Text by Julian Lucas

Welcome to Mirrored Society’s end of year favorite photo-books of 2020. I took it upon myself as a photographer and bookseller and sometimes collector (if I have extra money, which I rarely do) to write about my favorite photo-books of 2020.

Many of you may know I am the owner and founder of Mirrored Society and Print Pomona Art Book Fair. It has been quite a bad ride for many of us this year. Some of you may also know that the PPABF event at the Millard Sheets Art Center at Pomona’s Fairplex was postponed, which was unfortunate, especially being it was the first of its kind in the Pomona Valley region just outside of Los Angeles. With that said, I have been stepping up my writing game this year therefore, I wanted to share with you my favorite photo-books of 2020.

I wish everyone happy holidays however you celebrate. Let's stay positive!

We have no place to be 1980-1982 by Joji Hashiguchi, Session Press
Black and white images of teenagers and young adults exploring their inner youth, during the time of their youth, roaming the streets, without a care in the world, in various cities throughout Europe and New York.

Reminiscent. Oh, I very much long for the days when there was no such thing as a social media platform. Youth were free and not held to the competition of the amount of Instagram likes one gets. The days when kids congregated in-person within social groups reading books and magazines, not phones. A reprint of the photo-book from 1982 with previously uncirculated photographs.

Grand Amour by Lin Zhipeng No. 223, Witty Books
A plurality of ways that blend passion as well as chaos. Emotional depth of titillation, colorful fruit enmeshed with tones of flesh.

THE ATMOSPHERE OF CRIME, 1957 by Gordon Parks, Steidl
Photographed in the fifties, these photos are timely and relevant today, given the unfortunate events of 2020, which gave rise to protests both national and internationally. Visually cinematic in color and arrangement, stunning to say the least. Images of uniformed police and plain-clothed detectives completing investigations, apprehending, serving warrants, and processing fingerprints. A glance at drug use, incarceration, and death. Prison tiers and pat-downs. The glow of the city from the neon lights, which read “Liquor,” ties together the make-up of the city and crime.

The images contained were photographed originally for Life Magazine while Mr. Parks was on assignment.

Note to any city official that may read this:
Please stop allowing repressive businesses to come into our communities of color. We like to eat healthy as well. We like healthy fruits and vegetables. We also like normal banks not 100 check cashing institutions within a square mile radius of each other. We know this is on purpose. We know this is your way of controlling the Black and Brown communities. Thank you - Julian Lucas 2020

Self Portraits by Yurie Nagashima, Dashwood Books
Ahead of its time. Photographs made since 1991 show progressiveness during an era when “being progressive” was not a part of everyday language. The photography is an array of both black and white and color. I love the historical imagery of the young Yurie into her emergence into the adulthood of motherhood. The photography is consistently playful, but at the same time serious. The photography is autonomous and feminine, without rules, and without political correctness, which can be refreshing from time to time.

Evidence by XU JiaQi 徐嘉琦, Self Published
Striking! Intriguing photography that explores Hua Hin, Thailand. The imagery gives the landscape a whole new meaning. The colors are muted, but vibrant. Some colors are even faint, however can be pleasingly calming. The photography gives a tour, however, shot subtly in a documentary fashion. I look forward to seeing more work from XU JiaQi.

I like wearing grey t-shirts. I don’t usually sleep, but I do trim the beard. My preference is a five o’cock shadow. I took this selfie on a bad beard day.

I am Julian Lucas, founder and owner of Mirrored Society among other platforms.

I found my face smirking with a half smile as I wrote about The Atmosphere of Crime. Reason being, writing about this subject matter comes easy to me due to my dual background of law enforcement, working with incarcerated individuals, as well as my background in photography. I have been a photographer for 28 years, ever since I was introduced to photography my senior year of high school in 1992. My focus has always been traditional darkroom photography, in addition I studied Sociology, Black Studies, Chicano Latino Studies while attending Portland State University. I have since walked away from the “criminal justice system” - I would rather work as an activist for prison reform than as a guard.

PHOTOBOOKS OF 2020: Julian Lucas