Here are some sample images taken from the book. (It was really hard to choose there are so many good ones!)
Here’s the link to the first edition of Buenos Aires
Other books by Daido Moriyama:
“Light & Shadow”
[UPDATE] Be sure to check out the book preview with sample images here
On my recent trip to Tokyo I picked up a bunch of photo books three of them by Daido Moriyama: “Buenos Aires”; “Light & Shadow” and “Erotica”. I’ll first review the “Buenos Aires” in this post.
This 2009 edition is a re-release of a larger and more expensive book initially published in 2005 by Kodansha. The original edition’s dimensions are 11.5 x 8.5 inches while this one being more portable and easy to flip through stands at 7 x 4.5 inches. Though cheaper than the original it is no less well packaged as it has an obi band and a softcover dust jacket. The green cover you see in the photo comes off to reveal a darker greenish gray cover which on closer inspection is a subtlety printed photo. All pages have matte finishing.
The book’s first dozen pages depicts sparsely populated streets and open spaces. As it progresses the visual rhythm picks up and the streets get more crowded and frenetic activity starts taking over. The restaurants and the bars become full with couples dancing – legs and bodies entwined. Packed subway, cluttered storefront displays and a merry go round spinning wildly at night bring the book to a crescendo which then begins to finish the way it started. Desolate streets, a pile of garbage and stray dog mark the final pages.
What I most appreciate about “Buenos Aires” is that it begs to be picked up and flipped through revealing new details and insights each time over the course of several readings. It’s a great book for those who enjoy street photography whether Daido fan or not.
Here’s the link to the first edition of Buenos Aires
Adventures in Photography 