*Image sourced from Internet, Photographer Unknown*

In keeping with my self proclaimed cure of G.A.S. *, I have been buying and perusing a number of new photography books of late. Buying books, any sort of book, is always a great experience especially in these days of screens and e-everything. But photography books are even more special because they allow the photographer to "complete the cycle" - from image visualisation right thru to printing and binding and presenting. I love buying them, and love looking thru them over and over.

3 very different ones to point out this time around - really i will only talk about 2 in some detail, as the 3rd book - Men and Their Sheds from Craig Wetjen - I cant even pretend to review this one as the author and photographer is one of my teachers at the college I attended. But I did want to mention it as it is a cracking book with some awesome portraits and emotional environmental images.

Craig has put together a weighty, 224 page journey through 101 sheds and their proud occupants/owners/users. Coupled with at times very emotional accompanying text and back stories, this is an excellent book to sit up with over a drink and snack and enjoy the path. Having a tiny insight into the passion and skill and creativity behind this book only makes the images even more engaging and profound. If you are in to sheds, blokes, or simply perfectly crafted environmental portraits, this book is a must have.

Awkward Family Photos is on a totally different path, but in a ways hold its own with regards to skill and story telling and engagement in my view. This name and the associated photographers have become a whole brand and trend in themselves, with merchandise and online competitions ongoing to find that classic awkward photo. They have branched out in to Awkward Holiday Photos and Awkward Wedding Photos as well in book form, but i like this classic Family subset the best.

With a mixture of what appears to be staged (some of them have to be surely !) and impromptu awkwardness, looking through this book makes you squirm, wince and laugh in equal measure. Categorised in to classic family situations such as Siblings, Pets, Birthdays, and Graduation, the pages just throw out wrong and weird image after image.

*Image from Awkward Family Photos book by Mike Bender and Doug Chernack*

As the intro says, "we want to acknowledge the people who made the awkwardness possible - the amazing families who so generously shared their photos with us ..... Through your pictures, we see our own families and can take comfort that we're in good company".

Indeed.

*©LesWillPhoto 2016. Canon 6D, 50mm, ISO 100, f16, 1/200, Umbrella Flash*

Courts 02 is quite a disarming and intriguing collection of images. Shot in multiple countries through Asia, Oceania, and the Americas, the artist Ward Roberts captures surreal and unsaturated images of sporting arenas (mainly tennis courts) with no human presence. The colours, overall hue, and technical quality of the images are outstanding in my view, and the composition in many cases makes a quite ordinary scene one that makes the viewer engage and question and seek out all the aspects of the frame. Being the second book in his series, he is clearly on to something you would have to suggest.

Who would have thought such inanimate urban environments could be so interesting to look at. I like the tennis courts the best due to the abstract lines and colours, but he does netball courts, basketball courts and others. The compositions don't really give any clues exactly where the courts are located, and I like the indexing at the rear of the book that acknowledges every picture, and its location.

I really enjoyed this book and the packaging and binding are superb and of high quality. Quirky, interesting and clever. Nails it.

Wonder if skate parks would work ?

* G.A.S. - Gear Acquisition Syndrome. i.e expensive pastime resulting in way too many gadgets, lenses, camera bodies and lighting accessories.

LesWillPhoto - Blog

Book Review : Sports Courts, Family Snaps and Sheds