This will be the first in a mini series of posts - sharing with you each time four of my favourites from the stack of photography related books and zines on my desk that I have collected over the last few years.
As I’m sure many of you will know, a pile of books on your desk like this can be an incredible source of inspiration but also sometimes a cause for procrastination whilst you delve into the pages when you should really be doing something else, hence the title!
This first part will be my pick of proper photo books, then there will be second post later with a selection of self-published photo zines, and finally one talking about some of the more technical books about film photography and darkroom practice that I regularly use for reference.
Colin Greenwood - How to Disappear
This book is a beautifully presented reflection on life inside the band Radiohead, for which some of you will know Colin Greenwood is the bassist. It contains a collection of candid shots taken between 2003 and 2016. Photographs which provide an intimate look at the band’s unseen moments: rehearsals, recording sessions, backstage downtime, and glimpses of life on the road touring.
Shot on film with Yashica T4, the photos have a raw, personal feel that shows the band as a group of friends navigating fame, creativity, and time. Alongside the images the book includes an essay by Colin Greenwood sharing memories and insights from over two decades of working together in the music industry.
If you’re a fan of Radiohead and photography this book is a no-brainer but even if you’re not into their music yourself it is still an incredible piece of documentary photography.
https://howtodisappearbook.com/
Jason Lee - TX/CA 19
I’ve always been a huge fan of Jason Lee, as both photographer and skateboarder. This book of his is based on a summer road trip from Texas to California in 2019 with images shot on medium-format color film. It perfectly captures the subtle beauty and faded character of the small towns, empty highways, and the wide-open landscapes of the American Southwest.
The photographs in this book have a noticeable attention to smaller details spotted from the car and captured on the roadside - weathered buildings, roadside relics, and stretches of land and roads that feel untouched by time.
It forms a very personal work which marked the end of his time living in Texas and his journey back to California. This is the only book of his that I own, but I have no doubt all of the books he has made to date are just as good!
Ed Templeton - Wires Crossed
Wires Crossed is an absolute beast of book. Another one that feels very personal, it’s a visually striking chronicle of his years traveling as a pro skateboarder between 1995 and 2012. Combining raw photographs, handwritten journal entries, tour maps, and bits of ephemera, the book paints an unfiltered picture of skateboard culture during a wild, formative era.
Flicking through this book shows the highs and lows of life on the road—the friendships, the injuries, the boredom, the chaos—from the lens of an incredible photographer who lived through it all and was committed to capturing everything.
It’s not just a book about skateboarding, it’s about so much more, but I think most significantly it speaks of growing up in a subculture that was full of freedom but also at times self-destructive. It includes insights and anecdotes from fellow skaters and personal notes and scribbles throughout.
Ricky Adam - Destroying Everything…Seems like the Only Option
Ricky Adam is a photographer from the North of Ireland and this, which was his first book, is a gritty exploration into the raw energy of underground youth culture. Shot over two decades, the book dives headfirst into the worlds of punk music, BMX, and DIY communities, capturing vivid moments of chaos, freedom, and defiance.
All of the photographs are loud, sweaty, and powerful, filled with smashed stages, raucous basement shows, BMX adventures, and a true sense of young rebellion.
This is another one in this post that is much more than a photo collection, it’s a definitive celebration of the outsider spirit—of choosing your own path, even if it means tearing things down along the way.
https://www.rickyadamphoto.com/
I’d love to know what your favourite photography books are and if you have seen any of these books, so please let me know in the comments and share this with anyone else you think might like to read it.
Thanks