Peter Funch, "Communicating Community," New York, USA, 2007, from ‘Babel Tales’ series, 2006–10 Peter Funch, Yale University Press

A Must-Have 'Atlas' for Street-Photography Lovers

  1. Mark Byrnes

Take a break from your Instagram feed and browse through the hundreds of carefully curated photographs in this new book.

There's no shortage of stunning, surprising, or just plain weird street photography available to us through various apps, feeds, and sites on our smartphones. But sometimes, we just need to thumb through photos in a well-curated book.

In the recently released World Atlas of Street Photography, Jackie Higgins and a team of photography enthusiasts present the uncanny perspectives of dozens of street photographers from around the world. The result is a remarkable tour of urban life in more than 50 cities.

Divided by region, the book takes its readers from New York to Hanoi through 700 photos. It's a lot to take in, but most cities in the "atlas" get their own introduction (and their particular allure to photographers summarized) by Higgins and her team.

From city to city, the book explains the work and the theory behind each artist, giving readers a thoughtful experience that you just can't get on Instagram.

The World Atlas of Street Photography, by Jackie Higgins and published by Yale University Press, is in bookstores now. ($45)

Graeme Williams, 10848, from ‘A City Refracted,' Johannesburg, South Africa, 2012–14
Graeme Williams, 11090, from ‘A City Refracted,' Johannesburg, South Africa, 2012–14
Polly Braden, Appold Street, 6 p.m., from the ‘London’s Square Mile’ series, 2006–13
Polly Braden, Fenchurch Street, 11 a.m., from the ‘London’s Square Mile’ series, 2006–13
Jesse Marlow, Stop, from the ‘Don’t Just Tell Them, Show Them’ series, 2004–13
Jesse Marlow, Head over Heels, from the ‘Don’t Just Tell Them, Show Them’ series, 2004–13
Peter Funch, Memory Lane, New York, USA, 2008, from the ‘Babel Tales’ series, 2006–10
Ying Tang, Shanghai, China, March 2011
Ying Tang, Shanghai, China, October 2008
Maciej Dakowicz, Mumbai, India, 2007–13
Maciej Dakowicz, Mumbai, India, 2007–13
Claudia Jaguaribe, from ‘Rio Entre Morros’ (Rio Between Hills) series, 2010
Matt Stuart, Moorgate Station, London, U.K., 2005

 

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