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35 Best Photography Books in 2024 (Updated)

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Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs is our favorite photography book. It’s the ultimate how-to guide that explores techniques, styles, and practical tips. Buying this book is the first step to becoming a better photographer.

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Finding the Best Photography Books

There are so many amazing photography books out there it can be hard to find what you’re looking for.

There are photography books to learn about the art form’s history. There are photo books to help you with your composition. And there are also ones to inspire you from some of the photography greats!

We have every type of photography book, so the list is fairly extensive. But we’ve broken it down so you can find the book you need. Click on one of the links below to skip to your desired section.

• Photography basics
• Composition and technique
• Photography lighting
• Niche photography books
• Collections and compilations
• Editing photography books

Best Books on Photography Basics

Learning how to take amazing pictures requires a strong foundation of the basics. If you struggle with these areas, read publications on the basics of photography . I assure you that you’ll learn much faster.

Here’s a quick look at the best books on photography basics. We’ll take a more detailed look at each book in the section after.

• Great entry-point for new photographers
• Full of practical guides for easy learning
• Playful language anyone can understand
• One of the most popular photography guide books
• Specific chapters on portrait, sports, and wedding photography
• A helpful book if you're looking to make money in photography
• Takes a deep dive into all aspects of digital photography
• Everything is covered, from camera basics to photo editing
• A rich recourse even experienced photographers can use

• Career-focused objective from the outset
• Well-explained, practical guidance to help you master your camera
• The author's wealth of experience give the words heft

• A complete and comprehensive study of photography
• Teaches techniques and skills with suggestions for equipment
• Chapters on editing and organizing your photos

• Awe-inspiring illustrations throughout the book
• Well-explained tutorials for absolute beginners
• A perfect choice for younger photographers

• Great explanations on different cameras and how to get the most out of them
• Fantastic illustrations with the settings used to capture them
• Written by one of LIFE's most prominent photographers

• One of the most popular photography books for beginners
• Gives you a technical foundation from which you can flourish
• Author has a personal and easy-to-follow style of writing

• Teaches you how to express yourself through photography
• New dedicated chapters on digital photography
• A beneficial read for anyone interested in the visual arts

• Helps you see history through the lens of a camera
• Explores the cultural impact of the camera
• An interesting read for any history buff

• A timeless classic that still holds up
• Helps you understand how context can change a photo's meaning
• It'll take your image-making in a new direction

1. Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs

Are you looking for the best photography how-to books for beginners? Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs is worth checking out. It has practical guides, easy-to-read text, and simple, playful language. It’s easy for a beginner to follow!

This book offers an excellent foundation for improving as a photographer. It puts beginners on the fast track to better photography results. And even experienced photographers will find useful information.

The book’s title might be in-your-face, but it’s not wrong. It also includes tips from 50 famous photographers !

2. The Digital Photography Book

The Digital Photography Book is the number-one, best-selling digital photography book. It has been translated into dozens of languages. And it remains one of the most comprehensive photography books available.

This book contains everything you need to get into photography. There are chapters on portrait photography . You can learn how to use a flash for pro results. It even gives you a head start on wedding and sports photography .

Scott Kelby’s award-winning book is a great companion. You will take it from your shelf again and again to reread it. It’s essential reading for anyone serious about picking up a digital camera.

3. Complete Digital Photography

If you like to explore the fine details of the craft, then Complete Digital Photography is for you. Written by photographer Ben Long, it teaches you all the basics of photography. It has everything from the mechanics of a camera to post-processing.

It covers both the technical aspects and the art of taking photos. With the level of detail and the number of topics this book covers, you won’t even need Google!

Ben Long’s book gives beginners a thorough introduction to digital photography. But it’s such a rich resource, so all digital photographers should take a look. There’s so much to learn in these pages.

4. Learning to See

Learning to See is for you if you want insider information from a seasoned professional. David Molnar is a professional at the top of the photography industry. His client list includes Pepsi, Sony, and Google. His photos have appeared in People Magazine and the New York Times .

Molnar takes you through the basics of photography. You learn how to use your camera and a range of photography techniques. But it’s all geared around making photography a career . It’s serious stuff. But it’s easy to follow and understandable for photographers at any level.

Buying this book is an investment in your photography career, and you will see a positive return. Expert advice doesn’t get much more expert than this.

5. Langford’s Basic Photography

Langford’s Basic Photography is for people who want to pursue photography as a career. Some might find it academic. But it’s one of the most comprehensive photography books for beginners.

This publication is valuable because it helps you choose the best camera and lens for your work. It even offers useful suggestions about the equipment you need for great lighting . Of course, it teaches you skills such as framing and measuring exposure.

Apart from the technical aspects, it also teaches you how to edit and organize your images, print, finish, and present them. This is one of the best books on photography to help you jump-start your professional work.

6. National Geographic Photo Basics

National Geographic magazine has been a source of inspiration for photographers for decades. Flip through the pages of any edition, and you’ll be itching to pick up your camera. But if you’re a beginner, you might not know how to achieve the best results.

National Geographic Photo Basics inspires with its stunning photographs. It teaches you photography basics so you can create images that are just as breathtaking. You don’t even need a camera to read this book. The early chapters help you choose a camera that’s right for you.

They then take you through the early stages of photography. It’s a fast track to competency with your camera. And it puts you on a path to creating glorious images like those in the book.

7. LIFE Guide to Digital Photography

Learn from one of the best photo books about photography on the market. The subtitle of the LIFE Guide to Digital Photography — Everything You Need to Shoot Like the Pros— pretty much sums it up.

Joe explains how to take advantage of your camera’s strengths. He also helps you understand when it is wise to outthink your camera and push it to its limits.

What I found useful was the short caption under each photo . It shows you the camera settings it took to create each image. Knowing which settings he uses to recreate breathtaking photos is always beneficial.

8. Understanding Exposure 4th Edition

With more than 350,000 copies sold, Understanding Exposure 4th Edition is one of the most popular books in photography. It demystifies the complex concepts of exposure for countless photographers.

This photography book maintains Bryan Peterson’s trademark easy-to-understand style. Its best section includes how to achieve successful exposures in challenging situations. This photography book also provides information about white balance , flash , and HDR photography .

Sure, these topics may seem a bit advanced. But Peterson makes it all easy to understand. You can always take this with you for better photos anytime, anywhere, and with any camera.

9. The Art of Photography

Bruce Barnbaum’s The Art of Photography was originally published in 1994 and was first revised in 2010. The 2017 edition has dedicated chapters on digital photography.

It represents and explores the more artistic and conceptual sides of photography . And it helps you develop your artistic voice as a photographer. It features 200 color and black-and-white photos accompanied by easily readable text.

Anyone interested in the visual arts should read this book. It is beneficial to graphic designers, cinematographers, and even painters.

10. Photography

Marien’s Photography is a fascinating account of how photography has altered our perception of the world. She shows us history through the lens of a camera. It’s a gripping account. And the illustrations are spectacular!

This book is easy to understand as you don’t need any technical knowledge. And it’s not just for photographers. Any history buff will be gripped and excited by this photography book.

It aims to educate and inform us about photography. It gives information about photography and photographers within their historical and cultural contexts.

11. On Photography

Susan Sontag’s On Photography was first published in 1977. It is one of the most-read books about photography. And it remains an evergreen book for photographers. On Photography contains essays about the changing meaning of photography and photographs.

She examines the role photography plays in different circumstances. Most importantly, she looks at photography’s impact on us and the world. This book is for anyone interested in image-making.

It’s a seminal piece of work everyone should read. It’s eye-opening, educational, and inspiring.

Best Books on Composition and Technique

Once you know what you’re doing, the next step is to hone those skills. The secret is to learn what makes photos great. You then make a goal to replicate that in your photos.

I’ve learned a lot from the books on this list. What these publications teach can be a lot of information to take in at once. But when you master the techniques, your photos will improve dramatically!

• A great book for photographers of all levels
• Teaches you how to create dynamic pictures everywhere
• The techniques can be used with any camera including smartphones

• Expert advice from a master of landscape photography
• Useful for landscape photographers at all skill levels
• A blend of technical and conceptual advice for better landscapes

• Helps you achieve the best results in any location
• Tells you how to achieve studio results when working on location
• A great book for portrait, fashion, and product photographers

• Chock full of portrait inspiration
• Broadens your mind for more creative portraiture
• Portrait, fashion, and even boudoir photographers will learn a lot

• Packed with practical and conceptual advice
• Helps sharpen your vision as a photographer
• Easy-to-follow writing style

• Improves your composition with eye-opening ideas
• Helps you find your visual voice
• Gives tips on avoiding photography clichés

• Full of McNally's iconic photography work
• True expert advice from an industry insider
• Practical advice that's explained well and easy to read

• Ideal for black and white photo enthusiasts
• Breaks down the key elements of B&W photography
• Excellent bold and dynamic photography examples

1. Extraordinary Everyday Photography

Photography is not just taking pictures of staged portraits and exotic travel destinations . Photography is looking at simple things with a new perspective.

Extraordinary Everyday Photography teaches you to capture the unexpected in the mundane. It can be your local park or the street where you live.

Rather than teach photography techniques, the photo book inspires photographers. It includes examples from DSLRs and smartphone cameras . It shows that good photography doesn’t depend on gear or location. Instead, it depends on the photographer’s eye.

2. The Landscape Photography Book

Here’s another book by award-winning photographer and author Scott Kelby. It’s a must-read if you’re interested in landscape photography or plan to start shooting landscapes.

But you don’t have to be a beginner to find new ideas and tips in The Landscape Photography Book . You’ll learn new skills, improve your composition , and sharpen your vision.

3. Studio Anywhere

Finding an excellent spot to shoot can often be overwhelming. Studio Anywhere is a must-read for photographers who are unlucky in picking the perfect location. Nick shows us how to use any less-than-ideal location and still get amazing portraits.

He offers practical tips for creating a portfolio without a dedicated studio space. This book is perfect for anyone who needs help conceptualizing shoots with minimal equipment .

4. One Face Fifty Ways

This fabulous photography book explores the art of portraiture. It shows how to take 50 different types of shots of the same model, and it’s a practical guide that uses simple camera techniques.

But do you know what makes One Face Fifty Ways even more valuable? It uses budget-friendly items from your wardrobe to create a wide variety of shots.

5. The Photographer’s Eye Remastered

Michael Freeman is on this list twice—and for good reason. I love the way he writes.

Design is the most critical factor in creating a successful photograph. It helps your ability to see the potential for a strong picture. You then organize the graphic elements into a productive and compelling composition.

The Photographer’s Eye Remastered is a must-read photography book for beginners. It trains you to develop your visual style early on, and it’s unique compared to the other publications on this list.

6. The Photographer’s Mind

The nature of photography includes the demand to intrigue the viewer continually. So this book aims to answer the question, “What makes a photograph great?” It explores how top photographers achieve this goal time and time again.

The Photographer’s Mind provides invaluable knowledge you can’t learn from practical guides. For instance, it helps you avoid clichés on the cyclical nature of fashion , style, mannerisms, and light. It even shows you how to handle the unexpected.

7. The Moment it Clicks

The Moment it Clicks illustrates Joe McNally’s different techniques throughout his career. I’m sure you’ll recognize many of his photos from magazine covers. You gain insight into how each shot was taken, including his equipment.

You also gain useful knowledge about the challenges of each type of project. This photography book is excellent for setting up a similar shot.

8. Creative Black and White

Creative Black and White is one of the best black-and-white photography books ever published. Black-and-white photography poses unique challenges. It makes the point that contrast , lighting, and composition are crucial without color.

Renowned photographer Harold Davis explains these elements in this book. He demonstrates the basic rules of black-and-white photography and shows you when and how to break them.

Best Books on Photography Lighting

Lighting is an intrinsic component of photography. Mastering it can take years, and it’s more complex than understanding other aspects, like exposure settings . But you can always speed up this process by learning from the pros.

Amateurs rarely achieve great lighting. But learning techniques from these great photography books is the best way to improve. You’ll have professional illumination in no time!

• Best book on working with flashes for Canon users
• Fantastic tips and techniques for using flash lights for different effects
• Useful for any photographer, not just Canon users

• Joe's experience inspires and educates
• Tells you how to use flashes for maximum effect
• Great tips for different low-light conditions

• Techniques for maximizing natural light
• DIY tips for getting the most out of your gear
• Helps you master a variety of lighting techniques for dramatic photos

1. Speedliter’s Handbook

Speedliter’s Handbook is mainly for Canon camera users, but it is still useful for people who use other cameras. Most of the information can be used with other camera brands .

This is an excellent book for those new to flash photography . Using clear language, this book is also ideal for anyone who has given up learning out of frustration.

Arena teaches you everything from creating a classical portrait to shooting an event . Whatever it is, this photography book will show you how.

2. Hot Shoe Diaries

Joe shares his lighting solutions for many beautiful images in Hot Shoe Diaries . Joe’s photographs are quite inspirational. He uses a flash every time he shoots his subjects.

Using Nikon speedlights , Joe lets you in on his uncensored thought process. He demonstrates how he makes his pictures with these small flashes.

3. Studio Anywhere 2: Hard Light

Nick Fancher’s second entry on our list— Studio Anywhere 2: Hard Light —teaches you how to master light. He gives tips and techniques on maximizing and controlling natural light . And he goes deep into using artificial light , like flashes.

He provides experienced information about lighting equipment and some handy DIY tips for getting the most out of what you have. He shows you how to shape, bounce, and manipulate light in any location. You’ll be a light master before you get to the final page!

Best Niche Photography Books

Lots of publications focus too much on the most popular genres in photography. But what if you’re into a specific style, such as food or still-life photography ? Are there any options for you out there? The answer is yes, and there are a lot of them!

For this section, we are only covering five. But even if you don’t practice the niche topics on this list, you should still consider reading them. Who knows? You might end up liking them! Or, if anything, you might learn a thing or two that you can apply to your work.

• Well-structured and highly consumable information
• Each principle is explained and illustrated well
• Opens your eyes to new aspects in travel photography

• Helps you construct stronger and more dynamic images
• Brilliant tips for improving composition
• Illustrations include work from photography masters

• Teaches you about 35mm, medium format, and large format photography
• Explains everything you need to know from loading film to printing in a dark room
• Fantastic techniques that use digital technology to enhance your film photography

• The authority on building a social media brand
• Teaches you how to take pictures for social media formats
• Timeless advice for ever-changing tech platforms

1. The Enthusiast’s Guide to Travel Photography

The Enthusiast’s Guide to Travel Photography is the best book to pick up before your next backpacking trip. Travel photography is perhaps one of the most challenging genres in photography.

A travel photographer must know how to photograph several niches, such as food and wildlife . This book provides all the photo knowledge you need to travel the globe.

Of course, it includes the usual lessons on architecture and urban photography . But it also includes tips on taking portraits of strangers and nighttime landscapes.

2. Still Life in Photography

Still Life in Photography isn’t necessarily a collection of tutorials. Instead, it’s a compendium of the works of some of the best still-life photographers .

The photos come from the J Paul Getty Museum, so the collection feels limited. But regardless, the samples you see are enough to inspire you to create your own masterpieces.

Photographers in this book include Edward Weston, Irving Penn, and Roger Fenton. They’re big names with incredible work that will get your attention!

3. The Film Photography Handbook

Film photography is back in fashion. Whether you’re a film photography veteran or a beginner, you need The Film Photography Handbook . This is the ultimate handbook for film photography . It has all the necessary information, from loading film to printing photos.

What makes this invaluable is that it includes digital technology in the mix. Where else can you find a book that shows you how to digitize your film? It even shows you how to use your smartphone as a light meter!

4. Capture Your Style

Instagram evolves so fast that any book written about it could be useless by now. But social media star Aimee Song’s Capture Your Style is an outlier.

The book was published in 2016 to massive fanfare. Years later, it remains one of the authoritative books on Instagram and influencer photography. Song teaches you the basics of taking pictures for Instagram and shows you how to gain followers and become Instagram-famous .

Sure, there are tons of new features on Instagram that you can’t find in this older book. But the main tenets of social media photography are still there and will remain for years. Because, in the end, taking click-worthy photos will never be out of fashion.

Best Collection and Compilation Books

You can learn a lot by looking at other people’s photos. It’s what makes these books on photography as crucial as regular textbooks.

But it was hard to choose one photographer over another for this list. I felt I had to disregard 100 photographers for each one I included.

The photographers below are perhaps some of my ultimate idols in photography. But they are by no means the only ones I look up to.

• A brilliant visual history of a momentous decade
• Beautifully printed and well-written accounts
• A must-have for fans of modern history

• A fantastic collection from an icon of American photography
• Printed well with crisp and clear photographs
• A personal view into 1950s America

• Breathtaking wildlife and natural photographs
• Includes classic images from early NGO publications
• Documents the lengths the photographers took to achieve these incredible photos

• A behind-the-lens account from a pioneer of photography
• Illustrated with incredible black and white images
• A personal account that helps you improve your own photography skills

• Includes hundreds of iconic images from the pages of LIFE
• Features work from the finest photographers of the last century
• A true expression of cultural history any history buff can enjoy

• Contains some of Capa's most memorable war images
• Demonstrates Capa's versatility as a photographer
• Shows the basis for modern photojournalism

Decade was a birthday present from a past birthday, and I’ve picked it up daily since then. It’s easy to understand why this is one of the best photo books.

It’s a collection of famous photos of memorable events between 2000 and 2010. Each image has a brief description that serves as a history lesson.

It jogs your memory and reminds you what a momentous decade it was. It’s a good source of inspiration. But it’s also a great coffee table book or conversation piece.

2. Robert Frank

Robert Frank is a fantastic collection of photos from the seminal photographer. He was a central figure who documented the United States in the 1950s.

He also created some of the most iconic images from that era. Frank’s cultural documentation is invaluable for anyone interested in that period.

It is hard to believe his photos came from one photographer’s viewfinder. It covers racial tension, glamor , and Americans’ love for cars . The latter might be because Frank himself had a fondness for the road.

He shows a cultural history with a human touch. This book is a great reminder of America’s past through fantastic images. This famous photographer’s inspirational work deserves to be on your bookshelf.

3. National Geographic Image Collection

Behind this title lies one of the most compelling graphic resources on Earth. I present The National Geographic Image Collection .

It’s an archive that includes a wide range of images from the earliest photos from the late 19th century to modern ones taken today. It includes iconic and never-before-seen images from around the world.

Of course, we already know that this book represents thousands of species. But it also showcases terrific human achievements in exploration, adventure, and science. They are placed in a historical, artistic, technical, and journalistic context.

If you’re into portraits, look at National Geographic’s book of portraits .

4. Examples

Examples has some of the best black-and-white photography I’ve ever seen. Each of Adams’ 40 photographs presented here accompanies an engaging narrative . The text explores the technical and aesthetic problems of each scene he photographed.

For famous photographers, Ansel Adams is at the top of the list. So grab a copy to understand what makes this one of the best photography books.

5. LIFE 70 Years of Extraordinary Photography

LIFE 70 Years of Extraordinary Photography is one of the best photography books, with over 70 years of great images. And they all come from one of the most influential magazines of the 20th century— LIFE .

This book is like Decade and National Geographic Image Collection.   LIFE 70 Years of Extraordinary Photography presents history in photos. It highlights the most famous and beautiful pictures from the magazine’s history. It has some of the best photography you will ever see.

6. Robert Capa

Robert Capa is the father of modern photojournalism . He was fearless, brave, and had a fantastic eye for a photo. He is most well-known for his war reportage, snapping violence in the Spanish Civil War and World War II.

His shots remain some of the most famous examples of wartime. But he was more than just a war photographer. This collection shows the true breadth of his photography work.

His documentary work is powerful and poignant. You also find intimate and engaging portraits.

Capa was a true photography talent. And his photographs are still as striking as ever.

Best Post-Processing Photography Books

When you’ve been out taking photos all day, there are always going to be a few that need extra work. If you’re shooting in RAW , there will be a lot. So below are the best books on the three most popular post-processing software.

• Adobe Lightroom
• Adobe Elements
• Adobe Photoshop

• A must-have for anyone using Adobe Lightroom
• Written by one of the world's leading photographers and editors
• The plain-English style makes it accessible for all users

• The most comprehensive book on Photoshop Elements
• Handy practical tips for getting setup and organizing work
• Detailed and thorough but understandable throughout

• The official Adobe workbook
• Takes you through the basics to more advanced editing techniques
• Valuable for anyone in the creative industries
• The language is accessible for everyone from beginners to experienced editors

1. The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic CC Book for Digital Photographers

As mentioned, Scott Kelby is an American photographer and the author of many books. He is an avid user and educator of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.

He did his biggest update with The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic CC Book for Digital Photographers . He shares all his latest techniques, insights, and invaluable tips for Lightroom.

His award-winning, step-by-step, plain English style makes learning Lightroom easy and fun. He shares his settings and time-tested techniques. This book consists of proven methods for learning Lightroom. You can begin using it like a pro from the start.

2. Mastering Adobe Photoshop Elements 2022

Mastering Adobe Photoshop Elements 2022 is the book for using Adobe Photoshop Elements for photo editing. It’s thorough, detailed, and extremely well-written.

Any photographer can breeze through the pages and learn as they go. It’s a great way for beginners to get a head start on photo editing with Photoshop Elements.

Nicolas provides useful tips and techniques for managing your setup and organizing your library. But he doesn’t only focus on editing. He also helps you develop your visual style.

Adobe software can seem daunting for photographers new to photo editing. But this book is understandable and practical. It’s an investment worth making.

3. Adobe Photoshop Classroom in a Book

For beginners, Adobe Photoshop can be stressful and challenging to learn. Post-production software has a very steep learning curve. Thankfully, Andrew Faulkner and Conrad Chavez created Adobe Photoshop Classroom in a Book .

Don’t worry if the title gives you flashbacks from your school days. It’s well-written and easy to understand. It takes you through the basics. And you never feel like you’re being talked down to.

Plus, all the text is accompanied by helpful illustrations. It helps you click in all the right places!

Bonus Book: Your Camera Manual!

Your camera manual contains so much information—not just irrelevant facts specific to your camera. The day I got my first DSLR , I took out the manual and began reading. I must have read it while playing with my camera for two weeks.

It always frustrates me when friends don’t know how to do something on their cameras. That’s the one thing holding them back. They’d be much better photographers if they knew how to work their cameras. So I encourage you to read it.

Conclusion: The Best Photography Books

These days, you can find everything you need about photography online. But nothing compares to flipping the pages and viewing printed pictures. So go ahead and pick up a book. You’ll learn, develop, and find inspiration.

Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs is our favorite photography book. Any photographer can pick it up and learn something new, and that’s true of all the photography books on our list.

There are hundreds of amazing photography books. But these 35 are the best photography books right now!

Popular Content

The Best Books of 2023

A Smithsonian magazine special report

ARTS & CULTURE

The ten best photography books of 2023.

Our favorite titles this year will make readers feel the power of visual storytelling

Donny Bajohr , Jeff Campagna and Quentin Nardi

The world of photography has left an indelible mark on this year through a stunning array of captivating books. These visual narratives have transported us across cultures, captured the essence of moments and unveiled the extraordinary in the ordinary.

Among the standout releases of the year, Believable: Traveling With My Ancestors by Lola Flash emerged as a poignant exploration of our shared humanity that, at the same time, embraces our rich differences. The juxtaposition of vibrant colors and intimate portraits within its pages is a testament to the power of visual storytelling. Eugene Richards’ In This Brief Life reminisces 50 years of social documentary photography, skillfully allowing the viewer to step back in time. From fleeting glances to transient landscapes, the book beautifully underscores the temporal nature of existence. And Keith Carter’s monochromatic masterpiece Ghostlight uses stark contrasts to convey profound emotional depth. The interplay of light and shadow within its frames serves as a silent poetry, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the quiet narratives embedded in each photograph.

As we close this chapter, these photo books are representative of the artistry and diversity present in the field of photography today. They provide a visual odyssey through the collective stories of our global community, and as we eagerly anticipate the work of this coming year, these books leave an enduring legacy in the ever-evolving tapestry of visual arts.

Believable: Traveling With My Ancestors by Lola Flash

New York City-based photographer and LGBTQIA+ activist Lola Flash ’s long-overdue first book is a striking collection of portraiture embracing individuals of all ages, genders, orientations and colors. Flash brings out the beauty within their subjects and ensures that they are truly seen. “Queerness, in Flash’s multiverse, is bathed in color, imbued with love, an embrace: infinitely generous and open,” writes Renée Mussai, artistic director and chief curator of Germany’s Walther Collection , in the book’s introduction.

Believable: Traveling With My Ancestors spans four decades of Flash’s work. “It’s pretty much my whole life stuck in there,” they said during a talk at New York City’s School of Visual Arts earlier this year. It begins with Flash’s potently electric “Cross Color” series, documenting queer Black life as an ACT UP member during the AIDS crisis. Visually, Flash played with viewers’ expectations, printing their images on negative paper, creating a saturated world where colors were reversed (blue is printed as red, for example). That’s followed by Flash’s “LEGENDS” series: portraits of LGBTQ+ individuals who lived their true selves, regardless of societal norms or homophobia, paving the way for others to do so later. And their series “ Salt ” features highly accomplished women over the age of 70 who still have an impact on society—all heroes in the photographer’s eyes. Believable reaches right up to Flash’s ongoing Afrofuturist self-portraiture series, “ Syzygy, the Vision ,” an exploration of the past, current and future oppression of people of color through the artist’s orange-jumpsuit-clad avatar.

Looking back over the arc of a career’s work on these pages, Flash observes “a wonderful cohesion of powerful themes.” They tell Smithsonian , “As a queer person who grew up with a huge lack of LGBTQ+ visual resources, I am grateful to be part of the necessary change toward fairness and inclusion.” —Jeff Campagna

In This Brief Life by Eugene Richards

The acclaimed Eugene Richards dove into his archive of 50 years of social documentary photography to showcase mostly unseen work in his latest book, In This Brief Life . Before the idea for the book was born, on his son Sam’s suggestion, Richards posted the photographs to his Instagram, something he had previously avoided. “The Instagram experience ­became a kind of revelation, as viewers sought to know more about the people in the pictures while also expressing wonder at the diversity of my subjects and their experiences,” Richards tells Smithsonian . The experiences are vast, from intimate moments in hospital rooms showing births, injuries and recoveries to scenes in the wetlands of northern Nigeria and the harsh farming landscape of South Dakota’s Gann Valley. “What prompted me, in most cases, to choose the photographs in this book was an emotional response,” says Richards. — Donny Bajohr

Remember Me by Preston Gannaway

San Francisco-based photographer Preston Gannaway ’s book Remember Me is a project 17 years in the making. At its heart, this beautiful, meditative work focuses on themes of love, loss, memory and the inevitable passage of time. In 2006, Gannaway, then a photojournalist at the Concord Monitor in New Hampshire, began working on a story about the St. Pierre family, whose mother, Carolynne, was dying of liver cancer. Gannaway grew close to the St. Pierres, and her images led to five stories in the newspaper and a 2008 Pulitzer Prize . A few years later, she returned to the family to continue photographing the youngest son, EJ, who had been only 4 when his mother died.

“There was this looming question: Would EJ remember Carolynne?” Preston tells Smithsonian . “How would she echo throughout his life after she was gone?” Remember Me includes photographs from Gannaway’s time with the family, documenting EJ’s gradual maturation and preserving important memories along the way. “Preston’s always been there, so I don’t really remember a time when she wasn’t there,” EJ, now a senior at the University of New Hampshire, told the Concord Monitor this year. “She’s always been pretty much just close as family.” — J.C.

Wires Crossed by Ed Templeton

Artist, photographer and former professional skateboarder Ed Templeton ’s Wires Crossed is an insider’s look at the subculture of skateboarding, blending personal memoir with a documentation of the DIY, punk-influenced sport from the 1990s to the early 2000s. While some photographs capture skateboarders executing seemingly impossible tricks, Templeton’s work shines best in the quiet moments behind the scenes, like his shot of someone strumming a guitar in a hotel room and his collages of polaroid portraits of characters he met traversing the United States on skateboarding tours. “I really wanted to make a photography book for photography fans. I knew the skate world would embrace it. But I needed to not alienate the art world by being too ‘insider,’” says Templeton in a recent Document Journal interview. — D.B.

Shark: Portraits by Mike Coots

The waves were particularly good off the coast of Kauai that fall morning in 1997, and 18-year-old surfer Mike Coots never saw it coming. A tiger shark bit his lower right leg, clamping down, shaking him violently, only letting go after he punched it in the head. Coots managed to get back to shore, but his leg was gone. “I felt no pain whatsoever,” Coots said in a recent interview with Surfer . “It happened very fast, the attack itself must’ve been less than ten seconds.”

Despite challenging circumstances, Coots didn’t give up the activity he loved, learning how to surf using a custom prosthetic leg. Surprisingly, the shark attack survivor became an advocate for the conservation of sharks, bringing a unique credibility to conversations. Coots helped pass Hawaii’s 2010 ban on the possession and sale of shark fins, even speaking at the United Nations and the U.S. Capitol. During his recovery, Coots discovered photography, a hobby that has since become his profession. His photographs capture the sea and human interactions with it.

Coots’ new photo book, Shark: Portraits , shows off his striking images of sharks—tiger sharks, great whites, lemons, oceanic white tips—in Hawaii, Mexico, the Bahamas, the Maldives and beyond. He isn’t afraid to get up close and personal with what he considers the “greatest muse on earth,” free diving and scuba diving, often with no cage. “The first thing you notice while diving with sharks is how beautiful they are, with some even having individual personalities,” Coots tells Smithsonian . “The goal of my shark photography is to show sharks in a beautiful, authentic light.” — J.C.

Painting Photographs by Alice Wong

Artist Alice Wong mines her archive of found images and puts paint to picture in her first monograph, aptly titled Painting Photographs . Taking a variety of vintage photographs of strangers from the past, such as an actress’ headshots, a couple happily cheesing for the camera at a cocktail bar, postcards of horsemen and cutouts from old magazines, Wong uses acrylic markers to add bold color and liveliness. Not all the overpaintings are of people; some feature dogs, landscapes and close-ups of flowers. All of the ubiquitous images of the American experience are given new life with the colorful palette of Wong’s whimsy. In the book, Bruno Decharme , pioneering French collector of Art Brut , says she “invites us on an inner voyage” and “creates a different kind of narrative, a truth that is her own.” — D.B.

Sneaker Freaker: World’s Greatest Sneaker Collectors

Sneaker Freaker: World’s Greatest Sneaker Collectors is a feast for your eyes. Or, perhaps more accurately, your feet?

Vintage footwear, skate shoes, basketball high-tops, and more are on gorgeous display in the seven-pound, 752-page anthology of sneakers. It even has a glossary for the uninitiated, with all the terms you’ll need to become a sneakerhead—or, a “footwear obsessive with a vast knowledge of history and likely to spend of their money on fresh sneakers.” For the already initiated, it’s still worth reading, as it covers essentials for the shoe collector, like the best ways to photograph, clean, repair and store your kicks (keep those original boxes, folks!) and to sniff out fakes.

Sneaker collecting is about quality, not quantity, Simon “Woody” Wood, the editor in chief of Sneaker Freaker magazine, tries to argue in the book’s introduction: “This is not just about putting big numbers on the boards, though accumulating hundreds—and sometimes thousands—of pairs is the natural progression.”

World’s Greatest Sneaker Collectors introduces readers to an interesting cast of characters—from Elliot Tebele, with his unbelievable compilation of game-worn Air Jordans, to Lee Deville and his obsessive quest to collect every Asics collaboration ever made. German sneakerhead Julia Schoierer, known for her love of Adidas high-tops, has nearly maxed out her apartment’s shoe capacity thanks to her passion for the hobby. “When I go to bed, I’m not praying for better health—I’m praying that I won’t be buried underneath a collapsing shoe rack next to my bed,” she says in the book. — J.C.

Ghostlight by Keith Carter

“I don't mean to sound melodramatic, but I’m pretty sure there are ghosts here,” says American photographer Keith Carter about Southern wetlands, in his latest book Ghostlight . I would have to agree after looking at the more than 100 black and white photographs in the book. Traversing swamps, marshes, bogs, fens , bayous and baygalls across Georgia, Louisiana and his home of East Texas, Carter creates haunting photographs that invoke the imagination. The collection includes mysterious portraits of locals, but it’s the animals and landscapes captured in macabre detail that make the book. Photographs of alligators popping just above the surface, endless moss hanging in the water, and deceased woodpeckers put on display only hint at the secrets of this harsh environment. — D.B.

The Horses by Gareth McConnell

The Horses is a beautiful, candy-colored acid trip of a book. Irish photographer Gareth McConnell began this equine series when he was sent on assignment for the New York Times “Voyages” issue to Skeidvellir, a town about 50 miles east of Reykjavik, to depict the diminutive Icelandic horses. Visually, he wanted to make it abundantly clear the series wasn’t documentary work, opting instead for a more psychedelic approach. McConnell photographed his pony-sized, poofy-maned subjects both indoors and outdoors using flashlights, colored gels and, at times, an analogue film camera, creating highly saturated, dreamlike imagery. The title of McConnell’s book is derived from an Edwin Muir poem, “ The Horses ,” and the only line of text in the book, the highly appropriate, “Late in the evening the strange horses came,” is a quote from that poem.

“I didn’t want to impose any didactic reading, there is no text other than one line … so it can be: ‘Wow, it’s a book of unicorns and psychedelic My Little Ponies,’” McConnell tells Smithsonian . “Or it can be a darker reading—horse as a metaphor for man’s will imposed on others, for the broken bond with nature and with him/herself with the great creating force.” — J.C.

Still Life by Doan Ly

Still Life is a photographic celebration of the work of New York City-based florist, artist and photographer Doan Ly . Her blend of skills is on full display in floral arrangements masterfully photographed in playful and surprising ways.

The book begins with a quote from the artist: “I want to be caught off guard. I want to see anew. I want to experience a quiet moment that is larger than life. I want to learn something, but mostly, I want to share beauty and bring joy.” As you flip through Still Life , the moments of beauty and joy are instant; flowers posed for portraits with a human-like quality delight. While much of her work suggests inspiration from Old Masters’ still life paintings, Ly’s work feels current with her masterful usage of color and lighting. Ly also finds muses in the people around her. For instance, her driver for a photo shoot once gleefully joined in the fun, posing intensely with a flower arrangement draping down her back as if it had been a part of her for her entire life. — D.B.

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Donny Bajohr | READ MORE

Donny Bajohr is the associate photography editor at Smithsonian . You can follow him on Instagram @donny_bajohr .

Jeff Campagna | | READ MORE

Jeff Campagna is a photo editor at Smithsonian magazine. You can follow him on Instagram at @jeffcampagna .

The Best Photo Books of 2024

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Shutterfly Photo Books

Unlimited layout combinations

Great print quality

Fast shipping

May be overwhelming for beginners

Mixbook Photo Books

Bright photos

Many page layouts

Quick shipping

Slightly flimsy binding

Artifact Uprising Photo Books

Soft and hardcover options

High-quality printing

Eco-friendly options

Fewer cover options

Milk Photo Books

Quality photo printing

Easy to customize

No option for text on cover

Picaboo Photo Books

Pages lay flat

Bright photo prints

Confusing customization tool

No autofill or text box option

Updated September 14, 2022

But there's another option that appeals to many, and particularly those who lived it up during the good ol' days of making scrapbooks. Instead of turning to double-sided tape and stickers, you can digitally upload photos directly from your phone to any number of online photo book maker services and turn them into a printed book with binding. Most photo book services allow you to design the book yourself for a truly personal touch.

Shutterfly is the best photo book you can make.

Shutterfly makes the best online photo book. From the ease of uploading photos, to unlimited layouts, a gorgeous print job, and quick shipping—this is the best photo book for your time and money.

Shutterfly offers ample layouts and designs, with additional options for text, graphic, and up to 25 photos per page. Using Shutterfly's online photo book platform, we were able to easily upload our photos and arrange them neatly.

Shutterfly offers one of the biggest layout and design options when it comes to online photo book services, making it easy to find a book style that suits you. You can also add text boxes and graphics to the pages. Though all these features and options give Shutterfly an edge, it’s fair to say the design process could feel overwhelming to some.

The physical photo book arrived and looked just like the online rendering. The cover is bright and shiny, and the pages have a nice weight to them without being overly stiff. Most importantly, the printed photos are colorful, clear, and crisp. Even the photos that take up a full page are high quality. We are incredibly impressed with the creative building process and the finished product, making Shutterly our number one pick for photo books.

Mixbook is the best photo book you can buy for the money.

When it comes to value, Mixbook makes the best photo books. Compared to other photo book services we tested, Mixbook is one of the most affordable print services without sacrificing the quality of more expensive photo books. The online interface took a minute to figure out, but once my images were uploaded, we enjoyed playing around with the various page options and how the photos looked in the different layouts.

There’s also an autofill option if you’d rather have your photos imported straight to the pages. And there are text boxes, frames, and graphics you can add to your pages to make them even more unique.

The front cover is clear and has a slightly matte finish. The interior pages are on the thicker side and the photos are bright, though the binding is flimsier than our best overall pick. Shutterfly. The printing quality is consistent no matter the size of the photo, and the colors are true to life.

And, the Mixbook photo book arrived through the mail quickly. One downside, though, is that the online interface takes some getting used to, mostly because there are so many options shown on screen at once.

For one of the best photo books for the money, you’ve got to go with Mixbook.

Other Photo Books We Tested

Artifact Uprising is a popular photo book service, especially for remembering events like weddings, graduations, and family vacations. While most photo books will look better with professional photos, Artifact Uprising’s materials and layouts cater to high quality images.

The full-page image options look like they will allow your photos to shine for years to come.

We found Artifact Uprising’s online customization process easy to navigate. It was easy and quick to batch upload my photos and start toying around with page layouts and the order of my images. Plus, Artifact Uprising offers some eco-friendly options like 100% recycled options and reclaimed materials like wood fibers and pine wood blocks.

There was the option to auto-populate the book, which is great if you aren’t sure where to start or want to save time. We had the online system autofill the book and then moved a few things around to our liking. There is also an option to add text boxes. However, the design tool has fewer cover and layout options than our best overall selection.

The finished product is a beautiful, minimalist-style photo book that balances white space with the photos. The page layouts look just like they did when we designed them online. For the most part, the photos are crisp and colorful, but a few are slightly darker than what we uploaded.

One thing we'd do differently next time, though, is make sure not to have photos go all the way to the center of the page because some are slightly cut off by the binding, which we didn’t notice in the online rendering.

Creating a photo book using Milk Handcrafted Photo Books was fun, straightforward, and rewarding. The online creation tool was easy to use with a quick photo upload, a single cover option, and many page layouts.

It was easy to customize the pages without being overwhelming or confusing, and though the layouts were limited we had more than enough to create a book we liked.

The fabric exterior is a nice touch, though it means there isn’t a label on the spine or front cover; but there is a title page which is unique.

The photos are printed well with accurate colors, clarity, and just enough shine. The pages and bindings are pretty durable, making this one of the best photo books we've tested.

Picaboo’s photo book process had a balance of pros and cons, but ultimately it ranks lower on our list due to its confusing online customization tool.

The beginning part of the build process went smoothly: The photos uploaded quickly, we chose a cover that rendered well on the surface, and we were pleased with the variety of layout options.

However, we found the online tool overwhelmingly complicated because it had grouped pages in “spreads” with some photos laid out across the binding of the book on one or both pages when the book was flat. We wanted to avoid parts of photos being cut off or hard to see, so we had to ungroup all the spreads in the book before we could pick the layouts we liked and arrange photos.

Despite the headaches, the photo book looked amazing once it arrived. The pages are a bit flimsy but lay flat, which is a feature we love. The cover photo is a bit dark, but the rest of the photos are bright, clear, and true to color.

From start to finish, Vistaprint offers one of the best photo book services. Our photos uploaded quickly, and we were able to use the autofill option to create the base of the book, which makes the process so much easier.

There are only a few photo layout options, but each offers plenty of room and you can select how many photos you want per page.

One gripe we have is with the cover photo. We wanted to use a horizontal image on the vertical photo book. Instead of letting us zoom out with extra white space, the cover photo is zoomed in and cuts off people in the photo.

In person, the Vistaprint photo book impresses with stunning print quality that looks true to what we created online. Even the full page photos are clear and crisp.

The cover cuts off the left and right edge of the photo, and when we run our hands across it, we can feel some small bubbles in the printing.

As long as you have a vertical cover image and don’t mind limited layout options, the Vistaprint photo book is a solid option.

Quick batch upload

Bubbly cover

Few layout options

Flimsy pages

Using Walmart Photos to create a photo book is a bit of a mixed bag—the process was both simple and frustrating. On one hand, we could easily upload photos, select a cover, navigate the layouts, and even use the autofill option.. But on the other hand, Walmart Photos doesn't have any options for text boxes like other online photo book services do.

We found that the size of some images in the layouts seemed small, which meant the final product had a lot of white space and the photos didn’t look as great. The borders for each page are large too, causing the book to look unbalanced.

The photo book itself is low quality: The pages are very thin, the photos are dull, and the cover image is blurry.

Ample layout options

Flimsy Pages

No text options

Creating a photo book with Snapfish is an uncomplicated process similar to others in our guide. We were able to batch upload photos, customize the cover, and place photos ourselves or use an autofill option.

Snapfish offers many different layouts, but the main thing that sets it apart from other services is that many of the layouts require five or more photos. We didn’t like how small that meant each photo needed to be, so we opted to use the layouts for four photos or fewer.

When we got the book, we were disappointed to see that the cover photos (and ones inside the book) appeared to be overexposed—too bright for our liking. Additionally, the colors of the images inside of the book were not entirely accurate and differed slightly from what we originally submitted.

The binding of the book is decently strong, but the pages are flimsy to the point that they feel as if they’d rip if you flip through it. Because the product is average, I’d opt for another service that has more layouts and a better final product.

Dull colors

Unfortunately, our experience with Pinhole Press was aggravating from start to finish. The batch photo upload tool didn’t work well and was slow, and once we selected a cover, we weren’t able to resize, zoom, or make it on the vertical page. The bottom line is that the design tool made filling the book with photos more difficult than other photo books we tested. Pinhole Press also lacks options for text boxes, which most other online photo book services offer.

When the book arrived, we were disappointed to see that it looked nothing like the online preview—two people were cut off in the photo and the title text was so hard to read that we barely noticed it was there. Additionally, the color of the photos in the book appeared darker than other photo books we tested.

On the plus side, the Pinhole Press photo book is durable and sturdy, with thick pages similar to that of a high school yearbook. However durable the photo book is, though, it's not the kind of quality you'll get with our best overall pick.

Thick pages

Difficult cover customization

Dark photos

Complicated photo upload

Amazon Photos only makes photo books in a single size with limited design options. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for a simple, barebones photo book, but if you want something truly customizable, check out Shutterfly instead.

Most other photo books come in a variety of sizes, but Amazon's is only available in an 8-inch by 8-inch size. There's also only one image per page—far more limiting than any other service we tested.

You don’t get to be creative with the images or placement, but the book becomes thick the more images you include since each image is another page.

The finished photo book was durable, with a matte cover and thick pages. Most of the photos printed well but have a dark tint that wasn’t present in the original photos and many other photo books we tested.

Somewhat dark photo printing

One photo per page

One size only

We disliked each step of making a photo book with Printique. For starters, the photo upload tool had one of the longest upload times, which slowed down the design process. Printique has limited layouts, it was difficult to customize each page because I had to manually adjust the images to be the same size or have symmetrical borders. Other photo books we tested automatically adjusted.

Disappointingly, the front and back cover feel like one large sticker spread across the thicker cover material, and in some places there are even bubbles. Printique is one of the more expensive options, so we were disappointed with the poor product given the price.

The interior of the book is quite nice, with incredibly durable pages and brightly printed photos. It’s worth noting that though the pages are thick and strong, the materials are vinyl-like, which we didn’t select. If you’re looking for a flat or matte option this isn’t that—it’s much shinier and almost has a dotted pattern in the light.

Vinyl-like pages

Slow batch upload

Cheap cover

How We Tested Photo Books

We evaluated each photo book's print quality and brightness.

Each photo book was tested in two steps. The first assessment was an evaluation of the online creation process, accounting for photo uploading, the design tools, and placing an order.

The second test evaluated how the physical photo book turned out, including photo printing quality, page material, book covers, and the like.

I’m Liv Birdsall, a contributor to Reviewed where I review lifestyle products ranging from beauty and style to home and garden. I was thrilled to test out photo books because I love memory keeping. I opted to create a photo book using images from my yoga certification training to use as a reference now that I teach yoga.

We created each photo book by uploading the same 45 to 50 photos to each site’s online design tool and tried different features like auto filling the book with photos, adjusting the photo sizes, and moving pages around. We used the same image on the cover of each book to see how it would render and print. We made sure to use all the photos in each book, and then completed the orders for all the books.

Once the photo books arrived, we flipped through them and compared the printing quality. Some photos were dark and dull, some were bright, some were exposed or blurry, and some were true to color. We assessed the pages, bindings, cover quality, and how durable each book felt.

What You Should Know About Buying a Photo Book

We tested the best photo books that you can make online.

Buying a photo book is typically a two part process: designing the book and then ordering the book. The design steps can be as involved as you’d like, similar to scrapbooking.

Some photo book websites allow you to add frames, graphics, and text boxes to each page to customize every detail. Before you begin designing, you’ll first want to gather all your photos for the book in one folder; this is to streamline the uploading process and to get an idea of how large of a photo book you’ll need.

When it comes to designing, give yourself time to be creative. If you want a photo book fast, use the auto-populate tool that many sites offer and then review the photos to make sure they aren’t cut off by any formats and are ordered to your liking.

If you’re looking to customize each page, adjust layouts and photos to make your photo book unique and reflective of the memories you want to capture.

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

Meet the tester

Liv Birdsall

Contributor

Liv Birdsall is a Freelance Contributor at Reviewed. She is most passionate about eco-friendly initiatives and alternatives and writes about sustainability across subject areas, including beauty, style, home and garden, and lifestyle. Her writing can be found on USA Today, Reviewed.com, Yoga Journal, and her blog muchmess.com. She works as a yoga teacher, QA Analyst, Copyeditor, and Blog Coordinator, all from her plant-filled home in Columbus, Ohio.

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WIRED Photo Department

Our 12 Favorite Photography Books of 2021

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more . Please also consider subscribing to WIRED

Push: J. Grant Brittain '80s Skateboarding Photography by J. Grant Brittain (Gingko Press) Read more

I Am Warning You by Rafal Milach (Gost Books) Read more

Tengo un Dragón Dentro del Corazón by Carlota Guerrero (Prestel) Read more

Encampment, Wyoming: Selections from the Lora Webb Nichols Archive 1899-1948 Edited by Nicole Jean Hill (FW Books) Read more

If you’ve ever wondered which artists inspire our WIRED photo department, wait no longer. We’ve asked our award-winning team of photo editors to compile a list of their favorite photography books from 2021. (Most were released in 2021; a few you can preorder for delivery in early 2022.)

The list covers everything from skateboard culture and horror-film inspired food to NASA’s awe-inspiring objects used for space exploration. We know photography books can be pricey, but they’re worth the investment. If you’re someone who can’t find the time to commit to a novel but still craves that sublime experience of being transported to Wyoming as a woman in the early 1900s or to a Black rodeo in modern-day California, then a book of gorgeous photos might be the perfect way to treat yourself.

Be sure to see our other buying guides for books, like our winter reading list , our gift guide for technology books , and our list of the best cookbooks of 2021 .

Push: J. Grant Brittain '80s Skateboarding Photography

I am a child of the 1980s. I was old enough to skate, and although I didn’t, I certainly hung out at all the skate parks in Phoenix, Arizona. Probably once every other month, I drove to LA to be one with all the grommets and established skaters and watch them fly and fall and bleed and laugh. 

The book of vintage shots by photographer and TransWorld Skateboarding magazine photo editor J. Grant Brittain is filled with every boardslide and ollie moment you could ever dream of. He’s right in there, like laying down in an empty swimming pool with his 35-mm film camera and fish-eye lens alongside skating legends like Kevin Staab, Steve Caballero, Rodney Mullen, and Tony Hawk. It doesn’t even look like they know they’re being photographed. They’re just doing their thing, all the while giving Brittain golden moments to capture. Thank you, Grant, for archiving and gathering and sharing all of these moments for us ’80s relics. —Anna Goldwater Alexander

I Am Warning You

Rafal Milach takes viewers through three regions of the world in his photographic series documenting the walls that separate politically divided territories: The American-Mexican border ( #13767 ), the Hungarian-Serbian-Croatian border ( I Am Warning You ), and the Berlin Wall ( Death Strip ). This book collects those photo series, along with a selection of essays that touch on the structural obstacles these walls cause and the detrimental impact they have on neighboring communities. Out-of-place structures take up space in mall parking lots in Tijuana, Mexico; man-made electrical barbed wire fences sit juxtaposed against nature reserves in Croatia; and bits of stone from the Berlin Wall continue to evoke memories of the “death strip,” a heavily surveilled area with excessive defense tactics. —Lauryn Hill

Tengo un Dragón Dentro del Corazón

Photographer Carlota Guerrero’s debut book is filled with art that is so powerful, I sometimes feel like I need to take a few steps back. Human connection is a recurring theme, and there is a lovely sculptural quality to her images, with groups of women connected by their braided hair, their hands and bodies, or their clothing. (You’ve certainly seen her instantly recognizable portrait of Solange Knowles from the cover of the album, A Seat at the Table .) Guerrero also honors an array of bodies in a way that is intentional and natural. Her book greets us with an impressive roster of women, including poet Rupi Kaur and writer Leticia Sala, who attest to her dynamic spirit and imagination. Guerrero’s body of work feels particularly relevant now, with art that celebrates women but also confronts and explores representations of the feminine. —Samantha Cooper

Encampment, Wyoming: Selections from the Lora Webb Nichols Archive 1899-1948

This is a small but meticulously crafted glimpse into the archive of 24,000 or so photographs that photographer Lora Webb Nichols produced and collected over the course of her lifetime, only seen by a handful of people before the publishing of this volume. The book's editor, Nicole Jean Hill, who first discovered the archive while participating as an artist-in-residence in Wyoming in 2012, writes of Nichols, “Lora does not fit the usual narrative of female photographers from this era, which commonly places cameras in the hands of wealthy women who pursued the medium as a pastime. Lora was an entrepreneur who used photography to provide a level of financial stability for herself and her family.” 

Photographs of hardened copper miners and loggers are contrasted with everyday familial routines—a woman brushing her hair, a sick husband resting in bed, a little girl and her pooch—each as tenderly photographed as the last. It’s a shame that Lora Webb Nichols’ work went unseen for so long, but the world of photography, and American history, is richer because of her eye. —Cameron Getty

Carlton Reid

Lauren Goode

Brenda Stolyar

Reece Rogers

I first encountered Donavon Smallwood’s recent body of work, Languor , this past summer during an impromptu visit to Baxter St , the gallery and project space at the Camera Club of New York. Nestled inside of one of the city’s most bustling neighborhoods, I found a 400-square-foot cocoon of quietude, tranquillity, and most of all, recognition. Smallwood’s black-and-white photographs put forth a simple assertion: Here are Black individuals experiencing peace in nature. I look forward to meeting this work again in its next iteration as Smallwood’s first monograph. — Charis Morgan

Looking Out From Within

There is no doubt that we are all Covided out by now, and that we've seen and heard too much about isolation and loneliness. Now is a time when our fatigued spirits are looking to be uplifted. Having said that, there is a mesmerizing beauty and meaningful quality to Julia Fullerton-Batten’s latest project, Looking Out From Within , that has struck me and stayed with me. We have lived through historical times, and Julia has captured the emotion and the essence of the pandemic lockdown in beautiful fine-art photography, with emotive, intimate portraits of people isolated in their homes—all shot at twilight to enhance the poignancy of their situation—coupled with equally intimate stories from the portraits’ subjects. She now brings the project together in a beautifully designed limited-edition artist book. This one ships in January 2022, but you can preorder it. —Dalia Nassimi

I Can’t Stand to See You Cry

Rahim Fortune’s I Can’t Stand to See You Cry shows there is strength in vulnerability. In his second photo book, Fortune moves us visually through an embrace of his home life in Texas. The book is filled with black-and-white imagery of friends, family, and community members whose subtle gestures are felt through nearly all of the 112 pages. Toward the end, the viewer finally sees the photographer's most vulnerable image: his father laying in bed while connected to breathing tubes and the delicate placement of his hand holding Fortune’s.

His documentation of environmental disparities and its intersection with health is also stark. Fortune shows the prevalence of industrialism in Texas and, even more intensely, its proximity to human life. Images of protests are also prevalent, along with images showing lonesome buildings surrounded by grass and air. Even while touching on these broad themes, intimacy remains the common thread that makes each image feel tangible. —Lauryn Hill I can’t stand to see you cry by Rahim Fortune is published by Loose Joints.

Horror Caviar

HORROR and FOOD in one book! One OMG-this-really-exists-and-it’s-in-my-hands book filled with gooey, dreadful, and delightfully gigantic photographs of recipes inspired by horror flicks. And as much as I wanted this to be just a photo book, it is actually a cookbook with the most splendidly gruesome and grotesquely alluring photographs I’ve ever seen. I really can’t get enough of them.

For example, “Snap Pea Gelatine Labyrinth” is an ode to The Shining . It's a Jell-O mold with snap peas in it, but unlike your Aunt Peggy’s Christmas delicacy, this dish is molded in the shape of a maze that’s a replica of the one where Jack Torrance met his demise in the 1980 thriller. It works. It all works so well. Honestly, my two favorite topics in this world, I kid you not, are horror and food. Third is cats, but cats weren’t invited to this party of goo. Or were they? There is actually a recipe called “Cat Chow,” which is a whole (headless) rabbit baked inside a clay cat figure that you sculpt yourself. An ode to Pet Sematary , naturally. —Anna Goldwater Alexander

The New Black West

The beautiful photographs in this book showcase the deep history of the Western Black Cowboys. Photographer Gabriela Hasbun captures the joy, wonder, and beauty of Black cowboy and cowgirl culture at the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo . It’s Black Cowboy Shit! Get on it! —Karen Williams

When flipping through the pages of Raymond Meeks’ new book, you can almost hear the faint snapping of twigs being stepped on, or the distant whispers and laughter of teenagers. You can smell the rotting fruit as the scent flows atop the river’s current. In Somersault , a project motivated by his daughter’s departure from home for university and foray into adulthood, Raymond Meeks explores the frightening unknown from the comfort of his own backyard. Through lyrical sequences of rich color photographs of dense thicket and fruit trees intertwined with black-and-white shots of withering building exteriors and portraits of his daughter, Meeks constructs a poetic love letter on what it means to live in a home, and what it means to leave it. —Cameron Getty

NASA: Past and Present Dreams of the Future

Benedict Redgrove's monumental volume is like no other book you’ve opened. You are suddenly catapulted into a world that you are normally never allowed to see. The photographer was granted special access to NASA’s spacecraft, labs, and facilities, and the detail he captured is extraordinary. He documents the enormous treasure trove of NASA’s history and presents it in the most beautiful form.

If the £150 (roughly $200) standard edition isn’t enough for you, Redgrove has now released the special £3,500 (roughly $4,630) “Apollo” edition. Each book is wrapped in the Apollo space suit material and secured inside a bag modeled on the original Apollo mission's tool bag. On top of that, each tool bag is hand-sewn by the same woman who made the original bags for the Apollo crews of the 1960s and ’70s. Throw in a personalized rubber name stamp—the same kind used by NASA to personalize the space suits for each astronaut—and you can feel a bit better about the price tag. There will only be 50 Apollo editions sold, each made to order and assembled by hand. —Dalia Nassimi

Gentlemen’s Club: Partners of Exotic Dancers

The fact that you have to click on a button reading “I am 18+ years old” to purchase or even look at this book makes me, naturally, want to devour all the pages immediately. It’s so worth the click.

Whenever I think of Chris Buck, I think funny. Humor. Hilarious. Witty. However, his latest book, Gentlemen’s Club: Partners of Exotic Dancers, does have some humor, but it’s actually mostly serious. Buck went around the US interviewing the partners of exotic dancers. I know I have definitely wondered about these empathetic, tuck-that-jealousy-deep-down, patient humans. Who are they? Do they feel rage or pride? To be included in Buck’s photo series, one of the partners has to be currently active as a dancer, and they have to be in a coupled relationship. We get a glimpse into the private lives of exotic dancers through a portrait of their romantic partners. Buck sits down with each couple—or sometimes just the non-dancer—and asks them a series of questions about their relationship. The portraits are spectacular, of course, and range from solo sittings with the partners to intimate portraits of the couples together. —Anna Goldwater Alexander

Louryn Strampe

Aarian Marshall

Julian Chokkattu

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The best photography books in 2023

These photography books cover everything from portraiture to photography history, so you can find something you love no matter what your interests.

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more ›

Photography books can be powerful tools. They can teach you to capture your favorite moments, provide tips on sparking creativity, or show you some of the most memorable moments in history. And they can make great gifts if you’re looking to encourage someone’s interest or spark a new one. Of course, photography books span many categories. You’ll need a different book if you’re growing your photography skills rather than simply enjoying beautiful photographs. As a result, we’ve selected a range of instructional books and those that act as conversation starters and let you appreciate the beauty of photography. No matter what kind of book you’re looking for, the best photography books should inspire and educate.

• Best overall: The Essence of Photography, 2nd Edition: Seeing and Creativity
• Best for inspiration: Behind the Camera: Creative Techniques of 100 Great Photographers
• Best for beginners: Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs of People
• Best for food photographers: The Food Stylist’s Handbook
• Best historical photos: Popular Photography: The World’s Most Iconic Photographs
• Best photo history: A World History of Photography
• Best for composition: The Photographer’s Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos
• Best for posing: The Photographer’s Guide to Posing: Techniques to Flatter Everyone
• Best for lighting: Light ― Science & Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
• Best technical book for beginners: Digital Photography Complete Course

Methodology: How we picked the best photography books

Photography is a broad book topic. To pick the best of the best, we considered the purpose of the book. You can think of photography books as coming from two distinct categories: Instructional and recreational. Instructional books teach the reader how to improve their photography skills. Recreational books let you browse beautiful photographs. Many recreational photography books also give you a history of the photographer or the photo’s subject. 

We also considered the book’s quality. We looked at the quality of the photos in the book and the instructional content. And lastly, we prioritized the source of the material. World-renowned photographers willing to share their expertise with others make great sources, as do publications and outlets specializing in photography. We made sure to select books written and compiled by credible, well-respected sources within the industry.

The best photography books: Reviews & recommendations

Whether you’re searching for a collection of famous photographs, a themed book covering the history of the medium, or even an instructional manual to inspire and educate, there is a broad range of books to choose from. Here are some of our favorites.

Bruce Barnbaum

The Essence of Photography: Seeing and Creativity straddles the line between an instructional and recreational book. It teaches photographers how to define and bring their own style to their photography. Using over 100 photographs as samples and inspiration, Bruce Barnbaum explores how and why powerful photos go beyond light, composition, and other principles of photography.

This book acts as inspiration for beginning photographers and is helpful for intermediate and experts in search of inspiration. Folks looking for a book to grace their coffee table can even enjoy it for the beautiful photographs and inspirational text. However, some readers may be disappointed if they’re looking for a strictly instructive book. There’s little technical information, with the author assuming good technique and technical know-how are already in the photographer’s skill set.

In the same vein as the above book, Behind the Camera looks at example photographs in order to offer inspiration and knowledge. Author Paul Lowe breaks the book up into different thematic sections, including “Places,” “Faces,” “Stories,” “Ideas,” and “Moments.” No matter what type of photography you enjoy, you’ll find something helpful in this book.

Lowe pulls from photographic works by famous photographers such as Julia Margaret Cameron, Joel Meyerowitz, Walker Evans, Cindy Sherman, Nan Goldin, Weegee, Man Ray, and Robert Capa. Through these sample photos, he considers the photographers’ technique, strategies, and vision. He not only celebrates their creative work but distills lessons from each piece that the budding photographer can work into their practice. Part coffee-table book, part textbook, it’s a great place to start or go back to for ideas. Both beginners and experts alike will appreciate this book, whether it be for the insights and inspiration it provides or simply the collection of incredible photographs held within.

Henry Carroll

The title of this book says it all. It focuses on portrait photography and draws on the works of masters like Richard Avedon, William Klein, Cindy Sherman, and others. The book speaks plainly about the art form, with an emphasis on real takeaways for those looking to learn photography. Beyond just posing tips, Read This If You Want To Take Great Photographs of People touches on composition, working with color and black and white, and imbuing your portraits with meaning. It even touches on lighting to help take your portraits to another level.

This book is best for those who have a basic understanding of photographic fundamentals. But beyond that, it can serve as an inspirational tool for both novices and experienced photographers alike.

Denise Vivaldo, Cindie Flannigan

As the title implies, this is a handbook of food photography. It provides suggestions designed to give the reader practical advice on taking delicious images. Taking tips from well-known photographers from the advertising and culinary worlds, The Food Stylist’s Handbook: Hundreds of Media Styling Tips, Tricks, and Secrets for Chefs, Artists, Bloggers, and Food Lovers is something that a food photographer will reach for again and again as they hone their craft.

Popular Photography

Popular Photography: The Most Iconic Photographs in History takes readers on a journey through 200 years of photographic history. From the first photo ever taken to world-changing moments captured on film, this book explores human history and how it’s been influenced by the ability to save those moments in pictures. And the informative commentary provides context as to why each photo still has an impact today. This is an excellent book for the coffee table. You can flip through it while relaxing or use it as a conversation starter when company comes.

Naomi Rosenblum and Diana Stoll

For those looking to learn more about the beginnings and progression of photography, A World History of Photography is one of the best resources available. There’s a reason it is the book of choice for many college photography history courses. 

This book goes much more in-depth than the Popular Photography book mentioned above, making it ideal for those serious about learning. It covers a wide variety of photographic genres and photographers, including portraiture, documentation, advertising, and photojournalism. And it even examines the contemporary perspective, making it well-rounded and thorough.

A World History of Photography even has a section just on the technical history of photography, so you can learn about how cameras and photographic technologies were developed over time. It does lean towards textbook style, which some may not enjoy. But there’s a massive selection of photographs included, so it is also a worthy coffee table book or one to skim through casually.

Michael Freeman

The Photographer’s Eye is a popular book written by Michael Freeman, a well-respected photographer whose work has appeared in Smithsonian magazine, Reader’s Digest, and Time-Life Books. Readers delve into the importance of exploring the location to identify angles and lighting beyond the obvious. It helps readers develop their creative eye and bring it to life, encouraging them to look and think about unusual and interesting shots.

While it does cover traditional in-camera composition, it leans toward digital photography. That may or may not be a con depending on your preferred media.

Lindsay Adler

Lindsay Adler is both a fashion photographer and photography educator, giving her unique insight into the subject matter. The book covers posing basics while also addressing the specific posing needs of different subject matter. For example, it provides tips for photographing curvy women, maternity photos, family photos, and small groups. The author also offers her own go-to poses as starting places for those key shoots. 

The book’s beginning even details how the camera sees and how that may impact portraiture. And Adler touches on specific body parts, breaking down posing into easily digestible chunks. Be aware that this book contains some artistic nudity.

Lighting is a powerful tool that can dramatically change your images. Whether working with portraiture, events, or product photography, it can significantly elevate your work. But, it can be a challenging skill to master due to how technical it is. This book provides a very detailed approach to lighting, even including a “comprehensive theory of the nature and principles of light.”

Light ― Science & Magic provides lighting examples for a variety of situations and subject matter, such as metal, glass, liquids, and, of course, portraiture. It offers diagrams, example photographs, and set-by-step instructions. The authors thoroughly explain each lighting scenario so that you can put them into practice. It is a robust resource that every photographer working with lights should have on their shelf.

David Taylor

The Digital Photography Complete Course offers beginners everything they need to get started with their digital camera. It’s broken down into 20 weekly lessons, making the content highly digestible for anyone and everyone. Those lessons even include assignments and assessments to check skills development as you go.

The book covers the basics, like understanding f-stops, ISO, and exposure on the digital camera. The layout includes diagrams, text boxes, examples, and pictures to add visual interest. Keep in mind that intermediate to advanced photographers will find little to enhance their skills with this one. It’s truly an introductory book designed for beginners to go from “What’s a camera?” to taking their own manually-adjusted photos.

Things to consider when buying the best photography books

Photography books can generally be categorized into two groups — instructional and recreational. Instructional books are pretty self-explanatory. They teach you how to take photographs or improve specific skills.

Basic photography books may teach you how to use a digital camera or cover the seven principles of design — pattern, contrast, emphasis, rhythm and movement, balance, and unity. Some books briefly cover all seven, while others focus on a single principle or sub-topic within a principle, like composure or lighting.

Beginners should start with a basic book that covers the main photography topics. Then, as you become more skilled, a specialized book that focuses on a single technique or principle can help you add depth to your skills.

Recreational books include coffee table books that offer a visual feast. They’re a great way to appreciate some of the world’s best photographs or for you to enjoy your favorite topic. For example, there are photography books for landscapes, barns, pets, and people. These books aren’t instructional in nature. You can simply enjoy the beauty they provide and enjoy the text that accompanies them, which may explain the subject or the photographer.

Author’s authority

Do a little research into the book’s author or publisher. A photography book written by a chef doesn’t hold much credit unless they’re teaching you about food photography and know the photographic medium well.

Look for photographers who specialize in their topic, like a fashion photographer who publishes a book on posing or lighting. Organizations that specialize in photography in some way are also valid, credible sources.

Consider the quality of both the photos and the instruction and how well they fit your goals. If you don’t love landscapes, Ansel Adams probably isn’t for you, even if the photos are top quality. Similarly, a book about taking landscapes may not interest you if you want to take family portraits.

Q: Which type of photography is most in demand?

Portrait and family photography is probably the most common type of freelance photography. This type of photography is constantly in demand, as families grow and change over the year—think births, milestone events (graduations, etc.), and other excuses to take a formal family portrait again and again.

Q: What is the best book to learn photography? 

Digital Photography Complete Course is one of the best photography books for beginners. It explains camera settings and features through 20 weekly lessons. For more advanced photographers, either The Photographer’s Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos and The Photographer’s Guide to Posing: Techniques to Flatter Everyone are excellent books for honing specific skills.  

Q: How do I start photography?

The simplest way is to get to know equipment inside and out (digital cameras vs. film cameras, for instance), watch tutorials on the subjects that interest you the most (portrait photography vs. nature photography, for example), and then get out and indulge in simple trial and error. Oh, and pick up some of the best books on photography!

Q: What makes a good photography book? 

A good photography book contains high-quality images that aren’t just beautiful to look at but are good examples of the book’s subject. For example, a book on lighting should have excellent examples of lighting techniques and how to achieve those results for yourself. A book on posing should include photos that show different posing techniques successfully put into practice. The source of the book should also be reputable and trustworthy, with lots of knowledge and experience in the field.

Related: Here’s a list of even more books that every photographer should own

Final thoughts on the best photography books

Photography is a widely appreciated art form, and thanks to digital technology it’s become more and more accessible to more people. Budding photographers have a much easier way to test the waters and find their style without the burden of expensive film development costs or equipment. There are also overwhelming resources both online and in books to help guide them as they learn photography, so grab one of the best photography books from our selection and start them on their journey.

Why trust us

PopPhoto has a long history of delivering the opinions of some of the sharpest and most prolific camera dorks the world has to offer. Since 1937, we’ve been reviewing cameras, providing wisdom from well-known photographers, and generally just nerding out about all that goes into making great pictures. Our current crop of writers and editors have decades of professional photography and camera writing experience among them. Collectively, we’ve probably shot with just about every camera and lens combo you can imagine—as well as some obscure stuff you may not even know about. Remember the Casio Tryx folding camera? PopPhoto does.

We also get that buying a camera is a big decision, which is why we’re dedicated to helping folks choose the right one (or, in our case “ones”) for their needs. Case in point: Handing over top dollar for an expensive rig may leave you unsatisfied if it doesn’t fit your preferred shooting style. Sure, a $6,000 sports-oriented DSLR can capture landscapes, but do you really need to do it at 30 frames-per-second? No, you don’t.

Abby Ferguson is the Associate Editor for Gear and Reviews at PopPhoto, joining the team in 2022. She has been involved with the photography industry in various capacities since her undergraduate training at the University of Kentucky, with work ranging from client photography to program development and management of the photo department at Evolve, a vacation rental company.

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Best photography books of 2023

Amy Davies looks at the best photography books as featured in Amateur Photographer.

Every year there are amazing books published, but here we highlight the best photography publications, with dozens of fantastic tomes to add to your shelf – or your wish list.

It’s a tricky task to go through all of the books featured in the magazine in the past to pick out a set of highlights, but the simple fact that they’ve been in the magazine means we think they’re worth your attention. Despite the difficulties it presents in terms of narrowing down the huge selection, it’s always one of my favourite things to do – and a real joy to put together the finished list of recommendations.

I’ve tried to include a broad church of different volumes in my selection. There should be something to meet most budgets and interests. We’ve got a wide selection of genres, photographers and styles here, so there should be something to suit every need.

Documentary photography, particularly historical and archive photography, has been particularly strong, with a keen sense of nostalgia seeming to do well with book publishers.

There’s also great showings from wildlife photographers, historical and archival work and contemporary artists too, showing that there’s no sign of the medium becoming less favoured even in a primarily digital age.  

There’s still something special about having something physical to hold in your hands, the smell of the paper and the weight of a solid book. Even if we do perhaps need reinforced shelving to hold some of our favourites.

The books presented here are in no particular order. Narrowing it down the selected few was difficult enough, let alone ordering them. Of course, every person’s taste is different so what might appeal to me might not appeal to you. Hopefully, there’s at least a couple here that will tickle your fancy. Happy reading!

Magnum Magnum (2023 edition) Edited by Brigitte Lardinois, Foreword by Olivia Arthur

£125, Thames & Hudson, 728 pages, hardback, ISBN: 9780500545621

A couple of members of Magnum Photos are mentioned elsewhere in this round-up, but for the ultimate of the agency’s enormous and well-regarded collection, then Magnum Magnum is the one to get.

Yes, it’s priced at £125, which is by no means cheap, but at 728 pages and more than 500 pictures, it actually scores highly on the value for money scale (and you are likely to find it cheaper than the RRP anyway).

Magnum Magnum is an epic tome covering the span of the agency’s 75 years, with images being selected by other members, a reflection of the agency’s founding principle of collaboration. It was first published in 2007, and sold a staggering 200,000 copies. This new edition adds in 25 new photographers who have joined the agency in the past 15 years. If you want to learn what does well in both historical and contemporary documentary photography, this is possibly the only book you need this year.

Sammy Davis Jr. looks out a Manhattan window. New York City, USA, 1959. © Burt Glinn / Magnum

Buy now from Amazon UK

Love Story: New Photography of Love and Intimacy

£20, Hoxton Mini Press, hardback, 224 pages, ISBN: 9781914314353

Featuring the work of more than 23 contemporary photographers, this anthology aims to capture what it is to love and be loved in the modern world.

A range of types of love are considered in this beautiful volume from the ever-wonderful Hoxton Mini Press. There’s first love, lost love, parental love, friendship love and much more besides. To explore that love, we see a series of compelling portraits that gel together extremely well, with representations across many divides. It’s perhaps fair to assume that not every photograph will stun you visually, but pretty much every story should touch your heart in some way.

Back in my original review (AP 7 March 2023 issue), I predicted that this book would make it into AP’s 2023 Books of the Year list, and unsurprisingly, few have surpassed it in terms of all-round warmth and humanity – and it’s a great price too.

© Curtis Hughes

Dark Room by Garry Fabian Miller

£40, Bodleian Library, hardback, 240 pages, ISBN: 9781851246090

I know many of our readers aren’t fans of Fabian Miller’s work – we have the letters to prove it – but Dark Room spoke to me in ways that very few photographic books have over the years. The abstract photography here certainly won’t be to everybody’s tastes (as if that’s a bad thing), but to sit down and absorb the book, cover-to-cover, is quite an experience that is far more than the sum of its individual parts.

It takes the form of a memoir, charting the photographer’s career from its early days up to the present. Yes, it’s camera-less, it’s OK not to like it, but the fact that this process involves Garry spending hours sitting in complete darkness, and, may poignantly have caused his diagnosis of cancer, is a testament to an artist’s dedication to their craft.

This book accompanied one of my favourite exhibitions of the year – perhaps of the past several years – at the Arnolfini in Bristol, where the scale of the work allowed you to take it in much more than the book could ever hope to. I’d urge you to give it a try if you happen to come across this book – you never know how you might feel at the end of it.

There is No Shadow, 2017. Light, oil, Lambda C-print dye destruction print. © Garry Fabian Miller

On Divorce: Portraits and voices of separation, a photographic project by Harry Borden

£18, The School of Life Press, hardback, 144 pages, ISBN: 9781915087393

You might not think of divorce as the obvious subject for a photography book, but with Harry Borden’s tender and touching project for The School of Life, you might be surprised to learn just how perfect it is for a photographer like him.

Anybody familiar with the magazine will already recognise Harry’s name from our regular When Harry Met magazine series, as well as from other projects that we’ve featured in the past. A successful portrait and advertising photographer for many years, his distinctive style with celebrities and other well-known figures has given him many years of experience of getting to know a story to help him with personal projects like this.

That said, the portraits here are about as far-removed from the glamour and glitz of a celebrity portrait as you can get, but, of course, are all the more real for it. A subject close to his own heart, through a compelling series of portraits we learn that divorce, although often painful, doesn’t necessarily have to be a disaster. A wise lesson for us all and certainly an intriguing prospect for a photography book.

Lucia (with Lola and Bruno) © Harry Borden

Portrait of Humanity Volume 5

£25, Hoxton Mini Press, hardback, 320 pages, ISBN: 9781914314346

I always find that each one of these portraits is a reflection of both the sitter and the photographer – as all good photographic portrait collaborations probably should be. Each one also comes with a small story to give you some background about who it is you’re looking at.

If you like portraiture as much as I do, then it’s always a treat to receive the latest of the Portrait of Humanity books – and don’t forget that there’s also a Portrait of Britain book too for a more inwards look at our own nation.

The small size of this book keeps it affordable for the variety of portraits you get included, but still displays them beautifully – it would make a great present (Christmas or otherwise) for other photographers in your life.

Heritage Unmoving by Ponita Keo

Kiss It! by Abbie Trayler Smith

£40, GOST Books, hardback, 112 pages, ISBN: 9781910401958

This extraordinary documentary project shows us the value of a long-term collaboration between photographer and subject. It also shows us that looking at what you know – or what you’ve experienced yourself – brings an added dimension to a project that you might not otherwise benefit from.

Kiss It! follows the life of Shannon, a young woman living with obesity who the photographer Abbie Trayler-Smith has worked with for 12 years, spanning Shannon’s teenage years to her young adulthood. It forms part of the photographer’s even longer-term project, ‘The Big O’, which looks at obesity in school-age children and young adults.

Abbie sees herself in Shannon, as she experienced the same issues herself as an adolescent. This is also a topic that is affecting huge numbers of the British population – around one in four people in the UK are thought to be affected by it, so it’s something that probably resonates with many.

Full of joy, warmth and celebration, the project encourages us to examine our own prejudices and for that reason alone, I wanted to include it in my books of the year. It’s also technically excellent, and beautifully laid out and curated too.

Shannon, age 22, on holiday. Costa del Sol, Spain, 2018. © Abbie Trayler-Smith

The New Big 5: A Global Photography Project for Endangered Wildlife by Graeme Green

£62.50, Earth Aware Editions, 272 pages, hardback, ISBN: 9781647228705

This is another compendium of amazing wildlife photography, which also aims to shine a light on the problems that the world’s natural population is facing. Authored by regular AP contributor Graeme Green and featuring the work of 146 fantastic wildlife photographers, the book highlights the threats facing wildlife. Big names here include Steve McCurry, Paul Nicklen, David Lloyd, Art Wolfe, Beverley Joubert and more – as well as Graeme’s own work.

The original ‘Big 5’ is a term coined by colonial-era hunters in Africa for the most prized animals to shoot and kill: elephant, rhino, leopard, Cape buffalo and lion. Around ten years ago, while on assignment in Botswana, Graeme had the idea to flip this miserable term on its head and create a New Big 5 of wildlife photography – shooting with a camera rather than a gun.

To select the new big 5, Graeme put it to a public vote. Overall the winners came out as elephant, polar bear, gorilla, lion and tiger. You’ll find pictures of all of these animals – and many more – in this beautifully put together book.

Water by Ian Berry

£45, GOST Books, hardback, 180 pages, ISBN: 9781910401927

The legendary photojournalist, Magnum member, and subscriber to AP magazine, Ian Berry, published a sublime book this year – and it easily makes it into our list of best books, and not just of this year either.

Comprising 93 black & white images over 180 pages, and more than 15 years in the making, it displays all the credentials that you’d expect from someone invited to join the prestige agency by none other than Henri Cartier-Bresson himself.

He told Peter Dench earlier in the year, ‘I have gradually become aware through the years of my gathering images that something extraordinary was happening to our world – this year has shown above all others that the planet is struggling. There is too much water in some places, too little in others.’

The book, funded through a kickstarter, is a real labour of love, with maximal input from Ian Berry himself, and is not only a visual treat but an important one too.

Kolkata (Calcutta), West Bengal, India. Washing in the street is quite usual in the suburbs of a city where, a couple of miles from the centre, people have no running water in their homes © Ian Berry

Book of the Road by Daniel Meadows

£45, Bluecoat Press, Flexibound hardcover, 220 pages, ISBN: 9781908457783

Fifty years ago, renowned British documentary photographer Daniel Meadows set off in his free photographic omnibus and captured a portrait of our nation that is still widely considered to be a masterpiece of documentary photography.

Aged just 21 at the time, Daniel travelled over 10,000 miles in a double-decker bus mapping the length and breadth of England, photographing a total of 958 people and offering a free print to each of his subjects.

The characters he encountered along the way – or at least some of them – are featured in this half-century anniversary of the famous project, which has been styled and shaped to emulate the old AA Book of the Road. A wonderful project, a wonderful read, and the perfect choice for anybody interested in the history of British documentary photography when it was perhaps at its peak.

Neil with his head in an elephant’s mouth, Circus Hoffman, Weymouth, Dorset, July 1974 © Daniel Meadows

Reclaim the Street: Street Photography’s Moment

£50, Thames and Hudson, hardback, 320 pages, ISBN: 9780500545379

Street photography is one of those genres that is hard to define precisely, but this book shows off the fantastic breadth and depth of those actually out there pounding the streets to do the work. Curated by street photography stalwart Matt Stuart, and edited by Stuart McLaren – another big name in the field – the book attempts to put the spotlight on different facets of the genre in an engaging and well- thought-through collection.

It took Matt nearly four years of ‘almost-constant’ work to put the impressive tome together, and the love that has gone into every chapter really does shine through. As a thoroughly modern sweep of contemporary street photography, you shouldn’t expect all the classic, traditional or big names in this volume – and the book is all the better for that.

Haven’t we already digested enough of that work over the past half a century? Here we see things, names and places we might not have seen before, and for that reason, it’s easily one of the best books on street photography I’ve come across before. Equally, however, don’t worry about missing out on some of the ‘obvious’ things you might ordinarily assume to be in a book like this – there are those too. In short, there’s something for everyone here and for those looking to engage with this tricky genre, it’s hard to find something better.

Best of the rest featured in AP throughout 2023

Colourmania: photographing the world in autochrome by caitlin langford.

ISBN: 9780500480762

This is a must-buy for lovers of early photography. Put together with access to the V&A’s autochromes collection, it provides a stunning look at the early 20th century in colour.

Julia Margaret Cameron: Arresting Beauty

ISBN: 9780500480861

Another delight for early-photography aficionados. Julia’s photographs broke conventions at the time, and give us a glimpse of what it was to be a strong, determined woman artist at the time too. This is a great introduction to her work if you’re not already familiar.

A Country Kind of Silence by Ian Howorth

ISBN: 9781915652034

Ian Howarth has an eye for spotting the beautiful in the mundane, and this collection of his work is a great example of how you can find subjects no matter where you point your camera. Full of small moments you might otherwise overlook.

David Hurn: Photographs 1955-2020

ISBN: 9781739702335

An opportunity for David Hurn to look back over his 65-year archive is also a fantastic treat for the reader. There are lesser-seen photographs, better-known works and a demonstration of the breadth and depth of this Magnum and documentary legend.

Evelyn Hofer: Dublin

ISBN: 9783958296329

Seen as part of her most important body of work, this book takes a look at the renowned documentary photographer Evelyn Hofer’s Dublin images. Largely consisting of portraits shot in 1965-66, the pictures within show off exactly what made Hofer a master of her craft, with an intense and respectful engagement with her subjects that few can replicate.

Shooters by Julia Boggio

ISBN: 9781739215118

I don’t think I’ve ever recommended a novel on our books pages before – and perhaps I never will again. However, for something a little bit different, how about a fiction book about the thrills and spills of being a wedding photographer? An ideal beach read, it’s also a good romp to see you through the dark winter nights, too.

California Dreamers by Sally Davies

ISBN: 9781781454657

We loved Sally’s 2021 New Yorkers project, so it was great to see a follow-up this year in the shape of California Dreamers, which looks at the characterful inhabitants of this vast state. Portraits taken in people’s homes aim to reveal as much – if not more – about their character as their physical appearances, and it works extremely well.

Breathing Space: Iranian Women Photographers by Anahita Ghabaian Etehadieh

ISBN: 9780500027158

This book highlights the work of 23 women photographers from Iran. A great look at photography from a non-Western perspective, it has been curated by the founder of the Silk Road Gallery in Tehran, Iran’s first gallery dedicated to contemporary photography.

Remembering Leopards by Wildlife Photographers United

ISBN: 9781999643379

The eighth book in the ‘Remembering’ series, this is another example of how photography can help the plight of wildlife around the world. Here we have 80 stunning colour images taken by some of the biggest names in wildlife photography today.

More great books…

Chris killip.

ISBN: 978-0500025581

thamesandhudson.com

This book represents the definitive, full-career retrospective of the life and work of Chris, one of the UK’s most important and influential post-war documentary photographers.

He is best known for his empathetic work photographing working class communities in north-east England aduring the 1970s and 1980s, against a background of shipbuilding and coal mining and the deindustrialisation of those industries. His sustained immersion into the communities he photographed remains without parallel.

Curated by long-time friends Ken Grant and Tracey Marshall-Grant and published to coincide with the first full retrospective of Killip’s life and work at the Photographers’ Gallery, London (on till 19th February) this definitive collection presents images from each of his major series alongside lesser-known works. It includes a foreword by Brett Rogers, in-depth essays by Ken Grant tracing Killip’s life and career, and texts by Gregory Halpern, Amanda Maddox and Lynsey Hanley.

If you have an interest in British documentary photography Chris Killip should be considered an essential addition to your bookshelves.

Looking Out From Within by Julia Fullerton-Batten

ISBN: 9781399908726

juliafullerton-batten.com/

Although we have probably just about had enough of looking at Covid-inspired pictures, these ones are so masterfully done that we can forgive it.

Many of us carried out lockdown projects, and for professional photographers, trapped inside or close to home with little to occupy themselves, we saw them turn their lenses to the subject surrounding the world.

For Looking Out From Within , the photographer Julia Fullerton-Batten reached out to her neighbours for a set of portraits with a twist. At first glance they might seem like candid captures, they are anything but. Each is a result of a collaboration with the sitter, with home Julia would discuss costumes, props, and poses. The only difference between these and a normal portrait is that the sitters are trapped within their own homes.

Always photographed at twilight, each picture has a slightly surreal effect. It is a good reflection of how we all felt at the time no doubt.

Penelope – Lockdown Day 51 © Julia Fullerton-Batten.

Vivian Maier Developed: The Untold Story of the Photographer Nanny by Ann Marks

ISBN 9781982166724

simonandschuster.co.uk

Vivian Maier

ISBN 9780500025703

thamesandhudson.co.uk

There’s been a lot of interest in Vivian Maier. In the first half of the 2022, we saw a comprehensive new biography of the elusive ‘photographer nanny’, meticulously researched by Ann Marks. Later in 2022, there was also a major retrospective at the MK Gallery in Milton Keynes, accompanied by a book published by Thames & Hudson.

It’s worth picking up both books if you want a detailed look at this street photography master. However, the first gives you more detail about what Vivian was like as a person – or as best can be pieced together from those who knew her and historical records.

The story of this photographer, whose work was discovered and widely shared only after she had died, has held enduring appeal since first coming to public attention in 2009. The pages of both of these books make it easy to see why.

Despite never gaining recognition during her lifetime, Maier was both extremely prolific and razor-like in her abilities to capture a moment before moving on to the next. Her archive is said to include 140,000 images, with many thousands more which were never developed. Estimates suggest only 5% of her captures were processed during her own lifetime.

Read our interview with The untold story of Vivian Maier’s author Ann Marks.

New York, January 26, 1955 © Estate of Vivian Maier, Courtesy of Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery, NY.

Another Country by Gerry Badger

ISBN: 9780500022177

If you’re a lover of documentary photography, Another Country is an absolute must-buy. It spans the British output to the genre since 1945, and as such includes some of the finest talents to call these shores home.

Indeed, more than 165 photographers are found inside this weighty tome’s pages. This includes Don McCullin, Bill Brandt, Bert Hardy, Nadav Kander, Cold War Steve, Chloe Dewe Matthews, Jane Bown and more.

British photography, or rather, photographers, have come to be respected as some of the finest in the world for documentary photography. The examination of British life and its society is an ongoing and vital project for its artists and photography.

This book, as well as presenting a superb array of photography, also examines themes and observations about the genre as a whole to give us a rich understanding of how it all fits together. You’ll also likely find some hidden masterpieces too that you’ve never come across before.

I said in my introduction that I wouldn’t be able to choose a single book as a winner for Book of 2022. However, for me, as a documentary and archival fan, if pushed, Another Country is exceptional and hard to beat.

Check out Gerry Bradger’s feature delving into how his book explores how photography has shaped British identity.

Paddy Summerfield, Blackpool, 1976-77 © Paddy Summerfield.

Buy now from Amazon US

Flora Photographica: The Flower in Contemporary Photography by William A.Ewing and Danaé Panchaud

ISBN: 9780500024584

Released some 30 years after William A Ewing’s original volume, Flora Photographica is a surprising book in many respects.

As you’d expect, yes, it’s about floral photography. What you might not realise it’s just how broadly this subject spans a number of different photographic genres. You’ll find them in landscapes, portraits, documentary, fine art and of course still life photography.

A beautifully put together book, it brings together some of the best contemporary photography from some of the world’s leading practitioners – each tied by a common theme.

Again, this is a book for those who want to delve a little deeper than just looking at nice pictures (not that that is ever a bad thing). You’ll also be treated to essays exploring the meaning behind the photography, as well as essentially a history of the medium itself.

If you’re after something a little bit different, and aren’t quite sure where to start, this book marks an excellent way into exploring the contemporary.

Tall, 2017 by William Wegman.

Face Time: A History of the Photographic Portrait by Phillip Prodger

ISBN: 9780500544914

If you’re interested in portrait photography, this is a fascinating book that explores the genre from a range of different viewpoints.

The author, Philip Prodger, is currently a Senior Research Scholar at the Yale Center for British Art and has previously held positions including Head of Photographs at the National Portrait Gallery. In short, this is a chap who really knows his stuff.

He describes portraits as “one of the most difficult undertakings in art”. When I interviewed him earlier this year, he was kind enough to tell me all about why that’s the case – although of course the book goes into far more detail than we could have hoped to reproduce on our pages.

If you’re looking for a book which spans the history of photography this is an excellent example. I’m confident that anybody who reads it will come away learning something new about this appealing yet tricky to master genre.

Tom Hunter, Woman Reading a Possession Order, 1997, Ilfochrome print.

Bird (New photography of the) by Gemma Padley

ISBN: 9781910566718

hoxtonminipress.com

Written by former AP Features Editor Gemma Padley, this beautiful little book from the ever-impressive Hoxton Mini Press brings together a fantastic collection of contemporary bird photography.

We’ve got exciting practitioners here including Tim Flach, Neeta Madahar, Joel Sartore, Luke Stephenson and Julia Tatarchenko. But these are not your bog-standard birds in the garden shots. Each one brings something unusual or possibly even unique to the genre and each page is a delight to look at.

If you’re considering a more artistic approach to this common subject, this book is riddled with inspiration and beauty and – as usual with HMP – is extremely affordable.

Spreo Starling #1, 2019 © Luke Stephenson.

A World History of Women Photographers by Luce Lebart and Marie Robert

ISBN: 9780500025413

Surely winning the prize for heaviest book of the year is this fantastic volume celebrating the many female practitioners, some well-known, some less-so, to have contributed to the medium since its invention.

It will come as no surprise to most that many excellent female photographers over the years either been ignored entirely, or possibly might have been ‘lucky’ enough to be reduced to supporting acts for their better-known spouses.

This book aims to put that right, shining a light on an array of brilliant yet perhaps unforgotten, or overlooked, work. Of course, there’s also a good selection of female trailblazers, innovators, entrepreneurs and rule breakers on these pages too.

As Tracy Calder wrote in her piece about the book for AP, ‘the overriding message of the book seems to be that women were here all along, inventing, experimenting, innovating and actively participating in the development of the medium.’ An excellent book for anyone – of any gender – to pick up and educate themselves about what they might have been missing out on.

Sigriður Zoëga, Women on the Banks of the Lake, 1915.

Apollo Remastered by Andy Saunders

ISBN: 9780241508695

apolloremastered.com

For half a century, almost every publicly available image of the moon landings was produced from lower-quality copies of the originals stored in a frozen NASA vault in Houston.

Now however, expert image restorer Andy Saunders has worked his way through 35,000 images in a painstaking fashion to bring to these images to life like never before.

You’ll see detailed shots of Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong from the first moon landing (Apollo 11) as well as the the Apollo 13 crew struggling to get their stricken transit back in one piece.

There’s much more than that besides, with images also from missions pre-dating Apollo also featured. Amazingly, this is not a book which has been driven or funded by NASA itself. The agency has an open-source policy, so anyone can access the image scans – but nobody had done so before.

If you’re a space fanatic this is a book which will be manna to you, but even if you’re not, the photography work is simply sublime.

Buzz Aldrin’s portrait of Neil Armstrong, moments after their historic moonwalk.

The Book of Veles by Jonas Bendikssen

ISBN: 9781910401613

An intriguing exploration of a town in the epicentre for fake news production. Or is it? A project which fooled the photography community and is perhaps a sign of things to come.

Omar Victor Diop by Omar Victor Diop

ISBN: 978887439932

Stunning and vibrant, the studio portrait photography of Omar Victor Diop is breathtakingly brilliant. Primarily using himself as a model, this book weaves together the past and present of Black African history.

The Photograph That Changed My Life by Zelda Cheatle

ISBN: 9781739913403

Curated by AP regular Zelda Cheatle, more than 50 acclaimed photographers, musicians, filmmakers, and collectors describe their life-changing encounters with a single photograph.

Fox: Neighbour, Villain, Icon

ISBN: 9780956819635

An extensive and beautiful collection of urban foxes by night, including photos of them hunting rats, standing on garden walls, sleeping on grassy verges, or sitting at ease while London’s traffic roars by.

Modern Forms: An Expanded Subjective Atlas of 20th Century Architecture by Nicholas Grospierre

ISBN: 9783791388106

This celebrated tour of modernist architecture has been expanded to include the whole globe. A must-see for architectural photography fans.

The Mennonites by Larry Towell

ISBN: 9781910401538

A new edition of Towell’s masterful documentation of the Mennonite community near his home in Ontario, Canada. A powerful and poignant black and white project that oozes class.

The Mindful Photographer by Sophie Howarth

ISBN: 9780500545539

Offered as an antidote to the millions of images created to document every single second of every single day. Encouraging everyone to slow down and experience photography in a different way, this is a lovely book for those looking for a new approach.

Light on the Riviera: Photography of the Cote d’Azur

ISBN: 9783961713950

Far from a simple travel edition, this book brings together photography from some of the biggest names in photographic history, all drawn to the beauty of the region for different reasons.

Naturally, although we do our best to cover every photography book published, we can’t possibly hope to spot – or indeed – cover everything. So, if there’s something that you feel we’ve missed and you’d like to recommend it to other readers, feel free to let us know via the usual communication methods and we might be able to share further recommendation.

Follow AP on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube .

Amy is a highly experienced photography and technology journalist who has been working on AP since 2018, having been working in the industry since 2009. She is a graduate of the magazine journalism course at Cardiff University and has written for a wide range of publications and websites. As Features Editor, she is responsible for commissioning an eclectic mix of features connected to general photography, along with interviews. She is also a very experienced reviewer of cameras and associated technology, with her reviews featured on multiple sites including TechRadar, Digital Camera World, Trusted Reviews, ePhotozine, Stuff, Expert Reviews, T3, Photography Blog and more. She is also an expert on smartphone photography and smartphones generally.

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67 Best Photography Books of 2024 for All Levels

The ULTIMATE list of photography books as chosen by over 600 professional and amateur photographers. Discover the books that help and inspire photographers.

Learn | By Mark Condon | Last Updated: February 7, 2024

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A couple of years ago, I wrote about the best photography books by asking 30 professional photographers which books helped them improve both their art and their business.

For 2024, I wanted to dig deeper into the vast topic of photography books by asking over 600 top photographers the same two questions:

What photography books have helped you improve your photography, and which ones have helped you grow your business?

Each photographer kindly provided more than one book for each category, and I soon noticed that the same titles cropped up, hence the creation of this post.

Download over 250 fun & informative eBooks to help improve your photography (No strings attached!)

For a book to have been recommended in this list, it needed to have been mentioned by at least 10 times by the 600 respondents.

The photographers I interviewed ranged from new-coming beginners to experienced pros. I wanted to ensure that this list of books on photography provided a well-rounded view of the topic.

…and if you don’t have time to read any books on photography, check out these inspirational photography quotes instead!

• What are the best photography coffee table books?
• Where can I download free books on photography?
• What are the best photography books for beginners?

Table of Contents

What Are The Best Photography Books in 2024?

1. books on photography technique.

Every photographer no matter their level can improve their photography technique.

Whether it’s camera settings, composition, lighting, posing, direction or any of the myriad other topics that come together to help us produce an engaging photograph, it’s clear that there is a lot to learn!

Here’s a selection on the best photography books on photography technique as selected by the interviewed photographers. There’s a nice mix of books for beginner, intermediate and advanced level of photographer.

[Side note: If you are a beginner or intermediate photographer, out for a shoot and can’t recall one valuable concept that you’ve read in the past, I highly recommend you to check out Snap Cards. These are 44 printable photography lessons you can carry anywhere. Check out my Photzy Snap Cards review for more insights.]

Bryan Peterson’s Exposure Solutions

The most common photography problems and how to solve them.

by Bryan Peterson

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to learn how to take control of your exposure even in the trickiest situations.

Description: Exposure Solutions is aimed at the amateur photographer who struggles in situations such as exposing high-contrast scenes to freezing action in low light, photographing a full moon, exposing subjects against a sunset sky, balancing subjects in shade with brightly lit backgrounds, and many others. This is really a book photography fans can learn a lot from.

Reviewer’s Comment: “While other books on photography technique have great pics and tell you what they are and what kinds of equipment and settings were used to obtain them, this one gives specific instructions on getting tricky or difficult shots to come out properly. I love the “recipe style” approach to this book as when you are a novice, you mostly want to see how the masters have created their amazing photographs”

The Art of Photography

An approach to personal expression.

by Bruce Barnbaum

Buy this Photography Book If: You want a complete photography book that goes beyond the technical, delving into philosophical expression and the creative aspects of photography often avoided in other books.

Description: Described as the most readable, understandable and complete textbook on photography. With well over 100 beautiful photographic illustrations in both black-and-white and colour, as well as numerous charts, graphs, and tables, The Art of Photography is a classic book that presents the world of photography to beginner, intermediate, and advanced photographers seeking to make a personal statement through their work. Your collection of books about photography would not be complete without this art-focussed title.

Reviewer’s Comment: “ This photography book is totally different. It starts talking about the philosophy of how photography is connected personally to the photographer. Then it gives a detailed analysis of all the elements of composition with great examples and with a language that even an amateur can understand. Best of all, the author did a great job at interconnecting all the elements to help the reader understand the importance of applying a combination of elements instead of focusing on just one of two of the elements. It is like putting all the puzzles together to solve a great mystery.”

Studio Anywhere

A photographer’s guide to shooting in unconventional locations.

by Nick fancher

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Buy this Photography Book If: You want to be able to create images with minimal equipment and follow a professional photographers entire workflow from concept through to editing.

Description: Studio Anywhere is a resource for photographers to learn through behind-the-scenes photos and lighting diagrams from a range of photo shoots, from simple one-light set ups to more complex multiple light setups . The author also lets you in on the aesthetic decisions he makes in his signature photos, inspiring you to develop your own vision. He also describes his Lightroom and Photoshop workflow so you can learn how to deftly navigate post-processing. One of the best books about photography from a photographer with a truly unique approach.

Reviewer’s Comment: Studio Anywhere is a great book for photographers who want to improve the quality of their images without needing a ton of expensive gear or a permanent studio location. I really enjoyed the book, the author is very specific about how he lit each example picture, even including screenshots of Lightroom settings of how he color graded the pictures and fixed problems.”

Extraordinary Everyday Photography

Awaken your vision to create stunning images wherever you are.

by Brenda Tharp & Jed Manwaring

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to learn how to search beyond the surface to create an alluring photo wherever you are, be it a downtown street, a local park, or your own front lawn.

Description: Here’s a great books photography fans love. Extraordinary Everyday Photography encourages amateur photographers to slow down, open their eyes, and respond to what they see to create compelling images. Inspiring photo examples from the authors, taken with DSLRs, compact digital cameras, and even iPhones, show that it is the photographer’s eye and creative vision, not the gear, that make a great image.

Reviewer’s Comment: “ Do not expect here a technical discussion of how aperture affects DOF or how to use PS to post process your way to imaging happiness or other purely technical issues. Instead, this is a photography book about how to move from where you are to a more artistically inclined version of yourself. The book concentrates on the image – the composition and its elements. It strives to break you free of any creative restrictions you may have developed. This book isn’t very long but is dense in information.”

Picture Perfect Practice

A self-training guide to mastering the challenges of taking world-class photographs.

by Roberto Valenzuela

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to be able to walk confidently into any location, under any lighting condition, with any subject and gear, and know that you can create astonishing photographs that have a timeless impact. This is also one of the best photography posing books.

Description: In Picture Perfect Practice, experienced wedding photographer Roberto Valenzuela breaks down the craft of photography into three key elements – locations, poses , and execution. and shows you how you can use them to unlock the photographic opportunities lying beneath every challenging situation. Picture Perfect Practice also includes an inspiring and helpful chapter on deliberate practice techniques, where Valenzuela describes his system for practicing and analyzing his work, which leads to constant improvement as a photographer.

Reviewer’s Comment: “ Valenzuela’s book approaches the photography from a creative/artistic point of view: it teaches you how to recognize geometry in the scenes you are shooting; how to reduce the background clutter by finding “simple” structures that are effective compositional elements; why a picture needs “balance” and how you can use elements you find in the scene to achieve balance; which expressions and messages you send by taking silhouettes; which emotions do you evoke by which method of posing; how do you effectively pose a subject; etc. “

Picture Perfect Posing

Practicing the art of posing for photographers and models.

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to be able to pose your subject in a natural and compelling way to take your portrait photography from good to amazing. A must for wedding photographers and anyone who shoots people for a living. This book is at home with even new photography books.

Description: Instead of just showing page after page of poses (like most posing books on the market), Picture Perfect Posing actually breaks down the concept of posing by examining the anatomy, starting with the core foundation: the spinal chord and neck. Building from there, Roberto discusses every component of what makes poses work, as well as fail. How should the model hold her hands? Bend her elbows? Position her fingers? Should the model look toward or away from the camera, and why?

Reviewer’s Comment: “ If you’re looking to learn more about posing, I can’t recommend Roberto Valenzuela’s new book enough. It’s seriously AMAZING. Heck, I even recommend this book to brides who want to know the basics on how to better carry themselves, stand, sit, ect to look more amazing and flattering in their photographs. The author gives you the TOOLS to build any pose you need. By knowing the principles behind excellent posing, you’ll be MUCH better equipped.”

Understanding Exposure

How to shoot great photographs with any camera.

Buy This Photography Book If: You want one of the best photography books ever written on helping demystify the complex concepts of exposure in photography, to help you capture the images you want. This is pretty much a classic photography textbook.

Description: Understanding Exposure explains the fundamentals of light, aperture, and shutter speed and how they interact with and influence one another. With an emphasis on finding the right exposure even in tricky situations, Understanding Exposure shows you how to improve sharpness and contrast in images, freeze action, take the best meter readings, and explore filters, flash, and light. With all new images, as well as an expanded section on flash, tips for using colored gels, and advice on shooting star trails , this revised (4th) edition will clarify exposure for photographers of all levels.

Light Science & Magic

An introduction to photographic lighting.

by Steven Biver

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to learn how to light the most difficult subjects, such as surfaces, metal, glass, liquids, extremes (black-on-black and white-on-white), and portraits. Grab this title and learn lighting from one of the best books photography.

Description: Light Science and Magic provides you with a comprehensive theory of the nature and principles of light, with examples and instructions for practical application. As well as all the original helpful diagrams and step-by-step guides, this new edition of Light Science and Magic includes an all new chapter entitled “Setting Up Your New Studio”, a re-vamped and expanded chapter on “Making Portraits”, a new appendix of reliable photo gear sources, updated information about advances in flash equipment, LED panels and fluorescent lights, and over 100 new photographs and informational sidebars.

Reviewer’s Comment: “ The authors have written a truly essential reference for product in particular and an outstanding educational text for all other forms of photographer. You don’t need to have a background in studio photography or a knowledge of lighting equipment to understand and benefit from this book. You need to have only a good understanding of exposure and camera operation. Information on basic lighting equipment is found in the appendices for those who are unfamiliar with studio equipment.”

Mastering Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO and Exposure

How they interact and affect each other.

by Al Judge

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to master what most photographers take years to learn, only in a few hours – the 3 components of the exposure triangle. This book is in the running for the best photography books of all time.

Description: Do your eyes glaze over when people use terms like ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Exposure? Are you excited about photography but confused by all the technical jargon? Do you wonder how professional photographers get such great shots? Mastering Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO, and Exposure will painlessly provide help and insight with all these topics and more in just a few hours of your time. This book builds a solid foundation of photographic knowledge with easy-to-follow discussions of what you need to know in order to create better images with confidence.

Reviewer’s Comment: “I have read a couple of this author’s other photography books and they are all the best of the best. This book has taught me more than the college-level photography course I took over a year ago. This book should be the textbook for those courses. I was still unclear about many aspects of photography until I found this book. I think that is the best way to judge a book, not just by how you interpret the information, but how you can relay that information to someone else. You can go through and read all of the reviews you want, or you can just buy the book and start taking better pictures right away.”

The Visual Toolbox

60 lessons for stronger photographs.

by David duChemin

Buy This Photography Book If: Here’s a book that can complete with even the best new photography books. You want to learn 60 solid concepts to help you create stronger photographs.

Description: In The Visual Toolbox, world-renowned photographer and film-maker David duChemin helps you master topics such as balance, using negative space, exploring color contrast, waiting for the moment, learning to incorporate mood and motion, and much more. The book is a kind of curriculum for learning not just how to use a camera, but how to make stronger photographs. You’ll discover both the technical side of the craft but more importantly, composition, the creative process, and the principles that have always been responsible for making great photographs. The Visual Toolbox features action-oriented micro-chapters designed to improve your photography immediately, explanations of 60 concepts with an assignment for nearly every chapter

Reviewer’s Comment: “This photography book is more helpful than most of the online photography workshops I’ve taken, and for a FRACTION of the price. If I were to teach a photography class, I would make all my students buy this book and we’d use it as a text. The best thing about it, is that it works at any experience level. I used it when I was still learning the exposure triangle and just starting to shoot in manual mode. And now that I’ve been comfortable in manual for a year, I still find this book really inspiring and challenging. The book gives me the direction and confidence to grow in my craft.”

BetterPhoto Basics

The absolute beginner’s guide to taking photos like a pro.

by Jim Miotke

Buy This Photography Book If: You are a beginner who doesn’t have time to read a whole book, but instead wants simple tips and tricks to improve your photos right away, no matter what camera you’re using. This is one of those must have photography books for beginner photographers without a lot of time to dig into a full textbook.

Description: If you can press a button, you can take great pictures. It’s as simple as that. Learn to compose knockout shots and make the most of indoor and outdoor light. BetterPhoto Basics teaches you tips and tricks to photograph twenty popular subjects, from sunsets and flowers to a family portrait. Those who want to go further get tips on controlling exposure and the secrets behind ten advanced creative techniques. And everyone will appreciate the author’s breakdown of easy fixes to make in Photoshop. No matter what your level of experience, you’ll be amazed how easy it is to start taking photos like the pros.

Reviewer’s Comment: “The author is the founder of popular online photography school BetterPhoto.com and really knows what photographers want to learn about the most. Unlike many other beginner photography books, the author doesn’t spend page after page on techniques or explanations, instead keeping his descriptions short and to the point. For a beginner, this is the photography book I would recommend to get you started. If you already have a good grasp of the basics, this is probably not the book for you.”

Lighting for Digital Photography

From snapshots to great shots (using flash and natural light for portrait, still life, action, and product photography).

by Syl Arena

Buy This Photography Book If: You are a beginner, intermediate or advanced level photographer who wants to better understand light and how it can be used to create powerful images.

Description: There’s something for all level of photographer in Lighting for Digital Photography by bestselling author Syl Arena. Learn how to use light modifiers that make light bigger and softer, such as umbrellas, softboxes, beauty dishes, and diffusion panels; understand how to control and shape the light itself with flags, grids, snoots, and the zoom function on your flash; appreciate the colour temperature of light (whether that’s the sun, a light bulb, or a flash), and how to influence it with white balance settings on your camera and colored gels on your flash; and learn how to take great pictures across many different genres, from product and still life images , to simple (and not so simple) portraits and group shots.

Reviewer’s Comment: “ There are countless books written on the subject of photographic lighting providing varying degrees of useful and practical advice. What makes this one of the best photography books on lighting is that it is a true tutorial, by which I mean it provides a complete learning journey from foundation concepts to detailed step by step instruction and explanations of how each image was accomplished. The author goes to great length and in great detail to provide specific examples and explanations on each topic that he covers in this book in a manner that will be clear to any reader regardless of their skill/knowledge level at the time of reading.”

The Headshot

The secrets to creating amazing headshot portraits.

by Peter Hurley

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to learn all the tricks of the trade to create world-class headshots. Essential reading for all level of portrait photographer.

Description: Here’s your chance to learn exactly how to create the Peter Hurley headshot style that’s so in demand today. If you’re not adding headshots to what you offer as a professional photographer, you’re leaving a lot of money on the table. The Headshot will teach you how to get authentic expressions and incredible flattering positioning that will make your clients look better than they have ever looked in any photo. Learn how to get genuine smiles and show the true personality of your subject. The author reveals all his tricks of the trade, from his trademark lighting look, to how to create good-looking backgrounds on location, to positioning tricks and much more.

Reviewer’s Comment: “I loved the conversational tone of this book which helps you understand exactly how you should talk to your clients, whatever their social stature. Peter Hurley is one of the world’s best headshot photographers, and in this book he reveals exactly how he has become so in demand. Even if you don’t have the fancy camera gear and lighting setup that he does, you’ll be able to use the tips to improve your portrait photography immediately – it’s little tips and tricks like pushing your chin forward, squinting the eyes – things that you can tell your client straight away. Highly recommended!”

Master Lighting Guide for Portrait Photographers

by Christopher Grey

Buy This Photography Book If: You are an experienced portrait or wedding photographer wanting to improve your offcamera lighting technique.

Description: With over 50,000 copies in print, the Master Lighting Guide walks you through studio portrait lighting from start to finish to help breakdown dramatic off camera lighting techniques. Dozens of image sequences and before/after pairings show you precisely how each change of light position and modifier affects the look of the lighting on the subject. From classic portrait lighting patterns to unexpected but powerful looks, the author teaches you everything you need to know to control light effectively. Armed with these powerful skills, you’ll be able to create portraits that are more flattering, more marketable, and more creative.

Reviewer’s Comment: “I wish I had found this book in my first year of photography at college. Christopher Grey really knows his stuff. He has diagrams along with his photographs to explain each type of lighting situation. I actually learned quite a bit about different lighting accessories used for various lighting like hairlights, and different ways to show separation from the background. This is definitely a great book to have around to review a few pointers before a shoot.”

Sketching Light

An illustrated tour of the possibilities of flash.

By Joe McNally

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to learn all that’s possible with flashes from one of the masters of photography. This is one of the best book for photography if you’re interested in improving your use of light.

Description: Sketching Light follows up on the great success of The Moment It Clicks and The Hot Shoe Diaries (2 other books recommended in this list of the best books for photographers). Legendary magazine photographer Joe McNally takes us on another trip into the land of light, but this time running the gamut from small flash to big flash, and everywhere in between. No secrets are held back, and the principles he talks about apply generally to the shaping and quality of light, not just to an individual model or brand of flash.

Reviewer’s Comment: “If you are a student of light, then consider Joe McNally`s new book Sketching Light to be one of the best photography books on the subject. Sitting down with Sketching Light is like sitting down for a beer with Joe as he talks you through his favorite pix in a photo album. The conversation will wander, stories will be spun, jokes will be told, detailed insights will be shared, advice will be given, and you’ll walk away grateful for the opportunity. If you are like me who cannot attend any of Joe’s workshop then you simply grab this book and rest assured you know how he thinks while going about making those amazing photos.”

The Hot Shoe Diaries

Big light from small flashes.

by Joe McNally

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to discover the complex lighting solutions for a ton of great images. This is one of those cool photography books with lots to offer photographers at all skill levels.

Description: In The Hot Shoe Diaries, Joe McNally lets you in on his uncensored thought process—often funny, sometimes serious, always fascinating—to demonstrate how he makes his pictures with small Nikon Speedlights. No matter if you shoot Nikon or not, you’ll learn from the way McNally goes from planning to execution on shoots for National Geographic, Time, Life, and Sports Illustrated.

Reviewer’s Comment: “Joe starts with the basics: gear, the fundamentals of digital photography and simple flash. He moves on to talk about one light shots. And two light shots. And lots-a-lights shots. He talks about where to put the lights and what to put between the lights and the subject. He shares a lifetime of stories. He inspires and encourages. HSD’ is for photographers of all levels – novice to expert. Plan on reading this marvellous photography book again and again. I guarantee that every time you do, you’ll pick up something new.”

Photography Q&A

Real questions. real answers.

by Zack Arias

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to learn the answers to the most popular questions from actual photographers, across all aspects of the photo industry. It’s on the list of popular photographic books that gives you insight into the craft from an actual photographer.

Description: In Photography Q&A, commercial photographer Zack Arias answers over 100 questions that he fielded directly from the public. These are questions that range across all aspects of the photo industry: gear, marketing, street photography , vision, pricing, branding, light, models, work/life balance, technical advice, and much more. Photography Q&A answers many of the pressing questions that photographers are asking, but until now have not been addressed.

Reviewer’s Comment: “I can’t recommend this book enough… For a few bucks, you get to have “coffee” with a stellar photographer. This book is for anyone who takes their photography seriously. It really is the no-BS slap to the forehead that many of us need to get through some often confusing scenarios and situations. The questions are those that I have heard fellow photographers mutter often and Zack’s answers are backed with wisdom from the field, as well as examples in imagery.”

Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs

by Henry Carroll

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to skip the diagrams and technical jargon and fast-track your way to a better image via example. This could be the best book photography for anyone who doesn’t want the jargon-heavy textbook approach.

Description: Split into five sections, Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs covers composition, exposure, light, lenses, and seeing. Images taken by master photographers serve to illustrate points and encourage readers to try out new ideas. Image examples include works by Henri Cartier- Bresson, Sebastião Salgado, Fay Godwin, and Martin Parr. It’s quick to the point with no messing around – does everything it says on the cover!

Reviewer’s Comment: “This book is for the beginner photographer who has no time or interest in learning about the technical ins and outs of photography. Using master image makers’ images and funny text as examples, the book serves as an example for you to replicate, in the hope that your photos will improve. Whilst none of the explanations go very in-depth, you’ll get the point the author is trying to make, with just enough info for you to apply the tip to your own photography.”

Shooting in Sh*tty Light

The top ten worst photography lighting situations and how to conquer them.

by Lindsay Adler

Buy This Photography Book If: You’re a beginner or intermediate photographer who is often forced to shoot in bad light, and want to learn how to handle yourself to still produce professional quality pictures. Here’s one of the top photography books that has advice just as bold as its title.

Description: Shooting in Sh*tty Light covers the top ten worst lighting situations you’ll inevitably encounter at some stage in your photography career, along with a variety of solutions for each. They explain which solutions are most practical and why one option might be preferable over another, examining such problems as extremely low lighting when no flash is allowed, strong backlight, and the light on an overcast day.

Reviewer’s Comment: “ Even though this book is aimed towards professional wedding and portrait photographers who often have to shoot in the dreaded midday sun, or in a crappy church lobby etc., many of the tips are quite basic and can apply to any genre of photographer. The chapters include titles like direct sunlight, mixed colour temperatures, and dappled light with high contrast. There is also a handy glossary and an appendix on equipment.”

On-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Wedding and Portrait Photography

by Neil van Niekerk

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to gain confidence in using on-camera flash. Good photography books like this are a wealth of great advice on the basics.

Description: In On-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Wedding and Portrait Photography, you can quickly learn how to create stunning, professional images while avoiding the common pitfalls of using an on-camera flash. You’ll discover techniques for using simple accessories such as bounce cards and diffusers, as well as how to improve a lighting scenario by enhancing it rather than overwhelming it.

Reviewer’s Comment: “On-Camera flash seems to get a bit of a bad reputation, most probably because not many photographers know how to use it well. I’m a big fan of Neil van Niekerk’s Tangents site, and so buying this book was a no-brainer. I’m glad I did, as it has allowed me to gain confidence to use my flash as it was intended i.e. stuck on top of my camera! I can now use my flash in situations I wouldn’t have dreamt about before, all the while producing natural looking photos – no more deer-in-the-headlights!”

The Photographer’s Eye

Composition and design for better digital photos.

by Michael Freeman

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to learn how to see the potential for a strong picture, then organize the graphic elements into an effective, compelling composition.

Description: Reaching 300,000+ copies worldwide, The Photographer’s Eye continues to teach photographers around the world how anyone can develop the ability to see and shoot great digital photographs. The book explores all the traditional approaches to composition and design, but crucially, it also addresses the new digital technique of shooting in the knowledge that a picture will later be edited, manipulated, or montaged to result in a final image that may be very different from the one seen in the viewfinder.

Reviewer’s Comment: “The author approaches the subject of photography from a very thoughtful perspective. While the book covers the basic elements (lines, shapes, dynamic tension, balance, etc.) he also talks at length about more emotionally-related issues: chiaroscuro and key, the search for order, reactive thought, etc. These are the concepts that more experienced photographers (and artists) find themselves confronting once they have a solid feel for design elements and construction. This is by far the best photography book I’ve read in 10 years.”

Within the Frame

The journey of photographic vision.

by David du Chemin

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to learn how to find and express your photographic vision, specifically where people, places, and cultures are concerned

Description: Within the Frame is full of real-world wisdom and incredible images, showing you both the how and the why of finding, chasing, and expressing your vision with a camera to your eye. Both instructional and inspirational, learn how to make better images of the places and people you love, whether they are around the world or in your own backyard. Learn how to tell stories, and the technology and tools we have at our disposal in order to tell those narratives.

Reviewer’s Comment: “ When millions of photos are snapped by cameras and phones or produced via software, the author eloquently reminds us that vision, creativity, sensitivity and thought are at the core of making meaningful images. This book is a must-read, and one which you’ll return to again and again for inspiration and insight.”

2. Books on Art/Inspiration for Photographers

Here are the books recommended by photographers on the topic of photography as an art form . By this I mean books showing the work of famous photographers , which serve as inspiration to us photographers to create better photographs.

Obviously photography as art is a more subjective topic than the others in this list. This is why I made sure whichever book I recommend here as a ‘best book on photography’ was recommended at least 10 times by the interviewed photographers.

Here’s a few titles that easily meet the requirements to be the best photographer books.

Annie Leibovitz at Work

by Annie Leibovitz

Buy This Photography Book If: You are a fan of Annie Leibovitz and want to learn how she has created her iconic work over the years, and what gear she uses to do it. Leibovitz has a storied career and this is one of the best books of photography.

Description: The celebrated photographer Annie Leibovitz provides the stories, and technical description, of how some of her most famous images came to be. Learn the stories behind the iconic images of Queen Elizabeth II, John Lennon, Puff Daddy, Kate Moss and other famous subjects of Leibovitz’s camera. Annie Leibovitz At Work is a unique behind-the-scenes insight into the photography of one of the most celebrated portrait photographers of the 21st century.

Reviewer’s Comment: “Unlike many photo/text books, this is not a how-to book. Sure, there is information on the equipment used for particular shoots, etc. That’s not at all what “At Work” is about, though. Rather than a behind-the-scenes look at the technical side of photography, “At Work” is a behind-the-scenes examination of Leibovitz’s growth as a photographer. And, while the photos are wonderful, they are not necessarily the book’s focus – instead, they illustrate the book’s stories.”

Gregory Heisler: 50 Portraits

Stories and techniques from a photographer’s photographer.

by Gregory Heisler

Buy This Photography Book If: You want some inspiration to create compelling portraits of people that go well beyond ‘ordinary’. The best photography collection books, like this title, will hopefully spark your own creativity.

Description: In this first-ever showcase of his work, Gregory Heisler, one of professional photography’s most respected practitioners, shares 50 iconic portraits of celebrities, athletes, and world leaders, along with fascinating, thoughtful, often humorous stories about how the images were made. For Heisler’s fans and all lovers of photography, Gregory Heisler: 50 Portraits offers not only a gorgeous collection of both black-and-white and color portraits, but an engrossing look at the rarely seen art of a master photographer at work.

Reviewer’s Comment: “This is quite simply the best photo book I’ve ever read. Learning from a behind the scenes perspective how Heisler created portrait photographs of all the major faces of our generation is the most valuable insight in my photography career. Heisler pushes himself to create portraits that tell the complete story of the individual in one single frame – something that take years of experience to truly master. An essential coffee-table book that you’ll keep coming back to again and again.”

The Negative

by Ansel Adams

Buy This Photography Book If: You love the work of Ansel Adams and want to learn about the zone system which he uses to create his iconic imagery. No list of books of photography would be complete without the work of Ansel Adams.

Description: Learn from the master of black-and-white film photography in the classic book The Negative (Ansel Adams Photography, Book 2). The early chapters are devoted to a discussion of light, film and exposure. Then there’s a detailed discussion of the zone system, chapters on natural and artificial light and at the end an extensive chapter on the darkroom and its equipment.

Reviewer’s Comment: “This is truly a great photography book, a classic that is important both historically, because it defines the zone system as no other work can, and practically, because it gives you the best combination of practice and theory available in print. It is the best book of the three books of the series by Ansel Adams. Although a lot of it may not be relevant to the digital photographers of today, it’s still a great look into the thought processes of a master photographer.”

Vivian Maier: Street Photographer

by Vivian Maier

Buy This Photography Book If: You are interested in raw street photography of city life in the post-war golden age.

Description: Vivian Maier was a professional nanny, who from the 1950s until the 1990s took over 100,000 photographs worldwide, from France to New York City to Chicago and dozens of other countries, and yet showed the results to no one. Presented here for the first time in print, Vivian Maier: Street Photographer collects the best of her incredible, unseen body of work.

Reviewer’s Comment: “It’s incredible to think that all these photos would have never seen the light of day had it not been for the local historian John Maloof who bought a box of Maier’s negatives from a Chicago auction house. The photos are at once humourous, moving and beautiful, and owning this book feels like you’re owning a piece of history that wasn’t supposed to be seen.”

Humans of New York

by Brandon Stanton

Buy This Photography Book If: You like seeing real people on the streets of New York. This is the best photography books for professionals who might feel like their photography is stuck in a rut.

Description: With four hundred colour photos, including exclusive portraits and all-new stories, Humans of New York is a stunning collection of images that showcases the outsized personalities of New York. Surprising and moving, printed in a beautiful full-color, hardbound edition, Humans of New York is a celebration of individuality and a tribute to the spirit of the city. A #1 New York Times bestseller and a huge hit on Amazon.

Reviewer’s Comment: “Whilst anyone can arguably pick up a camera, take some photos of interesting looking people in their city, write a few words, then get published, few can do it as well as Brandon Stanton. He seems to possess the ability to totally disarm strangers, giving us a glimpse into their hearts, making us feel that we know them. This book is an honest and sometimes very moving collection of images of real people going about their lives in one of the most fast-moving cities in the world.”

Magnum Contact Sheets

by Kristen Lubben

Buy This Photography Book If: You are interested in what processes editors use to choose the best photos from a print sheet.

Description: Available for the first time in a compact edition, the ground-breaking Magnum Contact Sheets presents a remarkable selection of contact sheets and ancillary material, revealing for the first time how the most celebrated Magnum photographers capture and edit the very best shots. Addressing key questions of photographic practice, the book illuminates the creative methods, strategies, and editing processes behind some of the world’s most iconic images.

Reviewer’s Comment: “Magnum Contact Sheets is truly a masterpiece in terms of content. The reproductions of the photographs in this book are of outstanding quality. This is an iconic book that’s now available in a smaller, more convenient size that’s much more affordable too.”

The Moment It Clicks

Photography secrets from one of the world’s top shooters.

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to learn the same techniques that Joe McNally shares in his seminars and lectures in a book.

Description: In The Moment It Clicks, Joe McNally breaks new ground by blending the rich, stunning images and elegant layout of a coffee-table book with the invaluable training, no-nonsense insights, and photography secrets usually found only in those rare, best-of-breed educational books. It will help you understand photography and the art of making great photos at a level you never thought possible. This book is packed with those “Ah ha!” moments, clever insights that make it all come together for you.

Reviewer’s Comment: “This fantastic photography book will teach you how to have a single photo tell a whole story. Every turn of the page has a compelling photo which is the subject of the lesson. Some lessons are technical such as how-to on lighting, while others are lessons on approach, demeanor or attitude. It is a must for amateurs through to pros. Photographers of every experience, style and age will gain huge value.”

Ansel Adams: 400 Photographs

Buy This Photography Book If: You want the full spectrum of Ansel Adams’ work in one single volume. Ansel Adams is such an influential photographer that we have to have more than one of his collections on our list of best photographers books.

Description: Beautifully produced and presented in an attractive landscape trim, Ansel Adams: 400 Photographs will appeal to a general gift-book audience as well as Adams’ legions of dedicated fans and students. The photographs are arranged chronologically into five major periods, from his first photographs made in Yosemite and the High Sierra in 1916 to his work in the National Parks in the 1940s up to his last important photographs from the 1960s. An introduction and brief essays on selected images provide information about Adams’ life, document the evolution of his technique, and give voice to his artistic vision.

Reviewer’s Comment: “If you want 400 finely reproduced photographs of the oeuvre of one of the greatest black and white photographers, Ansel Adams, then you must get this book. The photographs are reproduced with the fine attention to detail, shadow and contrast that Adams would have demanded. Even though the book could have been just a little bit bigger, it is a nice size to fit on your lap without breaking your arms. This is by far the best photography book for any Adams’ enthusiast.”

by Steve McCurry

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to see evocative National Geographic style photography and don’t care about the stories behind the shots.

Description: Powerful, moving and vivid images of many kinds of people from all over the world, all taken by Magnum photographer Steve McCurry. Critically acclaimed and recognized internationally for his classic reportage, over the last 20 years he has worked for the “National Geographic” and other publications on numerous assignments: along the Afghan border, in Baghdad, Beirut and the Sahel. Portraits is a series of photos that will inspire you to get out there and shoot.

Reviewer’s Comment: “I can’t get enough of these photos and I own the book for seven years now. All the faces tell stories, the eyes of these people speak volumes. I have my favourite ones but it’s one of an Afghani boy that breaks my heart every single time I see his picture. I’m a huge fan of Steve McCurry – he is not only a photographer of people but also of souls and I don’t care how pompous it sounds – that’s the truth.”

Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Decisive Moment

by Cartier Bresson

Buy This Photography Book If: You want a beautiful coffee table book of a street photography legend’s finest work.

Description: The Decisive Moment is a reprint of the book that launched Cartier-Bresson to international fame, adorned with a collage cover by artist Henri Matisse, making it beautiful to behold whether open or shut. The book has influenced generations of photographers. The title defines the notion of the famous peak in which all elements in the photographic frame accumulate to form the perfect image.

Reviewer’s Comment: “This reproduction is as faithful to the original as can be, and for the asking price which some may find high, it’s actually an incredible bargain. The work of Cartier Bresson needs to be re-examined several times to really get a feel for what he was trying to capture in his imagery. This is one of those beautiful photography books that is intended to stay out of your bookshelf and on your table top, allowing you to come back to it time and time again.”

Vivian Maier: A Photographer Found

by John Maloof

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to explore the full range of work by American photographer Vivian Maier.

Description: Vivian Maier presents the most comprehensive collection and largest selection of the photographer’s work, created during the 1950s through the 1970s in New York, Chicago, and on her travels around the country, almost exclusively unpublished and including her previously unknown colour work. It features images of and excerpts from Maier’s personal artefacts, memorabilia, and audiotapes, made available for the first time. Vivian Maier draws upon recently conducted interviews with people who knew Maier, which shed new light on Maier’s photographic skill and her life.

Reviewer’s Comment: “I am obsessed with Vivian Maier’s work and story. I have the other 2 books by the same author. This is by far the best book to date. The pages are larger than any of the other volumes, and the quality of the images is much better than those in the other volumes. This is the first time that many of the images have appeared in print, especially the large number of colour prints, making this book an essential purchase if you are a fan of Vivian’s powerful imagery of everyday things.”

Diane Arbus: An Aperture Monograph

Fortieth-anniversary edition.

by Diane Arbus

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to explore the best work by Diane Arbus.

Description: Universally acknowledged as a photobook classic, Diane Arbus: An Aperture Monograph is a timeless masterpiece which remains the foundation of Diane Arbus’ international reputation. Edited and designed by Arbus’s daughter, Doon, and her friend and colleague, painter Marvin Israel, the monograph contains eighty of her most masterful photos. Arbus’ photographs penetrate the psyche with all the force of a personal encounter and, in doing so, transform the way we see the world and the people in it.

Reviewer’s Comment: “Her images I think speak more about who she is than who her subjects are, but in a way that is brutally revealing. On the surface, these photographs represent a cross-section of fringe society, with all of its inherent complexity and grit. Cross dressers, midgets, nudists, drug addicts, “dancers” and the like. But they become quite revealing about her psyche during the period she was creating this amazing body of work.”

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit

50 years of beautiful.

by Editors of Sports Illustrated

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to emulate tried and tested female posing for your swimwear and boudoir photography. (Related: Check out this guide to boudoir lingerie ).

Description: Not merely a book crammed full of eye-candy, The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit book is an invaluable reference for any photographer who shoots women for a living. By viewing the poses used by the world’s top fashion and sports models, photographers can replicate the looks with their own clients to bring out the best in them. This anniversary edition features star athletes in swimsuits, never before seen outtakes and of course, all the iconic Sports Illustrated covers.

Reviewer’s Comment: “This sexy photography book is large in size and full of thousands of high quality images from the iconic magazine. There are lots of pictures that made the cut, plus a lot of extras and behind the scenes pictures to give the reader a more personal, in the moment feeling of being there at the shoot. The pages are thick paper and the ink quality is high. Very sharp colours and hardly any blurring throughout the book. Definitely a nice book to have on your coffee table. Since it’s Sports Illustrated, the pictures are classy and tasteful enough for any audience.”

3. Books on Creativity for Photographers

Remaining creative in your photography is a challenge, but by reading regularly, our minds can be kept freshly stocked with new ideas.

Gaining creative inspiration for our photography does not mean we are limited to only reading books on photography of course. This section highlights the books recommended by photographers that have inspired them in some way to create better photography.

Learning to See Creatively, Third Edition

Design, color, and composition in photography.

Buy This Photography Book If: You want to visualize your work, and the world, in a whole new light by developing your photographic vision.

Description: Learning to See Creatively is the definitive reference for any photographer looking for a fresh perspective on their work. Fully revised with 100 percent new photography, this best-selling guide takes a radical approach to creativity by explaining how it is not just an inherent ability but a skill that can be learned and applied. Using inventive photos from his own stunning portfolio, author and veteran photographer Bryan Peterson deconstructs creativity for all level of photographer.

Reviewer’s Comment: “This affordable photography book teaches you to answer the questions “what is it about this scene that I want to express?” and “how can I convey that feeling/idea in a photo?” – these may sound like simple questions but you really have to step away from the normal way of seeing things in order to take great photos.”

Steal Like an Artist

10 things nobody told you about being creative.

by Austin Kleon

Buy This Book If: You want to be put in touch with your artistic side and not feel guilty about borrowing to find inspiration.

Description: When Austin Kleon was asked to address college students in upstate New York, he shaped his speech around the ten things he wished someone had told him when he was starting out. The talk went viral, and its author dug deeper into his own ideas to create Steal Like an Artist. The result is inspiring, hip, original, practical, and entertaining. And filled with new truths about creativity: Nothing is original, so embrace influence, collect ideas, and remix and re-imagine to discover your own path.

Reviewer’s Comment: “ The small size makes the book feel approachable, ready to provide a quick inspiration burst if need be. The author describes ten basic principles to boost your creativity. He lists them on the back cover of the book so that they’re easily referenced. It’s a small touch, but emblematic of the book’s careful construction. The book is stuffed with practical tips that you can adopt. In fact, there’s a section at the very end of the book titled “What Now?”, in which Kleon gives you a long, itemized list of things you can do right now to prime your creative pump.”

Show Your Work!

10 ways to share your creativity and get discovered.

Buy This Book If: You want to get known in your chosen photography industry.

Description: Show Your Work! is about why generosity trumps genius. It’s about getting findable, about using the network instead of wasting time “networking.” It’s not self-promotion, it’s self-discovery – let others into your process, then let them steal from you. Filled with illustrations, quotes, stories, and examples, Show Your Work! offers ten transformative rules for being open, generous, brave, productive.

Reviewer’s Comment: “This is a short book which can be read in a day, but puts forward ideas that are so good (if not somewhat common sense at times), that you’ll find yourself folding the edges of the pages to return to them again and again. I think it’s no coincidence that the book itself is small and manageable in its content – the author wants you to realise how accessible you and your work need to be.”

Creative Living Beyond Fear

by Elizabeth Gilbert

Buy This Book If : You want to spark up your creativity and discover your creative potential.

Description : Elizabeth Gilbert is no stranger in the world of inspirational and empowering writing. With previous works like Eat, Pray, Love she has set the bar high, but Elizabeth nails it again. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear is a must-read for all photographers looking to awaken their dormant creative side. She boldly asks us to abandon our fears and embrace our curiosity. Regardless if you are looking for an inspiration for your next shoot, to enrich your daily life or just to create some amazing art, Gilbert`s Big Magic will help you uncover your creative potential as a photographer.

Reviewer`s Comment : “ If you are in a creative pickle there is no better read than Elizabeth’s Big Magic. The author writes in a playful and conversational tone, but with no sugarcoating. She cuts straight to the point, creative people should accept their role in the society. There is no need to burden yourself with other things, you should write books, make art, create music, etc. Never have I ever thought about creativity in this way, I always approached it systematically, but Elizabeth encourages us to be playful and open about it. Big Magic changed my outlook on the creative process itself, thought me to enjoy it a lot more and most importantly uncovered a whole new part of me .”

Ignore Everybody

And 39 other keys to creativity.

by Hugh MacLeod

Buy This Book If : You want to get an honest and straightforward talk about creativity and how to uncover it.

Description : Hugh MacLeod is a young and versatile writer. He covers a wide range of topics, from marketing to the meaning of life, but one may say that his expertise is talking about creativity. In his book, Ignore Everybody and 39 Other Keys to Creativity, MacLeod uses a bit cynical and witty tone to deliver powerful messages about creativity. Even though a statement like “All existing business models are wrong. Find a new one” might sound silly to someone, there is a lot of truth in it. Aspiring photographers will learn a lot from MacLeod’s 40 keys to creativity, especially if they are struggling to find their way.

Reviewer`s Comment : “ This kind of book doesn’t come out that often. Reading it felt like a breeze. I am a photographer and I always look for new ways to spark my creativity and Ignore Everybody did just that for me. This brutally honest and at times funny book helped me realize a couple of things. First, nobody gets suddenly discovered, second progress is slow and painful, and my favorite thing Hugh says is that there is no miracle. There is a lot more in this book, but I will leave it for you to discover. Just know that this book is a breath of honest air compared to other books that tell you to jump and believe .”

4. Books on Business for Photographers

It’s a somewhat sad truth that being a successful professional photographer these days depends a little on photography, but a lot on business acumen.

The better you are at business, or more specifically marketing, the more successful you can be as a professional photographer. This is assuming your photography doesn’t suck, of course!

Here are the best books on business for photographers as recommended by the 600+ photographers that I interviewed. By using the advice in these books, many photographers have achieved a growth in their photography business.

Guerilla Marketing

Easy and inexpensive strategies for making big profits from your small business.

by Jay Conrad Levinson

Buy This Photography Book If : You are a young entrepreneur that is looking to learn every aspect of marketing for small businesses.

Description : This updated and expanded edition of the 1983s bestseller has become a bible for all small entrepreneurs and business owners. More than 30 years ago Levinson started to revolutionize marketing strategies for small businesses, including photographers. In this fourth iteration of Guerilla Marketing, Levinson gives us strategies for marketing on the internet, tips on how to use new technologies, and much, much more. Running a successful small business is a lot harder without reading this edition of Guerilla Marketing.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ As an up-and-coming photographer, I found Levinson`s Guerilla Marketing tremendously helpful. A must-read for all the people who want to learn the basics of marketing strategies for small businesses. You will not only learn cheap ways to market your studio, shop or any type of business, but you will also understand the fundamentals of marketing. Everybody should start with the Levinson`s book if they truly want to learn the craft .”

Best Business Practices for Photographers

by John Harrington

Buy This Photography Business Book If : You want to learn the secrets of having a successful photography business.

Description : Harrington’s Best Business Practices for Photographers doesn’t focus on the fundamentals of photography, selling your work or starting your business. Instead, the book gives you all the information you need to successfully interact with your clients, negotiate projects, and organize your business operations. Photography is like any other business and if you want to be successful, you will need to overcome issues that every photography business faces today. Harrington’s book does just that and helps you stay on the path to success.

Reviewer`s Comment : “ The title of the book says it all. Best Business Practices for Photographers is a must-read for all struggling photographer that need advice on running their business. You will learn a lot from this versatile page-turner, like how to reach clients, nail down negotiations for deals, fulfill all your business owner duties, and much more. In this second edition of Harrington’s book a lot has been updated and expanded upon, so I definitely recommend reading this one .”

Photography Business Secrets

The savvy photographer’s guide to sales, marketing, and more.

by Lara White

Buy This Photography Business Book If : You want to learn all nooks and crannies of running a successful photography business.

Description : There is no doubt that Lara is well-established and highly competent to write on the topic of the photography business. She states in her book that the photography is a highly competitive business and if you want to succeed, you will need to plan out every aspect of your business. Lara uses her photography business website, Photomint.com, as a reference point for her guide. Lara`s Photography Business Secrets talks about building your brand, networking, creating a marketing plan, determining prices and a lot more. Very informative read for all photographers looking for ways to build their own business.

Reviewer`s Comment : “ It takes someone from inside of the photography industry to understand how everything works. Luckily, we have Lara. She really managed to nail everything down in a way that it makes sense, even for a newcomer to the industry. Lara talks in great details about what to do and what to avoid when building your photography brand. I don’t want to spoil too much, but for me, Lara’s book was a far better lesson on running a photography business than any college course .”

The Photographer’s MBA

Everything you need to know for your photography business.

by Sal Cincotta

Buy This Photography Business Book If : You are looking to start or improve your photography business.

Description : Cincotta’s book The Photographer`s MBA, is without a doubt one of the best books for photographers running a business. About 10% of photographer’s job is taking pictures and the other 90% is completely in the realm of business. The author acknowledges this from the start and focuses on giving valuable advice on how to build your brand, create business and marketing plans, use social media to maximum potential, and much, much more. After you finish this book, you will be able to tackle every business problem that comes your way.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ When I bought this book I knew that the author was an established photographer, but I couldn’t tell if he was a great businessman. After I have finished the book, I can say with most certainty that he is. The Photographer’s MBA is a great read for both beginners and veterans of the photography business. The author talks a lot about how you can’t expect a great outcome if you don’t research the market and plan your every step. Prepare for everything and leave nothing to chance, otherwise, your business will go down sooner than you think. Certainly, a must-read for up-and-coming photographers .”

Start a Successful Photography Business in 34 Days

Actionable steps to plan a portrait or wedding photography business, develop a brand, launch a website, write a marketing plan & more.

by Amanda Stock

Buy This Photography Business Book If : You are looking for a step-by-step advice on building a successful photography business.

Description : Start a Successful Photography Business in 34 Days is aimed at photographers who are stuggling to stay profitable in their business. Unlike other photography books, this one doesn’t focus on what lighting equipment you should have, what are the best cameras, etc. Instead, Amanda talks about a business side of photography and does that in a very easy-to-understand manner. The first part of Start a Successful Photography Business in 34 Days focuses on preparing and planning out your finances, legal obligations, branding, etc. In the second part, marketing becomes the focus of her writing. Learn how to create a 12-month marketing plan that will keep you busy all year round.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ If you are planning to start a photography business like I was before this book came along, then I couldn’t recommend it more. Without a doubt it’s one of the best photography books on business that has come out in the past couple of years. The author covers a lot in this book, do`s and dont’s of running a photography business, marketing strategies, financial and legal advice, and a whole lot more. The sad reality is that there is no bulletproof plan for running a successful photography business, but the author gives a lot of tools and shares her knowledge, so you have a better chance of success. I definitely recommend Amanda`s book to everyone .”

Fast Track Photographer

Leverage your unique strengths for a more successful photography business.

by Dane Sanders

Buy This Photography Business Book If : You want to learn how to build a bulletproof photography business in the 21st century.

Description : Dane Sanders is a well-known photographer and speaker that has a couple of great photography books under his belt. It is no secret that the photography business has never been more competitive and fierce. Thousands of young and tireless photographers are looking to get their chance, but Dane doesn’t worry about this. In Fast Track Photographer Dane acknowledges this situation, but also states that there is no point in looking what other people do. Instead, each photographer should focus on themselves because they are the most powerful resource they have. In this book, you will learn how to avoid mistakes other photographers make, discover your unique talents, and create a financial plan that suits your lifestyle.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ Rarely do we see a work this captivating and all-encompassing. Dane`s book is so much more than about photography. He is able to reach in you and make you believe in yourself and your talents. This book has a business side of it and it is very helpful, but what got me hooked was a more personal message of being the best possible version of yourself. Know your weaknesses and work around them, always emphasize your strengths and grow them. These are just some of the many lessons Dane talks about in his book, so if you want to learn more definitely pick it up .”

More Brides

Modern marketing techniques for the smarter wedding photographer.

by Mark Condon

Buy This Photography Marketing eBook If : You want to learn how to book more clients in a smart and modern way.

Description : More Brides focuses mainly on wedding photographers, but it is easily applicable to other parts of the profession. The popular ebook goes through all modern techniques for building and sustaining your client base. You will learn how to become Google`s number one search result, how to dominate social media, and most importantly how to expand your reach. Condon’s book is relatively new to the market, but it has already become one of the best books on photography marketing for wedding photographers .

Reviewer’s Comment : “ Mark`s book, More Brides: Modern Marketing Techniques for the Smarter Wedding Photographer , is a hell of a book and definitely a must-read for all photographers, but especially for wedding ones. He goes over every possible way of building and sustaining a successful photography business, but does so in a light and understandable manner. Mark talks about the importance of keyword research, SEO link building, social media, referrals, and a lot, lot more. Wedding photographer or not this book is a gold mine of valuable business information .”

5. Books on Productivity for Photographers

Photography technique combined with excellent marketing skills can create a very successful photography business. However, unless you remain productive, all this will be in vain.

Productivity is an important topic particularly for anyone who is self-employed. For photographers whose work consists of a lot of editing, marketing and other deskbound work, remaining productive can often be a challenge.

Here are the best books on productivity that are the most popular amongst the photographers interviewed for this article.

Manage Your Day-to-Day

Build your routine, find your focus, and sharpen your creative mind.

by Jocelyn K. Glei

Buy This Book If : You are looking to learn more about creative productivity and how to increase it.

Description : Glei`s book, Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind, had to be included in this list of the best photography books because it teaches you how to accomplish everything you plan without wasting time or stressing yourself out. She features more than 20 creative people in her book, sharing their thoughts and knowledge on this topic. Glei`s book teaches photographers and other creative professionals how to survive this crazy pace we are living and how to expand our creativity.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ Glei`s book is a great motivational read. I thoroughly enjoyed every page of it and went through it like a hot knife through butter. It is very easy to read and understand, making it a perfect audio book for running. On top of that, it has a great message and lesson on how to deal with stress. It teaches photographers to look at the bigger picture and not stress about little things. Sometimes these little things are helpful for our productivity. A must-read for all photographers who are struggling with stress! “

Tools of Titans

The tactics, routines, and habits of billionaires, icons, and world-class performers.

by Tim Ferris

Buy This Book If : You want to understand how successful individuals run their life and what drives them.

Description : Tools of Titans is certainly one of the best business books Tim Ferris has written. Ferris has a long-running podcast in which he interviews successful people from all parts of the industry. After more than 200 guests Tim decided to compile all the things he learned into one easy-to-read book, creating an instant hit and a bestseller. In Tools of Titans, he talks about what drives these people, what is the secret of their success, what are their business tactics, and much more. The book is full of life-changing lessons that are applicable to every type of business, including photography.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ Sometimes this book can become a bit chaotic and hard to understand, but the key is to approach not as a manual, but as a map that will show you the way, but won’t tell you how to get there. As a young photographer, I found Tim`s book very motivating and inspiring. After reading and discovering how industry titans look at the world, and their talents and skills, I have realized where I’m at and what I need to do in order to progress. This book won’t give you a step-by-step guide to success, but it will light a path and motivate you to try harder as a photographer or in life in general .”

Maximize Your Potential

Grow your expertise, take bold risks & build an incredible career.

by Jocelyn K Glei

Buy This Book If : You want to learn different creative business strategies from 21 incredible minds.

Description : Established author Jocelyn Glei returns once more to teach young creative people how to generate more opportunities, make bolder decisions, build valuable relationships, and much, much more. Maximize Your Potential sums up knowledge of 21 creative minds that have made a huge impact in their respective industries. If you want to bounce back up from recent failure in your photography work and spark your creativeness once more, then this book should definitely be a part of your collection. Several photographers comment on how Glei`s book is a must-read for all struggling artists.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ Maximize Your Potential is not your ordinary motivational book. First of all, it offers advice from 21 very different creative people. They all have their own take on creativity and how to best use it. The second thing that makes it different, is that this book is a straight how-to guide. You will get detailed guides on strategies that you can implement right now, or try them in the future. I won’t go into details of the book so I don’t spoil too much, but as a photographer that recently struggled with the business side of the industry, I found this book a life saver. A must-read for everyone .”

Make Your Mark

The creative’s guide to building a business with impact.

Buy This Book If : You are looking to learn all the basics of starting a fresh business in the creative industry.

Description : Jocelyn Glei comes up a lot on our list, but frankly it is well-deserved. She is one of the best authors when it comes to building up confidence in creative minds. This time she focuses more on a business side of the industry. Again she takes wisdom from many leaders of creative industry and compiles them in one easy-to-read book. Make Your Mark will teach you how to take the wheel and ride your photography business or any other start-up to success. Learn what makes a good product, how to polish it, how to inspire your team, and ultimately, how to create something meaningful.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ Make Your Mark is the book that I was looking for. It has the perfect length and tone, making it fun and easy to read. In the beginning, I was skeptical about this book’s outlandish claims, but in the end, I ended up devouring it in two days. For me, it served its purpose. It taught me the basics of a start-up business and motivated me to make a move. Definitely a recommended read for all creatives in the photography industry .”

Don’t Make Me Think

A common sense approach to web usability.

by Steve Krug

Buy This Book If : You want to create a photography website and client experience that doesn’t suck.

Description : Steve Krug is probably best known for his book Don’t Make Me Think. In it, he discusses the principles of intuitive navigation and information design in a very practical, witty, and easy-to-digest way. And even though Steve’s book focuses on Web design and development, it is easily translated to the photographer’s language. If you want to create a compelling presentation of your previous work, attract new clients, and stay productive Don’t Make Me Think will help you a great deal. Implement Steve`s lessons when maintaining your photography website and your visitors will feel less frustrated when searching for their next photographer.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ It is pretty hard to connect photography and developing websites, but after my friend saw me struggle to maintain my website and do my creative work he suggested I read Don’t Make Me Think. Photographers are great at what they do, but sadly our business doesn’t consist only of taking pictures. In order to balance out the creativity and business, I started reading design and user experience books, but it wasn’t until I came along this gem that I finally realized my problem. I won’t go into details because everybody is different, but I certainly recommend this book to all photographers or anyone who relies on an online presence for their business .”

The Non-Designer’s Design Book

by Robin Williams

Buy This Book If : You are looking to learn the fundamentals of great design.

Description : It’s been about 20 years since we read the first edition of The Non-Designer`s Design Book. Since then much has changed and the author has made sure everything is addressed and updated in this 4th edition. This book is still very much an introduction to the fundamentals of great design, but this time she uses updated visuals, examples, and projects for you to try. Why is a design book in a list of the best photography books? Well, regardless of your background and industry, in The Non-Designer`s Design Book you will find inspiration and knowledge that can be applied to all facets of photography as a creative art.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ Before I had finished this book, I had little to no knowledge about design fundamentals. As a young and self-taught photographer, I was always looking for ways to improve my skills and talents. I couldn’t have guessed that the book on design principles would help me this much. The book is an easy read and has taught me a lot about design, which in return improved my photography composition. Her techniques and principles are neatly illustrated and explained on before and after pictures .”

6. Books on Philosophy for Photographers

I thought twice about including this final topic in this list of the best books for photographers. I must admit that philosophy (particular in work) is not a topic that interested me before writing this article.

However, I chose to include a section on the best books on philosophy for photographers since the topic cropped up so often among those interviewed.

It seems that many photographers place an importance on maintaining the right frame of mind to conduct their photography work more efficiently, and no doubt, more creatively.

So here are the most popular books on philosophy that may help you as a photographer.

The War of Art

Break through the blocks and win your inner creative battles.

by Steven Pressfield

Buy This Photography Book If : You want to uncover your inner potential and free your mind from doubt.

Description : Philosophy books on creativity are usually hard to read and filled with overcomplicated words and phrases, but not The War of Art. This practical and engaging guide to succeeding in the creative industry will show you how to avoid obstacles and achieve greatness. Regardless if you are a writer, painter or photographer,The War of Art will help you break all the chains that hold you back from reaching the highest level of creativity.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ This book is genius. As if the title wasn’t interesting enough, the content of the book is very impactful and straightforward. The node to Sun-Tzu`s The Art of War makes me love this book even more. The whole premise of the book is that there is a part of us that helps us achieve our goals and a part of us that prevents us from doing so. If you want to be a successful photographer you will have to overcome the suppressing side of your mind and the only way to do this is through hard work. I won’t give away any more of the book, but I highly recommend it as a way to learn things about your soul and mind that you didn’t know before .”

How to Win Friends and Influence People

by Dale Carnegie

Buy This Photography Book If : You want to learn the art of persuasion and how to deal with clients and people in general.

Description : How to Win Friends and Influence People had to be on the list of the best photography books, simply because of how important client interactions in photography business can be. At first glance, there is not much in common between this book and photography, but if you dig a little deeper, you will realize that running a successful photography business and the art of persuasion have a lot in common. You will learn essential techniques in handling people, six ways to make people like you, twelve ways to win people to your side, etc. Essential reading for photographers who spend a lot of time with their clients, e.g. wedding photographers.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ Reading this book was a delight. Some might say that learning how to manipulate and influence people is unnecessary, but if you are a young photographer on the rise, you will need all the knowledge to make it in this competitive business. I went through Dale`s book with ease, highlighting important parts along the way so I can return to them later. You will learn about honesty, criticism, emotions, and a lot, lot more. I can’t emphasize more how important this book is for photographers who are struggling with the people side of their business .”

It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be

The world’s best selling book.

by Paul Arden

Buy This Book If : You want an easy-to-digest guide on how to succeed in business and life in general.

Description : Learning about the secrets of success in life has never been easier thanks to Arden`s book, It`s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be. This beautifully written book has helped a number of creative minds reach their highest potential. Learn to overcome the impossible, create the unthinkable, and solve all your life problems. the author covers every part of the business, including communicating, playing your cards right, correcting mistakes, solving problems, etc. Paul`s book is meant for all the people who are looking to strike success in business, including of course us photographers.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ I start every New Year with a resolution and this one was to improve my photography business. I didn’t have the knowledge myself, so I turned to reading books. After a couple of duds, I came across It`s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be by Paul Arden, and I must say thank God for that. Boy did this change a lot in my mind. It’s an advertising book in its core, but the lessons in it are easily applicable to business and life situation in general. The book is super easy to read and digest, so there are no excuses to skip it! ”

The Story of Success

by Malcolm Gladwell

Buy This Book If : You want to learn the secrets behind the biggest success stories of brilliant individuals.

Description : Outliers: The Story of Success is a brilliantly written book that will keep you entertained from the first page to the last one. In this book, the author shines a spotlight on the so-called outliers that are, in fact, people who are the most successful and the brightest in their area of expertise. The question he asks i: what makes them so special? What is the key ingredient? In short, he concludes that we pay too much attention to what they are really like, and no attention on where they came from, what drives them, etc. Learn what it takes to become a great musician, artist, photographer, etc.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ This book is a crude awakening. This whole time we are told that hard work pays off and that we need to be smart if we are to achieve any success, but the author of Outliers has a bit different view. He writes about how important the day and age you are born into are and how your potential is limited by the factors you have no control of. Sure, in the second part of the book, Gladwell acknowledges that the only way to success is through hard work, but he also shows us how to manipulate the system that is holding us back. A truly enlightening read and frustrating at times, but definitely worth every penny .”

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

A counterintuitive approach to living a good life.

by Mark Manson

Buy This Book If : You want to cut out all the bullsh*t and focus your energy on things that matter.

Description : Creativity is in a lot of ways connected to our state of mind. In today’s society, people always tell themselves to stay positive and everything will work out. That’s where Manson comes in with his book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. It is a great wake-up call for all the people who are living in false positivity. As the blunt author states, there are only so many things we can care about, so focus on what matters to you and realize your potential in the most honest way. As photographers, we sometimes need to learn to stop being entitled about our proffession. It will help us work harder and improve ourselves.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ Thank you, Mark, for this book. I was one of those people that worried too much about everything until I lost the track of what I was set to accomplish. The wake-up call that came right on time in my life, helped me toss aside all the crap and focus on my true passion, photography. After reading Mark`s book I learned to pick my battles and not waste my energy on completely unnecessary things. Again, thank you Mark, and if you are a photographer like me give this book a chance. I guarantee you it will enter your best books on photography list, or at least, look badass on your book shelf! .”

The Art of Non-Conformity

Set your own rules, live the life you want, and change the world.

by Chris Guillebeau

Buy This Book If : You want to lead an unconventional life, full of adventure and creative freedom.

Description : We are lucky that we have The Art of Non-Conformity. In his book, Guillebeau takes standard assumptions about work and life and turns them upside down. To him, conformity is the biggest enemy of creative people and if you want to be successful in your profession, you will have to abandon all that you learned throughout your life about how you should behave, both in business and in personal life. The Art of Non-Conformity will teach you and equip you with the tools that are necessary to free your mind so that you too can live a life of adventure, become self-employed, set your own rules, and much more. A perfect book for photographers and other creative minds that are trapped in the system.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ When I first started to read this book it was hard to accept the idea of breaking the norm. The author despises working from 9 to 5 and that is all fine and dandy, but that’s how the business world works, isn’t it? Well, not quite – this book will show you that any work can be done in an unconventional way, so there really is no point in having all of these norms. I am a photographer that really loves the freedom and the lifestyle it brings, but lately, I was beginning to feel restrained by my regular working hours. After reading this book, I realise all the complete creative freedom I possess. It’s a bit of a wake up call to say the least ”

Choose Yourself!

by James Altucher

Buy This Book If : You want to learn how to adapt to ever-changing nature of business.

Description : The premise of Choose Yourself! is not that uplifting or bright. The author states that the old world has crumbled down. Everything that we thought was safe has deteriorated. Colleges, economy, government, all face this inevitable destruction. But out of this mess comes Altucher and shows us that there is still a chance for success. The photography business is not that different to any other business – learn how to take control of your photography business and emerge victorious from this situation – learn how to choose yourself.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ Chose Yourself! The title says it all. I really appreciate this book, it came at a perfect moment in my life, right after I have finished reading some convoluted self-help book that left me in a complete turmoil. This light and easy-to-read masterpiece has helped me a lot. I realized how far my potential can go and I learned to connect with myself. The author showed me how to focus on my happiness, how to find my passion and a couple more things. There is no reason to skip this book, it’s only a couple hundred pages long .”

All Marketers are Liars

How marketing really works and why authenticity is the best marketing of all.

by Seth Godin

Buy This Photography Book If : You want to learn how to market your services in a compelling and creative way.

Description : Seth Godin is the titan when it comes to business writing. His books have influenced thousands and thousands of people throughout the years and nothing is different with All Marketers are Liars. The premise is simple, all marketers lie to you and if they do it right, you won’t even notice. Godin speaks about the importance of telling stories, instead of focusing on features and benefits of your products. If you want to be a successful marker and a businessman you will need to master telling stories that clients want to believe. Photography is like any other business – if you want to succeed you will need to sell your services. All Marketers are Liars will teach you how to tell compelling stories that will eventually land you more of the type of client you want to work with.

Reviewer’s Comment : “ This book is written in typical Godin style, quick and easy-to-digest. That doesn’t mean it’s no good, on the contrary, this book is a marketer’s gold mine. Every person who has to sell their services needs to read this book. I don’t want to sound like a marketer myself, but Godin`s book will teach you that today’s business is all about personalization, efficiency, and compelling storytelling. Sure, Godin doesn’t invent new things, but the way he lays it out is so much better than any other MBA textbook .”

Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable

Buy This Photography Book If : You want to learn what it takes to create a remarkable product or service.

Description : The legendary Seth Godin returns once again to teach his readers how to create remarkable products and turn their ideas into successful businesses. In Purple Cow, Godin talks about creating truly remarkable products and services that are desired worldwide. He pays tribute to companies like Starbucks, Apple, JetBlue, and teaches us through their stories how to market our products. This book is for anyone else who has a product to market and service to offer, particular in highly competitive markets. Wedding photographers, take note!

Reviewer’s Comment : “ Thank you, Godin, for your work. As a wedding photographer and a self-employed individual, I found this book immensely interesting. I have read a couple of books by Godin, and this one is certainly one of his most actionable. In his distinctive writing style, Godin will show you what it takes to create a truly remarkable product. Use this book to spark your imagination if you are struggling to market your photography service in a saturated market place. Sell what you have to offer in a different way. It worked for me .”

Final Words

I hope you enjoyed this post on the best books for photographers.

If you have any recommendations of your own, please leave them in the comments so we can all benefit.

I will be adding to this list during the course of the year, so be sure to bookmark and return to it frequently.

Check out these 8 essential tools to help you succeed as a professional photographer.

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Mark Condon is a British wedding photographer and editor of Shotkit. When he’s not taking photos or reviewing the latest camera gear and software, Mark can be found cycling around the northern rivers.

17 Comments

Awesome compilation of photography books! So many great recommendations for both beginners and professionals. Can’t wait to dive into some of these reads!

Wow! what an impresive list of books. Very interesting that you also propose some books of philosophy that actually have nothing to do with photography, but some how they help you grow as a person. Thank you! I would include in the list a book of Sebastiao Salgado

I recommend the book ‘The Photograph’ by Harold Mante. He explains the compositional aspects of colour, shape, etc.

Thanks for the tip, Alex!

Such an amazing collection! Thank you!

Great Post..

Great list Mark. Thank you for publishing!

Thanks for putting this together Mark, there appears to be a lifetime’s worth of valuable reading there! On that note, I’m a beginner photography just starting out and feel a little overwhelmed when I look at this list. I realise this may a difficult to do but, if you could recommend 3 books from this list as essential starting points that cover the creative/inspirational/artistic side as well as the technical, what would they be?

Also, you mentioned that you based your list on books showing up at least 10 times. Did you gather any statistics on which books showed up the most from all the 600 lists you received?

Hey Raj, these 3 would be my picks for you: https://amzn.to/2ig1Xaj , https://amzn.to/2ismJXq and https://amzn.to/2jujIG3 . Re. your stats collection, not sure I understand? I used those stats to compile the list you’re reading here. All the best!

My one vote would be for Vincent LaForet’s Visual Stories. It’s much stronger than many other photographer bios/tech pieces, and really gets you into how he achieved a lot of the amazing work with the NY Times.

Thanks for the tip Andrew. I’ll add it to me to-read list!

Did I miss it or is there nothing by Freeman Patterson?

Which books of his do you recommend, Stephen?

Thank you for sharing Mark! This is a great list of books. Some I heard of and some I haven’t but definitely interested in them. Thanks for putting the list together.

I’m so glad you found it helpful, Ana! (It took me ages to put together!!)

Great list! Thank you.

I would add From snapshots to great shots Composition by Laurie Exell (sp?).

Ah thanks for the tips Patricia! Will check them out :-)

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The Women Behind the Camera

Some of the year’s best photography books come from artists like Carrie Mae Weems and Susan Meiselas, Rosamond Purcell and Lorna Simpson.

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By Lucy Sante

In the early 1970s, before she gained fame for her photojournalism during the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua, Susan Meiselas documented the “girlie shows” that were a feature of county fairs then. She went back year after year during the season, to a series of small towns primarily in Maine and Vermont. The shows were often raw, with customers permitted physical contact. No women were allowed into the tent, but Meiselas won the trust of the performers and was able to shoot backstage and eventually cover the entire event, sometimes in male guise. She interviewed the women at length, and incorporated transcriptions in the resulting book, CARNIVAL STRIPPERS (C/O Berlin/Steidl/D.A.P., 301 pp., $95) , which was originally published in 1976 and is now in a lavish new two-volume edition. As Meiselas wrote in 1976, “Like the show, the book represents coexistent aspects of a phenomenon, one which horrifies, one which honors.” The pictures, which were shot in smoky low-light on black-and-white film in the original volume, cover both sides with candor and equanimity: the skin show of imperfect bodies and primordial gawkers out front and the world of female intimacy backstage. You can feel her affection for her subjects, but none of the other emotions on display are quite that simple. It’s a complex tale of need, work, lust, yearning, abasement and endurance.

Carrie Mae Weems firmly established her place in photographic history in 1990 with the “Kitchen Table Series.” Using the simplest means — a room, a table, some chairs, a hanging lamp and a shifting array of pictures on the wall — Weems and her friends and family enacted a variety of domestic scenarios, from solitude to child-rearing to volatile male-female relations. The series purified the formal conventions of the snapshot, with its consistent framing and impeccable range of pearly gray light, while formalizing its wayward emotional content, making tableaus that represent widely shared human experiences. That Weems and her family are Black and middle-class is a given, just as it was long a given that the people in advertisements were middle-class and white. As CARRIE MAE WEEMS: A Great Turn in the Possible (Fundación Mapfré/D.A.P., 283 pp., $75) shows, however, that series is just one among nearly 40 that Weems has made over the past 40-odd years, in which she deploys text, rephotographs or reconstructs classic photos, arranges pictures in elaborate installations, constantly questioning the medium and her place in it.

While Weems is a conceptual photographer who imports other media, Lorna Simpson, who intersected with her as graduate students at U.C. San Diego in the 1980s and also takes Blackness as a given in her work, is more an artist who makes use of photography. LORNA SIMPSON (Phaidon, 239 pp., $69.95) displays a protean range of interests and approaches, in which photography is a constant, at least as a means to an end. The most lavishly photographic of her works, such as the studio portraits shot using 1940s movie-star conventions (“Call Waiting,” 1997), are in fact stills from her videos. A series of large-scale landscapes from the mid-90s are silk-screened onto multiple panels of felt or Japanese newsprint; the experience they render seems tactile and textural even in reproduction. Another such work from 2016, using press images of police actions against Black people in the ’60s and printed on claybord, seems to evoke Andy Warhol’s silk-screens of similar images. She makes collages, applies ink and paint to her photographs, arranges her photos in wry or angry sequences or sculptural configurations, and never takes the expected route in any circumstance.

FLORIDAS (Steidl/D.A.P., 191 pp., $65) is a fascinating project that juxtaposes photos of the state taken by Walker Evans mostly in the 1940s (as well as a few paintings he made a couple of decades later) with pictures made in recent years by the Russian-born Anastasia Samoylova. Many of Evans’s photos are unfamiliar, and some of Samoylova’s are in black and white, so that now and then the reader can be momentarily unsure who took what. The two photographers share an appreciation for the collage-like incongruities the state seems to offer in abundance, for the degree of artifice that produces them and the pictorial flatness they generate. But where Evans was chronicling a Florida on the verge of expansion from tourism and construction, Samoylova shows us a state already battered by climate change, not to mention overbuilding. They both enjoy the outlandish roadside attractions, the hot colors, the folk art, but Samoylova’s pleasures are tempered by the presence of gun culture, poisonous politics, and environmental destruction now and to come. Water is mercurially beautiful, as she shows in her shimmering reflected surfaces, but it will sooner or later cover everything.

The powerful and various work of the Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide is chronicled in dramatic sequence in HELIOTROPO 37 (Fondation Cartier/D.A.P., 295 pp., $55). The only color photos by her appear at the beginning, and they show massive hewn stones. After that come telephone wires, leafless vines, stands and thickets of rebar, clouds of birds, stocking seams tattooed on a woman’s legs, stray dogs, market displays, wrapped and splinted cactuses, the weather-sculpted faces of inhabitants of the Sonoran Desert, carnival backdrops, religious processions, Day of the Dead costumes, dead chickens, market women, transgender people, dead iguanas, sacrificed goats and the shadows of East L.A. cholos throwing gang signs. The border between life and death begins to seem porous. Iturbide trained as a filmmaker and had already made two movies before the great Manuel Álvarez Bravo asked her to be his apprentice. She reflects his native-born Surrealism and that of his wife, Lola, and goes beyond it. Her work seems to reflect all the great modernist photographers of Mexico, from Agustín Casasola to Tina Modotti by way of Sergei Eisenstein’s fragmentary film “Que Viva Mexico.” And all this with a technical mastery that makes the grimiest surfaces look sensuous.

Since the late 1960s, Rosamond Purcell has used large-format Polaroid cameras; since the early ’80s, when she was first permitted into the inner recesses of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard, she has used them to construct a vast cabinet of wonders. Her subjects include crowds of taxidermied birds; a box of deformed eggs; the brain cast of a tiger, kept in a cigar box; a carpet of flattened moles with little jazz hands; a trunkfish that has picked up the pattern of the cloth used to wrap it; a two-headed lamb, with a shared Chagall-esque eye, that once belonged to Peter the Great; and murre eggs that look as if they were decorated with calligraphic patterns by Henri Michaux. She is a sensualist of decay, who has also made beautiful studies of trash accumulations, broken glass and books inhabited or partly consumed by various nonhuman creatures. ROSAMOND PURCELL: Nature Stands Aside (Addison/Rizzoli Electa, 207 pp., $65), edited by Gordon Wilkins, is a frequently eye-popping survey of her work.

As A WORLD HISTORY OF WOMEN PHOTOGRAPHERS (Thames & Hudson, 504 pp., $85), edited by Luce Lebart and Marie Robert, demonstrates, women have been involved at every stage in the development of the medium, frequently in the front ranks. The story begins at the start, with Anna Atkins, whose “Photographs of British Algae” (1843) was the first photographic book. There are many famous names in this vast survey, from Julia Margaret Cameron to Francesca Woodman, but the surprise pleasures are the lesser known: Gabrielle Hébert, who shot startlingly contemporary-looking nudes sprawled on the grass in 1888; Zaida Ben-Yusuf, whose New York studio at the end of the 19th century was at the forefront of the Art Nouveau aesthetic; Josefina Oliver, yet another precursor to Cindy Sherman — in Buenos Aires around 1908; Janina Mierzecka, who in 1939 published a monograph devoted to photos of workers’ hands; Constance Stuart Larrabee, who sympathetically documented Black rural popular culture in South Africa in the late 1940s; and hundreds more, the youngest born in 1981. Ideally, the book would show more than one or two photos by each, but then it would be 5,000 pages long.

Diane Keaton may not be well known as a photographer, but as a collector she has been enormously influential in expanding collective knowledge of vernacular photography, beginning with her book “Still Life” (1983, with the curator Marvin Heiferman), which explored the waxworks appeal of 1950s Hollywood color publicity photos, and going on to books on the Texas commercial photographer Bill Wood (also with Heiferman) and the defunct Los Angeles Herald-Express. In SAVED: My Picture World (Rizzoli, 208 pp., $55), she offers a tour of her visual interests and experiences, in no particular order. The book begins with a selection of stills from 1950s science fiction movies, followed by the printed results of cracked and moisture-damaged glass negatives, followed by found scrapbook pages, followed by studio portraits of people with bad teeth, and so on. She includes non-photographic objects (tin signs, wooden and terra cotta figurines), and eventually her own collages and photographs: blunt shots of people of all descriptions seen along Hollywood Boulevard. The text is charming but slight; there are compelling images in the book, but they are scattered. The whimsically associative nature of the enterprise unfortunately makes it better suited to people curious about Keaton’s mind rather than about photography per se.

The real-photo postcard — which refers to photo cards individually printed in a darkroom, rather than on a litho press — had its American heyday between 1905 and 1914. It is a vast and barely mapped phenomenon, consisting of hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of images of all sorts made by photographers of every level of skill, training and imagination. Until the 1980s, it wasn’t taken seriously even by postcard collectors — Walker Evans’s collection, preserved at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, contains maybe three. Because the artists all worked on a strictly local level, and few of their archives have survived, it is a genre without famous names (aside from a few carpetbaggers, such as Jessie Tarbox Beals). It presents a landscape as huge and flat as the Great Plains, where it flourished, and the books on the subject have been either free-associative or else devoted to one specific micro-subject. (Disclaimer: My own book on the phenomenon, “Folk Photography,” has recently been republished by the Visual Spectrum.)

The collection of Leonard A. Lauder had to be different from the common run. He was a fixture on the postcard circuit for decades, present at every show and buying up all the best stuff, and he had his own curatorial staff to manage his collection. It comes as no surprise, then, that REAL PHOTO POSTCARDS: Pictures From a Changing Nation (MFA Publications/Museum of Fine Arts, Boston/D.A.P., 311 pp., $45) , by Lynda Klich and Benjamin Weiss, is beautifully lucid, among the finest published collections thus far. It does its best to be encyclopedic about a subject that resists such treatment. In practice it is reminiscent of Gerhard Richter’s “Atlas”: an almost positivistic visual reference. Each four-card spread (the cards are mostly reproduced actual-size) covers variations on one topic: freight delivery, road workers, store interiors, cobblers and barbers, lunch stands, bars, nickelodeons, band concerts, and so on through what might as well be the complete range of experience. In the process it serves up a panoramic view of the United States in the early 20th century, the time inevitably alluded to in official cultural nostalgia. Despite a chapter largely on disasters, and a striking picture of a criminal gang, the tone remains cheerful and upbeat throughout. There are no photos of the Mexican border war, for example, and no postcards of lynchings. By contrast, the book offers a much rarer image: a convention of Black suffragists — beautiful, well-dressed women in a tent hung with American flags, circa 1912.

Lucy Sante’s most recent book is “Nineteen Reservoirs.” She writes a regular column for Maggot Brain.

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Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .

Best photo books 2024

The very best photo books you can create from your own photos and order online

Easy to use, with plenty of designs to choose from and a high-quality finish, Mixbook is our top choice for photo books.

The best photo books can be the visual equivalent of a mixtape - curated with love and care, they are capable of evoking feelings and bringing back memories. And unlike a battered C90 in the tape deck of your car, they are only enhanced by the fact we all carry a smartphone in our pocket these days.

As a thoughtful gift for a loved one or family member, a photo book is hard to beat. Spend some time collecting images from special occasions, and you can guarantee a long-lasting, treasured reminder of happy days. They’re a versatile gift, endlessly adaptable to weddings, vacations, celebrations and more besides.

Any of the services we’ve collected here can create such a book for you, so we’ve tried and tested the best photo books, scoring them in terms of how good their print quality is, what the layout options for the pages were, and how quickly they could be printed and delivered. The image quality delivered by the finished article was the most important criterion, followed shortly by how versatile the book was. 

Mixbook comes in at the top of our rankings, but we didn’t find a digital photo book that was actually bad - they are all highly rated and your choice comes down to the one that best fits your needs.

Books aren’t the only digital printing options we’ve looked into. We have guides to the best photo cards , for when you want to send a special message with only one image attached, as well as the best greeting card software , for you to create your own.

1. Mixbook: Best photo book overall

Why you can trust Top Ten Reviews Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .

Mixbook Photo Book

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Mixbook scored solidly across all of our testing categories. The photo books we received were of a high standard, with sharp pictures, accurate colours and quality paper. More importantly, the company has also got a really watertight guarantee, which allows you to return your product for a full refund if it doesn’t come up to scratch in any way.

Another reason we really like Mixbook is that it makes the whole process of creating a photo book feel fun. When we were reviewing services, we found that it takes roughly three hours to create and finish an album. But thanks to Mixbook’s brilliant array of designs, and its ability to easily pull pictures from multiple social media streams and computer drives, the whole activity felt like a breeze.

In addition to the thousands of backgrounds and stickers available, Mixbook also regularly releases new designs and has a genuinely engaging blog that’s populated with interesting tips. There are some Martha Stewart designs on there at the moment, along with posts detailing the best way to go about making a family recipe book. Of course, you can also start designing your book from an entirely blank canvas, too. 

When it comes to printing, Mixbook gives you eight book sizes and five cover materials to choose from. Handily, the site will give you a warning if your photos are too small and at risk of looking pixelated. You’ll also get a discount if you order a large number of photobooks and you can even rush shipping for an extra fee. 

• Read our Mixbook Photo Books review

2. Shutterfly: Best value photo books

This is a great budget option, with plenty of regular sales appearing on site and a base price that’s very reasonable, too. The compact 6 x 6 photo book option can cost as little as $19.98 and lets you print images across 20 pages. We found that the company delivered high quality goods. When we used the service to print our own book, it had great crisp images and excellent color reproduction. 

Like Mixbook, Shutterfly allows you to pull in images from your social media feeds, and you can also rush shipping if you need it printed in a hurry. However, do be aware that the refund isn’t quite as watertight as the one offered by Mixbook. Shutterfly will only refund you if the product is faulty - if you make a mistake, you’ll have to take the financial hit. 

The site doesn’t offer quite as many customization options as our top-rated photo book printing service, either. Although it has recently overhauled its book building experience, offering customers the chance to whizz through the process in a smaller amount of time. 

• Read our ShutterFly Photo Books review

3. Artifact Uprising: Best for high quality prints and gifts

Artifact Uprising

This definitely isn’t the cheapest option, but in our tests it scored the highest in terms of quality. Also of note is that this is the only service we tested that has a focus on sustainability, giving you the option to pick recycled paper for your prints.

You can produce some really beautiful hardcover books on this site, including vacation mementos and baby albums. A lot of the books come with the option of adding linen covers, which is a nice touch, and while it doesn’t have the widest selection of designs, the ones it does offer are really sleek, modern creations.

It also offers a bespoke service, where someone curates images and designs your layout for you. This can cost in excess of $100, though, so it’s not a service that everyone will want to use. If you’re looking for a cheaper option, Artifact Uprising also offers a softcover book starting from $15. But for this price, you could also get a more customizable product from somewhere like Shutterfly.

In general, we’d recommend Artifact Uprising for when you really want to go all out on an expensive, high quality product, as this is where the company excels.

4. Printique: Ideal for special occasions

This company is well known for its high standards. When we tested it out, it was miles ahead in terms of printing quality, yielding the best photo clarity and color accuracy of all the services we tested. However, that luxury comes at a cost – a 20 page, hardcover book will cost you $49.99 at minimum.

That’s why we recommend this option for when you really want to commemorate a special event. It’s perfect for wedding pictures, for example. You can choose between several different types of paper, including glossy, luster and deep matte varieties. So while $49.99 might sound like a lot, you really are getting the best quality out there. And like a lot of the other services in this guide, there are regular discounts available to bring down that price. 

There are thousands of design and layout choices to pick from, and it’s easy to pull in photos from places like Facebook, Google Photos, Flickr, Instagram, Dropbox and Amazon. It has a slightly complicated design process compared to other platforms, so it may take you a little longer to build something you're satisfied with (although if you’re committed to making the best photo book you can, we recommend you put aside a couple of hours for each project regardless.)

Printique offers 15 photo book sizes, whether landscape, portrait, square or horizontal-spine. It’s worth noting, though, that the book sizes are slightly unusual: for example, it sells an 8 x 12, 8 x 10 and 12 x 15 instead of the typical 8.5 x 11 or 11 x 14 options. 

5. Meijer Photo: Great for customer service

Meijer Photo

Meijer Photo is a US institution, and it is generally well loved by its satisfied customers. If you're buying a photo book from here you have the comfort of knowing that this is an established and trusted provider, and you can even visit a brick and mortar store if you want to collect quickly, or you have a problem with your order. While we didn't see any kind of money back guarantee with Meijer, we're fairly sure that most issues can be resolved quickly and easily in store.

Meijer has good print quality too, and its range of photo books - while limited - are good quality. You'll pay a low price for all photo products from here too, and if it wasn't for the frequent promotions run by sites like Mixbook and Shutterfly, this would rank as our cheapest provider overall.

The site is easy enough to use, but what Meijer really lacks is a wide variety of options when it comes to photo books. This is a pretty vanilla printing business, so lacks the range and features of more specialized providers. If you want to shop here because you know and trust Meijer, you'll get a good photo book, but there are better options out there.

6. Photobook: Best for versatility

If you want to get really creative with your photo book, then you'll need some software with a great range of tools. Photobook impresses in this area, the Malaysia-founded website providing an extensive palette with which you can design your masterpiece. Whether you're looking to expand, crop, rotate or put frames around your images, Photobook enables you to do it with ease. And if you do get stuck during the process, there are a bunch of 'how to' videos, along with a live chat service, to help you.

Our experts found that the images came out a little dark or grainy at times, but on the whole were satisfactory. Should you be disappointed with your final product, Photobook offers a 100% quality guarantee that enables customers to get a full refund if they're not entirely happy.

The other thing to say about Photobook is that it offers a huge range of other picture-based products, from calendars to kitchen aprons. There are also a number of branded items from your favorite high-street stores, which can be personalized with the name of your loved one for a gift that they're sure to cherish.

7. Snapfish: Best for extra photo gifts

Snapfish and Shutterfly have now technically been merged, but the companies remain distinct in terms of the services they offer. Snapfish is certainly still one of the largest photo printing services in the world - but this comes with advantages and disadvantages.

On the positive side of things, the company offers some great prices if you’re looking to bulk buy printed gifts. In addition to photo books, it also offers custom mugs, keyrings, pillows and face masks. Discounts regularly appear on site, so you can get some genuinely good offers here, especially if you need products printed for corporate events.

However, in our tests, the quality of the printing wasn’t quite as good as some of the company’s main competitors (like Mixbook.) Moreover, the experience of creating the photo book wasn’t as enjoyable. The site is a nightmare to navigate, with various pop-ups appearing on screen as you try to reach the checkout, pushing extra features and products. The designs aren’t as inspiring as competitors, either, as they’re all very basic. 

It’s a good option if you have simple needs, and want to prioritise saving money, but other services provide better quality.

8. Amazon Prints: A cheap service

Amazon Prints

Amazon Prints is a good option if you're looking to create a stylish and affordable photo book, as long as you’re not looking for the level of customisation offered by the services above. Our test photo book had a high print quality and was well built – despite it being the cheapest in our guide.

You can manually choose your backgrounds, stickers and the placement of your photos. The interface gives you the freedom to create your own layouts, and lets you crop and zoom into photos as you please. It also warns you if your photos are too low-res and will print blurry, which is helpful. The process, however, is very complicated and you may struggle to use it.

If you need to make a photo book in a hurry, you can choose from among the 13 pre-designed photo books and use the autofill feature. This photo book service also enables you to share images with other Amazon users to create collaborative photo projects.

It’s good to know that any purchases over $15 automatically receive free standard shipping. This can cost between $5 and $13 with other photo book services, so it’s a significant saving. Amazon Prints also offers a strong money-back guarantee. 

9. Walmart Photo Books: Very fast creation

Walmart Photo

If you need a photo book in a hurry, Walmart Photo is probably the best option for you. While the print quality isn’t as good as the other services, it's possible to create a book online or in-store and pick it up just an hour later. 

Walmart Photo is also one of the cheapest photo book services online. But, as you’d expect, the lower cost means lower quality and fewer options. You don’t get as much control or creative freedom as the other photo book creators in this guide, and the design tool is harder to use. For example, we couldn’t fit the cover image to the design window and so some of the people were cropped out and the photo became distorted. Nevertheless, if you need a photo book now , Walmart Photo is your best bet.

How much does a photo book cost?

The price of photobooks varies by service, as you might expect. But to get a good idea prices for a 20-page 8.5 x 11-inch book usually start at around the $30 mark and hit $46 at the top end.

The other factor to take into consideration with price is shipping, which is usually charged as extra. This can be as much as $10 so it's worth shopping around on this factor too. On top of that there can be tax added too, with as much as $8 added in our testing. All this varies by the number you order, how close you live to the printer and the state you live in.

Is it worth using a photo book printing service?

Despite all the costs mentioned, this is a service that pays for itself when you see the end result. No matter how good your home printer and arts-and-crafts skills might be, you'll struggle to match the quality of the end results that these professional services offer. 

So even if you have the best graphic design software and high quality printers available to you, a photo book printing service is easier and can offer better results.

How long does it take to design a photo book?

How long you want to spend perfecting your photo book is up to you but generally speaking most top end options have easy to use software. As such you can whip up a winning photo book in as little as 30 minutes. These can pull in photos from social media or your device, making that otherwise tough part, simple.

It's best to take your time over your photo book though, spending a few hours to get it just right. This means a better end result. Of course if you need to digitize photos too, add that time on.

What are express photo books? 

If you're in a real hurry to get your photo book, perhaps as a gift, then express photo books may be helpful. These are same-day photo printing services which allow you to pick up your photo book from a physical store. Some places where you can take advantage of this are Walmart Photo, CVS Photo or Walgreens Photo. Each of these offers an impressive one-hour pick-up time.

By comparison most other online services are going to take a few days, or even a week, to have your book printed and delivered to you. While these can mean you save money over express services, it does mean you need to plan ahead.

What are bespoke photo books?

If all this sounds like too much effort, there are bespoke photo book services that take even more of the work out of it for you. Services like Artifact Uprising offer professional designers who will do the legwork for you, for an additional fee of course.

All you need to do is get them the photos, tell them the sizes you want for the end result and have them go to work. You can then review and adjust before deciding on the final outcome.

How do photo book subscriptions work?

If that automation idea sounds good to you then a subscription service could be ideal. Photo subscriptions from the likes of Chatbooks, mean you'll be sent a photo book each month based on the photos from your smartphone, Instagram, Facebook and Google Photos.

Charged at $10 per softcover, or $15 for hardcovers, these books are shipped for free and are created for every 60 new photos. 

Photo book options

When you are buying a photo book, there are many things to consider outside of the cover design. It can be tempting to pick the prettiest cover, but measurements of size, layout options, and paper quality matter too. 

If you are new to buying a photo book, here are some important things to keep in mind before adding one to your cart. 

Size, shape and orientation

Most photo books are available in the 8.5 x 11-inch size, ideal for landscape photos. This is great for you if you have tons of average-sized horizontal photos. You can also get bigger, 14 x 11-inch photo books for larger-than-average snaps. 

While this works great for landscape photography, it may not be the best option for you if you are a fan of portrait photos. Selfie lovers should opt for vertical-oriented photo books that perfectly accommodate tall and narrow photos. 

Paper Quality

Paper quality might seem like an afterthought for photo books, but the right paper quality can actually change the whole look of your photo book. The most popular paper qualities include a glossy, matte, or luster finish, all of which look great depending on the theme of your photos. 

If you have vibrant photos with vivid colors, it’s best to opt for glossy paper, while a matte finish is ideal for a neutral or serious vibe. A luster finish is a good option if you want something bright but not super glossy. 

If you are looking for premium quality, opt for Lay Flat, which a fine paper made of extra thick cardstock for firmness and shape retention. This is best if you want your photos to lay flat in the book (instead of the curved shape most photo books offer). 

Cover and binding

 Now comes the best part: choosing the cover. This is one of the first things people consider when buying an album. 

Along with a great design, the “feel” of a photo album can also add to the nostalgic experience. Most popular cover options include leather and velvet as they offer a premium look for special photos. 

When choosing a cover, also look at the binding. Is it strong and durable to sustain regular use? Or is it pretty but delicate, making it suitable for rare use?

A good layout can make or break your photo book. The layout defines how your photos are arranged in the book. Here are some great questions to ask yourself to find the right layout:

Are all photos horizontal or is it a mix of landscape and portrait orientation? Is there space for taking notes and marketing dates? Can you change the layout or is it fixed?

Use photo books for online photo album storage

Lots of photo book services are happy for you to use their server space to store your photos. That means you can upload all your pictures as you take them for online backup with unlimited space. Not only does this mean your photos are secure but it's also easier than ever to create photo books, photo cards, canvas prints, photo paper prints, iPhone cases, gift mugs and more.

Some services, like Amazon Photo with Amazon Prints, will even recognise faces allowing you to create people specific albums more automatically. These also let you organize photos but to do this really well it's worth looking at good quality photo organizing software . 

Digitizing photos for your album

If you’ve been in the photography scene for a while, chances are you have analog photos you’d like to feature in a photo book. But to do so, you need to digitize them. 

The easiest way to do this is with a scanner, often found on an all-in-one printer . However, if you don’t have a scanner, time or the inclination to digitize your photos yourself, we recommend using a  photo scanning service .

If you have old slides you’d like to include in your photo books, you'll also need to convert them to digital media. As stated previously, you can always use a photo scanning service. But if you want to save some money and do the conversions yourself, we recommend investing in a slide to digital image converter . Keep in mind that this process, while not difficult, does take an investment of time if you have a lot of slides to get through, and it isn’t the most exciting work.

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Andy was the previous Editor-in-Chief of Top Ten Reviews. With over 18 years experience in both online and print journalism, Andy has worked for a host of world-leading tech and gaming brands, including PC Gamer and GamesRadar. He specializes in photography, technology and smart home, and has provided expert comment for sites like The Guardian. In his spare time Andy is an amateur photographer, and teaches at the National Film and TV School.

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Article updated on May 14, 2024 at 6:00 PM PDT

Best Photo Books for 2024

Make memories even more special by using one of these photo-book services to make professional-looking photo albums.

Our Experts

• She received the Renau Writing Scholarship in 2016 from the University of Louisville's communication department.

CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.

While DIYed family photo albums may seem like a thing of the past, it can be nice to have a physical reminder of memories rather than letting the thousands of photos on your phone gather digital dust. Whether searching for a thoughtful birthday gift or a way to display your photography , photo books offer a personal touch. The best photo books are highly customizable and more affordable than you might think.

There are many services available online that can help you craft the perfect photo book, customizable and delivered directly to you. I researched and tested a few of the best photo book services to find out what each’s strengths and weaknesses are. Note that I haven't actually ordered any books I created yet, so I can't compare the quality of the final products.

Read more:  Best Printer for 2024

• Free designer service
• Many templates to choose from
• Photos must be JPEGs

Best overall service

Shutterfly's easy-to-navigate site can help you assemble your perfect custom photo book with over a dozen occasion templates and book sizes to choose from. It offers tutorials and ideas to help you create your photo books if you want to start entirely from scratch.

To use Shutterfly, you can browse and select a template and upload your photos into the preselected slots. You can add text, design elements and other customizations to your photo books. You can also use Shutterfly's free 24-hour designer service. This service helps take some of the legwork out of the creation process. You can upload anywhere from 50 to 800 photos, and Shutterfly experts will select the best images so your book isn't repetitive or blurry. You can advise how the expert selects which photos to use, how images are sequenced and the amount of design elements or embellishments you'd like.

For the best results, upload and use print-quality photos from your computer or select from photos already uploaded to your Shutterfly, Facebook or Instagram accounts. Any photo you use has to be in JPEG format.

How much it costs: Before shipping and tax, an 8-by-8-inch 20-page softcover photo book would cost about $25. Shutterfly frequently runs sales , so you can be on the lookout for promo codes to apply to your purchase to save some money. As you add or delete elements from your project, Shutterfly will tell you that the price of your project has changed.

• Many page and cover customization options
• Easy to use and navigate site
• Some work involved when switching templates

Easiest to use

Mixbook's minimalist layout makes it very easy to use. The site has dozens of fun photo book themes -- family, seasonal, wedding, travel, baby -- and more specific designs in each category, perfect for photo gifts. There's also the option to put a book together from scratch. Mixbook lets you upload print-quality photos from your computer or phone as well as from Facebook and Instagram, and ones you've already uploaded to the site. Mixbook offers a lot of customization options. You can choose from multiple page finishes and different cover option styles. If you want to get fancy, you can even add matte finishes, a hardcover or leather with a dust jacket.

I used Mixbook to organize my wedding photos and to make a photo book for my dad's birthday. It was easy to add and edit photos, text, extra pages and embellishments to the template I chose. You can swap themes at any time and the photos will transfer over, but from what I can tell, you have to change the pages manually. Both photo books I made turned out great and arrived in a timely fashion.

You can be as creative as you want and veer away from the template as you like -- or stick with the presets. As you build your photo books, you can click Preview to see how the final product will look. When you're satisfied with your photo book, click Order to finalize the photo book size, page and cover finish. 

How much it costs: Photo books can be ordered in landscape, portrait or square shape in 6-by-6-, 8.5-by-8.5-, 10-by-10- and 12-by-12-inch sizes. An 8.5-by-8.5-inch, 21-page softcover book with the regular semi-gloss page finish -- all the cheapest options -- will cost you around $21. Designing a larger book with more bells and whistles will raise the final price. Like its competitors, Mixbook frequently runs promotions that can save you some serious cash.

• Home delivery, same-day pick up and site-to-store delivery
• Large variety of photo book sizes
• Fewer photo editing options
• No embellishment options

Best photo books on a budget

Walmart photo.

If you’re looking to make a photo book without breaking the bank, consider creating one through Walmart's website . You can customize your photo book's size, from 5-by-7 inches up to 12-by-12 inches, as well as the cover type, binding and how fast you want it delivered. I tested out Walmart’s Classic Black photo album template since I already had the photos available. The book was available for home delivery, same-day pick up and site-to-store delivery. Along with sizes, Walmart’s templates have multiple options for covers, but depending on how you mix and match customization options, not every style is available for each configuration. 

Walmart lets you upload photos from your computer, Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, Dropbox and Google Photos, but the site will only hold onto the photos for one year. It was easy to drag and drop photos or swap layout pages in the template. After dropping a photo in, you can click it to make any adjustments. Walmart provides fewer photo-editing options -- a black-and-white or a sepia filter, the ability to crop, zoom and tilt; brightness adjustment and red-eye elimination -- compared to other websites. While building your custom photo book, you can swap templates at any time, but the photos you've placed won't transfer, and you'll need to place them into the new layout. One of the downsides to Walmart's photo books was the lack of embellishments. The program lets you add text, but the ability to add "stickers" like those on other sites, would've taken the design process up a level. 

Once you're finished with your project, click Next to review your photo book in a storyboard format before you order. There's also an option to preview the entire book page by page if you want a more detailed review before ordering. You'll get an alert if you've left any slots blank.

How much it costs: Walmart's 8-by-11-inch, 20-page, hardcover glossy photo book costs about $29 before shipping and tax.

• Many customization options
• Helpful guidance during creation
• Cannot save photos to site to select from

Best photo books for fast checkout

If you're not keen on making an account and getting a slew of promotional emails, Mailpix might be the way to go. With this photo book company, you can make a photo book as a guest, no account needed. Mailpix offers premium ultra lay flat, lay flat, hardcover book and softcover photo book styles, ranging from 8-by-8- to 11-by-14-inch books. The site recommends designing the book on a computer and using JPEG files. You can pick out styles for almost every occasion -- birthday celebrations, Mother's and Father's Day, holidays like Christmas, Halloween and Hanukkah and pet themes.

Mailpix guides you through the process step by step, so you won't feel lost or overwhelmed. There’s a nice variety of page layouts to choose from, and you can choose how many pages are in the book and how many images are on each page. Mailpix provides guidance on image sizing for the highest quality outcome and warns you if a photo’s resolution is too low. There's also an autofill option that helps save time putting all your images in. As you're building your book, Mailpix puts a red line around the page indicating that a section might be cropped out during the photo book printing.

Mailpix updates your price total as you go along, so you're not caught off-guard by the final price at checkout. When you're satisfied with your book, name it and choose how many copies you'd like to order. Select a cover style, add a photo if you'd like and check out.

How much it costs: An 8.5-by-11-inch hardcover book with a standard 20 pages came to $80 before tax and shipping -- ground shipping starts at $7, express shipping runs $20 or more. This personalized photo book is also on sale. On Mailpix, every additional page costs $1.20.

• Easy integration with photos already saved on Google Photos
• Can create photo book from smartphone app
• Not many premade templates/albums

Best if you're new to online photo books

Google photos.

If you use Google Photos , you can avoid uploading your photos to another app and create a hassle-free photo book on your phone with photo books from Google Photos . In the Google Photos app or on a desktop, tap the shopping bag icon (on my Google Pixel 5 phone, it's at the top left of the screen). Tap Photo Books to get started, and you can choose from a few premade albums based on your photos, like Winter Vacation 2023 -- the premade photo albums can be edited as well.

There's also the option to start from scratch and manually add all the photos by tapping Make Photo Book at the bottom of the screen. You can add up to 90 photos to your book. Once you've got all the images you want, you can add a title for your book, hold and drag to rearrange pages, and further edit by tapping on a page.

Google Photos is probably the easiest and most basic choice if you're going to order a photo book. It offers a minimalist layout for photo books, with white pages and places for you to add captions to your photos. There aren't embellishments like there are on Mixbook, but you can still make creative layouts with multiple photos. Google Photos still has editing options in its app for you to add filters before creating a book.

How much it costs : A hardcover 9-by-9-inch photo book costs $30 for 20 pages and 99 cents for each additional page. A softcover 7-by-7-inch photo book costs $15 for 20 pages and 49 cents for each additional page before shipping.

Other options we tested

Apple photos.

Apple no longer has an in-house photo book service , but you can download project expansion apps to create photo books with iOS devices . On your Mac, open the Photos app and choose File > Create > Book . From there, you’ll be directed to the App Store where you can download third-party apps Motif, Mimeo Photos, White Wall, Ifolor Designer, Mpix, Fujifilm Prints and Gifts or Wix Photo Albums to start a project. Any app you download will be available through Book when you create a new project in the Photos app.

Factors to consider before ordering a photo book

Cost is an important factor but hard to gauge between the sites. Depending on the type of book you want to create, embellishments, nicer paper and finishes with extra pages, are going to affect the price.

Book size is likely the first thing you’ll choose when designing a photo book. Depending on which site you use, you can create a photo book as small as 5-by-5 inches up to full coffee book table books.

Creative freedom and customization options are important to consider when choosing a site. If you have a specific vision in mind, you’ll want to choose a service that will let you add stickers, text and other embellishments. Or, if you want to take some of the artistic work out of the process, you’ll want to pick a site with templates available.

Logistics are also a big part of how easy or hard it is for you to use each service. For this list, we’ve considered how easy it is to upload photos, how you can navigate the website, what the average delivery time is after ordering and whether you can create the books through an app or on desktops only.

Photo book FAQs

What do i need to create a photo book.

For most services, all you will need to do is have your collection of photos ready to upload. We recommend creating a specific folder or album on your computer that contains all the photos you want to include to make uploading them to the service easier.

How far in advance do I need to order a holiday photo book?

The delivery time for your photo book will depend on the service you use. For the sites on this list, delivery could be anywhere between same-day and three weeks. During the holidays, plan for a little extra time in your ordering to ensure you get your photo book on time.

How much does it cost to create a custom photo book?

Photo books range in price, as they can be upgraded and customized for extra. The lowest price on this list, without all the bells and whistles, is around $15. If you want to add a hardcover, extra pages, embellishments or different binding materials, those will cost more.

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• Home & garden

Best photo book 2023: Hold on to your cherished memories with these DIY photo albums

• Sherwin Coelho
• Aleksha McLoughlin

Get your photos off your phone and into a custom-designed photo book you’ll want to look at and cherish for years to come

We’re all obsessed with taking photos on our smartphones, but when it comes to showing them off, we’re pretty clueless. The best photo books are a wonderful way to brush the digital dust off the cherished memories stored on your phone or social media account. There are dozens of affordable online services that can help you put your photos in an exquisitely crafted physical photo book, so you can enjoy your favourite snaps for years to come.

Maybe you want to have a record of your baby’s first year or a significant day, like your wedding day, a special birthday or an anniversary. Photo books also make brilliant gifts, because they remind the person on the receiving end of cherished memories – and in a format that they can keep on the shelf or coffee table to show others or simply reminiscence.

Photo books can be as basic or luxurious as you like, with themed options that can spice up otherwise dull albums, or classic designs that will compliment your photos without distracting you from them.

The best thing about creating a photo album these days is the simplicity that all the below services offer. Forget about being a tech wiz or having photo editing skills: some services will automatically select your best photos and put them in a customised album for you.

In most cases, you simply choose your template and layout, then insert the pictures you want in the order you want them. In short, if you can use Facebook, then you can create a photo album. Read on to find out how to move your pictures off your phone and out of your feeds and into the real world where they will be appreciated.

READ NEXT: Best camera bags

Best photo book: At a glance

• Best for ease of use: BonusPrint | Buy now
• Best budget option: Snapfish | Buy now
• Best for variety of styles: Photobox | Buy now
• Best high-end option: Milk Books | Buy now

How to choose the best photo book service for you

How easy is the process.

Rewind about five years and you would have had to worry about taking your camera to the printers and waiting weeks to see how your pictures came out. But today’s modern photo book services make the process super-easy by allowing you to upload pictures straight from your PC, phone and – in many cases – your social media feeds. This means you can manage, edit and order your album from just about any device.

What style options do I have?

The sky’s pretty much the limit when it comes to size and other options for your photo book. While a lot of services offer the aesthetically-pleasing option of one photo per page (or even a double-page spread), most also allow for a more traditional photo album or scrapbook designs that mimic old-fashioned ways of displaying photos. Apart from this, you can also add text, illustrations and other designs to make your photos pop.

READ NEXT: Best photo editing software

Do I need to have any prior photo editing knowledge?

While it always helps to know how to crop, resize and add effects to your photos, you’ll be happy to know that you don’t need any prior photo editing knowledge to create your photo book. All websites offer useful templates with customisable themes and options to zoom in or out of your photo to focus on what’s important to you. Most services even let you add effects to add some glitz and glamour to your prints.

Do I need a laptop to create a photo book?

Most of the below photo book services have their own free apps that you can download onto your smartphone or tablet. However, some service only work via a web browser on your PC. In general, we always recommend a bigger screen for creating photo albums because this will give you a better idea of both the album size and how your colours will look.

Can I preview how my photo book will look?

Yes. Almost all the services mentioned below let you preview your final product before you order it. Ensure you take your time to go through the preview before confirming your purchase because this will give you a good estimate of how you can expect your photo book to look and feel when you receive it.

READ NEXT: Want instant photos? Check out the best instant cameras

The best photo books you can buy right now

1. bonusprint: best for ease of use.

Available via an app for desktop, tablet and smartphones, BonusPrint’s service is very versatile and dead easy to use. Standard options include landscape, portrait and square books, and you can choose whether you want a plain cover in leather or linen, or a photo cover that will make the finished album feel even more personal.

One of its best features is called Smart Assistant. Simply select the folder whose photos you want and the said assistant will ‘smartly’ pick out your best photos eliminating duplicates, blurry and out-of-focus photos. The service will even go so far as creating an album from the best photos. Of course, you can then edit the album as you please. This process can save you hours of hard work if you don’t want to upload and customise the photos individually yourself.

Delivery time: 6-8 working days; Shipping cost: from £3; Mobile app: Yes; Social media import: Yes

Buy now from BonusPrint

2. Photobox: Best for variety of styles

Price: From £14 | Buy now from Photobox

Photobox is the clear and outright winner when it comes to sheer number of book styles on offer. The service provides so many different album styles that you’ll be hard-pressed not to find something you love. This also means that the options vary in price quite significantly, from the £16 ‘Little Moments Photo Book’ to the more extravagant £110 luxe ‘Premium Photo Book’ with padded hardcover and presentation box.

We like that the website has clear terms with examples for the different options available when it comes to binding, covers and paper used. While this can be fairly straightforward, the last thing you want is to expect one thing and receive something different altogether with all your precious effort gone down the drain. Photobox also scores high if you’re customising a photo book as a gift because you can have years, names or special shapes (such as a heart) included on the cover.

Delivery time: 4-12 working days; Shipping cost: from £4; Mobile app: Yes; Social media import: Yes

Buy now from Photobox

3. Mixbook: Best for variety of themes

Mixbook has a variety of themes readily available for almost any occasion – including weddings, birthdays and travel. The service offers quick preview after you select your theme and style. This gives you a good idea of how you can expect your photo book to look even before your start uploading your photos. Every style has a different book shape, so you can be sure your photos will look great and pop out of the page regardless of whether they’re in portrait or landscape mode.

Mixbook is a great service for those who want a fun, customised photo book but don’t know where to start because you can simply choose a theme, choose a style and start uploading and customising your photo book. When you’re designing your book, you can choose various backgrounds and stickers to augment the pages, as well as add effects to your images.

Delivery time: 3-11 working days; Shipping cost: from £4.51; Mobile app: No; Social media import: No

Buy now from Mixbook

4. Snapfish: Best budget option

A budget alternative that doesn’t sacrifice quality or variety, Snapfish offers a choice of seven different sizes and covers, along with more than 100 templates that can be used in the design process. It’s easy to design something special on your PC or mobile device and the results won’t cost the earth. The only downside is that existing projects can’t be shared between the Snapfish desktop site and app, so you need to decide which platform you would like to build your photo book on before you start.

Creating a photo book can be quite daunting, so we’re glad that Snapfish has useful guides at the bottom of the website that gently hold your hand through the entire process – should you need the extra support or get stuck mid-way through the process. Among other articles, there are ideas on how to create the perfect recipe book and even how to document your entire family history via a photo book.

Delivery time: 3-6 working days; Shipping cost: from £2; Mobile app: Yes; Social media import: Yes

Buy now from Snapfish

5. Cewe: Best desktop creation software

Price: From £6 | Buy now from Cewe

Almost all the above services let you create photo books across a range of devices, but Cewe’s desktop software was the easiest to use. Even though it’s very easy to create photo books on your mobile device, we always recommend a PC or laptop because it gives you a more realistic idea of how your photo book will eventually look. One of the best features of the software is the option to design your photo book offline and create it at your own pace before you’re ready to print it. Of course, Cewe also has mobile apps and even an online creation tool, if that’s what you prefer.

There are eight photo book sizes to choose from – from Small to XXL Landscape – so you’re sure to find something you want depending on the occasion you’re creating for. The UK-based service has a range of covers, paper types, highlights and binding styles to suit your style. It also has a useful daytime chat support option to help you create your book or answer any queries if you get stuck during any point in the process.

Delivery time: 5-7 working days; Shipping cost: from £4; Mobile app: Yes; Social media import: Yes

Buy now from Cewe

6. Bob Books: Best for versatility

Priced somewhere near the middle of the options in this roundup, Bob Books offers plenty of variety when it comes to design and layout. Indeed, there are seven different sizes and three orientations to choose from; portrait, square and landscape. A key feature that makes these books stand out from the competition is the fact that each one, whether hardback or paperback, also comes bound in a wrap-around encompassing cover, with various finishes available.

Bob Books offers a multitude of ways in which you can create your photobook, no matter what device you have to hand. There’s a dedicated software app for PC and Mac, a web-based photobook editor, an iOS app for iPhones, and a PDF-to-book program for those who’d like to use Adobe InDesign. Depending on your technical knowledge, the process can be as carefree or complex as you want.

Delivery time: 6 – 10 working days; Shipping cost: £4.99; Mobile app: Yes; Social media import: No

Buy now from Bob Books

7. Milk Books: Best high-end option

If you’re really looking for something that’s extra special and extravagant, then you should consider Milk Books. The company provides premium handcrafted photo books that really bring out the best in your images, with everything from classic photo books to gorgeous Moleskine-style albums and more.

The drawbacks of the service include long delivery times, presumably because of the care with which your items are created, but the quality and price easily justify the wait.

Delivery time: 17-26 days; Shipping cost: from £10; Mobile app: No; Social media import: No

Buy now from Milk Books

• Here are the best custom photo book services
• Most user-friendly
• Best for professionals
• Fastest turnaround
• Highest quality

The 5 best custom photo book services to help you preserve your memories

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We've grown accustomed to having nearly every photo we've ever taken at our fingertips and while smartphone and cloud storage is great, there's something wonderful and cozy about reliving memories over a beautiful photo album. 

But nostalgia isn't the only benefit of photo books— you can compile photos taken from multiple sources, tell a story, or create a memorable gift. Custom photo books let us layout our favorite pictures to our exact liking. With themed styles, countless cover choices, and customizable designs, we can capture our memories in a beautiful, bound book. 

We've chosen five of our favorite custom photo book services you can use to make your own album. They offer a range of products with different levels of customization and quality so you can choose the right service for you whether your priority is printing speed, user-friendliness, quality, design options, or price.

Our picks for the 5 best custom photo book services

Best value: Shutterfly Shutterfly is a major photo service platform where you can get prints, design holiday cards, create home decor, and make photo books. It offers dozens of pre-made themed styles as well as the option to completely customize your book. 

Most user-friendly: Mixbook You can start with one of Mixbook's trendy themes or a blank book, choose a landscape, square, or portrait layout, and start adding pictures to its many layout options. 

Best for professionals: Blurb Blurb is designed for amateur and professional photographers, so it works with Adobe InDesign, Lightroom, and Photoshop for the highest quality prints and highest design control. 

Fastest turnaround: Walgreens Walgreens offers a basic, beginner-friendly, and quick custom photo book service. The editor is simple and very easy to use with an overall "fun" feel.

Highest quality: Printique Printique is a great high-quality photo book option for non-professionals, offering leather and fabric covers and only using professional photo and inkjet paper to ensure your photos are printed at their best.

Best value: Shutterfly

Shutterfly is a major photo service platform where you can get prints, design holiday cards, create home decor, and make photo books. It offers dozens of pre-made themed styles as well as the option to completely customize your book. 

Once you choose a size, type of cover, and page type, Shutterfly offers you to "Make it Fast" or "Make it Manually"— either using its shortcuts or a fully customizable layout. 

Shutterfly also offers a "Make My Book" free designer service that's still customizable but removes most of the leg work. You can choose your style and photos, include any special requests, and edit or accept the final product that's guaranteed in three business days or less. 

Browse Shutterfly's photo books here .

Most user-friendly: Mixbook

Mixbook has been rated as many people's favorite custom photo book service because its design system is extremely intuitive and user-friendly. 

You can start with one of their trendy themes or a blank book, choose a landscape, square, or portrait layout, and start adding pictures to its many layout options. 

Mixbook has a huge collection of stickers, designs, and fonts but it also lets you upload your own stickers or backgrounds to make it even more personal. Plus, you can invite others to collaborate on your photo book so they can upload and add their own photos or pages.

Browse Mixbook's photo books here .

Best for professionals: Blurb

Blurb is designed for amateur and professional photographers, so it works with Adobe InDesign, Lightroom, and Photoshop for the highest quality prints and highest design control. 

It also offers its own downloadable design tool which allows for full creative control but isn't very beginner-friendly if you're looking for a "drag and drop" template.

Blurb is great for professional-looking photo books or high-quality gifts. And if you're looking to self-publish your photography: it'll even help you list your book on Amazon and bulk order your product.

Browse Blurb's photo books here .

Fastest turnaround: Walgreens

Walgreens offers a basic, beginner-friendly, and quick custom photo book service. The editor is simple and very easy to use with an overall "fun" feel.

Walgreen's photo books are almost fully customizable and the tools in its editor are neatly organized, which is great for not overwhelming the designer but can arguably make it a little hard to find exactly what you're looking for. 

Though the same-day pick-up is extremely convenient, it does mean quality can be lacking (though it may not be obvious). For example, the fast "flat lay" books aren't bound as a true flatlay but are constructed to give a flat appearance. The photos themselves may also print imperfectly and the quality of your book can heavily depend on your Walgreens location and the experience of the photo team.

Browse Walgreens' photo books here .

Highest quality: Printique

Printique is a great high-quality photo book option for non-professionals, offering leather and fabric covers and only using professional photo and inkjet paper to ensure your photos are printed at their best.

You can choose linen, metallic, or pebble-textured pages in addition to its glossy, matte, and best-selling Luster options. The only things less customizable are the photo layouts themselves: Printique requires the photographs to take center stage rather than stickers, words, or themed designs. 

Though all of Printique's options are already high quality, you can upgrade to a Premium album which is built, bound, and printed a little differently so it has a luxurious feel through every page. Premium albums are customized similarly but have different design options available such as a metal album cover and are created with longevity in mind.

Browse all of Printique's photo books here .

You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here . Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected] .

• Main content

Mixbook review: Simply the best

If you’re looking for the best photo book service, look no further.

Tom's Guide Verdict

Mixbook offers the best combination of ease of use, superior image quality, and good value of all the photo services we tested. Newbies will love Mixbook’s fun and easy-to-use software while more advanced users will appreciate the wide range of customization options to help you get creative. We were also impressed by Mixbook’s live tech support, which can come in handy if you get stuck while creating a photo product. Our only quibble is that while image quality was in the top tier for photo books and calendars, it was only above average for cards.

Excellent image quality for books and calendars

Intuitive software that’s actually fun to use

Variety of creative options to customize products

Thick paper gives books and calendars a professional feel

Helpful live chat support directly in design software

Photo card quality not as high as books and calendars

Myriad of options can be overwhelming

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

• Software and interface
• Print quality

Photo book rating: ★ ★★★★ Photo card rating: ★★★☆☆ Photo calendar rating: ★★★★★

If you’re intimidated about designing a photo book, calendar, or card, Mixbook takes out the stress with clear and fun-to-use software that helps make the process a breeze. There’s even a helpful live chat feature with tech support if you get stuck. Even better, there’s no trade-off on image quality. Mixbook’s photo books and calendars were among the best-looking of all the services we tested. On the other hand, its photo cards were only above average. 

So, while Mixbook is our current favorite photo printing service, there are a few things we think can be improved. Read the rest of our Mixbook review where we break down the pluses and (a few) minuses of the best photo book service .

Mixbook review: Pricing

Mixbook photo books Mixbook charges $34.99 for an 8.5 x 8.5-inch 20-page hardcover book with a glossy cover and semi-gloss pages. A matte cover costs $5.00 more. Matte pages cost $5 more, and low glare "Premium Lustre" costs $10 extra. A softcover starts at $19.99, and lay flat binding starts at $69.99. Other size hardcovers include 6 x 6 (from $19.99) 10 x 10 (from $54.99) and 12 x 12 inches (from $74.99).

Mixbook calendars A Mixbook calendar costs $28.99 for an 11 x 8.5-inch design. A 14 x 11-inch calendar costs $39.99.

Mixbook photo cards Mixbook offers considerable discounts the more cards you purchase. Flat 5 x 7 cards start at $1.19 (83 cents) for an order of 250 or more, going up to $2.39 ($1.67) for five or fewer. Other sizes include 4 x 8 and 5 x 5 (at the same price range). Folded cards start at $1.59 ($1.11). Mixbook also cards with metal foil (like the holiday card we created) starting at $1.69 ($1.18) for a 5 x 7 flat.

Like several other companies, Mixbook seems to always be offering sales. At the time of order, for instance, the basic 5 x 7 flat cards started at 83 cents, and the foil version began at $1.18. One caveat to get the best price: Mixbook cards default to the rounded-corner design. You can save a few cents per card (like 21 cents on the basic 5 x 7 flat) if you switch to square corners.

Mixbook review: Software and interface

Mixbook’s software is easy to use while offering an impressive number of options for customizing your photo printing projects. For example, there are 644 book templates grouped into a somewhat daunting list of 21 categories, such as Travel Photos, Adoption, Holiday, Recipe/Cookbooks, Yearbooks and more. Meanwhile, there are 139 different options for making a calendar, which can be sorted by color theme. But don’t let all these choices overwhelm you. Just pick a design preview that catches your eye and start adding your photos. The wide range of customization will let you make your final product your own. In our case, we created all our books and calendars from blank slates, so they would be similar to other companies we tested.

Mixbook was among the best-looking and most user-friendly project editing software of the services we reviewed, matched only by Snapfish . The interface offers a myriad of options but isn’t cluttered and optimizes the space by providing a roomy preview of your project. (It’s got even more breathing room if you use the full-screen option.) Mixbook offers both popup tips and access to live chat support if you get bogged down. 

A panel on the right lets you scroll through thumbnail previews of all the pages in your project. Meanwhile, the left side gives you pop out menus of all the tools you’ll need to make your product. For example, there are Photos, (page) Layouts, Backgrounds, Stickers, and Text. If you want added control of your images, Mixbook gives you a floating toolbar with options including zoom in and out, rotate, fill page, and flip. An edit button gives you access to adjustable borders, drop shadows, and image opacity. Other image tools include filters that let you apply effects along with basic image edits (brightness, saturation, contrast). This level of photo editing is rarely offered in these types of services. Other lighthearted tweaks include the ability to add shapes, such as heart, to place your photo into.

If you don’t want to place your photos manually, layout templates give you preconfigured page designs to drop your images (and sometimes text) into. Compared to some of the other services we tested, Mixbook’s background options are somewhat minimal with just 100 patterns. By contrast, Printique gives you 2,020 options and Shutterfly has 4,751. There are also a limited number of pre-set solid-color choices in Mixbook, though you can create custom colors by dragging a picker through color gradient swatches. (This is not recommended for novices though.) On the other hand, Mixbook is the only service we tested that allows you to upload your own image to use as a background. And while Mixbook does offer a fair number of cartoony stickers (aka clip art) that you can add to your layouts, you can also upload your own clip art as well.

If you want to add text, Mixbook offers a small assortment of font styles, font sizes, and preset colors, with further options to customize. Two features we liked are the ability to place a custom (color and width) border around text boxes and the option to fill the interior with any color.

Many of these editing options apply to both photo books and calendars though there are some adjustments unique to each. For example, for calendars you can add backgrounds and stickers to both the upper image pages and the lower month grid pages. Text options, however, are limited. Just the month on each calendar page can be customized, not the days of the week or the numbers or names of holidays/events in each square. You also can’t change the design of the calendar grid aside from switching to a different template for the entire project. Some rival companies give you options for changing text on calendar pages and tweaking the grid.

There’s an optional collaborative aspect to Mixbook’s design process that we liked. If you are uncertain about a design choice, or you want to share what you’ve created, you can invite others to connect online and view your project. Mixbook will give you a link you can send to others to view a preview, make edits, or order copies of your projects.

For photo cards, Mixbook offers more than 3,000 templates for many occasions including Mother's and Father's Day, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, 4th of July, Rosh Hashanah, Halloween, New Year's, Chinese New Year's, Diwali, and Eid. Mixbook also includes a Martha Stewart collection for weddings and births. Mixbook does offer a blank template that you can use to create your own design, but it's not easy to find. 

On the downside, Mixbook sticks its company logo on all your projects and doesn't technically allow you to remove it. However, you can change the color of the logo to match the background so it’s barely noticeable.

In addition to its great editing software, we also liked Mixbook’s well-designed mobile app that lets you manage your projects on the site or create products from the photos on your phone. And as mentioned previously, Mixbook’s handy 24/7 chat support is built right into the design interface. 

The company also recently added AI-powered design technology to its software, which will automatically create photo books, calendars and cards for you. All you have to do is upload your images and hit the Auto-Create button and Mixbook’s software does the layout and design work for you. We manually designed all our photo products for test purposes, but experimented with Mixbook’s new AI tools and found them to be fun, intuitive and a real time-saver.

Mixbook review: Print quality

Mixbook photo books Mixbook’s photo books were among the best in print quality of all the best photo book services tested, tying Printique for the best cover while coming in second place for its interior pages. For the photo books we created during testing, we used an image of a waterfall we shot at Yellowstone National Park. The photo was captured at sunset and Mixbook did a great job of reproducing detail in both the brighter light at the top of the waterfall and the shadow areas in the valley below. At the same time, the image didn’t appear overly warm (as on some of the other photo books) with accurate color. The image on the rear of the book of the George Washington Bridge in New York City at sunset also had fine detail and a good balance of color and light.

On the inside, Mixbook's default Everyday Semi-Gloss finish produced solid, pleasing contrast. Both light and dark skintones in our portraits were rendered true-to-life. This is no small feat; skintones varied broadly in some competing books, looking either overly saturated or washed out. Overall, it was Mixbook’s image quality consistency across a range of subject matter that we appreciated. Even a few black-and-white images we included were rendered beautifully in our photo book with striking contrast and good detail.

We also liked the thick hard cover and substantial weight of the pages inside our book, giving it a professional feel. Whereas Printique seems aimed at a more professional-level photographer/designer, Mixbook’s books should have a broad appeal from beginners to more serious creators.

Mixbook calendars Mixbook’s calendars were also in the top-tier of all the photo calendar services we tested. For our calendar test for the different services, we used photos we captured during a trip to Italy this summer. Although Mixbook’s calendar had a flat finish to its cover and pages, our Italy photos really popped thanks to the spot-on color rendering and decent overall sharpness.

Our Italy photos include a variety of landscapes, cityscapes and candid portraits in the Tuscany region. As with its photo books, Mixbook’s calendars were consistently good across the various subject matter, producing pretty landscapes and accurate portraits. Meanwhile, pen and marker writing on the calendar grid looked crisp on the paper’s porous finish, with no smudging.

Mixbook's calendar are a bit higher priced than some of the competition, however. At $28.99 it's the second-priciest offering behind Shutterfly ’s, but we felt that the quality and usability of Mixbook’s calendars were worth the cost.

Mixbook photo cards Mixbook’s photo card s finished in the middle of the pack in our testing. The color seemed a bit washed out in the Christmas card we created with skin tones of the family on the front of the card displaying a slightly yellow cast.  It wasn’t a deal breaker but considering how much we liked Mixbook’s other products it was a disappointment. On the other hand, a photo of the Piazza del Campo in Siena, Italy looked nice with the red brick color of the town hall really popping.

To level the playing field, we went with the default Signature Matte finish for all or our photo card orders, which made them appear kind of flat, across the board. But if you want to add a little more shine to your cards while pumping up the contrast, Mixbook does offer Satin and Pearl finishes for a more luxurious look but at a higher price.

Mixbook review: Verdict

Mixbook was our favorite photo book service to use overall. For starters, its software was fun and refreshingly easy to use, lowering the barrier of entry for photographers. But novices aren’t the only ones who will find Mixbook appealing. Along with being well-organized and intuitive, Mixbook’s powerful software offers a range of customization that more advanced creators will appreciate. We also liked its live chat help that comes in handy in a pinch. 

Best of all, there was little trade-off between useability and quality with Mixbook. We found its photo books and calendars to be in the top-tier for print quality while boasting a professional look and feel with sturdy covers and thick pages. The only downside were Mixbook’s photo cards, which finished in the middle of that pack in our testing. That’s a relatively minor quibble though. We think you’ll love using Mixbook’s service and be even happier with the results.

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Dan Havlik has worked in the photo industry for over decades and is currently editor-in chief of Wild Eye ( www.wildeyemagazine.com ), a new magazine devoted to the celebration of nature, wildlife, and underwater photography. He was previously the editor-in-chief of Outdoor Photographer and Shutterbug magazines. He has been an editor and writer for a variety of other publications and websites including Photo District News (PDN), Rangefinder, Wired, Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, Consumer Reports, Maxim, Men’s Journal, Imaging Resource, and LAPTOP. Dan is also an avid runner with three marathons under his belt and has written fitness reviews, including guides to the best running shoes and GPS watches, for Business Insider.

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• KB_LB It's rather odd that the Mixbook Review does not list a pretty glaring problem under the "Cons". Mixbook will only ship to one address per order. Competitive services allow the customer to enter a single order, pay once, and have books sent to multiple people at multiple addresses. Simple. But Mixbook makes you enter a new order for every distinct recipient. Reply
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Most Popular

9 Best Photo Book Websites

Don't let your favorite photos go to waste — use these top-tested online services and turn them into keepsake albums.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Best Overall

Shutterfly photo books.

Walmart Photo Custom Photo Books

Most Aesthetic

Artifact uprising photo books.

Best for Themes

Mixbook photo books.

Best for Beginners

Printique photo books.

Best for Amazon Prime Members

Amazon prints.

Best for Young Kids

Pinhole press photo books.

Best for Google Photo Users

Google photo books.

Best for Families

Chatbooks custom photo books & albums.

Photo albums create a tangible and lasting archive of memories — ultimately proving to be more durable and accessible than the mess of digital files on your phone and computer. Plus, a custom photo book can be a thoughtful and unique gift for birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, or other special events.

Online photo book services make it easy and quick to choose a theme or layout, upload photos and ship the book straight to the recipient. Best of all, some photo book makers even have apps so you can upload photos directly from your smartphone.

Shutterfly offers basic photo books at an affordable price. You can choose from a wide selection of themes, like birthday, travel or wedding, or neutral styles , such as modern or rustic. You can also create your own book and choose the book size, cover style and page style, then embellish it with Shutterfly's extensive library of stickers and ribbons to make your book extra special. We appreciate how easily users can edit within their chosen template and the brand's high-quality photo book paper, making Shutterfly a top pick.

You can also opt for one of its 6" x 6" Instant Books , which let you add photos from your phone, tablet or computer in minutes. These mini photo books have only 20 pages, but they're a great place to store goofy candids or Instagram posts you never want to forget. The possibilities are essentially limitless, though the vast array of options could be overwhelming for those getting started.

If you don't want the pressure of deciding on a layout, the brand offers a convenient Make My Book option, in which Shutterfly's professional designers curate your photos and design the book for free. Plus, you'll still have the opportunity to put finishing touches on it before it gets printed. Whether you opt for 50 or 800 photos (the maximum), you'll receive an email notification within 24 hours that your book is complete.

Crunched for time? Design your photo book online and pick up select styles at a Walmart store near you in as little as one hour. Photo books picked up in one hour can have 15 single-sided pages and a linen cover, while same-day pickups (ready in a few hours) can have up to 20 double-sided pages and the option of a hardcover.

On top of the speedy turnaround, Walmart has a great selection of styles : You can choose everything from the photo size and layout to the type of cover, including hardcover glossy or matte, linen, leather and lay-flat glossy or matte. If you need help narrowing down the choices, there's also the option to shop by occasion, whether you're looking for a one-year anniversary or 15th-year anniversary gift .

Despite the fast shipping and variety, our tester noted that the quality was not as high as the options offered by other photo book makers on this list — but that may be expected considering the bargain price tag. Regardless, these photo books still make a superb present that can cost under $10 without compromising on sentimentality.

No matter the occasion, you can't go wrong with one of Artifact Uprising's high-quality photo books. There are numerous design options, including preset books to celebrate the birth of a new baby or commemorating a marriage.

You can choose from lay-flat albums, books with photo strips and even softcover Instagram Friendly Books for the influencer in your life. The company even has an iPhone app that lets you create a photo book right from your smartphone. However, Rothman found the app to be glitchy at times and noted there's room for improvement with the software. Still, the books come out on top for elegance and simplicity .

One online reviewer wrote, "The fabric cover is beautiful. The photos are amazing quality and look amazing even though the photos were taken on film and therefore are a bit grainy." The overall 4.6-star rating (out of 5) backs up that review. Quality and elevated designs come with a higher price tag, but there are options for $20 or less if you're shopping on a budget.

If you have a special project and a little more money to spend, Artifact Uprising offers Design Services , which allow you to work one-on-one with an expert to bring your special moments to life. Just note that the design fee is rather steep at $119 and requires an additional $100 album deposit.

When Mixbook says it has "custom photo books for every occasion," it really means it. There are 374 different themed templates to choose from, including everything f rom travel and sports to weddings and recipes.

But that doesn't mean you have to give up creative control. You can still customize the look to your liking, from fun backgrounds to stickers to text using the Editor tool. Plus, there are plenty of paper varieties, from semigloss to ultra-thick matte.

Our testers appreciated the nice balance between good photo editing and price, but one did experience issues with the lay-flat option, in which the photos bled into the crease. You can also use the iPhone app to organize your photos with a tool that the brand calls "Automagic": Simply choose the images you want and select a theme. The goal of Automagic is to help arrange your camera roll so your photos are in order when it comes time to add them to your photo book.

If you're not sure where to start, our pros love Printique because it's super easy to use. You can select one of the many predesigned layouts or create an entire photo book from scratch.

Choose among portrait, landscape and square orientations, as well as hardcover and softcover options. You can even store your memories in a genuine leather or vegan leather book or pick from five different fabric colors. Although you can't choose the color for a hard- or softcover photo book, you can still customize the shape, size and paper type.

Looking for something more advanced? There'sa tool for professional photographers to design and create their own photo books. But if you want to keep things simple, consider starting with one of Printique's 4" x 4" Mini Softcover photo books , which have a maximum of 40 pages and come in three sizes.

Is Amazon Photos already your preferred destination for uploading photos? Then creating a photo book through its interface is an easy solution.

Similar to other photo book makers, you can create by occasion and size, or choose its 8" x 8" Premium Photo Book for a versatile option that has a laminated cover and lay-flat binding. There's also an option with standard binding at a lower cost, and all Amazon Prime members get free shipping . (Everyone else is eligible for free shipping with a minimum order of $15.)

In addition to photo books, you can shop large prints, calendars, cards and metal tabletops. There are fewer size and style options than most services when it comes to photo books, but the other photo product choices make up for the lack of available styles. After all, sometimes it's easier and quicker to have fewer options to choose from if you need to pull something together last-minute.

RELATED: 37 Best Personalized Gifts You Can Find on Amazon

With Pinhole Press, you can choose from various photo book styles ranging from board pages to softcovers to accordion-style setups. Upload your photos and let the system do the work, or manually place the photos into the layout yourself.

One of our testers says her kids love the Custom Board Books , which have themes such as " Count With Me ," " Healthy Habits " and " I Can Be Anything ." These photo books aren't just visually stimulating, but they can also educate and entertain kids for years to come .

"I got my daughter the ' My First Photo Book ' as a toddler and made it all about her — like pictures with family, doing things she likes, her favorite toys, at the playground and beach, etc. — and she still is obsessed with it," says GH Institute Executive Director Lexie Sachs .

We think he custom Photo Puzzle is a fun option for kids, and the Itty Bitty Books are easy to tote around in a work bag for on-hand entertainment. There's less variety in some categories, including Itty Bitty and hardcover books, but with so many additional photo categories other companies lack, there are still plenty of great options for kids.

RELATED: 12 Best Personalized Books for Kids

If you store your snaps in Google Photos, then Google's very own photo book maker might be the most convenient option for you. Even though there are no fancy designs, the process is seamless.

Choose from two options: a 7" x 7" softcover photo book or a 9" x 9" hardcover photo book. You can include between 20 and 140 pages, and you have the option to add a spine title if you hit more than 48 pages for a softcover or any number of pages for a hardcover.

Another hallmark of Google Photos is that you can make one photo book and order multiple copies to give to family members and friends who are also pictured in the photos. Since they come at an affordable price point, you could give everyone on your gift list a copy, whether you decide to create a collection of candid photos for your closest friends or a tangible memento of a fun family trip. Though there may not be as many designs and styles to choose from, that can make the customization process less daunting.

Chatbooks Custom Photo Books & Albums

"Set and forget it," one of our testers said about the ease of using Chatbooks, which markets itself as "ridiculously easy." You can upload images from Instagram, Flickr, Dropbox, Facebook or your computer and edit them on your desktop or via the app .

The service's Custom Photo Books & Albums option is great for families looking to personalize a family vacation , as you can choose colors, layouts, cover styles, collages, captions and more. Peruse its vast collection of more than 300 unique book covers, or shop the premium lay-flat and special occasion photo books.

You can also have fun with the Instagram and Facebook series — a 6" x 6" or 8" x 8" book with 60 pages — that lets you store your favorite social media posts in a tangible place to look back on for years to come.

Unique to Chatbooks is its subscription service, which allows you to receive a softcover, hardcover or mini photo book each month. If you and your family love taking photographs of walks in the park, weekend road trips or vacations, this service is ideal for getting your photos in your hands ASAP. One thing to note about the subscription option is that there are only two sizes available (5" x 7" and the monthly mini).

How we chose the best photo book makers

At the Good Housekeeping Institute , our pros in the Media & Tech Lab have been testing photo book makers for more than a decade . For this article, we referenced a robust test of photo book makers we completed in 2009 and ordered a round of new products to test in 2023. We also researched the latest updates and offerings to a variety of apps and services.

When choosing the best photo book makers, our Lab experts consider ease of use, performance and appearance . That means our pros take an in-depth look at a wide range of features, such as how easy it is to navigate the interface and add photos and text to the book; upload and delivery time; the number of styles, covers and templates offered; and the photo, paper and binding quality.

What to look for when shopping for the best custom photo book maker

Keep the following features in mind when choosing the right photo book maker website for your needs:

✔️ Size: Whether you're looking for a small photo book for kids or a much larger album to house snapshots from a long family vacation, there are regular, large and miniature photo book sizes available. It's best to think about how many photos you want to include and where you plan to store the album (i.e., will the book be too tall for your bookshelf or just right on top of your coffee table?).

✔️ Shape: Most photo books are rectangular or square in shape, but some companies also offer photo puzzles, calendars and tabletops to choose from too. The shape is really about aesthetic preference and the orientation you prefer for your photos.

✔️ Page count: Are you compiling 20 photos from your daughter's first-birthday party? Or are you putting together an anniversary album of pictures of you and your partner throughout the years? The number of pages determines the number of photos you can include in an album, so you have enough space to include everything.

✔️ Paper quality: This is probably a no-brainer, as the quality of material your photos are printed on is as important as the quality of the photos themselves. Although companies with higher-quality paper, like Artifact Uprising , may have a higher price tag, the extra money goes toward paper that won't lead to photos bleeding into the crease. But there are still services that are affordable and offer good-quality products, like our best value pick, Walmart Photo .

✔️ Binding quality: Some companies, like Google Photo , will add a binding to your photo album. This feature is especially important when considering the durability and longevity of your photo album. Whether it's a softcover, hardcover or lay-flat book, make sure the binding can withstand accidental drops and the wear and tear of passing the family album around at holiday parties.

✔️ Templates: If your photo album will have a certain theme or be centered around a specific occasion — or it's your first time using a photo book maker — choosing a service that has a variety of templates to choose from will let your creativity flow and also help you warm up to the design process.

✔️ Editing capabilities: When looking at beginner-level or more advanced designer tools, consider how robust or simple they are to use. Having lots of control over the interface is fun, but if you're looking for a more straightforward experience, opt for a service that does the majority of the decision-making for you or offers designer help, like Shutterfly .

What is the easiest way to make a custom photo book?

It really depends upon the service and your preference .

Although some online custom photo book makers also have an app, it can have limited functionality, be buggy or not as easy to use as the desktop equivalent. Often, an app makes it super simple to upload pictures from your phone (a major plus!) but doesn't allow as much flexibility for product assortment or editing once you've selected. That said, designing a photo book on your smartphone or tablet versus a desktop may come down to how many edits you intend to make .

If you plan to do a lot of editing, the non-app version on a larger screen would likely be your best choice. If you want to quickly make a book with limited changes, an app on your mobile device may be the way to go.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

Elizabeth Berry is an updates editor at the Good Housekeeping Institute , where she ensures product reviews reflect accurate information. To update this guide, Elizabeth gathered notes from previous tests and researched the latest updates to our favorite services.

A previous version of this guide was written by Amina Lake Abdelrahman , a product review writer and editor who worked as an editorial assistant at the Good Housekeeping Institute from 2018 to 2020.

Elizabeth Berry is the editorial assistant for WomansDay.com, where she writes and edits lifestyle content. When she isn’t assisting with day-to-day editorial needs, Elizabeth is baking dairy-free cakes, reading books, or strolling through nature.

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Poetic travel photography books to collect now

Get lost inside our pick of the best new travel photography books – pages to evoke instant wanderlust.

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• ‘France 1987’
• ‘The Italian Way of Summer’
• ‘Japan: A Love Story’
• ‘The Package Holiday: 1968-1985’
• ‘Somewhere 2017-2023’
• ‘Tokyo Jazz Joints’

Let our pick of new travel photography books transport you to enticing locations from the comfort of your own home. Lose yourself in ethereal Japanese landscapes, Italian summers and France of the late 80s. Whether you're an aspiring photographer or planning a break, let the wanderlust wash over you and enjoy a spot of armchair travelling with inspiration from photographers such as Sam Youkilis, Lucy Laucht and Jake Clark.

The best new travel photography books

‘France 1987’ by Mark Steinmetz (Nazraeli Press, 2024)

It was in the summer of 1987 when American photographer Mark Steinmetz, then 26 years old and only a couple years out of graduate school, was awarded an artist’s residency in the south of France. Steinmetz flew to Paris, where he stayed a few weeks with close family friends in a top-floor apartment on the Avenue de Wagram before settling in the south of France for a prolonged stay. ‘My friends were working in fashion and film, and I was told my bed had once belonged to Jane Fonda before she became Barbarella. The weather was getting colder, and they gave me a brown corduroy jacket that Jean Seberg had cried on,’ shares Steinmetz. The days he spent in France photographing all day are all captured in France 1987 , a book published by Nazraeli Press that provides an intimate insight into Steinmetz’s earliest years as a working artist.

You can buy ‘France 1987’ by Mark Steinmetz on Amazon

‘Il Dolce Far Niente: The Italian Way of Summer’ by Lucy Laucht (Artisan, 2024)

‘My gaze has long been drawn to the human milieu of a summer beach. I love the quiet poetry of who we are beside the sea. I love the way a country’s maritime fringes gently reveal so much of the national character,’ begins photographer Lucy Laucht in the introduction of Il Dolce Far Niente: The Italian Way of Summer . Published by Artisan, Laucht’s debut book takes readers on the perfect vacation, showing Naples, Amalfi and Capri, Ischia, Aeolian Islands, Puglia, Sicily and Egadi Islands through her poetic lens – all while including personal recommendations for the best places to stay, eat and see. The intangible sweetness of doing nothing during a hot Mediterranean day, the Italian way of relaxing, is depicted by Laucht most beautifully: a splash, a conversation, the scent of sun on hot skin.

You can buy ‘Il Dolce Far Niente: The Italian Way of Summer’ by Lucy Laucht on Amazon and at Waterstones .

‘Japan: A Love Story’ by Michael Kenna (Nazraeli Press, 2024)

Japan: A Love Story is a new title published by Nazraeli Press revealing a new side to Michael Kenna’s ethereal black-and-white landscape work. Unveiled to coincide with a monumental travelling exhibition in Tokyo, Los Angeles and London, the monograph presents 100 of Kenna’s most striking photographs of Japanese scenery, many published for the first time. The English photographer first visited Japan in 1987 for his inaugural exhibition there and returned many times, resulting in thousands of photographs depicting his long love affair with the country. As Kenna puts it, Japan: A Love Story symbolises his immense ongoing appreciation and deep gratitude for Japan’s beauty and mysterious allure.

You can buy ‘Japan: A Love Story’ by Michael Kenna at Nazraeli Press and Amazon

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‘The Package Holiday: 1968-1985’ by Jake Clark (Hoxton Mini Press, 2024)

The Package Holiday: 1968-1985 , published by Hoxton Mini Press, taps into Brits’ love of sun, sea and teensy weensy Speedos during the 1970s, when British European Airways set up its ‘package holiday’ deals to Spain, incorporating short flights, hotel, all-day board and lashings of family-friendly fun. London Royal Air Force-trained photographer Trevor Clark was an Eastender who, having set up a studio in Soho, had become the go-to photographer in 1960s Swinging London. Clark fancied a few rays himself and spotted a gap in the market photographing the wave of newly established resorts in the Balearics, particularly in Mallorca. His images, now collected in a book by his son Jake Clark, not only captured the glamour of the location but reflected the ambitions of a generation eager to escape life’s social and economic restraints in a rapidly de-industrialising Britain – Caragh McKay.

You can buy ‘The Package Holiday: 1968-1985’ by Jake Clark on Amazon and at Waterstones .

‘Somewhere 2017-2023’ by Sam Youkilis (Loose Joints Publishing

‘Somewhere 2017-2023’ by Sam Youkilis (Loose Joints Publishing, 2023)

For the last six years, Sam Youkilis, who today counts over half a million followers on Instagram, has been observing the world and portraying the beauty of the seemingly mundane through his iPhone camera. His first photography book, Somewhere 2017-2023 , published by Loose Joints, is a substantial 500-page testament to his exploration of universal themes. In crafting the book, Youkilis drew from his current archive of video work, spanning from the project's inception to its development. Departing from the traditional photography archive, Somewhere takes readers on a journey through human behaviours, touching on diverse themes like unmade beds, the act of cutting, thresholds, dancing couples and gestures of romance.

You can buy ‘Somewhere 2017-2023’ by Sam Youkilis at Loose Joints and Waterstones

‘Tokyo Jazz Joints’ by Philip Arneill and James Catchpole (Kehrer Verlag, 2023)

Irish photographer Philip Arneill and American broadcaster James Catchpole set out to explore the dying subculture of Japanese jazz bars and coffee shops in Tokyo around 2015, later expanding to encompass the entirety of Japan. Their journey resulted in Tokyo Jazz Joints , a podcast, a photographic chronicle and now a photography book . The title, which has taken over eight years to develop, captures the essence of disappearing cultural havens and serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between preserving tradition and adapting to the relentless march of time. In essence, Tokyo Jazz Joints unveils a side of Japan often overlooked – a subculture that can astonish and thrill even the most cynical ‘jazzheads’.

You can buy ‘Tokyo Jazz Joints’ by Philip Arneill and James Catchpole at Amazon and at Waterstones .

Sofia de la Cruz is the Travel Editor at Wallpaper*. She was born in Madrid, Spain but moved to London when she was 14 years old. Being exposed to the city’s creative pulse at such a young age shaped her into the inquisitive professional she is today. Before joining the Wallpaper* team in 2023, she worked for Hypebae and Hypebeast UK, where she focused on the intersection of art, fashion, and culture. Additionally, she contributed to Futurevvorld by covering a variety of sustainability topics.

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The best books on street photography in 2024

Get advice and inspiration from our selection of the best books on street photography that are currently in print

Best for beginners

Best coffee book, best for composition, best for film photographers, best for 50mm shooters, best for introverts, best for culture, best of cartier-bresson, best for reportage photographers.

It might not be easy to exactly define the limits of street photography, but one thing is definite: it’s cool. Talented street photographers achieve respect far beyond fellow artists and professionals; names like Henri Cartier-Bresson exist in the public consciousness.

1. Best for beginners 2. Best coffee book 3. Best for composition 4. Best for film photographers 5. Best for 50mm shooters 6. Best for introverts 7. Best for culture 8. Best of Cartier-Bresson 9. Best for reportage photographers 

As a very accessible art form, with so many participants coming from so many different starting points (historically and technically), street photography is also the subject of much robust debate. What counts as street? Is it candid? Is it documentary? Must you use film, or black and white? Should you stick to a certain wide-angle lens? What are, if any, the “rules”?

14 street photography tips you should master

Mastering street photography involves grasping both technical challenges and developing the knack for seeing and appreciating the world around you. One of the best ways to do that is to explore the work of the previous generations, and their work can only truly be understood in the context of the equipment available to them. This truly is an area in which it’s rewarding to skim the surface or to dive right in.

With such a wealth of possibilities out there, how can you choose where to start? The best way is to find a book which best suits you, from our selection…

1: Mastering Street Photography

Specifications, reasons to buy.

The stand-out book of the Mastering… series from publisher Ammonite, Brian Lloyd Duckett’s years of experience and own strong style make this the perfect hybrid of “how-to” and inspiring visual feast. 

With something approaching the size and feel of a coffee table book, this is actually a considered introduction to street photography which will guide anyone from beginners to enthusiasts turning to the streets. 

Lloyd-Duckett’s years teaching workshops shine through, as he seems to know the answer to every possible question. These also show though in the books scenario examples which really help get into the quick problem-solving you need on the street.

2. Bystander: A History of Street Photography

This is a sumptuous volume (and one you wouldn’t want to drop on your feet), which for many is the ultimate work on the subject. 

In practice, there is no questioning the quality and the spread of photographers included (from the unknowns of the late 19th century through Stieglitz, Arbus, Winograd, and the full 20th century). 

This current edition is actually a revision, coming out over twenty years after the 1994 original, and perhaps its only flaw is a slight tendency toward nostalgia, to ring-fence the genre in Meyerowitz’s own personal preferences. 

That said, if you keep an open mind, reading the book buys you the amazing reproductions, insight from a leading practitioner and some great debate starters.

3. Street Photography Now

It’s fair to say that this book is aging a lot better than its title. This mid-sized coffee table anthology was first assembled as a hard cover in 2011, mixing a number of the greats (Bruce Gilden, Martin Parr , etc.) with emerging talent. 

Now available as a paperback too, the book is no less enjoyable to explore even though the titular “now” is, in fact, the better part of a decade ago. You’re still looking at the work of great photographers, thoughtfully assembled and put into context with great text. 

The only thing is some of the newer talent has fully emerged – past tense – since the back cover was drafted! Nonetheless, especially in its new (accessibly priced) paperback form, this is a lovely gift, for yourself or any aspiring street photographer.

4. Magnum Contact Sheets

Our experience with other photographers has always been sanitized. Now that even happens to our own – an iPhone takes several pictures the moment you hit the shutter and automatically picks the one it thinks is best using AI. 

So that’s 9 out of 10 pictures disposed of before you ever even see them, let alone the number you delete. Looking at contacts sheets – the analog equivalent – lets you see the process that editors and photographers went through back in a more tactile age, and appreciate their talent and their decision-making process in an altogether new way.

It’s not just art appreciation; the discarded shots reveal a lot about the compositions you’ve already seen in the famous selected images.

5. Life in 50mm

Reasons to avoid.

A lot of street photographers can seem a little too worthy, but Tanya Nagar (of The Photographer’s Podcast ) draws together a range of exciting photographers shooting now, selects some great examples, and shares the story behind them. 

Traveling from Fukushima to Taksim Square to Mardi Gras, the book certainly isn’t tied down. Better still, by concentrating on the 50mm prime (Cartier Bresson’s favorite and usually the cheapest to buy) the book has a genuinely unique twist that makes you want just get up and start shooting nearly as much as to turn the beautifully-printed page.

6. Vivian Maier: A Photographer Found

Maier’s story is a compelling one and her work is just as much so. She was completely unknown in her lifetime, in which she worked as a nanny. 

But she shot 150,000 photographs, mostly on the streets of Chicago & New York, in her spare time. A collector discovered her images when she stopped payments on a storage space shortly before her death in 2009; soon after interest grew, resulting in a legal case and documentary film. 

This book is more thorough than some of the cash grabs which emerged immediately after her story hit the media, from the man who discovered them and the collection's curator Marvin Heiferman.

7. Daido Moriyama: How I Take Photos

With its cool, colorful cover this looks like a new book but in fact it’s an English translation of a book Moriyama created for his Japanese audience a decade ago. 

As such it’s a light but refreshing insight into a location and an era which is different for many readers but understandably beloved by photographers – the later half of the 20th century in Japan. 

Written as a kind of extended interview, the style might not be for everyone, but it’s an easy read and Moriyama’s approach has the virtue of being unpretentious and accessible, making the compact a great gift (or self-gift) for someone building their confidence.

8. Henri Cartier-Bresson

Nearly every book on this list includes a Henri Cartier-Bresson image. His work defined how we look at the 20th century, and his phrase “the decisive moment” has become the motto of nearly everyone with a camera. 

Published a few years after his death in 2004, the book features images from Cartier-Bresson’s entire working life, and gives a thorough overview of his own story, from experiences in WW2, the development of his own style, and, of course, the founding of Magnum Photos (which goes such a long way to maintain his legend today). 

All this in a book the size of a paperback which can be had for less than the latest dystopian novel (or seasonal take-away coffee).

9. Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Other Coronation

Among the photographers in London for King George VI’s coronation in 1937 was Henri Cartier-Bresson. But while most of the lenses were focused on the pageantry, Cartier-Bresson documented how the crowds chose to engage with the spectacle. 

The result is a fascinating study of a nation on the cusp of upheaval, set against the pomp and circumstance of a royal event. 

The best books on fashion photography Best books on portrait photography Best photography books for beginners and pros The best books on food photography The best coffee-table books on photography The best photobooks : make your own photography book

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For nearly two decades Sebastian's work has been published internationally. Originally specializing in Equestrianism, his visuals have been used by the leading names in the equestrian industry such as The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), The Jockey Club, Horse & Hound, and many more for various advertising campaigns, books, and pre/post-event highlights.

He is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts, holds a Foundation Degree in Equitation Science, and is a Master of Arts in Publishing.  He is a member of Nikon NPS and has been a Nikon user since the film days using a Nikon F5 and saw the digital transition with Nikon's D series cameras and is still to this day the youngest member to be elected into BEWA, The British Equestrian Writers' Association. 

He is familiar with and shows great interest in street, medium, and large format photography with products by Leica, Phase One, Hasselblad, Alpa, and Sinar. Sebastian has also used many cinema cameras from the likes of Sony, RED, ARRI, and everything in between. He now spends his spare time using his trusted Leica M-E or Leica M2 shooting Street photography or general life as he sees it, usually in Black and White.

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