides being one of my favorite photographers and artists, it’s incredible to trace his life story – making art with Andy Warhol; photographing beautiful women for Vogue; and creating an incredible body of work around the protection of wild animals in Kenya.
His work stands out to me as proof that as a photographer the best thing you can do for yourself and your work is to simply follow your feet and believe in what you do. Create for the love of what you’re shooting and for where it takes you in your own life. Sometimes that may be a playboy mansion and sometimes it may be a heated war zone in the middle of Africa – either way, it’s confirmation that you’ve lived a life true to your vision and passion.
Annie Leibovitz at Work by Annie Leibovitz
Some photographers are simply larger than life. When you step back and look at their body of work, it’s hard to grasp how they managed to achieve such a massive collection of incredible work. Leibovitz’s books have always been an incredible, honest glimpse into how she works and how she’s accomplished what she’s done.
Annie Leibovitz at Work is pretty rad in that it breaks down the stories behind almost a hundred images, the circumstances surrounding the shoots, cameras, publishing information, etc. The book is a really cool window into her life and work from a photographer’s perspective.
Slide Your Brains Out: Surfing in General 1997-2012 by Thomas Campbell
Thomas Campbell is one of my favorite creatives in the surf world. His work, like Mr. Beard’s, has always had a flavor of its own. A mix of art, darkroom experiments, and photos of a unique group of talented friends from the surf realm.
He’s always had a distinct take on the surf world, creating unique content and stories around it. His work is worth a study as he’s spent his entire life in and out of the skate, surf & art scenes and has created some incredible bodies of work. This book features his surf work from 1997-2012.
Joel Sternfeld: American Prospects
This is one of my favorite coffee table books. This book is incredible, it’s massive, and it’s beautiful. It’s the kind of photography I’ve always aspired to capture.
An honest portrayal of an era combined with a unique eye that gives scenes an almost still-life look. This is a classic must-have photojournalism book. Funny, sad, rad… it’s got it all.
Before they Pass Away by Jimmy Nelson
Although there have been other photo essays like this, I find this one pretty humbling. There are so many baffling photos in this book. From reindeer farmers in northern Siberia, to photos of some of the most remote tribes in Africa, this book is an incredible study of unique indigenous tribes and cultures.
