Book (p)review - Gino Castaldo: Music box - photographing the all-time greats
Wednesday, 31/10/2012
Abrams, 2012
From portraits, live shots and backstage candids, to private photos and power of details (in a way not so different from my photographic project "(Un)known faces"), Music Box includes 190 musicians, 150 photographers and 340 photographs. Book includes photographs from well known music photographers like Anton Corbijn, Annie Leibovitz, Jim Marshall, Terry O'Neill, Pennie Smith and many others, including some Italian photographers whose work I've seen here for the first time.
Laurie Anderson © Guido Harari, 1990
The list of featured musicians is also long, from ABBA to Nirvana, from Woody Guthrie to Christina Aguilera, from Janis Joplin to R.E.M. - you can check the whole list here. All good so far!
There is, however, a different level of quality of works throughout the pages - some of the photographs are already well known and just fabulous, while some are more like snapshots that don't have that level of technical and artistic quality to it. Also, the quality of paper and print could be better.
Elvis Presley © M.G.M., 1957
The book is cleverly divided into thematic chapters, for example "While my guitar gently weeps" includes photographs of guitarists, "When the body speaks" examines the power of body, while "In your eyes" does the same with the eyes, and so on. Besides photographs, this book is full of historiographical details about musicians or music genres. Great and inspiring text by Gino Castaldo, chief music critic for La Repubblica, editor in chief of Musica, author of several books about popular music and teacher at the University of Rome, is a great addition to the photographs, giving us some inside stories about musicians and their work. Therefore, this book is not only recommended for (music) photographers and music fans, but also to others that are interested in the history of popular music.
Elton John © Terry O'Neill, 1970s
As a side note, this book has different language editions and they have slightly different covers, while the edition by Thames & Hudson has the best of them all - cover like an amplifier!
Music and photography have always shared a special relationship—when an iconic musician is portrayed by a first-rate photographer, the result is often transformative and transcendent, and a classic pop culture image is born.
Gino Castaldo
Product info
Music box - photographing the all-time greats
Author: Gino Castaldo (text)
Format: Hardback, 480 pages
Publisher: Abrams
Published: March 1, 2012 (English edition)
ISBN-10: 141970074X
ISBN-13: 978-1419700743
Get your copy at:
Cloud Arrangers - new music photography book by Žiga Koritnik is on Kickstarter
Monday, 24/09/2018
A project that definitely deserves to be talked about and backed on Kickstarter!
If you’re into music photography, this one is for you. And if you’re into jazz music, you’re in for a treat!
Book (p)review: Jordan Matter: Dancers among us - A Celebration of Joy in the Everyday
Monday, 16/02/2015
Workman Publishing, 2012
New York Times bestseller that I heartily recommend it to anyone interested in dance and/or dance photography!
E-book (p)review: Matthias Hombauer: Guide To Rockstar Concert Photography
Tuesday, 29/04/2014
Self published (PDF digital e-book), 2014
Exclusive preview of the ultimate manual for concert photographers, young and seasoned ones, that was published just few hours ago!
My image of Warren Ellis on two-page spread in freshly published book Rock Country
Thursday, 12/12/2013
Lavishly illustrated book exploring the culture and the story of rock (and pop) in Australia
I'm very happy to see my photograph of Warren Ellis (Dirty Three, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds) on two-page spread in a freshly published book about Australian music scene called "Rock Country"!
Book (p)review: Jill Furmanovsky: The Moment - 25 Years of Rock Photography
Thursday, 12/12/2013
Paper Tiger, 1995
A great inside story of life and work of one of legendary music photographers of our time, with some legendary photos, too!
Book (p)review - The Great LIFE Photographers
Saturday, 26/01/2013
Thames & Hudson, 2009
Truly inspirational book for all photographers interested in photojournalism, excellent document of the past century, and a must have in every personal photo library!
Book (p)review - Alan Hess: All Access: Your Backstage Pass to Concert Photography
Friday, 14/12/2012
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2012
Definitely The Book for starting concert photographers, but as all of us photographers are learning new things along, I'm pretty sure that even seasoned pros will find something for themselves inside!
Laurie Anderson
Dvorana Tabor, Maribor (Slovenia), 01/06/2012
One of the definitive highlights of this years European Capital of Culture (ECOC) project that is happening all year round in Maribor (and few other towns in Slovenia) was surely performance of Laurie Anderson, New York based singer and versatile artist, eclectic author, best known for her multimedia performances and innovative use of technology.
Book (p)review - Gail Buckland: Who Shot Rock & Roll, A Photographic History, 1955 - Present
Thursday, 15/12/2011
Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2009
With over 300 black & white and color photographs - something like "Who is who?" in music photography in the last 50 years - "Who Shot Rock & Roll" is really a must have for all music photographers out there. Christmas is coming, so if you have somebody who is crazy about concert and music photography, why not give them something that will definitely put a big smile on their face?
Photo book "Moj vikend u zemlji čudesa" is out
Friday, 11/11/2011
Photo book documenting the recording of Pips, Chips & Videoclips live DVD "2x2", with 40 pages of good stuff for bands fans
The long awaited day for the release of this DVD is finally here and with that, it gives me great pleasure to say, my self-published photo book also!
Beyond thank you!
Monday, 10/10/2011
My photo to be published in the new 1x.com book
Today I got the final email confirming that my photo "Thank you!" will be published in the new 1x.com book called "Beyond", a yearly showcase of best photographs from the 1x.com site.