Just Out: Peter Turnley's New Paris Book

Enthusiastically noted: Peter Turnley's new book goes on sale today.

...Which is going to be great fun to watch.

I can't pretend to be anything close to objective here. I've been hearing about this book for years, since it was a gleam in its author's eye; I've been heavily involved as one of several friendly advisors during the development of the book; and, TOP will be offering three original prints from the book for sale at the end of the month (including the cover image). Peter, of course, is a longtime "friend of TOP," and we've had two hugely popular sales of his Paris pictures prior to this next one. He and I met for the first time just recently, but I felt as if I were meeting an old friend. Which of course I was.

I have not seen the book yet. I have seen the final edit in PDF form. And many of the edits prior to that. And have shared my opinions with Peter along the way.

The book is called French Kiss: A Love Letter to Paris and it is a sort of hybrid, or a book with two vectors: on the one hand it is a book of art photography. On the other hand it is a romantic picture book that will appeal to anyone who is in love or has ever been in love...even if they don't have any particular passion for photography. You know...the kind of thing that (gasp!) actually appeals to people who aren't photo nuts.

I know, crazy, right?

It is many other things:

• Career-spanning: the earliest picture in the book was taken in 1975 and the most recent one was taken not even two months ago (August 2013);
• A gift book, only available in a special deluxe edition, slipcased and signed; and
• Self-published. Peter's going it alone on this one (although it is professionally produced). Pretty brave, if you ask me.

A few more things I can tell you:

The special pre-order price is good through the month of October. All the books ordered in October will be shipped in early November, and will arrive (at least to U.S. addresses) in plenty of time to re-ship for Christmas or Hanukkah.

This isn't a TOP sale. The book is going to be widely publicized, and it's for sale direct-only.

The edition is 3,000 copies, which is kind of a lot for a printing of a photography book. So there should be a plentiful supply, at least for a while. Nevertheless, I'll try to keep you up to date here.

Leica is not sponsoring the book in any way, but they have made a short film about it, which you can see at the book page. All of the pictures in the book were made with Leica rangefinder cameras, from the M4 to the M Monochrom and every model in between.

All the books will be signed.

Enough for now. I should have a copy in my hands a couple of days, and I'll wait till then to say more. As I say, I think this is going to be fun.

Mike

Original contents copyright 2013 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

TOP's links!

(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

Ned Bunnell: "Thanks for sharing this news. As a previous person noted, immediately placing my order for Peter's book was a no-brainer. I wish him well with this self-publishing venture, but I'm sure it'll sell out. I'm really looking forward to seeing the book not only for his beautiful images but the book's design, reproduction quality, paper stock etc."

[Ned is the former president of Pentax Imaging. —Ed.]

Bob Smith: "Ahhh, home from work. Grab the iPad and click on TOP to see what Mike is tickling our brain cells with today. A new book he seems to feel strongly about. Paris, my favorite city I've never been to. Hit the link for the book, hit Buy Now and buy it...then say to myself What. Did. I. Just. Do? Guess I'll take a look at the preview and watch the video...okay Mike's nailed it again I think.

"This will make book #4 purchased because of TOP's recommendations. I'm afraid to look through the Book and Book of the Week sections. Don't know if I can afford to."

Mike replies: Plus, you have to save a little dough for our first book. [g]

Kenneth Jarecke: "Congratulations, Peter. This book looks great and I can't wait to get a copy."

[Ken is a former contract photographer for TIME and U.S. News & World Report. —Ed.]

Stephen F Faust: "Ordered! As a current owner of both McClellan Street and Parisians, I'm really looking forward to having a signed copy of this. Though I do have to wonder how much overlap there will be with the content in Parisians?"

Mike replies: I asked Peter for you, and he said there's "very little" overlap. He estimated off the cuff that at least 80% or 85% of the pictures in French Kiss are not in Parisians.

Andreas: "I like Peter's photography and also purchased a print of his photos in the past (also a kiss-photo ;-). Also, I find it a good move to self-publish and bypass the publishing industry. But I don't understand why this is brave, considering that it will certainly sell out in a short time. And I don't mean this cynical but as an honest question."

Mike replies: Well, you're probably right—it will most likely prove to be a good investment and end up being profitable (see the post after this one for a positive update). But producing a high-quality book can be a minefield, and the investment is all up front—it's just not easy for someone who has never paid much attention to money to drop tens of thousands of dollars into a project that has no absolute guarantee of returning to break-even. After it proves to be a winner it will seem like an easy decision, but anyone who self-publishes a photo book—as anyone who has done so can tell you—still has to climb pretty far out on a limb. Maybe "brave" is overstating what it takes, but it is not for the faint of heart.

Comments

[jean-louis salvignol]

It's done!

[Patrick Perez]

One ordered. I'm especially excited, as the previous TOP sales of his work came when I was unemployed and thus couldn't participate. I can manage $81.

Patrick

[Mark]

A good day. Ordered Peter's book, and Mitch Dobrowner's "Storms" arrived in the mail.

[MarkB]

Easiest "purchase decision" I've made in a long while. This book should sell out it's initial printing, or else there is something seriously askew in the world.

[Kenneth Tanaka]

Congratulations on completing this project, Peter. I'm certain that it will do very well with its winning formula of outstanding b&w photography in the uber-romantic theme park of Paris. The world doesn't seem to ever get its fill of Paris. The Leica video suggests that this was almost a therapeutic counterbalance to having photographed so much misery for news coverage assignments, eh?

Bravo.

[One thing about that that always sticks in my mind is that Don McCullin keeps all his negatives and prints in one room of his house...and he said once that he is sometimes afraid to go down to that end of the house.

The things that these guys have to witness are horrific, and take a cumulative toll on the psyche that can be vicious. --Mike]

[dale]

Ordered mine, Thanks for posting Mike!

[Olivier Anthony]

A heart warming vision of Paris, definitely not what is obvious every day (I live there). When I found out about Peter Turnley here a few years ago, I initially though he was playing and old tune, the image of France that the Americans got when they freed the country last century. But I was wrong, his productions in other cities (Lisbon and more) are marvels as well. This must be Peter's true talent: to still be able to see what has mostly vanished, and especially the positive interactions between strangers. Now where is my accordilion CD...

[Bob Smith]

"This will make book #4 purchased because of TOP's recommendations. I'm afraid to look through the Book and Book of the Week sections. Don't know if I can afford to."

"Mike replies: Plus, you have to save a little dough for our first book. [g]"

Yes that, plus maybe a print from French Kiss if it isn't out of my budget range.

Bob

[Giovanni]

Shipping to France put the cost up to $98. Peter, have a batch printed this side of the pond! After all, you took the photos right here...

[Ironically, I've recently fielded some complaints from Americans about the high cost of shipping "Here Far Away" from the U.K.... --Mike]

[David Kieltyka]

Fantastic...I'm in! Been a fan of both Peter and David's work for decades. I met David in 1988 when he was doing a discussion & signing tour to both promote his then new book of South Africa photos and also help educate the US public about what was going on in SA. Just a terrific evening! I hope to someday meet Peter and give him a good look in the eye just as I did his brother. ;-)

[John R. Belmuda (jrb)]

What a great start to a working day, easy first decision, 'Buy Now', done.
Thanks Mike, well done Peter, can't wait.

[Collin Orthner]

I may need to order this book, just the $29 for shipping into Canada hurts a bit. Your recommendation for The Book Depository for the Pentti Sammallahti book with no shipping charges out of the UK worked nicely!

[Hendrik]

Kudos to Peter for the effort. But I do find it rather cliché ridden if the preview is any indication (The Eiffel tower looms in every third picture, the Seine runs thru every fourth.) Maybe he just chose motives he thought had the biggest mass appeal for the preview, I don't know.

[James Symington]

A great book no doubt and one I will likely order as I have no Turnley books yet. I lived in Paris as a student and go back there once or twice a year on average to see my friends there. The trouble with Paris is that is has been overly romanticised for so long that people's perceptions of it can be badly skewed. Whilst there is much to love there it is certainly not all roses either. A widening gap between rich and poor (also evident in many other countries of course) and a deep unease about immigration rears its head often enough.

I have met many of the nicest people in the world there, who are now my friends, but puzzlingly also easily the nastiest too. An article that came out on the BBC website a number of years ago springs to mind:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6197921.stm

It is both shocking and ridiculous in a certain sense. And particularly true of a handful of taxi drivers I have come across over the last 3 decades of going there.

I am certainly not saying that this book 'skews' Paris in any particularly way; indeed even if it does it is fine to do so. My own photography is a massively skewed representation of the world too so I can hardly criticise others for doing the same. But it is important to get a wider perspective on the place lest Paris Syndrome afflicts you in any significant way!

[Marino]

My dream is to attend one of Peter's Paris workshops; for the moment being I will be happy to wait for my copy of the book, as it looks.Kudos to Peter for the new book, and to you, Mike, for always being on top of the photo niceties (pun intended).

[Tom Burke]

I ordered my copy yesterday - thanks for the link.

It'll be interesting to compare these new images with others from the past, particularly those in the Taschen book 'Paris Mon Amour'. (I've just discovered that in fact this book includes four images by Peter Turnley.)

[Bojidar]

Dear Peter, I admired your images and hope that the book is a great success, but why oh why, if your adopted home for more than 40 years lies in Europe do your European supporters have to pay USD 29 for shipping and then duty and VAT?

As much I'd like to own this book, I'm afraid that when I add it all up, the book is beyond what I'm able to spend on it.

[Andrew Artherton]

Only the second book I've ordered, sight unseen, but if it's as inspiring as "here far away" then it's worth the wait.

[D. Hufford.]

I had just gotten rid of my credit card and this comes up which means I have hurry to get a replacement. Looking at the previews, and having seen Peter's work in the past pretty much convinces me that this one will be worth having.

Oh, and on the BBC article, linked by James above: I must say that "reporting" about Japan and the Japanese never ceases to amaze. The "Paris syndrome" is due to the rudeness of Parisians? A whole 12 people (predominantly wealthy young women) per year were sent back to Japan from it? Those folks so sensitive to rudeness and shouting must have never been to some spots in Tokyo at night such as Kabukicho. Or have never worked around certain Japanese bosses.

Neither the Japanese Wikipedia nor the English version says the "syndrome" (which affects an insignificant number of people) is due to the rudeness of the French which the BBC article strongly implies. (And where did the author get that last line from?)

It sounds more like a case of severe culture shock, and sensationalist "Japan/Japanese as weird" reporting that seems pretty much the norm.

[Keith I.]

As several others have already stated, this was a no brainer for me to order. I really enjoyed the video he posted as well. Seeing his approach to "street photography" is very refreshing.

This will also be a reminder that I REALLY need to frame the print I ordered on the first TOP Turnley print sale.

[Hugh Smith]

Ordered the book (natch) and the video was interesting as I watched Peter walk the sidewalks of the 5th district. Even though Paris has its downsides (expensive) the upsides Peter has recorded make one realize how precious Paris really is.
I can't wait to get my hands and eyes on the book.

[Paulo Bizarro]

Oh well, another dent in the credit card:)

Ordered... should be another excellent book. I have just received "Here far away" a few weeks back.

[Tony Rowlett]

Never have I punched the order button faster after having gone to the order page. Looking forward to the positive effect this book is bound to have on me.

[Hugh Smith]

I have to honestly say that there are a few heroes in my list of photographers and Peter is one of them. I tried to connect with him while in Paris last time, but didn't work out. He is indeed a talent and humble man...a rare combination.
Bon chance, Peter.

[Eric Rose]

Pulled the trigger today. My wife will love it for Christmas.

[C.R. Marshall]

Is Peter tracking the percentage of sales from TOP readers? (I ordered mine)

[Dennis Ng]

Gone mine. To be honest, many book purchase from here ... anyway looking forward to this one. I loved the video as it showed something I did not experience here in Hong Kong or in Mainland China. There is a reason street photography could start there.

[Hernan Zenteno]

I know you are friend or something of Peter. I wonder how he takes the fact that now in France is not allowed to take pictures in the streets of people without their permission. I read the interview in the Leica blog and the promotion in other sites but nobody appears to put attention in the problem to work in the streets like in the past did Bresson, Doisneau, Boubat, Ronis and a lot of other photographers. Did he needed releases for his last photos of people in the streets?

[treadclimber]

I want to to thank you for this excellent read!! I definitely enjoyed every bit of it. I've got you book marked to check out new stuff you post…

[jean-louis salvignol]

The workflow of Pete is discussed here =

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136975

A sort of synthesis of the best of two major eras of photography.