vision and perspective

i bought, and was given, many monographs in 2007. some were great surprises, a couple changed my entire outlook on the medium, a few were disappointments, but they all filled a great need of mine to see as much work as i can digest. 2007 was a good year for that.

i'll round out the other 8 of my top 10 of last year next week, but tonight i'm stuck on 2. the diminutive, but inteligently designed,Motherland by Simon Roberts and Winterreise by Luc Delahaye. now, i know Winterreise was published a few years ago, but it had alluded me until very recently.

these two books are vastly different perspectives on a common geography - Russia. both books succeed at two different games, however, their differences in approach, vision, perspective, and depth are exclusive. like with any good photography book, i need to go back again, and again, to truly see them. for now i'm content holding them both and interpreting Russia through the two men's entirely different visual languages. if you are fortunate enough to own both of these books, i recommend you do the same.

a top shelf vodka martini and Motherland in your left hand, and a dirty glass of Smirnoff and Winterreise in your right. carry on.


© Luc Delahaye


© Luc Delahaye


© Simon Roberts


© Simon Roberts

listening to Neutral Milk Hotel