Photography is a part of our daily life. It is a method through which we can capture memories and evoke emotions in people. With the advancement of technology, the camera has taken different forms. Today, more than ever, people are taking photographs and are using them to show who they are and what their life is like.

If you are an amateur photographer or if photography is just your passion, you might be interested to explore and learn more about it. You can check out this guide to get recommendations for the books if you would like to improve your photography skills or would like to delve deeper into the world of photography.

John Szarkowski, Looking at Photographs: 100 Pictures from the Collection of the Museum of Modern Art

If you are an enthusiast or photographer, you must know what fine arts photography is. But as an amateur photographer, if you do not understand the exact meaning of the term, then you need to look into the Museum of Modern Art or look into the work of John Szarkowski. Being the director of MoMA’s photography department from 1962 to 1991, John Szarkowski did all into his passion to expand the goals of the museum, thus introducing and popularising Fine arts to the public.

John Szarkowski introduces more than 160 exhibitions that displayed the work of legendary photographers like Diane Arbus. If you are a photography enthusiast, then you should have has “picture book’” as it will take you through the iconic collections in MoMA.

amateur photographer

Beaumont Newhall, The History of Photography: From 1839 to the Present

If you are an amateur or professional photographer, having a grasp of the subject is very important. Through this first edition book of Beaumont Newhall, you will be able to understand its history and draw the technical innovation that has happened in the field. Through this book, you can also get to know the greatest works done by some legendary photographers as the book discusses 300 works done by photographers of the 19th and 20th centuries. So, grab this beautifully illustrated book to understand how photography has evolved.

David Campany, Art, and Photography

If you are a photographer and want to understand the real essence or power that this medium holds, then you should go through the works of David Campany.  Along with examining the intersection between photography and contemporary art, he takes us back in time and explains how photography was feared by the cultural gatekeepers. Due to its ability to capture reality readily, photography was feared and dismissed. Even though famous personas like Walter Benjamin have criticized photography saying that it has destroyed the aura of arts, through the work of photographers like David Campany it has become an unmatched aesthetic genre. David Campany captures all those arguments and trends in the field along with a photo library in this book.

If photography is your passion or if you are a photographer, then you can go through these three books to know about it and enrich your knowledge of this medium.