Camille Silvy - River Scene France
Mark Haworth-Booth

"Camille Silvy, Who lived and worked in France and England in the 1850's and 1860's, is best known to the twentieth century through the single photograph that is the centrepiece of this book"
Booth contextualises what undoubtedly is a masterpiece of the photographic medium. An excellent and illuminating publication.

Camera Lucida
Roland Barthes

"Examining the themes of presence and absence, the relationship between photography and theatre, history and death, these 'reflections on photography' begin as an investigation into the nature of photographs. Then, as Barthes contemplates a photograph of his mother as a child, the book becomes an exposition of his own mind".
This much quoted book should be read by all who have an interest in photography.

Image Makers Image Takers
Anne-Celine Jeager

A series of excellent interviews with some of the most established photographers inc. Salgado, Soth, Rankin, Shore, Eggleston and Dijkstra. Jeager also expands the dialogue to also include curators and art directors etc. who play an important role in what we see and how the future of the medium is shaped.
Ignoring the very poor choice of cover image and you will find some illuminating insights.

Stranger Passing
Joel Sternfeld

This large book does full justice to Sternfeld's uncanny powers of observation. A stunning set of portraits that are so diametrically opposed to the sneering work of Martin Parr, Sternfeld's portraits are full of humility and delight, making the everyday a celebration.
 

Set Pieces
Oded Shimshon

This book is a good few years old now but Shimshon's imagery withstands the test of time.
We are presented with a combination of still life and landscape combinations set within an interior space. These are delicate introverted images that are both open to meaning but also deeply referenced. A book to return to.