The Paris Photo / Aperture Foundation Photo Book Prize was granted by an international jury to Anders Petersen for his book City Diary, published by Steidl. The book is made of three separate sections, each one being an independent volume of the book. The structure evokes a diary, one that Anders Petersen wrote with his visually raw language and that follows the imperfect pace of his random encounters. Typography mimics voluntarily the author’s script, adding to the intimacy that defines Petersen’s work. The emotion is as strong as the characters who animate the pages of the book, reflecting the picturesque and real aspects of society. The dense full-bled images immerse the reader into this emotionally intense journey. These first three volumes will be complemented by others, following the photographer’s private meetings with the world.

The First Photobook Award has been awarded to David Galjaard’s Concresco. This self-published book is an illustration of a market where the main publishers are now circumvented because the editorial expertise has become accessible and platforms like Amazon offer an alternative in terms of distribution. The book has been designed by Katie MacGonigal together with the author. The award evaluates the photographic work itself, but also the way in which the printed format, layout, paper and size translate the essence of the images. Concresco has just been rewarded for the way in which it mixes texts and images in both a classical and original narrative style.

The jury also recognized Julián Barón’s C.E.N.S.U.R.A., published by Editorial RM.

The diversity of the books rewarded reflects the health and quality of the photo book market

Laurence Cornet