In this episode of The Perceptive Photographer, I talk about book ideas for the holiday season, especially for photographers and creative folks. Thanks to a listener, David, I once again share some of my favorite reads or books for giving ranging from creative practice and photography theory to memoirs and photo books. The goal of this week’s episode (561) is to hopefully help you find meaningful books for yourself or the photographers in your life. so without future adieu here is a list:

Creativity / General Art & Practice

1. 12 Notes on Life and Creativity — Quincy Jones
2. Bird by Bird — Anne Lamott
3. The Secret Lives of Color — Kassia St. Clair
4. The Meaning in the Making — Sean Tucker

Photography Conversations, Interviews, Thought

1. Interviews and Conversations, 1951–1998 — Henri Cartier-Bresson (Aperture)
2. Ping Pong Conversations — Alec Soth & Francesco Zanot
3. Memorable Fancies — Minor White
4. Photosoup Education — Steamway Foundation Trust
5. Photosoup Enterprise — Steamway Foundation Trust
6. Photosoup 2022 — Steamway Foundation Trust

Photography Theory / Essays

1. The Photographer’s Eye — John Szarkowski
2. Beauty in Photography — Robert Adams
3. Why People Photograph — Robert Adams
4. Why Photographs Work — George Barr

Photobooks / Monographs

1. Illuminance — Rinko Kawauchi
2. Songbook (called “Songbird” once in the transcript, but the correct title is Songbook) — Alec Soth
3. The Notion of Family — LaToya Ruby Frazier
4. House Hunting — Todd Hido
5. In Dialogue — Dawoud Bey & Carrie Mae Weems
6. The Ballad of Sexual Dependency (re-release) — Nan Goldin

Additional Mentions 

• Galen Rowell 
• Cindy Sherman
• Fred Herzog
• Sally Mann 

If you are looking to buy a book you can ‘t go wrong with

PhotoEye.com

Bookshop.org

Abe’s Books