Harald (75) and Mathias (80) had always lived on the small farm in which they were born. Neither had married. Mathias once worked in Oslo for two months, but hadn't like it, whilst Harald spent one night, 'the worst of his life,' he would say, in a hotel in Lillehammer, some three hours away. They'd worked for an electricity company, as loggers and also as carpenters, but now much of their time was taken up just managing firewood for their home. As Harald said, they chopped wood, carried wood and burned wood. At least twice a day, they also fed wild birds in the twenty bird boxes that they monitored. Their days followed a predictable and comforting routine. In their free time they each listened to a radio or read the local paper. In the 1960s they had rented a TV for a one month trial but returned it after deciding that it took up too much time. Little changed from year to year, though Mathias once said that changes were happening the whole time and it would probably end up with them getting an inside toilet with running water. Harald died from an asthma attack while shovelling snow in conditions of -20C. Mathias continued to live alone in the house until he moved into an old people's home. He died in 2007.

'While looking through his contact sheets, Harvey Benge noticed that one of his pictures reminded him of a 'Friedlander', another someone else. All photographers do this, and if the photograph in question apes another photographer too closely, it's usually a cause for rejection. But Benge did the opposite. Picking out his 'Friedlander' and his 'Parr' and his 'Baltz' he decided to make an 'anthology' of contemporary photography featuring some of its biggest names. Yet they are all genuine, original Benges. They are also all good pictures, not mere pastiches of the 'originals' of which they gently but insistently remind one. This may be a game, but games can be very serious, and this fascinating book is both a serious and light-hearted exploration of photographic style.' - Gerry Badger.

Newly revised histories of photography as recorded via the photobook have added enormously to our understanding of the medium's culture, particularly in places that are often marginalized, such as Latin America and Africa. However, until now, only a handful of Chinese books have made it onto historians' short lists. Yet China has a fascinating history of photobook publishing, and The Chinese Photobook reveals for the first time the richness and diversity of this heritage. This now available in a smaller size, more accessibly priced hardcover edition, volume is based on a collection compiled by Martin Parr and Beijing- and London-based Dutch photographer team WassinkLundgren. And while the collection was inspired initially by Parr's interest in propaganda books and in finding key works of socialist realist photography from the early days of the Communist Party and the Cultural Revolution era, the selection of books includes key volumes published as early as 1900, as well as contemporary volumes by emerging Chinese photographers.

A compelling social and cultural history of Britain since the Second World War, showing how photographers have depicted the country over the last seventy years. Another Country offers a lively, vital rethinking of British documentary photography over the last seven decades. This collection includes a diverse range of photographers working in an exciting array of photographic and artistic modes, encompassing images from iconic reportage to photo-text pieces, from self-portraits to political photo-collages. As Britain takes an increasingly significant place in the history of documentary photography, award-winning photography writer and critic Gerry Badger brings vital context and breadth to the conversation. Organized chronologically, each chapter spans a particular period of social and cultural history, focusing on the major photographers, figures, institutions, publications and galleries that shaped the photographic climate of their time, as well as the broader tastes of the era. Chapter-by-chapter picture sections present famous works alongside forgotten masterpieces, interspersed with focused commentaries on selected photographs by both Badger and a range of contributors. This multilayered approach provides a rich understanding of the evolution and sheer variety of British documentary photography. With more than 165 photographers represented - including work by Bert Hardy, Lee Miller, Bill Brandt, Nigel Henderson, Don McCullin, Jane Bown, Yinka Shonibare, Maud Sulter, Nadav Kander, Tom Hunter, Chloe Dewe Matthews, Cold War Steve and many more - this book is a comprehensive overview of how photographers and photo-artists have depicted Britain and British society over the last seventy years.

Swedish photographer Gunnar Smoliansky has devoted himself to the medium since the 1950s, originally working as a photographer's assistant and attending courses under Christer Stroemholm. Between 1956 and 1965 he worked as an industrial photographer and since 1965 practiced as an independent artist. Smoliansky works exclusively in black and white and develops his photographs by hand in the darkroom. Stockholm has been the focus of Smoliansky's photographic world, particularly the areas of Soedermalm and Saltsjoe-Boo where he has lived and worked for most of his life. This book explores Smoliansky's photographic oeuvre, focusing on nine publications originally created by Smoliansky in cooperation with art director Henrik Nygren between 2002 and 2008. These include both slim volumes and an imposing monograph. With one exception, all were originally published in Swedish, but all have been translated to English for this publication. A newly written tenth chapter brings this essential artistic career up to the present day. Despite the range of themes and material, the intention throughout has been the same: to try to shine a light on a man of integrity, an artist whose life work was as unique as it was consistent - Henrik Nygren.