Josef Koudelka: The Making of Exiles

I teach photography and have been a photographer for almost 20 years. I just finished reading it. And HAD to write a review to invite everyone to enjoy of the best woks on photography. Do yourself a favor and get this one!

very good

Follow: IG @PhotoStudiousContext:Been recently looking at Koudelka's work as a photography student because Koudelka, for me, has a great track record. Gypsies, Invasion, and then Exiles. All great bodies of work that span for years and years with the exception of Invasion.I did read the Koudelka retrospective book by Aperture which I highly recommend as well since it gives you the span of his various works.Now, about the book:I recommend getting this book since it gives us a microscope into making his body of work, Exiles. Great essays that give context into what made Koudelka, Koudelka. Then we later read into the mindset that gives way into the endurance the body of work requires. We look into the process of editing contact sheets, selecting images, and sequencing them. All in the span of 30 years...going back over and over and traveling all over Europe... 1000 rolls of film average per year... and then...ending up with 77 images.There is more into his process like looking back into images that did not make it and learning from them and journaling that I found really amazing to read about.In the age of disposable social media images, Koudelka gives his time on how to make lasting work.Highly recommend for the photography student! = )Follow: IG @PhotoStudious

Las imágenes, ya conocidas, son magníficas, pero como Making Of de Exiles se queda muy corto. El grueso del libro repite las imagenes originales. Como extras, apenas unas hojas de contactos, y ninguna información en profundidad sobre la génesis y edición del trabajo. Se queda a años luz de otros libros del mismo tipo como "Looking in Robert Frank's the Americans".

The making of exiles apre la porta sul percorso di Josef Koudelka negli anni seguenti la sua venuta in Occidente. E' la testimonianza del suo stato di apolide in esilio volontario in un mondo sconosciuto in cui segue il filo della presenza degli zingari, popolo nomade e metafora del suo vivere la vita. Il libro è stato costruito con grandissima perizia per far comprendere il percorso visivo di Koudelka. E' un libro fondamentale per capire le fotografie che hanno segnato l'inizio della "fotografia privata" come mezzo espressivo nella fotografia contemporanea. Altamente raccomandato

Interesting book if you liked Exiles (and this book is really up there with the classics of photography essays). Shines a light on Koudelkas life and craft. Was particularly impressed with his very spartan life, almost like a monk and with how organized he was with his photographic projects. For example he owned almost nothing except for his camera and a change of clothes. No apartment no library no settler life etc. He spent most of the time wandering around Europe and latter Middle East chasing the good weather with a sleeping bag and sleeping in the fields and people’s yards and barns. When it was too cold to walk he would crash on the couch of photographer friends and process his films. As for being organized, his 1970-1980 agendas were filled with detailed planning for events he wanted to follow and descriptions of quality of light and places. Amazing man. Oh, and not to forget, Koudelka was trained as an engineer (aeronautical if I remember correctly) and not as a photographer... most people who spend a decade in art school can not get even close to his work.

The making of Exiles give you insights about Josef Koudelka's approach to what and how he sees. Every book he has produced is magnificent and he is without a doubt one of the world's greatest photographers of the 20h century.