What follows is a very personal reflection on the books about art and photography that have really influenced my thinking and practice this year. These are the books I read (or re-read) in 2015 rather than just those that were published this year. They are in no particular order.

The book is large format and generously illustrated. Many of the artists included would be considered art photographers, exploring conceptual issues, but there is a strong sense of continuity with photography pioneers of the past. I've referenced some of the artists included in a recent scheme of work which explores the relationship between photography and surfaces. Who knows how long film and light sensitive papers will be around? Until such time as these technologies cease to exist, this crop of artists seem determined to wring the last drop of creative potential from a dwindling resource. Our students are fascinated by the darkroom, by film and old cameras. The department in which I work is also committed to analogue photography (for want of a better phrase) and both Freecycle and eBay (plus donations from neighbouring schools and colleges who are closing down their darkrooms and getting rid of equipment) have proved to be rich sources of cheap materials. I don't know how long we'll be able to continue to work in this way but this book is a useful reminder that many contemporary artists are still excited by the affordances of traditional materials and techniques whilst also questioning their relevance and meaning in the 21st century.

Related:
​An introduction to the exhibition at the ICP

I'm determined to build into my teaching this year some of the many insights, questions and provocations about our relationships with photographic images raised by this book. Who knows, it may turn out to be as significant in our thinking about visual culture as John Berger's was all those years ago.

I'm also interested in teaching photography as both an art form in its own right (with its own particular set of affordances, constraints, techniques and processes) and as a form of contemporary art practice. In this respect, I am fascinated by the conceptual artists of the 1970s as much as I am by the early modernist pioneers of photography in the 20s and 30s. Robin Kelsey's brilliant book explores the different ways in which we can understand the role that chance plays for a number of photographers and artists, the main protagonists being William Henry Fox Talbot, Julia Margaret Cameron, Alfred Stieglitz, Frederick Sommer and John Baldessari. It's a brilliantly researched and illuminating journey that puts paid to the tiresome argument that photography teachers should concentrate on developing their craft and not be troubled by art. As Kelsey explains, art and photography have always been in dialogue:

Related:
On Chance and Photography, a conversation between Robin Kelsey and Samuel Ewing.

So, what are your favourite reads of 2015? Which books have inspired you to invent new projects or re-invigorated your own photography practice? Let us know in the comments below or, alternatively, why not write your own guest blog post? Get in touch!

An account of our recent trip to Paris by Gabriel Bush, Year 12 Photography student, St Peter's School

On a mild Friday morning we arrived at Bournemouth train station for a final briefing by Mr Francis. This raised the excitement on tired faces, prior to our departure for Waterloo at exactly 7.04am. Our busy train was greeted by a fantastic sunrise as we passed Southampton docks. With 90s Britpop as my selection of music - Oasis and Blur, no less - time passed quickly. The London Underground was to follow. We had an entertaining rush across London, with a quick changeover at Warren Street, prior to arriving at St Pancras.

We met Jon Nicholls, photography teacher at Thomas Tallis School and colleague of Mr Francis, who was also accompanying us to Paris. We then had our first chance to explore - within the station, experimenting with street style documentary photography. I got busy photographing the impressive 19th century roof, experimenting with its fantastic vanishing point and symmetry. At 12:24pm we were on our way to France.

Arriving at Gare du Nord station was amazing; the smell of roasting chestnuts filled our noses as we walked through security.

Our hotel was lovely, large and full of curious features...

We settled in our rooms and at 5:45pm we hit the streets for some documentary photography. A brief rain shower passed as we walked swiftly through the hectic streets of central Paris, a great place to experiment with ‘Bruce Gilden style’ street shots. Jon helped me out with finding the correct manual settings to shoot at and I was off. I experimented primarily with shutter speeds and using flash to create light movement, making my images much more energetic and vibrant.

We caught the metro to the Montparnasse Tower, a 56-storey skyscraper located directly in line with the Eiffel Tower. After a 39 second elevator journey we were at the top. The view was spectacular!

We then headed to the 9th district of Paris and the famous Bouillon Chartier Restaurant. We queued for three quarters of an hour, but the striking interior was worth the wait. Our food came out quickly and it did not disappoint.

And then a fellow student, Harvey, received a notification that four people had been killed in an explosion in Paris. Within minutes multiple updates were feeding through my phone.
I headed to Mr Francis’ table where I first tried to deliver the news but he told me not to worry too much but to settle our bill. However, it wasn’t long before everyone was fully aware of the situation. It seemed that every five minutes a new location was being hit.

Time went by very slowly whilst we waited for the news of further attacks to settle. Eventually it was decided for us to leave and walk back to the hotel. And that is when my heart sunk, as I suspect, did everyone else’s. The walk was nerve wracking, the faint noise of police sirens no longer reassuring. The streets were mostly empty and silent. We eventually made it to the top of a hill with the hotel in sight. We walked through the doors and the relief was like nothing ever experienced. Sleep that night was difficult because of the constant messages and news feeds coming through.

In the morning Paris was still in lockdown and the borders had been tightened. Breakfast was a time where we all came together and discussed how (little) we’d slept. At 10:30am we headed to the rooftop terrace which had a 360 degree view of Paris, arguably better than that from the Montparnasse tower the night before. The streets were silent; Paris was in mourning.

We were advised not to leave our hotel. Frankly I wasn’t too bothered, we just wanted to stay secure and safe. I honestly thought the world was beginning to turn upside down! Mr Francis kept us very occupied, setting us creative tasks including making bedroom installations - absurd galleries inspired by Surrealist artists in response to the unpredicted events.

I very much enjoyed these tasks. Although contained in our hotel, we discovered new corners, seeking out traces of stories within the building. Through photography we were able to explore simple, everyday objects in new ways, adding interest and creating intrigue.