buy books not gear

Why Buy Books, Not Gear?

Many of us like books– but why? What use do books have, and why invest in photography books, instead of buying photography equipment and gear?


BOOKS by HAPTICPRESS

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buy books not gear

So first of all, buying equipment and gear in photography isn’t bad. We need equipment, cameras, and gear to of course, make photos!

Martin Parr at home, where he houses some of his 12,000+ photo books

The problem is when we think that buying new camera equipment will respark your passion for photography, and help you make better photos.

Bruce Davidson's 5-book compilation of his Black + White bodies of work. Many of these books are collector's items and out-of-print. So although the collection is expensive, you are still saving money on some books like East 100th street (which is selling for around $1000 on the second-hand market)

The truth is, the best way to respark your passion for photography is finding inspiration from great photographers! This is why I think as a photographer, the best bang for the buck return on your monetary investment are photography books; whether instructional or educational photo books, art photo books, or any books in general! (self-help books, philosophy books, literature, nonfiction, fiction, etc).

Subway, by Bruce Davidson. One of my favorite color photography books and a must-have in your library.

In other words, anything that can inspire you to make more art is a good investment!


Consider that a new digital camera is let’s say, around $1,000 USD. If a photobook is around $20-50 dollars, you can buy 20-50 really nice photo books to keep you inspired! That’s like a book every month for 2-4 years! You’ll never run out of inspiration!


buy books not gear

If you can’t afford photo books, go to the Magnumphotos.com website for inspiration, or learn from all the masters from learn from the masters series >


Japanese photobooks.

Just as encouragement, don’t get suckered by camera companies, camera websites and blogs (that try to make lots of money from affiliate referrals). It’s in their best interest to keep you perpetually dissatisfied with your camera gear, so you keep buying more camera gear.

Beautiful collection of self-published books

Your goal: never stop shooting photos!

So when in doubt, don’t worry about the gear. Trust in yourself, your photo books, and JUST SHOOT IT!

ERIC

JUST SHOOT IT.


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BOOKS by HAPTICPRESS
  1. STREET NOTES
  2. STREET HUNT
  3. How to See
  4. Masters Volume I
  5. Creative Everyday

To conclude, buy more photo books if you’re lacking inspiration. Get started with the resources below:

BOOKS

PHOTOGRAPHY PDF BOOKS

  1. MONOCHROME by ERIC KIM
  2. ONLY IN AMERICA by ERIC KIM
  3. SUITS by ERIC KIM

EBOOKS

Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Mastering Street PhotographyUltimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Street Photography
  1. HOW TO SEE: Visual Guide to Composition, Color, & Editing in Photography
  2. Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Street Photography / Kindle Edition
  3. STREET HUNT / Kindle Edition
  4. STREET NOTES: Mobile Edition / Kindle Edition
  5. MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER

FREE EBOOKS

  1. STREET PHOTOGRAPHY 103
  2. Dynamic Composition Manual
  3. Photography Startup Manual
  4. PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS
  5. PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP MANUAL by ERIC KIM
  6. STREET PHOTOGRAPHY MANUAL by ERIC KIM
  7. THE PHOTOGRAPHER by ERIC KIM
  8. The Art of Street Photography
  9. 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
  10. Zen Photography
  11. Personal Photography Manual
  12. Street Photography Contact Sheets Volume II
  13. Street Photography Contact Sheets Volume I
  14. Street Photography Composition Manual
  15. Street Portrait Manual
  16. Street Photography 101
  17. Street Photography 102
  18. Color Manual
  19. Monochrome Manual
  20. 31 Days to Overcome Your Fear in Street Photography
  21. Letters From a Street Photographer
  22. Street Photography Aphorisms, Heuristics, and Sayings

See all downloads >


Photo Book Reviews »

Below are my favorite photo books:

See all inspirational photography books »


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