The Ten Best Photography Books of 2020 | Arts & Culture – Smithsonian Magazine
Posted: December 14, 2020 at 1:53 am
If there is a silver lining to the year, it would be that we were able to slow down and take a closer gaze at things we usually overlook.
This year brought heartbreak and sacrifice never before experienced to people all over the world. As we reminisce about 2020, it may be hard to determine exactly what we might look tofor a moment of solace. If there is a silver lining, it would be that we were able to slow down and take a closer gaze at things we usually overlook. Smithsonian magazine's photo team has gathered the following ten photography books that weve appreciated from the year.
Photographer Diana Markosian is at her best when shes delving into her family history and heritage, and her recent ambitious project, Santa Barbara, is no exception. In this book and short film, she recreatesand casts and directsher familys harrowing journey to America from post-Soviet Russia in the 1990s. Her mother was a Russian mail-order bride, bringing two young children with her to build a family with a man she had never met in Santa Barbara, California. Coincidentally, the city was already well-known in Russia, as the 1980s soap opera of that name was the first American television show to be broadcast there in 1992, and had gained a large following. Now as an adult, Markosian has begun to look back on this period of her childhood with a new sense of perspective and empathy for her mother, and with greater appreciation for her struggles and sacrifices. Incorporating casted re-enactments, stills from the film version of Santa Barbara, as well as archival images, Markosian has created a world that is cinematic yet still gleams with moments of intimacy.
Readers, meet Bob. Bob lives on Curaao, a tiny island nation in the southern Caribbean Sea, just north of the Venezuelan coast. Bob just happens to be an American flamingo. A concussive run-in with a hotel window in 2016 left him in the care of Odette Doest, a local exotic pet veterinarian and the head of a non-profit wildlife rehab center and conservation foundation. While caring for Bob, Doest determined he was suffering from bumblefoota common malady in captive birds that would make it difficult for him to catch food in the wildand that he had previously been domesticated. So Bob, who was quite fond of humans, stayed on with Odette as an educational ambassador for the foundation. He began accompanying her on her community speaking engagements and cutting a striking figure. That was where leading conservation photographer Jasper Doest came in. While visiting his cousin Odette, Jasper found Bob irresistible, and he began documenting Bobs life on and off for the next three years. Those photos have turned into Meet Bob. Shes using him to tell a bigger story, Jasper told National Geographic. He by himself would just be a flamingo, and without Bob, she would not have that emblematic animal that gives her the attention to do her educational work.
Redheads of the world, unite! At least, they have on paper in Gingers, Scottish photographer Kieran Dodds aptly-titled book. Its full of beautifully lit portraits of redheads from around the world photographed on black backgrounds, allowing their features and hair to radiate off the page. Pale and ginger (just ask him!) with two redhead girls, Dodds resides in Scotland, the global ginger capital, with 13 percent of its population possessing those fiery locks. Social media served as Dodds Bat Signal for locating redheads across the world, as the book transects 11 time zones, with subjects from the Americas and Europe, to the Middle East and Asia. The book connects us across political and cultural boundaries, using a rare golden thread, Dodds told Bored Panda. I want people to compare the portraits and delight in our variety. We are made of the same stuff but we are uniquely tuned. The November issue of Smithsonian showcased another of Dodds series, titled Border Patrol, on the mighty hedges that have defined the British landscape since the Bronze Age.
The photographs in Secreto Sarayaku have a surreal, transformative feeling. Like youve been swiftly whisked away by Ecuadorian photographer Misha Vallejo and dropped among the Kichwa people of Sarayaku. These residents of the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest have a special connection to the jungle and believe it is a living, conscious entity, with all parts interconnected. Vallejo has been documenting their everyday lives for this project, a collection of beautiful visual details of the mundane, dramatic portraiture and jungle landscapes. The Kichwa have been incorporating technology, from solar panels on their house to satellite Internet access, into their lives to their advantage. When confronted by the interests of Big Oil, they have used social media to advocate for their environmental message and to gain supporters worldwide. Vallejo attempts to reflect their worldview on camera: that protecting their home is fundamental not only to their own survival, but to that of humanity.
The Permian Panthers of Odessa, Texas, are forever stamped in the American consciousness when it comes to small-town football, thanks to Buzz Bissinger's 1990 book Friday Night Lights chronicling the team's dramatic 1988 season. Photographer Robert Clark was there as well, capturing all the action on gritty black and white film. Twenty of those photographs accompany Bissinger's original book. However, Clark shot 137 rolls of film as he documented the Panthers in all their trials and tribulations, making a run towards the Texas state championship. Now 30 years later, Clarks Friday Night Lives reveals the never-before-seen photographs. Through Clark's time capsule, viewers can hear the cheers of the crowd, the sounds of the locker room, the music played by the pep band, and feel the hot West Texas sun beating down on the football players during drills. Its apparent that the town's hopes and dreams are beholden to the high school's football team's success. Clark brings us to the present day with poignant portraits of key characters of the storied season, including Mike Winchell, the star quarterback; Boobie Miles, who injured his leg that year; and head coach Gary Gaines.
Necessary Fictions is a continuation of conceptual documentary artist Debi Cornwall's dark-humored approach shown in her award-winning exploration of Guantnamo Bay in Welcome to Camp America. Only this time, the location is unknown, if only at first. Throughout the book of photographs, clues are given, such as coordinates and a quote attributed to Karl Rove, the one-time chief political strategist to President George W. Bush. As a former soldier who's been to Kuwait and Iraq, things at first look familiar to me. However, there is something off-putting. Clothes seem too clean for the environment, too pristine for any battlefield. As I move forward, it becomes obvious. It's a simulation, a staged role-playing game in a place I've never been. The players are paid to play themselves; Iraqis and Afghans who fled war and young soldiers play dead and wounded in graphic detail as if walking off the set of a horror movie. The country is called "Atropia," and its location is played out across the United States on military bases. Twenty years after 9/11 and the start of the War on Terror, Necessary Fictions takes a good look at how far we've come in filling the needs of the military-industrial complex as efficiently as possible.
Over a two-year period, photographer Joni Sternbach documented historic surfboards from the Surfing Heritage and CultureCanter Center (SHACC) collection in San Clemente, California. The photographs from these efforts are shown in her latest self-published monograph titled Surfboard. Sternbach used an ultra large-format camera and collodion-coated glass plate negatives to capture each board. (See her magical methods on the Smithsonian magazines Instagram account.) The artistry in both Sternbach's photographs and the boards themselves, one of which was used by the legendary surf icon and Native Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku, is impressive. The book captures the evolution of surfboard making methods and the art depicted on them. One board from the 1930s depicts a swastika long before the symbol was stolen during the period of Nazi Germany.
Tyler Mitchell's distinctive vision of a black utopia is on full display in his book I Can Make You Feel Good, which is already in its second edition. The imagesa mix of documentary, fine art, and portraiture, among other photo genresare full of energy and life and show a freshness rarely seen in a debut photo book. The photographs run full bleed to the pages' edges as if the beauty seen in each image is too bold to be contained by any book. "I Can Make You Feel Good is simply a declaration. And one that I feel is gut-punching in its optimism. It feels important at a time like this to declare such a thing," Mitchell explains in his opening statement. One striking image of a young black man holding a plastic toy gun recalls 12-year-old Tamir Rice's tragic death, who was himself playing with a toy gun as a police officer shot and killed him. In I Can Make You Feel Good, Mitchell imagines a place where his community can play and thrive without deadly consequences. "I aim to visualize what a Black utopia looks like or could look like. People say utopia is never achievable, but I love photography's possibility of allowing me to dream and make that dream become very real," he says.
American artist Imogen Cunningham (18831976) enjoyed a long career as a photographer, creating an extensive and distinct oeuvre that underscored her unique vision, versatility and ardent commitment to the medium. An early feminist and inspiration to future generations of men and women practitioners, Cunningham intensely engaged with Pictorialism and Modernism; genres of portraiture, landscape, the nude, still life and street photography; and a multitude of themes, such as flora, dancers, music, hands and the elderly.
Beginning with Cunninghams childhood in Seattle where she started developing and printing her own photographs in 1905 in a darkroom built by her father, and spanning the entirety of her illustrious 75-year career, Imogen Cunningham: A Retrospective contains nearly 200 color images of her elegant, poignant and groundbreaking photographs. The book features both renowned masterpieces and rarely seen pictures, including several that have never been published.
Underappreciated during her time, Cunningham was an inventive, inspired and prolific photographer who tirelessly explored her chosen medium until her death at age 93. Imogen Cunningham: A Retrospective recognizes Cunninghams enormous achievements and raises her stature to the same level as her male counterparts in 20th-century photography.
David Benjamin Sherry: American Monuments is a landscape photography project that captures the spirit and intrinsic value of Americas threatened system of national monuments. In April 2017, an executive order called for the review of the 27 national monuments created since January 1996. In December 2017, the final report called on the president to shrink four national monuments and change the management of six others, recommending that areas in Maine, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans be offered for sale, specifically for oil drilling and coal and uranium mining. American Monuments focuses on the areas under review, with special emphasis on those that have already been decimated. Sherry documents these pristine, sacred and wildly diverse areas using the traditional, historic 810 large format. The resulting photographs not only convey the beauty of these important and ecologically diverse sites, but also shed light upon the plight of the perennially exploited landscape of the American West.
For more recommendations, check out The Best Books of 2020.
By buying a product through some of these links, Smithsonian magazine may earn a commission. 100 percent of our proceeds go to supporting the Smithsonian Institution.
See original here:
The Ten Best Photography Books of 2020 | Arts & Culture - Smithsonian Magazine
- On evolution and art: A retrospective for Selma Grbz | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah - January 27th, 2021
- RELIGION: Now is the right time | Opinion | montrosepress.com - Montrose Daily Press - January 27th, 2021
- Fun Game: Ask Your Darwinist Friends, Guess Who Said This? - Discovery Institute - January 27th, 2021
- Beauty & Wellness Briefing: How far will sustainability efforts go in 2021? - Glossy - January 27th, 2021
- 2021 IPPE: How has COVID-19 impacted the US broiler industry? - The Poultry Site - January 27th, 2021
- Ticking the plant-based box: Vegan-friendly confectionery gathers pace, says Innova Market Insights - FoodIngredientsFirst - January 27th, 2021
- Editors Picks: 18 Events for Your Art Calendar This Week, From a Chat With the Guerrilla Girls to the Music That Inspired Basquiat - artnet News - January 27th, 2021
- How the Russo Family Switched From Superheroes to America's Opioid Crisis With 'Cherry' - Hollywood Reporter - January 27th, 2021
- Could the pandemic get rid of fast fashion for good? - Berkeley Beacon - January 27th, 2021
- Dimensional Fund Advisors Ltd. : Form 8.3 - WILLIAM HILL PLC - Ordinary Shares - Yahoo Finance UK - January 27th, 2021
- KSB SE & Co. KGaA: Adjustment of sales and earnings forecast 2020 - Yahoo Finance UK - January 27th, 2021
- Directors focus is to change lives and impact community - Midland Reporter-Telegram - January 27th, 2021
- Lockdown has hindered career progression of Indian women in tech: Report - HT Tech - January 27th, 2021
- Fundamentals of respect, subordination, and leadership in the army for young soldiers - London Post - January 27th, 2021
- Political scientist Angie Maxwell on countering the 'Long Southern Strategy' - Facing South - January 27th, 2021
- Page refresh: how the internet is transforming the novel - The Guardian - January 27th, 2021
- What Is Diet Culture? The Reasons Why Diet Culture Is Toxic - GoodHousekeeping.com - January 27th, 2021
- Glenn Murcutt, the 'pavilion architect,' on his MPavilion - Architecture AU - January 27th, 2021
- Pass It On: To Counter Sexist Microaggressions In The Office, Set Boundaries And Find A Mentor-Ally Who Can Help - The Swaddle - January 27th, 2021
- The Magic In Your Mind - Self Mastery - January 11th, 2021
- Learn deep esoteric and profound ideas relevant to your daily life and work with new book - GlobeNewswire - December 14th, 2020
- This Everett artist makes a statement in multiple mediums - The Daily Herald - December 14th, 2020
- 6 Eco-Friendly Activewear Brands You Should Be Adding to Cart - Well+Good - December 14th, 2020
- India's rise will evoke its own reactions and responses: S Jaishankar - Mint - December 14th, 2020
- Trendspotting in beverage flavors: citrus, fermentation and indulgence - BeverageDaily.com - December 14th, 2020
- Letters to the Editor December 14, 2020: The beauty of Bhutan - The Jerusalem Post - December 14th, 2020
- The legends of Covid-19 and technology - IOL - December 14th, 2020
- Shetland pony helps woman with workout - Yahoo Finance Australia - December 14th, 2020
- Unlocking The Secrets Of Land: How Two Entrepreneurs Have Transformed Property Development - Forbes - December 14th, 2020
- Dr. Sue S. Yom named editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics (Red Journal) - Newswise - December 14th, 2020
- Am I Dating An Algorithm? Relationship Experts Weigh In On The Impacts Of AI - Forbes - December 14th, 2020
- Oliver Wyman and SFA publish report on Singapore's fintech scene - Finextra - December 14th, 2020
- Affinity Answers Awarded Neutronian Certification Badge - PR Web - December 14th, 2020
- The Vision of Human Rights and Legal Morality - TheLeaflet - The Leaflet - December 14th, 2020
- The Triumph of the Sexual Revolution Seems Stunni... - ChristianityToday.com - December 14th, 2020
- 4 reasons why marketing should drive your company's digital evolution - Fast Company - December 8th, 2020
- ESSAY: Dreams and Perception, Part Seven - Pagosa Daily Post - December 8th, 2020
- Wish wants to be the Amazon for the rest of us; will retail investors buy it? - TechCrunch - December 8th, 2020
- Smartphones But in Thin Air? | Future of Interface Evolution - Medium - December 8th, 2020
- Found in translation - The Bookseller - December 8th, 2020
- Fats in fashion: 'Fat is the product developers' friend' - FoodNavigator.com - December 8th, 2020
- Examining the Complex, Subjective Filmography of Oliver Stone: A Comparison and Critique of "JFK" to "Nixon" and... - December 8th, 2020
- There's probably an app for that! | By Terence Ronson Hospitality Net - Hospitality Net - December 8th, 2020
- Crows are capable of conscious thought (and it could rewrite the story of evolution) - Yahoo News UK - September 30th, 2020
- Study Shows That Crows Are Much Smarter Than We Ever Imagined - My Modern Met - September 30th, 2020
- Do Birds Have A Subjective Reality? A New Experiment Suggests So - Forbes - September 30th, 2020
- Scientists Claim to Have Proved That Crows Have Conscious Experiences - Futurism - September 30th, 2020
- Latest Research on Brain Structures Reveals How Birds Are Actually Intelligent and Even Self-Aware - VICE - September 30th, 2020
- Maelstrom Collaborative Arts Stays Flexible and Creative with The Wondering: A Story in Time and Space - Cleveland Scene - September 30th, 2020
- Director Alankrita Shrivastava explores sisterhood, sexuality, and breaking free in her latest film on Netflix - YourStory - September 30th, 2020
- 'It wasn't a conscious decision' - Meet the security distie that launched during lockdown - www.channelweb.co.uk - September 30th, 2020
- How Retail Brands Are Capitalizing On Growing Activewear Demand Through Innovation - Forbes - September 30th, 2020
- The Journey of the Antihero - Alta Magazine - September 30th, 2020
- Rayon Market Forecast and Segments, 2020-2025 The Daily Chronicle - The Daily Chronicle - September 30th, 2020
- Asian Women At The Top: Four PR Network Leaders On How Change Happens - PRovoke Media - September 30th, 2020
- Reflective Tape Market to Showcase Vigorous Demand During the Period until 2025 - The Daily Chronicle - September 30th, 2020
- Unmanned Fighter Aircraft Market : In-depth Analysis to Understand the Competitive Outlook of the Global Industry with Future Estimations - The Daily... - September 30th, 2020
- Medium and Large Satellite Market Application And Specification, Product Category, Downstream Buyers,Top Player with Forecast till 2025 - The Daily... - September 30th, 2020
- Modified Nylon Market Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin, Industry Analysis & Forecast by 2025 - The Daily Chronicle - September 30th, 2020
- FTSE 100 on the back foot as market waits for presidential debate sponsored by Saga - Proactive Investors UK - September 30th, 2020
- Why Consciousness Couldn't Just Evolve from the Mud - Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence - August 19th, 2020
- How the History of Skin Care Pushes the Industry Forward - Well+Good - August 19th, 2020
- How to Turn 175 Years of Words in Scientific American into an Image - Scientific American - August 19th, 2020
- Where will the new normal take this tourist town? - Santa Fe New Mexican - August 19th, 2020
- Transcript: Into Black Women and the 19th Amendment - NBC News - August 19th, 2020
- 10 Ethical Brands That Support Indigenous Artisans and Communities - Eco Warrior Princess - August 19th, 2020
- Integrated Revenue and Customer Management for CSP Globally Expected to Drive Growth through 2020 - Scientect - August 19th, 2020
- Global Silica based Matting Agents Market 2020: Industry Analysis and Detailed Profiles of Top Key Players Evonik Industries, WR Grace, PPG... - August 19th, 2020
- The India story after 25 years of internet and how it has transformed our lives - Economic Times - August 19th, 2020
- Remco Evenepoel expected to travel back to Belgium within 24 hours - Cyclingnews.com - August 19th, 2020
- A-Methapred Market to Expand Substantially Owing to Technological Innovations During 2019-2025 - Scientect - August 19th, 2020
- Roots And Tings Announces Debut Album - Broadway World - August 19th, 2020
- Can the Democratic Party Hold Together? - POLITICO - POLITICO - August 19th, 2020
- Internet of Things (IoT) Cloud Platform Market 2019 Trends, Size, Segments, Emerging Technologies and Industry Growth by Forecast to 2023 - Scientect - August 19th, 2020
- IN FOCUS: Singapore's love affair with bubble tea - an obsession that will never die? - CNA - August 15th, 2020
- Trends in the Ready To Use Industrial Ventilation Systems Market 2019-2020 - Scientect - August 15th, 2020
- Peripheral Intervention Drug-Eluting Devices Market is Seeing Explosive Growth By Future Industry Winners: Forecast, 2014-2022 - Owned - August 15th, 2020
- Human Primary Cells Market Insights, Trends, Analysis, Types, Applications, key players, Market shares and Forecast 2019 to 2023 - Scientect - August 15th, 2020
- Polypropylene Random Copolymer Pipe to Flourish with an Impressive CAGR During 2019-2026 - The News Brok - August 15th, 2020
- On Consciousness: Science and Subjectivity: A Q&A with Bernard Baars - Scientific American - May 28th, 2020