What are some classic photography coffee-table books under $50?
Asked 2/12/2011
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I’d like to buy a photography book as a gift for a friend. Ideally it should be a small- to medium-sized book that works well on a coffee table for casual browsing. My budget is under $50.
I’m open to a themed collection, a book featuring multiple photographers, or a single well-known photographer. Are there any classic, widely recommended photography books that fit this kind of gift?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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Wide Angle: National Geographic Greatest Places
Through the Lens: National Geographic Greatest Photographs
Both these books have 504 pages of absolutely stunning photographs. They have a mix of styles that reflect the magazines different photographers and times. I own both, among many others, but these two are my favorites. For what the cost, both these books are a fantastic bargain.
The photographs from National Geographic almost all have a lot of depth to them, which makes looking at each photo quite interesting. I went through each of these several times and seem to often notice new details.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A few classic, gift-friendly choices mentioned were:
- National Geographic Greatest Places and Through the Lens: National Geographic Greatest Photographs — both are broad, highly browsable collections with many striking images and a variety of styles.
- The Americans by Robert Frank — a landmark documentary photography book.
- Workers by Sebastião Salgado — strong thematic work with powerful black-and-white images.
- Portraits by Steve McCurry — an accessible collection of memorable portrait photography.
- 400 Photographs by Ansel Adams — a classic choice for landscape and fine-art photography.
- The Photo Book by Phaidon — a well-known survey featuring images by many famous photographers; paperback may be the better fit if budget matters.
If you want something easy for guests to flip through, a broad anthology like the National Geographic books or Phaidon’s The Photo Book is probably the safest choice. If your friend has a specific taste, choose a single-photographer classic such as Frank, Salgado, McCurry, or Adams.
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