""In "Genesis," my camera allowed nature to speak to me. And it was my privilege to listen."" --Sebastiao Salgado
On a very fortuitous day in 1970, 26-year-old Sebastiao Salgado held a camera for the first time. When he looked through the viewfinder, he experienced a revelation: suddenly life made sense. From that day onward--though it took years of hard work before he had the experience to earn his living as a photographer--the camera became his tool for interacting with the world. Salgado, who "always preferred the chiaroscuro palette of black-and-white images," shot very little color in his early career before giving it up completely.
Raised on a farm in Brazil, Salgado possessed a deep love and respect for nature; he was also particularly sensitive to the ways in which human beings are affected by their often devastating socio-economic conditions. Of the myriad works Salgado has produced in his acclaimed career, three long-term projects stand out: "Workers"(1993), documenting the vanishing way of life of manual laborers across the world, "Migrations"(2000), a tribute to mass migration driven by hunger, natural disasters, environmental degradation and demographic pressure, and this new opus, "Genesis," the result of an epic eight-year expedition to rediscover the mountains, deserts and oceans, the animals and peoples that have so far escaped the imprint of modern society--the land and life of a still-pristine planet. "Some 46% of the planet is still as it was in the time of genesis," Salgado reminds us. "We must preserve what exists." The "Genesis" project, along with the Salgados' Instituto Terra, are dedicated to showing the beauty of our planet, reversing the damage done to it, and preserving it for the future.
Over 30 trips--travelled by foot, light aircraft, seagoing vessels, canoes, and even balloons, through extreme heat and cold and in sometimes dangerous conditions--Salgado created a collection of images showing us nature, animals, and indigenous peoples in breathtaking beauty. Mastering the monochrome with an extreme deftness to rival the virtuoso Ansel Adams, Salgado brings black-and-white photography to a new dimension; the tonal variations in his works, the contrasts of light and dark, recall the works of Old Masters such as Rembrandt and Georges de La Tour.
What does one discover in "Genesis"? The animal species and volcanoes of the Galapagos; penguins, sea lions, cormorants, and whales of the Antarctic and South Atlantic; Brazilian alligators and jaguars; African lions, leopards, and elephants; the isolated Zo'e tribe deep in the Amazon jungle; the Stone Age Korowai people of West Papua; nomadic Dinka cattle farmers in Sudan; Nenet nomads and their reindeer herds in the Arctic Circle; Mentawai jungle communities on islands west of Sumatra; the icebergs of the Antarctic; the volcanoes of Central Africa and the Kamchatka Peninsula; Saharan deserts; the Negro and Jurua rivers in the Amazon; the ravines of the Grand Canyon; the glaciers of Alaska... and beyond. Having dedicated so much time, energy, and passion to the making of this work, Salgado likens "Genesis" to "my love letter to the planet."
Whereas the limited Collector's Edition is conceived like a large-format portfolio that meanders across the planet, this unlimited book presents a selection of photographs arranged in five chapters geographically: Planet South, Sanctuaries, Africa, Northern Spaces, Amazonia and Pantanal.
Each in its own way, this book and the Collector's edition--both edited and designed by Lelia Wanick Salgado--pay homage to Salgado's triumphant and unparalleled "Genesis" project.
The world premiere of "Sebastiao Salgado: Genesis "will open at the Natural History Museum in London on April 11, 2013. The exhibition builds on the Museum's reputation as the home of the planet's best nature photography. For further information and to book tickets please go to www.nhm.ac.uk/salgado. Additionally, from May 14th, a special portfolio of plantinum prints from "Genesis" will be shown at Phillips Howick Place gallery in London.
Worldwide venues for the "Genesis" exhibition: The Natural History Museum, London, UK - April 11 through September 8, 2013 The Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada - May 2 through September 2, 2013 Ara Pacis Museum, Rome, Italy - May 15 through September 15, 2013 Jardim Botanico, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil - May 28 through August 25, 2013 Musee de l'Elysee, Lausanne, Switzerland - September 21, 2013 through January 12, 2014 La Maison Europeenne de la Photographie (MEP), Paris, France - September 25, 2013 through January 5, 2014 SESC Belenzinho, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil - September 9 - November 2013

'Afghan Box Camera' documents a living form of photography in danger of disappearing forever. Known as the kamra-e-faoree ('instant camera'), Afghanistan is one of the last places on earth where it has continued to be used by photographers as a way of making a living. Hand-made out of wood, it is a camera and darkroom in one, and generations of Afghans have had their portraits taken with it, usually for identity documents. Under the Taliban, with the banning of photography, it was even outlawed, forcing photographers to hide or destroy their tools. Spanning decades, from peacetime to war, box camera photography in Afghanistan exists within a more sophisticated photographic history. The same photographers who ply their trade with the humble kamra-e-faoree may also make large format black and white portraits, which are then hand-coloured with exquisite artistry. With the help of dozens of Afghan photographers, 'Afghan Box Camera' illustrates the technique and artistry of a previously untold and visually enthralling photographic culture.

Skins by Gavin Watson is arguably the single most important record of '70s skinhead culture in Britain. Rightly celebrated as a true classic of photobook publishing, the book is now reissued in a high-quality new edition under close supervision from the photographer. The scores of black and white shots offer a fascinating glimpse into a skinhead community that was multi-cultural, tightly knit and, above all else, fiercely proud of its look. These are classic photographs of historical value. "What makes Gavin's photos so special is that when you look at them, there's clearly trust from the subject towards the photographer, so it feels like you're in the photo rather than just observing." - Shane Meadows (Director of award-winning film This Is England). The book, described by The Times as "a modern classic", forms an important visual record of its time and has attained cult status in the genre, alongside works by other eminent photographers such as Derek Ridgers and Nick Knight. "Arguably one of the best and most important books about youth fashion and culture ever published." - Vice Magazine

A cultural geographer and an art historian offer fresh interpretations of Muybridge’s famous motion studies through the lenses of mobility and race. In 1878, Eadweard Muybridge successfully photographed horses in motion, proving that all four hooves leave the ground at once for a split second during full gallop. This was the beginning of Muybridge’s decades-long investigation into instantaneous photography, culminating in his masterpiece Animal Locomotion. Muybridge became one of the most influential photographers of his time, and his stop-motion technique helped pave the way for the motion-picture industry, born a short decade later.   Coauthored by cultural geographer Tim Cresswell and art historian John Ott, this book reexamines the motion studies as historical forms of “mobility,� in which specific forms of motion are given extraordinary significance and accrued value. Through a lively, interdisciplinary exchange, the authors explore how mobility is contextualized within the transformations of movement that marked the nineteenth century and how mobility represents the possibilities of social movement for African Americans. Together, these complementary essays look to Muybridge’s works as interventions in knowledge and experience and as opportunities to investigate larger social ramifications and possibilities.  

A fun collection of Martin Parr's food pictures, which documents the simple notion that 'we are what we eat'. Real Food celebrates all things food through the eyes of the renowned British photographer Martin Parr - a kaleidoscope of foods the world over, from hot dogs to sticky buns and langoustine to lemon meringue pie. Featuring photographs taken throughout Martin Parr's prolific career to-date, Real Food will comprise the very best of Parr's iconic imagery - a collection of close-up food shots, in typical garish colour, taken by Parr throughout his travels across the world. Introduced with an essay by Fergus Henderson, British chef and founder of the restaurant St John's in London, which considers Parr's photographs in the context of global cuisine, and Parr's fascination with the social aspect of food that is at the heart of these photographs.

As Kylie Jenner put it, "Check out this inspiring photograph from...@vladamua! " From opulent to optical illusion, Vlada's art is a blend of make-up and magic that transform her lips into canvases. MUA royalty, her work is washed across the internet, lips dripping and bedazzled, transformed by talent and a vision that's helped shape the beauty industry. Featuring over 200 photographs of Vlada's work, Art of the Lip is a sumptuous tome to flip through and marvel at the minute, painted details on her lips in each photo. Gloss, lipstick, sequins and jewels transform Vlada's skin in hundreds of different images, with looks inspired by nature, jewellery, pop culture and more. Much more than just lipstick, Vlada's art is a showcase of makeup's power and an artist's innovation.

The photographer Richard Koek is a visual storyteller with a gift for being in the right place at the right time. For this book, he turns his gaze to the people and streetscapes of New York, capturing the diversity and energy of the city that inspires so many to come here to realise their dreams. These are photos of real New Yorkers, night and day, at work and at play, in their neighbourhoods, at their jobs, and on the street. The city itself, from glass fronted buildings to sidewalk food stands, reflects the tenacity and spirit of the people who call the Big Apple home. "Richard has a unique eye for the still astonishing diversity of New Yorkers, natives or transplants. A transplant himself, there's no denying the power of Richard's personal vision of the city he has made his home. His evident talent and the works' singularity speak for themselves." - Julia Gruen, Executive Director, Keith Haring Foundation, New York

In 2009 Karolina Gembara moved to Delhi to learn photography and stayed for seven years. When we lie down, grasses grow from us, comprises photographs taken during this period, as Gembara developed a love/hate relationship with the city, borne out of a combination of fascination, homesickness and a feeling of transience. During her time in the city, Gembara moved around frequently and found it difficult to establish a home, or a place where she felt truly comfortable. She met many in a similar position - housing was temporary and even romantic relationships were somehow superficial and makeshift.

Where jetliners used to take off every few minutes, nearly everything has ground to a halt. The bright blue sky above the tarmac is serene, the contrails have disappeared, the endless corridors are eerily deserted. In April 2020, at the height of the first lockdown of the coronavirus pandemic, the photographer Marc Krause explored Frankfurt Airport with his analogue camera to capture the strange calm of this "non-place." Without the hectic hustle and bustle of pre-pandemic times, he noticed things that are usually drowned out by the rushing crowds: the geometric lines of the constructivist architecture, the changing patterns of light and shade, the junk left behind by travellers in vast halls that would be teeming with thousands of people on a normal day. Offering a fascinating glimpse of a seemingly surreal world, this publication is an unsettling testimony to a historic moment in time and a powerful photo book that leaves viewers torn between melancholy and hopeful longing. Text in English and German.

The photobook visually and materially contextualizes arrangements of photographs and brings them into a sensually tangible form. The book format, the materiality of the paper, and the type of binding have just as much effect on the viewer as the selection of images, their positioning in the layout, typography, and texts. The artist and theorist Bettina Lockemann provides an approach to the medium from a research perspective: considering the photobook as an independent subject of art studies, phenomenological discussions complement methodological lines of thought. An important contribution to the photobook as an independent field of research, Lockemann elaborates precise terms for analyzing this medium of renditions. Through a practice-based examination of contemporary photobooks, this reader gets to the root of the field of photo books.

Playful photographs of bouncy castles set against melancholic landscapes Italian photographer Stefano Cerio's (born 1962) fantastical compositions juxtapose the bright, primary colors of children's bouncy castles with the evocative and ever-changing backdrop of Abruzzo. From snow-covered ground to low-hanging milky clouds on a blue-skied summer day, these plastic castles emerge, miragelike, from their landscapes.

Underage is an award-winning photographic documentation aimed at understanding the minds of underage male prostitutes in Thailand in a most candid and visceral way. Photographer Ohm Phanphiroj uncovers the life, choice, and consequences that these young boys are experiencing. Underage prostitution results from several reasons, from being molested by family members and/or relatives, poverty, being a runaway, and drug addiction.Underage has been exhibited worldwide, among others at Newspace Center for Photography (2011), Sommerblut International Art Festival (2011), Noordelicht Photo Festival (2012), The Kinsey Institute (2013), Tally Beck Contemporary (2014), Miami Art Festival (2014), and Documentary Arts Asia (2014).The photographic project received multiple awards, i.e. Lightwork (2012), Newspace Center for Photography (2012), Documentary Arts Asia (2014), Columbia College fellowship (2015), Noor-Nikon (2015), Society for Photographic Education (2015).

"When the pre-eminent portrait photographer of the day met the Cockney kid dominating the London film scene, magic was made." - Australian Women's Weekly Icons "Caine, the timeless gentleman." - Diego Armes, GQ Portugal "I had to be an actor," Michael Caine once said. "[...] And of course, you have to remember with me, the alternative was a factory." A working-class actor who broke through to stardom, Caine's screen-time involves standout performances across multiple genres. To this day, he is synonymous with a certain kind of urbane cool. No camera has captured this quality over the decades better than that of his collaborator and long-time friend, Terry O'Neill. Michael Caine: Photographed by Terry O'Neill offers an immersive visual journey through Michael Caine's career, immortalising Caine's charm both in and out of character. Caine occupies a landmark position in cinema and O'Neill was there from the early days of his stellar career. From the comedy of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to the European drama of Seven Times A Woman; from the miasma of The Magus to the British cult classic Get Carter, this book combines black and white and colour images and includes never-before-seen contact sheets. Featuring the following films: Mona Lisa, Midnight in Saint Petersburg / Bullet to Beijing, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Blue Ice, Without a Clue, Get Carter, Deadfall, Magus, Woman Times Seven, Funeral in Berlin.