There is no doubt that we are in an age where information on the web is fast and oftentimes free but despite that, we can’t discount the value of books. This tangible medium has helped teach men and women for centuries as it was and is one of the best way to pass information and/or stories. We are in a great era since we are seeing a great number of photo books come out year after year after for the past decade from self published ones, to reprints, and experimental approaches. Having a photo book from a photographer you look up to or a photographer whose work you admire is a treasured material. Based on my experiences, here are some ways you can build your photo book collection:

1. Allot a budget for books

Most books are not free. Almost always, the book is the result of a photographer realizing his work in material form. As such, the value of books tend to vary. It is always safe to allot a certain percentage of what you earn to books. That way, you can save up even for the pricier ones. Perhaps skip that expensive coffee, quit smoking, and probably skip the cab fare and walk instead and use the money saved for books. Extra tip: follow your favorite photographers closely because sometimes, they post trailers or teasers of things they are working on. Hopefully you’ll have ample time to save up before the book lands.

2. Bargain section, used books, 2nd hand bookstores or buy used

Here is where I pretty much build my collection. Shipping books to the Philippines is really expensive and despite Philippine law that there be no tax on books, officials tend to milk more money out of it. There are no other way for us to have access to great photobooks. Most photographers here scour bargain book stores and used/bargain bins.

It is pretty much a game when you hunt for photobooks. There is an extra fun finding a book and there times that I get surprised by the discoveries I get. Some of the good ones I picked recently is Joel Meyerowitz’s Aftermath and Nan Goldin’s The Devil’s playground while a good surprise I got is Roger Ballen’s Shadow Chamber since I wasn’t familiar with his work prior to picking up his book. Why people would throw away those books is beyond me.

Extra tip: Know your favorite publishers so that it saves time when you hunt for the book. My favorite is Phaidon and Nat Geo. I usually look for their logos on the spine of the books and then check the photographer’s name before I pull out the book. Also, know the schedule of the arrival of new books in your favorite bargain bookstore. You get first dibs!

The downside of rummaging bargain bins is that hunting for books can be time consuming. In addition, most of the books are beaten and abused but the point of photobooks for me is the ownership and learning from the book not collecting them for its value as investment for sometime in the future.

3. Get Zines and self published titles from the underground or festivals

Look in your neighborhood for zine/photo book fairs and photo festivals. Photographers and book publishers usually set special prices on these festivals and you have a chance of interacting and talking to the artists themselves. They can sign your book or you can ask them straight up on their experiences and process during the production of their book. Look for websites that sell zines and/or print versions of their online publications. Simple googling can do the trick!

4. Save on shipping

There are many creative ways to save on shipping. If you have a friend or family based or going overseas, ask them a favor and let them buy the book for you to bring it with them when they go home. It will usually take time but you can save money for shipping. Take advantage of those free shipping promos certain vendors have and perhaps pool your friends who want to have a copy to do a group buy of the book that way you can save.

5. Have a wish list and send it out to family and friends.

Your mileage may vary for this one. It doesn’t have to be a fancy list, a simple album over on facebook or an amazon wish list will do the trick. Whenever someone asks you what you want for your birthday or anything, just point them to those wish lists. It’s a win-win, you get what you want and your family and friends don’t need to bother too much when hunting for something to give you.

In closing:

Remember that books are there for you to be inspired and to help the photographer. Don’t just buy one for the sake of collecting. Buy one because you want and respect that artists’ work. A book is a piece of what they have in their minds translated into images in a tangible form you can touch, turn, and consume.

If you have other techniques or suggestions! Feel free to share them! I’d like to know how you build up your photo book libraries.

Cheers,

– A.g.