It’s not all words here at WIRED. Every one of our stories is brought to eye-popping life on the web and in print by our newsroom’s photo desk. Each year, this award-winning team of photo editors compiles a list of their favorite photography books. What follows is a selection of their picks from 2023. (Most were released this year; there are one or two you can preorder for delivery in early 2024.)
The list covers everything from intimate portraiture and human storytelling to the harsh and industrial environments of modern factories and defense-tech trade shows. We know photography books can be pricey, but they’re worth the investment. If you’re someone who can’t find the time to commit to a novel but still craves that sublime experience of being transported to a faraway country or taken on a trippy voyage filled with abstract colors and shapes, then a book of gorgeous photos might be the perfect way to treat yourself.
Be sure to see our other buying guides for books, like our summer reading list, our gift guide for technology books, and our list of the best cookbooks of 2023.