Photobooks of 2018: Gregory Barker
A Shimmer of Possibility by Paul Graham
Not so much one book as 12. This new and very purple incarnation of ‘A Shimmer of Possibility’ gives those who missed out on it first time around in 2007, and who were less convinced by the second single enormous book version in 2009, the chance to get their hands on this ground breaking series. Sometimes an idea can be so simple and yet completely enthralling, it’s baffling that no one considered it until so recently.
Jasper by Matthew Genitempo
Matthew Genitempo’s highly skilled black and white images tell a well worn tale – rugged American men in the wilderness – but Matthew does it with a rich and poetic touch.
Dr. Blankman´s New York by Tod Papageorge
In the 1960s Tod Papageorge was told by his photographic peers that if he wanted to make money with photography he needed to move to colour slide film and build a commercial portfolio. He took the comments seriously and set about photographing New York shop windows in Kodachrome. These images, when mixed together with candid portraits are lustrously reproduced in this book.
The Last Ships by Chris Killip
Over the past year Chris Killip has revisited his archive to produce a series of newspapers including “the Last Ships” of images all taken between 1975 and 1977, showing the last breaths of industry in the North East of England.
Halfstory Halflife by Raymond Meeks
Raymond Meeks beautifully printed new book takes a small subject – young guys jumping into a river, and manages to turn it into a captivating baptism.
Gregory Barker is one half of STANLEY/BARKER, a UK based publishing company that produces a select list of highly individual publications each year.
Images: top – Dr. Blankman´s New York by Tod Papageorge, below – The Last Ships by Chris Killip