Photobooks of 2021: Martin Amis

A few personal favourites from the many photobooks that pass through my hands at Photobookstore.  In no particular order, they are as follows:

In Plain Air by Irina Rozovsky, Mack

It’s all about the light in this beautiful glowing golden sequence of images granted a perfectly restrained design. A classy book in every way.


Street Portraits by Dawoud Bey, Mack

An extraordinary series of portraits, deep rich printing and an elegant design, what more can you ask?


Räuber by Josh Kern, Eigensinn

Räuber features one great photo after another in Kern’s trademark snapshot style which like his previous book Love Me, he somehow pulls together in a chaotic but highly effective full-bleed journal design.  Full of love and life, Räuber is quite simply mesmerising.


Sub Sole by Massao Mascaro, Chose Commune

An impeccably presented and printed document of the modern Mediterranean.  There is no showboating here, just beautifully observed subtled nuances to create a bigger picture.


Apiary by Robin Friend, Loose Joints

I only just received this one, so making a very quick call on including it here.  An excellent example of a project perfectly suited to the photobook medium which is further elevated by another great Loose Joints design.


Material by Jet Swan, Loose Joints

A suitably subtle but effective design lets Jet Swan’s striking images take the lead.  Unusual, unique and a little unsettling - this is a very assured first photobook.


You can call me Nana by Will Harris, Overlapse

Overlapse have been making great books for several years now, and this richly layered look at dementia and loss maybe one of their best and most heartfelt to date.


Haddon Hall by Naomi Harris, Void

A wam, affectionate and humorous look at senior citizens of South Miami Beach.  The photographic style may not currently be in fashion, but who cares - this is just great work, presented with the usual excellent Void attention to detail.

Dream Moons by Yurian Quintanas Nobel, Void

A wonderfully surreal dream-like series of images which take on new resonance with the strange times we are all encountering. Another from the steady stream of excellent books from Void. 

At Night Gardens Grow by Paul Guilmoth, Stanley Barker

A brooding evocative journey through the darkness from a bright new talent.  Grab it while you can.

Martin Amis founded Photobookstore in 2006, and is rarely more than 10 feet from a pile of photobooks. In 2021, he launched the Photo Editions publishing imprint with his own book This Land.

Images: 
At Night Gardens Grow by Paul Guilmoth, Stanley Barker
Haddon Hall by Naomi Harris, Void
You can call me Nana by Will Harris, Overlapse