In the photobook American Geography, Matt Black has documented his travels through the US in pictures.

The books in divided into four parts: South and West, South and East, North and East, North and West. Matt Black's photographs in gritty black and white shows us the people and the urban and rural landscapes that he encountered during his travels. Rough pictures of rough lives.

The photographs are interspersed with images of things he noticed during his trips: utensils, squashed cigarette packages, a playing card, a lottery ticket and many signs of tramps asking for help and money.

"ANYTHING HELPS"

Every part of the book is preceded with a selection of notes from the diary he kept during his trip. These form mini stories themselves, poems almost. Even the atmosphere of the notes is somewhat grim. Combined with the short stories and the pictures of the begging signs, the books leaves an impression of a country that neglects his bottom of society.

One of the most beautiful photobooks I have seen this year.

I love the deadpan style and the dry sense of humor of Dutch photographer Barbara van Schaik.

Interview with Anders Petersen.

https://vimeo.com/34125446

Belgian photographer Nick Hannes.

Jochen Lempert is a photographer with a background in biology. That shows in his work. Lempert's images look like formal renderings of a man viewing the world with a scientifically formal gaze.

But Lempert's images are a lesson in looking.

The picture is called Plastic Bag, yet you are looking at a transparent mushroom, or is it a jellyfish? A wall with 47 different species of  Great Auk (he wants to photograph all the species in the world) shows a scientific collection. You start looking at details you would not have observed. A close-up of a plant what could also be the plumage of a bird, or is it?