A useful and inexpensive photography book series

There are many photographers whose work I enjoy but not enough to splash out big bucks on a monograph of their work.

Enter the ’55’ series of small paeprbacks published by Pahidon.

Panasonic Lumix LX-1 included for scale

I think that means there are 55 pictures in each 128 page book, as they are printed one every other page, with descriptions on the left. Phaidon says that their goal is to emulate the Penguin paperback pheneomenon of the 1930s which made so much great literature available inexpensively to so many. They want to do the same for photography. A laudable goal.

These are easily obtainable remaindered from on-line booksellers. I generally pay inder $4 (under $4!) for each. While the pages are small, the quality of printing is high and it’s an economical way of finding out if you want to learn more of an individual’s work.

Phaidon continues to list a dozen or so on what has to be one of the worst designed web sites of all time, and you can do better for less by simply going to Powell’s Books.