1. Research a photo-book and describe the story it is communicating  with reference to subject-matter, genre and approach to image-making. 9 what it is about, i.e., landscape, how images were made)

The book that I have been researching is based around the night time walks during the summer months in Colorado. All of the images that Adams’ has produced in this book have a very Urban feel to them. Often the settings are very obsolete and open, allowing for our own thoughts. Throughout the book it feels very isolated, peaceful and quiet almost as if the world has gone to sleep. Whilst lots of his images include houses, only an odd few include people which makes it feel almost as if we are looking in on peoples lives but only when they aren’t around. I believe that his images are more documentary than staged as these images were produced purely from an evening walk. I would say that the image look as if Adams had gone out for a walk with his camera and he photographed his surroundings without a main intention of that the images would turn out like. I think that his approach to image-making was almost effort-less as they appear to be quick snap shots of what he saw as opposed to deep meaningful images with lots of information behind them, however, I do think that they could have a hidden meaning. They almost feel as though they are a empty space where you could hear you own thoughts and take a break from the busy lives going on in the day time.

A few of the images from the book:

2. Who is the photographer? Why did he/she make it? (intentions/ reasons) Who is it for? (audience) How was it received? (any press, reviews, awards, legacy etc.)

The photo-book contains a larger number of Robert Adams’ images and is called summer nights. I think his purpose of making the images is to show that at night time the whole world goes quiet. Many of his images, to me, represent that if you were there at the time you can hear your own throughs and it is a space where you can relax as everything is peaceful. Because the images convey this, it means that it allows the viewer to create their own opinion of the images and what they might mean on a personal level.

3. Deconstruct the narrative, concept and design of the book and apply theory above when considering:

• Book in hand: how does it feel? Smell, sniff the paper.

I think that the book feels quite grainy, and smells almost like glue or like a stationary store.

• Paper and ink: use of different paper/ textures/ colour or B&W or both.

The book has end paper at front and back (paper that is stuck to the back of the front page), it is thick, good quality paper for the images and has a matte look opposed to glossy which I think works really well as the images are in black and white which defines the detail and adds to the tones in the images.

• Format, size and orientation: portraiture/ landscape/ square/ A5, A4, A3 / number of pages.

The book by Adams was a standard landscape book containing 50 of his images. The book had around 85 pages as it also included an interview and other various things.

• Binding, soft/hard cover. image wrap/dust jacket. saddle stitch/swiss binding/ Japanese stab-binding/ leperello

Adams’ book did not have a dust jacket (paper cover over hard back), however, it did have a paper strip around the bottom of the book almost like a mini dust cover, it was also a hard back cover which had a linen type wrap, I think that this really made the book stand out.

• Cover: linen/ card. graphic/ printed image. embossed/ debossed. letterpress/ silkscreen/hot-stamping.

As I just mentioned Adams’ book has a linen cover almost like it has been woven. I really like that he has done this as it makes the book feel more sentimental and homey. I also think that the linen cover matches nicely with the matte paper and finish on the images.

• Title: literal or poetic / relevant or intriguing.

I think Adams’ title was a literal title and was very self explanatory. However, I do that that it could have deeper meanings if we looked into the detail in the images as well as the title. It almost feels like Adams’ has let us add out own interpretation to the book.

• Narrative: what is the story/ subject-matter. How is it told?

I think that Adams’ book is told in a way that makes us feel as if we are going on a walk with him, and it feels like we are there with his as he takes the images. I think the story is about what the world looks like when we aren’t looking at in or are asleep, giving us a new perspective. Adams’ images appear to have just been taken when he sees something he likes the look of as opposed to stage which makes me think that he wants to tell the story in a very pure way that others can add to etc.

• Structure and architecture: how design/ repeating motifs/ or specific features develops a concept or construct a narrative.

In Adams’ book the layout of the images are all very similar, they each have their own page and are presented at a good size meaning we can view all of the detail in the images.

• Design and layout: image size on pages/ single page, double-spread/ images/ grid, fold- outs/ inserts.

Throughout Adams’ book the images are very big and clear on the page. This make it feel to me that the images are very open as such and very inviting, with lots of detail throughout them. I like that he hasn’t crammed lots of images on to a couple pages but he has let each image have its glory and really showcase what each images contains allowing the viewer to take it all in.

• Editing and sequencing: selection of images/ juxtaposition of photographs/ editing process.

In Adams’ book he has provided us with a large number of his images. 25 years after he made the images he re-visited them and adjusted them completely as well as gave it a new title to improve his work. Whilst his images are edited I don’t think this aspect is very obvious and the images still have a sense of pureness.

• Images and text: are they linked? Introduction/ essay/ statement by artists or others.  Use of captions (if any.)

In the book there is an interview with Robert Adams and Joshua Chuang where they talk about Adams’ purpose for this book and what he wanted people to achieve from it. Adams’s said ‘I like to think of the way people encounter pictures in books—by themselves, in quiet, at length’. I think that this fits with my idea of the viewers having their own thoughts whilst looking at the images and being able to relax and have a peaceful area.