Our wonderful collection of photography books welcomes a few new titles, and the book on prints was just too charming to leave out!

Photography and play by Erin C. Garcia

The photograph’s ability to capture fleeting moments has made it one of the most playful mediums of all, and as the author observes in this small but lovely book, the rise of photography in the 19th century coincided happily with the development of leisure and holidays as intrinsic parts of everyday life. The thing that stands out most of all in this charming selection of pictures is just how much art there can be in essentially artless images. Great fun!

Beautiful Britain by Iain McKell ; with an essay by William Oliver

Iain McKell is an English photographer who has been assiduously documenting the beautiful Britain that he grew up with and loves, rather than the one more often presented to us in picturesque albums and television shows. It’s a world of slightly down-at-heel seaside towns, smoky bars, skinhead groups, fetish clubs and alternative outdoor music festivals, peopled with friends, family and acquaintances just getting on with it. Rather beautiful really.

Talk about contemporary photography by Elisabeth Couturier

This great little book is packed with information about all manner of things to do with contemporary photography, from brief surveys of national schools to snapshots of themes and major photographers. If you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, or if you just feel the need for a gentle guiding hand, this enthusiastic and informative volume is just the ticket!

Master prints close-up by Paul Goldman

If, like me, you have a special fondness for the art of the printmaker then this book from the British Museum will prove to be a compact treasure-trove! Drawing on works from the Museum’s own collection, the author examines individual prints from all periods and styles, explaining the printing techniques being used as well as giving some background on the life and work of the artists. A real pleasure was finding a very beautiful drypoint print by Castlemaine-born Martin Lewis, almost photographic in its noirish detail.

From the Rennie Ellis Collection, a lovely self-portrait of Melbourne’s own master of the contemporary photograph