We round out 2023 — how’d that happen? — with some items pulled from the stockings: PRINT on a few favorite books and two different photography contests that impress. (Plus bonuses thrown in, just ’cause.)
Books in PRINT
Book designer Daniel Benneworth-Gray brings us some of his favorite books on design published in 2023:
It’s that time of year when “stop asking for books, you have too many books, look at all these piles of bloody books” echoes around our house. My excuse for all this tsundokustacking: it’s professional research! After all, my job is just … book. Plus I have an untested but absolutely correct theory that books pay for themselves by acting as insulation and thus reducing your heating bill.
— Daniel Benneworth-Gray, PRINT
They act in that role here at my place, too. In any case, I agree with several of his choices enough to highlight them:
The Graphic Design Bible has won numerous accolades this year, and reminds us that despite . . . well, the internet, a well-edited, well-curated examination of a subject as diverse as graphic design benefits from book form.
Saul Leiter’s mid-century photographic genius earned him a long career, as proven by just glancing at the cover photograph on this latest tome:
Lastly, something I’ve added to my wish list:
It’s great that PRINT pulled this article from behind the unfortunate mess that is Substack and out into the light. Enjoy.
Special bonus #1: NPR highlights public libraries’ most-borrowed books of 2023, along with their always-awesome “Books We Love,” 2023 Edition.
Special bonus #2: The Guardian reminds us that, for younger readers especially, reading print improves comprehension far more than looking at digital text.
Fantastic Landscape Photographs
“2023 International Landscape Photographer of the Year Winners,” PetaPixel announces, and some of these are just wonderful:
Interestingly, this one reminds me a good deal of last month’s Natural Landscape winner from Adam Gibbs. (Maybe birches in water are a thing; I don’t do trends.) Also, kudos to this black-and-white taken right here in Georgia:
Again, like last month, here are two beautiful shots from the same photographer highlighted:
The International Landscape Photographer of the Year results are published in book form, which is great if you get the physical copy but slightly limiting in (their) website form. Nonetheless, check ’em out.
Fantastic Black and White Photographs
“The incredible winning images,” PetaPixel announces of reFocus, a black-and-white-only photography competition, split into both professional and non-professional categories. (PetaPixel seems to have taken the flame that DPReview used to represent and run with it, thankfully.)
Overall professional winner Bill Pack and a small Mercedes:
“Sensual” might be an understatement there. Meanwhile, there seem to be some overlap between categories, but when you can capture action like these two, maybe they just wanted to make room for both:
Wow. Meanwhile, there are landscapes and architecture, too:
We round out this list with something shot on film:
Wonderful. See all the winners at the (thankfully well-presented) reFocus website.
Special Bonus #3: Speaking of film, Nick Heer reminds us why he’s a daily read: The Neverending Film Photography ‘Resurgence’. (The Leica is relevant, not just me taking an opportunity to post a photograph of their awesome gear.)
Foreword . . . On Towards 2024
The end of 2023 hasn’t seen as much posting as I’d like, something I’m hoping to change once the new year gets underway — starting with the annual list of my favorite book covers of the year mid-January. Meanwhile, wishing you and yours all the best in 2024 and beyond.