It has been a strong year for photobook releases with any number of titles to consider, so without further ado here follows my own personal list of my 10 favourite books of 2012 in no particular order:-

1. Anders Petersen – Soho
A brilliant look at contemporary Soho, London with all the grainy tones and echoes of the past.

2. Billy Monk – Nightclub Photographs.
Photographs from 1960′s South African Nightclubs by bouncer turned photographer Billy Monk.  Raucous, shocking, brilliant.

3. Michael Schmidt – Lebbensmittel/Food
German master Michael Schmidt’s long term project on the food production chain impeccably presented in this huge limited edition slipcased hardback.

4. John Gossage – The Code
Photobook master captures Japan’s subtle beauty in this lovely colour outing.

5. Krass Clement – Waiting for Yesterday
A haunting walk around East Berlin in this melancholy treat.  Photographer as voyeur.

6. Takuma Nakahira – Circulation, Date, Place, Events
A previously unpublished set of images from 1971 beautifully brought back to life in this elegant production.

7. Mark Steinmetz – Summertime.
Evocative portraits of childhood summers.  Officially a 2011 release, but didn’t make it here until 2012. Beautifully printed by Nazraeli Press using “Daido Ink”.

8. Ron Jude – Lick Creek Line.
A melancholy trip through the photographer’s childhood home of Central Idaho.  An understated slow-burner of a photobook.

9. Michael Wolf – Bottrop-Ebel 76
Michael Wolf’s previously unpublished series of photos shot in 1976 as a student project, are an unexpected delight.  A late  release meant this book was missing from other’s roundups, but my favourite book of the year.

10. Motoyuki Daifu – Lovesody.
A touching portrayal of the brief relationship between the photographer and a single mother.  Sadness, joy, and eye-opening intimacy.

I could easily list another 20-30 notable releases of the year, but here are 5 books that easily could also have been in my top 10:-

i. David Goldblatt – On The Mines

ii. Keizo Kitajima – USSR 1991

iii. Alec Soth – Looking for Love, 1996

iv. Michael Abrams – Welcome to Springfield

v. Anders Petersen – City Diary

List compiled by Martin Amis, PhotoBookStore.co.uk

(In an effort to move away from the end of year list frenzy, over the course of year I have also created quarterly round-ups of recommended photobooks which can be viewed here, here and here. )