There is a plethora of printed material on cameras, photography, processing and everything in between. Here is my short list of worthwhile books that I have either read or owned at some stage. A good library of inspiration or simply resources to hone your craft is important, not just for photography!
Galen Rowell’s Vision (Galen Rowell, 1993)
Any Galen Rowell photo book is worth having, this just happened to be my first. If you want a better insight into how Galen approached his photography, his philosophy and some of his technical details then go no further. It’s a fantastic read that will make you realise all you actually need is an F3/F4 a couple of good primes and a vision. So spend less on gear and more on plane tickets to the more far reaching corners of this world.
Kodak Film (Robert Shanebrook, 2010)
Self published by Robert Shanebrook, a former Kodak employee of 35 plus years, this is a must have resource for those deeply passionate about the analogue way of life. It’s relatively technical and contains many unseen images of the Kodak production facility but leaves a lasting impression as to just how complicated the process of film manufacturing really is.
Compendium Nikon System from 1917 (Simon Stafford, Second Edition 2003)
If your a Nikon guy then this is a must have. There’s a lot of Nikon books out there, I rate this one as a good general overview of the system.
Jim Church’s Essential Guide to Nikonos Systems (Jim Church, 1994)
New to the world of underwater photography? Buy a Nikonos? Then buy this book. It is essential if you want to understand the system and get the most out of it. Best of all, it has some great images and is written so anyone can understand and learn from it. Taking images underwater is very very different.
25 Years of Australian Geographic Photography (2010)
This is a fantastic collection of great images on both film and digital.
Ansel Adams 400 Photographs (Andrea Stillman, 2006)
There are a number of Ansel Adams books to choose from. This one offers a great insight into Ansel’s progression as a photographer with 400 of his images. If you want to shoot black and white and need some inspiration/composition tips then this is a no brainer. All pictures and no writing, perfect for the coffee table!