Sources of Inspiration: Images and More

The other day someone told me that buying photography books makes no sense as you only look at them once or twice. I was rendered speechless (that happens a lot to me lately and not only 'cos I have caught some cold). I had nothing to add in my defense. Not that I really needed to defend myself. I consume images. That's that. In all forms. I cannot really explain it. They inspire me.

I have mentioned some cool exhibitions and one of my favorite books on art on this blog. This time I wanna share a sneak peek into what I consider totally worthwhile storing on my bookshelf (you know, next to those other books - with many words in them). Some, but not all, you can see on the photo above.

• Books filled with amazing images (basically anything by Taschen, really). It's like having mini art galleries at your own house, why would anyone not love that?! Plus they a lot of really well priced books.
• Books about the technical side of photography. Frankly, I don't own that many. I used to borrow them from library back when I lived in Finland (you know a dorm with no computer and no TV, you end up reading a lot more books). However, if you can find something at good price (and with good content) it's worth having it. I am not particularly obsessed (but possibly a little obsessed) with the technical side of photography, but it helps to know it, to remind yourself of it. Plus it's kinda cool to know why colors of film/memory card look different from what you see with your eye. Etc.
• Books that combine amazing images and a tiny bit of technical data, so you really see how some of the coolest images have been created. Like the combo of art books and theoretical books. 
• Magazines. Mostly fashion magazines. Best cheap source of high quality photography and inspiration. Nope, I don't dress according to the latest fashion. But I "steal" ideas and inspiration. Fancy brands and magazines have a lot of fancy money to invest into high quality images.

Okay and I have a book on photography which has almost no images - Camera Lucida by Roland Barthes. It speaks images tho. And it's a bit scary. 

I do believe that images tell stories as much as words, maybe even more so. 

Any inspirational (art) books on your book shelves? 

xoxo