And Why You Should Actually Read Them

[This blog can also be found on my Substack. P.S. plenty of pictures below]

The Perfect Recipe

Coffee table and photo books (CTPB) are good for the soul. The recipe is perfect: entertaining while insightful, evocative, aesthetically pleasing, inspiring, wanderlust-inducing, creative, conversation-starting, calming. So why then are they not more common in households? Why are they missing from most book club conversations? For the cases where they have found an abode in someone’s living room, kitchen or foyer, why is their typical function only decorative where the pages have not seen the light of day since the purchase date?

My Growing Interest

These types of books have shot up the rankings of my format (genre?) hierarchy to #1, and it’s not remotely close — CTPB are winning by a landslide. Second place is at a distance — think 90’s Jordan versus all other competition, Google Search versus Ask Jeeves and Bing in the 2000’s / 2010’s, the Roman Empire in their heyday, you get the idea.

Over the last few years my interest in CTPB has grown significantly. When friends and family ask me what I want for my birthday or Christmas, I often find myself requesting a CTPB. I find tremendous joy opening the pages and being immersed in a different world. The range of CTPB I have dabbled in varies from architecture and decor to fashion and art to sports and travel. While these topics spark my interest, the subject is not necessarily what sways me to CFTB. Sometimes the book’s cover photo, its overall look or the catchy title lure me in. A well-manicured CFTB is enough for me to dive into an obscure topic.

1 Picture > 1,000 Words

Have you ever had a friend intensely describing something to you — a breathtaking landscape from a recent vacation, an intricate dish at a restaurant or one they cheffed up themselves, a unique hotel lobby from a recent work trip, a state of the art stadium they recently watched a game or concert at or a stunning dress? While you would say the friend is painting the picture quite well, there is only a certain level of visualization you can reach for the simple fact that you were not there yourself to see it firsthand. Now in that same scenario have you ever had that friend reach the end of their depiction and realize they have a picture they can show you instead? As long at the photo was half way decent and not taken on a potato, more times than not, the photo was the only description needed. It finally clicks for you — the photo brings their description to life.

I propose a slight modification to the classic idiom, “A picture is worth a thousand words”. What seems more fitting: “A single picture is worth far more than a thousand words”. Why describe when you can show?

Now don’t get me wrong, there is something beautiful about an author’s vivid narrative that can teleport you to the scene where you feel exactly what is happening, smell all the aromas, and see everything playing out. It is enthralling. People who excel at explaining something in that manner are gifted, whether is be via their writing or speaking. However, I estimate a picture does as good of a job, if not better, in roughly eight or nine of those ten scenarios

I guess for me, to see is to feel.

The Case for the CTPB

That leads me to the crux of my pitch: the combination of descriptive text with captivating photos in a book is how flawless execution (description) is reached. That is where the CTPB comes into play.

Lining each page of a CTFB are rich photos paired with text that offers context a standalone image simply cannot.

Beyond just the descriptive factor, let me elaborate on the “perfect recipe” I mentioned above:

Entertaining while Insightful: CTPB sometimes get a bad rap for simply being pretty but having minimal substance. However, if you actually go through the book end-to-end, there is still a story told and a lot to be learned on said topic. I think the key to gaining the “insightful” part is to actually read the full book rather than rapidly flipping through the pages just for the pictures.
Evocative: With powerful images come strong feelings and memories. The pictures coupled with the descriptions often raise strong emotions in me, whether that be excitement, curiosity, joy, sadness or other feels.
Aesthetically Pleasing: This is a straightforward one in my eyes. There is a reason CTPB are the most prominent book format used as decor. They tend to be highest on the aesthetic totem pole. The photos are breathtaking (sexy!). The book materials (e.g., pages, cover, binding) are typically premium. The cover photos capture your eye. The packaging is unique. Need I say more?
Inspiring: There are two angles for me that bring inspiration whenever I read a CTPB. The first is that the photos provide a sense of whatever the photographer and author are experiencing. And that secondhand experience only fuels my hunger to experience whatever is being depicted even more. It inspire me to try it, to go there, to practice it, to feel it. The second aspect is that CTPB are typically interesting topics and not some mundane subject like traffic cones… though with the right photography and descriptions, maybe even those street nuisances can become fascinating.
Wanderlust-Inducing: I love to travel and experience new places and cultures. So even if the CTPB itself is not directly about traveling, but there is a reference to a cuisine from a foreign land, a stadium in a different country, or a material item showcased in another city, then it evokes a sense of wanderlust. It makes me want to hop on the next flight, train or bus to that destination so I can experience firsthand whatever the CTPB is highlighting.
Creative: Imagery gets my creative juices flowing. I think this one goes hand-in-hand with the Inspiring bullet. The different photos, paired with the interesting topics, open my eyes to new subjects. They also help me think outside the box.
Conversation-Starting: This one hits close to home because there have been many times I get overly excited from something that catches my attention, and I immediately text a friend a photo of the page or show my fiancée a part of the CTPB that really spoke to me or that I think would interest her. What better way to spark conversation than showing a companion something stunning, which has plenty of description baked in and requires no further explanation.
Calming: This is likely not the first descriptor that comes to mind for a CTPB. However, I often feel a sense of relaxation when browsing through the pages. I can’t quite pinpoint why this is the case. Maybe it’s a combination of all my distractions melting away as I immerse myself in whatever topic is at hand. Maybe it’s because I find it fun to mesmerizingly flip through the pages and let all my stresses evaporate. Who knows… all I can say confidently is that CTPB bring me peace of mind.

Read Them Too

If you already have a CTPB, I urge you to actually look through it. Don’t let it collect dust. They have so much story to tell! Look at the photos in full. Actually read the words that accompany each image. The words weave the pictures together into a cohesive story.

If you do not have a CTPB, I urge you to buy one, rent one from a library or simply borrow one from a friend. Start with one in a topic you are interested in, or better yet, get out of your comfort zone and dive into a whole new world. Whichever route you choose, I promise, you will not be disappointed.

If you are part of a book club, I urge you to spice things up and propose a CTPB so it becomes the topic of conversation the next time your group reconvenes.

Some CTPB I Have Enjoyed

Below are some of the CTPB in my collection.

Excuse the quality of my photos. They don’t do justice to the CTPB and actually seeing the content in person. By this point I had lost steam, so my cropping and angles were not the best. And the sunlight was continually changing so certain books have shadows cast on them. Anyways, enough excuses.

I have also included links to each book should you be interested in purchasing them. As always, these are not affiliate links. So I gain nothing from your purchase… besides personal joy, of course.

The Tennis Court by Nick Pachelli — Link. (Nick suggested ordering from here if you want a signed and personalized version. You just need to do so in the order comment)

1,000 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz — Link

Tom Ford 002 by Tom Ford — Link

This book is structured where each chapter is introduced by a few pages of text. Then the remaining chapter is exclusively photography — no accompanying words. For this book, it made more sense to highlight the photography-only pages. Also, some of the photos may take you by surprise… they’re definitely provocative ;)

Tom Ford is a marketing, fashion and creative genius in my humble opinion.