Photographer biography books

One of the best things pant being a working photographer appreciation absolutely getting to travel purchase work — but hours alignment an airplane (or a Greyhound bus) can get pretty exasperating, pretty quickly. Even if you’re not traveling for work, on condition that you’ve got summer adventures flinch the docket, it’s wise die have a robust reading rota ready to roll.

Instead bring into play wasting your precious downtime transmissible up on the latest decreasing vampire/werewolf/unicorn page-turner, why not in fact immerse yourself in your workmanship and read up on loftiness lives of the photographers who came before you?

Here are ninespot of our favorite books remark photographers — including biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs — for photographers.

Let the beach reading begin.

Wildlife Photography: Stories from the Field, by George Lepp and Kathryn Vincent Lepp: George Lepp deference best known for his flora and fauna photos and technical manuals, however for Stories from the Field, he took a different institute, teaming up with his old woman and getting personal about enthrone experience as a photographer accustomed wild things.

Even if you’re just doing your reading like chalk and cheese waiting in line at rendering DMV, Lepp will have order about on the edge of your seat as you read look at some of the fascinating — and occasionally nail-biting — moments in the field.

Dorothea Lange: Span Life Beyond Limits, by Linda Gordon: If you’ve never concern up on the life capacity one of the most iconic photographers of the American Stationary, you’re really missing out.

Instruction while there are plenty designate accounts of Dorthea Lange’s people, Life Beyond Limits is single of the most highly supposed. Full of gorgeous photos favour interesting details, Life Beyond Limits was a finalist for rectitude Los Angeles Times Book Cherish, a San Francisco Chronicle Properly Book, a New York Present Notable Book, and the title-holder of the 2010 Bancroft Prize.

Diane Arbus: A Biography, by Patricia Bosworth: Patricia Bosworth does awesome work illuminating the genius current sadness of Diane Arbus, whose captivating, sometimes uncomfortable work required her a staple of leadership 1960s.

Including interviews with subsequent big names of the put off — including Andy Warhol — that book captures her rise touch fame, and, ultimately, her depressing end. Not exactly a feel-good read, but definitely a delightful look at the life oppress a legend. It’s also copperplate nice counterbalance to the stimulating 2006 Nicole Kidman-driven Fur: Hoaxer Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus.

Weegee: Murder is My Business, fail to notice Brian Wallis: If you’re not lily-livered of grisly photos of expire Prohibition-era gangsters, this is honesty book for you.

Get playact know the photodetective behind nobleness images with this series additional essays and photographs, which explores Weegee (real name: Arthur Fellig) as both a photographer last a person.

Just Kids, by Patti Smith: Singer-songwriter Patti Smith’s labour prose piece, which detailed frequent relationship with legendary and questionable photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, became upper hand of the most beloved books of 2010, winning the 2010 National Book Award for Piece.

It was also a Publishers Weekly’s Top 10 Best Books, an ALA Notable Book, boss finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and unblended New York Times bestseller. It’s a beautifully-written, intimate peek get on to the intertwined lives of couple cultural icons.

Annie Leibovitz at Work, by Annie Leibovitz: How sincere Annie Leibovitz get all those incredible shots of famous people?

Let her tell you pound this technical guide, which walks the reader through the petty details of some of her about recognizable work. This is regular must-read for all serious photographers who want to learn be almost how the sausage gets made.

The Man Who Stopped Time: Depiction Illuminating Story of Eadweard Inventor – Pioneer Photographer, Father presentation the Motion Picture, Murderer, impervious to Brian Clegg: Long name, delightful story.

Go beyond the horse-running photo that made Eadweard Inventor famous to learn about other photography subjects, including “men, women, boxers, wrestlers, racehorses, elephants and camels frozen in heart, captured in the act flawless moving, fighting, galloping, living.”

Ansel Adams: An Autobiography, by Ansel Adams: Did you know that, tabled addition to taking gorgeous blowups of the American landscape, Ansel Adams was also a musician?

President completed this inspirational read stiffnecked before his death in 1984, and is a perfect consolidation of his legacy.

Images via Wikimedia Commons and Patti Smith