Sartel LookBook. November 2009 © Allison V. Smith

Sartel LookBook. November 2009 © Allison V. Smith

Sartel LookBook. November 2009 © Allison V. Smith

A few weeks back I shot Sartel's Spring 2010 LookBook. Here are a few of my favorites + an outtake of designer Matthew Earnest himself doing all the dirty work.

marfa lights. marfa, texas. © Allison V. Smith

motel thunderbird. outside Marfa, Texas © Allison V. Smith

Hotel. marfa, texas. © Allison V. Smith

I am super excited that the NYTimes featured my photos in a story called The Foodie Scene in Marfa, Texas. See the online preview here and then again Sunday in the Travel section.

family portraits. 2009. © Allison V. Smith

It's family portrait time of year.
Here are a few of my favorites from the past month.

Monhegan Library. Monhegan Island. August 2009. © Allison V. Smith

Arts Magnet High School. Dallas, Texas. January 2006. © Allison V. Smith

Marathon High School. Marathon, Texas . March 2007. © Allison V. Smith

D Magazine recently asked me "What are You Reading?" It was only fair that I could answer in photo books as I am pretty much a nut for my photo book collection. In 2007, I blogged my A List of photo books.

Here are a few of my faves from 2009.

Looking in: Robert Frank’s The Americans: Like any good photographer, I am a big fan of Robert Frank’s The Americans. I have two editions of the 50-year old classic and recently purchased Looking In which documents the book in every way possible. The most breathtaking part of the book is the countless number of Frank’s contact sheets, printed in full with Frank’s own editing marks. Basically, I could stare at those pages for hours. It’s fascinating to see how a real master works.
Asakusa Portraits by Hiroh Kikai: Japanese photographer Hiroh Kikai’s black-and-white street portraits from the Asakusa quarter of Tokyo are as haunting and beautiful as Diane Arbus and simple and striking as Avedon’s American West. Kikai’s portraits span over 30 years and each portrait is more intriguing than the last. I feel very lucky to have a personalized signed copy. (thanks Bonnie&Daniel)
Pyramids by Mike Slack: Polaroid announced last year that they would no longer be producing their famous instant film. This will be Slack’s final book of Polaroids. Slack finds beauty in the overly offbeat and obviously overlooked. I recommend his past two books OK OK OK and Scorpio for the full Slack collection (decorators note: together they look sharp on the bookshelf!)
New Mexico by Lee Friedlander: Friedlander’s latest book of scenes from New Mexico is exquistly printed by Radius Books. The large format black-and-white book is filled with Friedlander’s quirky view of life. Most appear to be shot out of his driver’s side window, way cool.

Bruce Springsteen New Jersey 2005 © DANNY CLINCH, 2005

"Trigger, Willie Nelson's Guitar". 1998. © Danny Clinch

Lucinda Williams, CA 2008© DANNY CLINCH

I love looking at Danny Clinch's photography for inspiration & motivation.

Girl with Bicycle, Dublin,1966 © Evelyn Hofer

Phoenix Park on a Sunday, Dublin 1966 © Evelyn Hofer

Queensboro Bridge. © Evelyn Hofer

Gravediggers, Dublin 1966. ©Evelyn Hofer

I'm blown away by the simplicity and beauty of the portraits and scenes by photographer Evelyn Hofer. I just learned about Hofer yesterday when I saw her obit in the New York Times. She died from a stroke in Mexico City 2 weeks ago. Hofer was once described 'the most famous unknown photographer in America'. Her portraits are an awesome inspiration for an upcoming project I have up my sleeves. I've just added her monograph to my Amazon wishlist.

new victorians © David Sokosh

new victorians © David Sokosh

Inspired!
Check out David Sokosh's tin type fashion photos
shot for the New York Times!

campaign poster. 2009

...and the Best use of one of my photographs goes to

Stella DeLaughter.
You are going to make a Great president!