Gordon Stettinius

Photographer / Founder of Candela Books + Gallery

Hurricane Story.
JENNIFER SHAW

A beautiful and creative narrative journey which has as much to do with storytelling or painting or illustration as it does with its stellar color photography. And while the story is a serious one, there still exists humor and character. The earnest portrayals of the aftermath of that national disaster are necessary to drive our attention to the plight of so many people who still are trying to recover. But out of conflict, there come small stories and this one gets the personal story right.

In the Picture.
LEE FRIEDLANDER

I had the pleasure of being on press this summer when this one was being printed. This was an accident really as I was there working on another project. But to see the sheer volume of the work that the artist was working on was a pleasure. While the plates were being printed, it seemed to me like Friedlander was having a hard time working on this mammoth collection of self-portraits as he was busy sneaking away to make new work. Ha! It was pretty impressive. And to watch the self-portraits age is always a treat really. He and his family seem to have had a great time on this journey.

Within Shadows.
SUSAN BURNSTINE

A beautiful wash of pictorial slipstream. Replete with the notions of dreams and the subconscious and that one almost-thought that was there for a second and then went missing. There is beauty on one level here. And then there is universal memory. The work is accessible in that it suggests so much but then holds back enough that you have to spend time with them to make sense of them. The images are sort of a gift to the viewer that way. A strange memory narrative shared.

The Vanities.
LARRY FINK

I have long been a fan of Larry Fink. And I will drop money on each book he produces until he disappoints. And I suspect he won't. The combination of his unique style and, in this book, a peculiar access to the behind the scenes of Los Angeles makes for a great collection of work. And a beautiful book.

Koudelka.
JOSEF KOUDELKA

This was already one of my favorite books since seeing the work over twenty years ago at the San Francisco Museum of Art over twenty years ago. The work included in the first edition was beautifully seen by the photographer, just incredible really, and beautifully edited. Now to see more great work included in this re-issue is like stooping to pick up twenty dollars on the ground and someone rushes over to give you a massage. Too good.

Believing Is Seeing.
ERROL MORRIS

A great filmmaker of course. But this book is a slow burn really in that Morris researches the stories behind prominent historic and documentary images. It is definitely a healthy reminder about the notions of truth and accuracy and propaganda and manipulation within a medium that has the capacity to both illuminate and distort.

Publish Your Photography Book.
DARIUS D. HIMES & MARY VIRGINIA SWANSON

This is a great resource no matter where you are in your photographic career.

Core Curriculum.
TOD PAPAGEORGE

Disclaimer: Still reading this one and it may not be for everyone out there but Papageorge is a very good writer and takes on many of photography's early innovators. This is more for the academically minded but I am finding it to be a very good read.

Photographs 2001-2009.
KEN ROSENTHAL

Another favorite photographer for many years. This is Rosenthal's first book and I am somehow getting to the party pretty late on this one. But the work is so very strong that I am pretty confident that I will enjoy holding the book. Cheers, Ken!

Deck of Chords.
KIRSTEN RIAN & LAUREN HENKIN

Two very soulful voices here combine to create a curious deck of ethereal psyche. Rian is a beautiful writer/poet and Henkin is a bookmaker. This curious object is a deck of cards (literally) with each card featuring a lyrical image from Henkins "The Lines Between Us" portfolio combined with a poem from Rian. I am really enjoying alternative "book" presentations these days and respect the manner in which this sensory folio can reconstitute itself. You can spend a moment with it or you can spend an hour. It is an insistent collection.

Gordon Stettinius , a photographer and publisher of fine art photography books, has recently opened a gallery in the downtown arts district in Richmond, Virginia. The newly renovated exhibition space is currently featuring work from Candela Books’ recent release, Salt & Truth, photographs by American photographer Shelby Lee Adams. Future exhibitions will be in conjunction with Candela’s book projects as well as work from other notable photographers.

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