'Little Book' Update

Just in case you're interested in a follow-up: in the six days since I posted the "unboxing" photos of the large, 3-volume, hardcover, slipcased, $140 Bruce Davidson set—which means it's been five days since I also recommended the little $10.85 Photofile paperback of Josef Koudelka's work—TOP readers in the U.S. and the U.K. have ordered 20 copies of the Koudelka and 54 copies of the Davidson. Like I said, people just don't seem to care for little photo books quite as much....

Mike

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Original contents copyright 2010 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.

Featured Comment by Bernd Reinhardt: "I just received the Bruce Davidson books and I have to say I had no idea how beautiful they were. I had seen a lot of Davidson's work and a lot of his early books were sold out and going for high prices in the antique book market. This new volume is absolutely stunning, beautifully printed and bound. The only negative is my wife nagging about all my photography books taking up too much space in our house. You can imagine how grumpy she was when she saw this giant package."

Mike replies: In the hi-fi hobby they call that "WAF"—wife acceptance factor. (To be less sexist one might call it SAF, spousal acceptance factor—although let's be honest, most of the time it's the males who are into the big goofy-looking hi-fi gear and the females who are dismayed to have half their living rooms taken over.)

Very large speakers of unconventional appearance that need lots of free space around them are known to often have low "WAF." This is Nelson Pass's stereo—the speakers are single drivers; the large plywood construction is a "kleinhorn" (German for "small" (!) horn), probably three meters tall, that loops around the back and comes back out the front, meant to capture and amplify the driver's backwave. This is in a dedicated building, not his living room, but still, you might want to share this with your wife just to let her know how much worse things could be. [g].

Comments

[Victor]

Taking your post recommendations to my Library, I now am reviewing at my leisure the HC-B Abrams little book. The Koudelka "Gypsies" and "Exiles" while in the catalog were not on the shelf. I also looked for the Davison set. I didn't check the catalog, but did find "Civil Rights Photographs 1961-1965" which I will review once finished w/ the HC-B. Thanks for the tips. I like the little book because it reminds me that my personal work can be effective in small scale.

[Alex H.]

Or people don't care for Koudelka quite as much as for Davidson -- which would be somewhat unfair.

[Wayne]

Another strategy regardig WAF or SAF is price. You saved money, or it bought itself, by not buying a much more expensive item. Works great with cameras. Had a friend who did that with aircraft. "But dear, this "piston" plane paid for itself by me NOT buying the "turbine" plane.

[John Frendreiss]

Just seeing those speakers made me laugh so hard it brought tears to my eyes. That and the note about speakers of their ilk having "low WAF". I can't explain it, dumb things make me laugh sometimes. Carry on.

[James]

It seems that audiophiles are effectively unlimited in their pursuit of audio perfection: there's at least one person who is custom designing an entire house with audio in mind, even going as far as designing the basement to be an enormous sub woofer. http://www.royaldevice.com/la%20repubblica-eng.htm. That puts your darkroom indulgence into perspective!

I may well get to the Koudelka book, but I've got a pile on the nightstand now that needs attention. Among the pile is a book called "Moments" - the complete series of Pulitzer prize-winning images from the last century. Most have no artistic value at all, but I'm fascinated by the pictures and the rather good essay accompanying each one, telling the story.

[David Dyer-Bennet]

I gotta say, those speakers had better sound really amazing!

[Dennis Allshouse]

I hope those speakers sound good because they are UGLY !

[V.I. Voltz]

I'd have bought the Koudelka book but I already have it. I prefer small books. I'm traveling right now with Andre Kertesz: The Early Years.

Voltz

[Nikhil Ramkarran]

While on the topic of buying on your recommendation, you had indicated that there was some system to ensure that you receive the commission when we purchase via your links but I can't remember what it was.

A handy permanent link to a FAQ in the sidebar might not be a bad idea. If I can't make money off my own photography, I can at least make sure the photographers I like get a part of what I will inevitably spend :)

I bought a couple of the instructional books you recommended and the Davidson by adding them to my cart and going straight to checkout. I hope that was the correct way.

[Mike Johnston]

Nikhil,
It is, and thanks very much!

Mike

[Mike Plews]

A couple of Klipsch Corner Horns would make nice little surrounds for those things.

[misha]

"there's at least one person who is custom designing an entire house with audio in mind, even going as far as designing the basement to be an enormous sub woofer. That puts your darkroom indulgence into perspective!"

The difference between men and boys, is the price of their toys.

[Mark Kinsman]

Thanks for the nudge on the "Little Book" somehow I missed it the first time around. On my list to order now.
Regarding the accompanying photo - as one who has indulged in the Audiophile world - I must say - Now THAT's a pair of near field monitors! As to the way they look - listen with your ears, not your eyes...
Of course, I am a bit old school running 2 systems - one all tube vitage 60's McIntosh - one all SS Outlaws with surround sound Klipch...both always bring a smile to my face.

[Paul Perton]

Yesssssssssssssssssssssss! I want those babies ;-)

What does mommy think?

Who cares? I'm sure they sound astonishing.

[Chuck Albertson]

My boxed set of the Davidson books also arrived, and it's well worth the money if you like his work (which I do). Only twist is that the box (with handle) looks like a wine collection, so I was getting hit on by winos when I took it home on the bus yesterday.

[Ivo Stankus]

I don't know if this wasn't mentioned in one of the previous posts on Josef Koudelka, or rather, publications regarding his work, but there was a rather nice, and large, monograph published in 2006. It's Czech, not cheap, not easy to find, but very nice and quite comprehensive.

http://www.torst.cz/czech/detail.php?pk=469