So ... what are you getting for Christmas?

[Tronhard]

I have got heavily into Lee Miller as a photographer. Her incredible life: born in 1907 in the US, she was a skilled lighting and stage technician, discovered by Conde Nast (owner of Vogue) and became a (super) model - photographed by leading personalities like Edward Steichen. She preferred to be on the other side of the camera and became a student and muse to Man Ray, quickly learning to be a highly skilled fashion, portrait and surrealist photographer, documentary and then combat photographer and journalist during WWII. After the war, suffering from PTSD, she gave up on photography to become a haute cuisine surrealist chef.

She was a classic 'new woman', and would not tolerate the hypocrisy of the surrealist movement where men could sleep with whomever they chose but not women. She was a respected associate of many famous artists, including Picasso, who painted her 4 times. She eventually married surrealist Roland Penrose. She died in 1977, and her work was hidden to view until her son, Anthony, found a rich archive of journals, clippings and a massive collection of images. There have only recently been publications of her work and biographies - many of which I have on order.

[xpatUSA]

I suggested books on some of the major photographers that have been mentioned on this site.

Re: books and prompted by a recent thread here, I did also get Karr's "The Practice of Contemplative Photography" ...

[Chataignier]

As has been said in an earlier post - the best are the ones you give yourself. Our local camera specialist in Limoges had an open day just before Christmas with representatives from Fuji present and there were some tempting special offers. In my case the Fuji 100-400mm f4.5 for wildlife with the x1.4 adaptor thrown in. I dare not tell my love what I paid for it, but as a totally non photographer she probably wont even notice it despite its huge length.