my photo book haul for 2023

[@JakeH.artman]

Hey Matt, I'm a big fan of your KZbin work but I have to say that I'm worried that what you're doing in the videos that you reference in your intro is not considered fair use. Even if you're not monetizing the videos, you could conceivably gain subscribers from those videos or gain viewers on your other monetized videos as a result. There is a small commercial impact that you benefit from even though it's admittedly relatively small. The bigger issue that I think exists is that by showing the photobooks in video format you are also undercutting the commercialization of the original photographer's work. Showing the whole thing in it's entirety means that no one else needs to buy their books to see it anymore. They may gain exposure to an audience that they otherwise wouldn't have had, but they also simultaneously lose the sale since the way that you're showing the books to your audience is complete. The issues of fair use that are at play here are (1) the effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work, and (2) the amount and substantiality of the portion used relative to the whole copyrighted work. Fair use considers how much of the whole thing you're using for your own work. If you use it all, it's less likely to be fair use. The other major factor in fair use is the "transformative" nature of the new material. When you take hi-resolution videos of a photo book--especially without commentary, music, editing, etc.--you are not transforming the original works. I think of it more as cataloging a photo book in video format. While this is educational, I don't think it's appropriate to use someone else's art as the subject of educational materials under fair use. If it's meant for educational purposes, then I think you need to be adding commentary to go along with the images for it to count as fair use. While I know that there is a lot of leeway in regards to fair use in art, I don't think that the harms here outweigh the benefits. There is possibly some artistic value in creating a video catalog of a photo book, but not enough for me to consider it transformative. Selfishly, I would like to see the photobooks without having to pay for them, but I think that my desire to see them is not a good enough reason for the videos to exist. The benefits that artists get from exposure could be accomplished equally well if you discussed their books in a video like this one. So I have to say that ultimately I don't think that what you're doing in those other videos is considered fair use, and unfortunately, I also don't think it's the right thing to do. I hope you'll take into consideration what I've said here.

[@mattdayphoto]

I appreciate the insight and clarification on what is and isn’t fair use! I do get where you’re coming from. I don’t think seeing a video of the book, despite seeing all of the pictures, is ever of the same value as actually owning the book and flipping through it in your hands; though I understand your point. The goal of the videos is always to encourage others to buy the books, I’ve received countless comments and messages from people telling me they’ve bought new books specifically because of these videos. I would never encourage anyone to simply watch the video instead of buying the book, but I suppose some may end up doing that. I’m going to go ahead and remove those videos and I’ll make a follow up video to update everyone. Again, I appreciate the information on this!

[@JakeH.artman]

@@mattdayphoto Happy to, and props to you for being willing to consider it from a different perspective. Thanks for clarifying your view as well! I'm really glad (and not surprised) that your videos have led to better sales for other artists.

[@Velidra]

I think the big test for me is: "Would the average viewer after seeing this video still want to, or have reason to, go out and buy the photobook?" For some people, the answer will be yes. But for a lot of people, the answer will be no, they've now seen it. (A secondary test is "Is this transformative piece of media filling the same niche as the original?" eg, are you transforming a photobook to make another photobook? Richard Prince drives this line constantly)

[@ZeLoShady]

@@mattdayphoto Hey Matt, if you wanted to do a similar thing as this but have it fall under fair use, you could do a similar thing as Ted Forbes from The Art of Photography. He lets viewers send in their books both sharing with Ted but also a review on the channel. If you wanted to display the books you bought, I would imagine you could email the books creators and just get their explicit permission to do this. Personally, I understand how this video wouldn't fall under fair use but I think the value of showing these to an audience should out-weigh the copyright problem. I click on videos like this to find books that I can add to my wish list for purchase in the future. Seeing some (or all) images just let's me see if I like the photographers work or not. Most of the time I don't know who they are so the books are a first look.

[@Graeme_MacDonald]

@@mattdayphoto I agree with JakeH. I know your intentions are admirable but its a bit of a spoiler and I'm sure every photographer listed would prefer people to see the images first hand on paper. maybe just show a few of the images from each book?

[@GAROBERBERIAN]

Thanks Matt, love book videos

[@simonbnyc]

I always look forward to you sharing your photo books! I'm familiar with some of the photographers you show us but there are also so many new ones that are a source of inspiration. As for Robert Adams, he was one of the first photographers whose work inspired my own ways of seeing many years ago when I was at art school!

[@trevorjacques_]

Thanks for this video, Matt! Would love to see Los Angeles Spring on a future photo book Friday

[@nox7282]

Thank you for the book vids! Books are an endless source of inspiration. I’ve discovered a handful of new photographers and bought their books after watching these 🙏

[@dianeschuller]

I really love the box of polaroids!

[@JPWineberg]

Thank you for sharing! Definitely some inspiration in that stack!

[@mattdayphoto]

More on the way!

[@jamesmcnelis9792]

Looking forward to the seeing new book when it comes out!

[@mattdayphoto]

Thank you!

[@stephenstillsberg]

Photo book Friday’s are now a weekly tradition for me, thank you for the exposure and inspiration. 🐐

[@fgc1981]

Thanks for sharing @mattdayphoto. My top my book purchases this year, in no particular order, are: Odessa by Yelena Yemchuk, James' House by Jacob Aue Sobol, some say ice by Alessandra Sanguinetti, Remember Me by Preston Gannaway, and Timeslag by Krass Clement.

[@fgc1981]

Wait, I might swap Krass Clement for Trent Parke's Monument.

[@mattdayphoto]

I'll check those out! Thanks!

[@horaciomillan4181]

For me and for my visual culture your books videos are the very most useful, so I like and thank them! They give us the chance to reflect on images are an important part of the creative process, indispensable to improve as a photographer and artist. Thank youvfor them.

[@CiaraM09]

Enjoyed the video. I am just starting my collection so would be interested in a must have books video.

[@frame-lines]

Matt!! Massively appreciated this, thank you so much. Made my week. Also had no idea you also had the OG zine version. Thank you 🥹- Josh

[@Michaelthink]

I haven’t come across one of the book vids until now, so definitely plan to binge a few of them now 😅 I was searching antique stores just yesterday looking for photo books, so this is perfect!

[@ChristineWilsonPhotography]

Love the book videos keep them coming

[@heathercamera]

Wow!! Thank you SO MUCH for sharing these awesome photo books. I LOVE skateboarding photos-reminds me of how I got into photographing my friends. The gorgeous photos of trees and landscapes are also amazing. I completely forgot how much I love Goldberg and used to study his photos for hours while in school- same with Lee Friedlander. Thank you thank you!! It's time to RE-Up my photo book library! :)

[@mattdayphoto]

Love to hear that! The crossovers from skateboarding and photography are seemingly never ending.

[@mrgregpappas]

I had to stop the video at 14 minutes. Just went online and bought some books. My wallet can't take another beating. Thanks Matt. PS. Mike Brodies two books from his time traveling on trains are absolutely gorgeous. I'd recommend them both.

[@mattdayphoto]

I'll look into those books, thanks for the heads up!

[@mrgregpappas]

@@mattdayphoto yeah man! Tones of Dirt is his Polaroid work and A Period of Juvenile Prosperity is on 35mm. If I had to pick, I'd say Tones of Dirt is my favorite, but you can't go wrong either way.

[@SlavaVeres]

Oh Matt… you should see the stack of photobooks 📚 that grew over 2023 on my shelf… my wife still doesn’t talk to me 😅 on a serious note - even though I do appreciate you sharing books on Fridays, I would enjoy them MORE accompanied with your commentary. ❤ Thanks for your videos!!!!

[@kevinscotton]

Oh boy we’re in for a good one I just know it, look at that stack of books

[@szabi_nagy]

Awesome video

[@PiotrPavlov]

Love this videos

[@yearswithoutsleep]

Always love when I’m watching AEW and they catch brain buster on screen in the crowd shooting

[@mattdayphoto]

Hell yeah!

[@TDBRecords]

Just found out about your channel and love this type of book review, thanks for doing it

[@BottleneckMoses]

I absolutely love your book vids - please don't stop! UPDATE: he stopped.

[@mattdayphoto]

Only the format of Photo Book Fridays had to end, the usual book videos will continue!

[@SlavaVeres]

🇺🇦✌️ 16:00 It’s Katherine [TURCHAN] CZ=CH comes from Polish spelling because many Ukrainians who emigrated to US/Canada before/after WW2 came on Polish papers (part of Ukraine was under Poland’s rule back then)

[@mattdayphoto]

Thank you for clarifying!

[@deadbeatdonny4601]

Came for the books, stayed for the Mox tee

[@mattdayphoto]

👊🏻

[@Klektic]

Here's the Aaron Hardin video mentioned that covers From Where They Came by Katherine Turczan - kzbin.info/www/bejne/hnarhppjmbOZhcU looking forward to your book, matt

[@nathandanek3186]

@mattdayphoto As someone who also lives in the midwest, where do you go to buy the photobooks you buy? I can't seem to find a good website that has a decent collection to choose from

[@mattdayphoto]

Baltimore Photo Space, always. www.baltimorephotospace.com

[@theodenkingofbrohan]

If thats an absurd amount of photobooks then I must have a problem

[@Leicam10]

Never thought Matt would do something like this. Wonder what he would think if someone showed his videos on another channel.

[@mattdayphoto]

Sharing books I bought and telling people what I enjoy about them? The audacity.

[@nox7282]

Are you new to this channel? 😂

[@shutter.mechanism]

I wish Ed! Can do something like this! Or even skateboard photographers, it would be awesome! We'll see the video aspect. But I know they are super busy with the traveling!