Ralph Gibson the Photographer
The photographer Ralph Gibson said about his first book, The Somnambulist, which launched his career in 1970, “…it became apparent that if I wanted total autonomy over the project I would have to publish it myself. So I formed my own imprint…” He is still alive today and in his 80s. He went on to self-publish many books as well as his friends’ books. He’s a fascinating character. He knew everyone back in the day, Annie Leibovitz, Alfred Stieglitz, Ansel Adams, Cartier-Bresson, you name it. His more recent book Self-Exposure is full of anecdotes from those days and wisdom from his years of experiences. It’s also full of great photos. Definitely worth a read. I think he would whole-heartedly approve of photographers’ new ability today to self-publish their work much more easily than in the 1970s. Take a look at The Somnambulist, if you can find a copy. Some very interesting photographs, like these on the covers of the two aforementioned books.
Fine art prints are now available on my site. Buy one now!
