In January 2026, the VanSPC Photo Book Club gathered at C41 Coffee Shop for its first meeting of the year. Members brought photobooks they’ve found useful, beautiful, and inspirational—books that have shaped how they think about photography, sequencing, and visual storytelling. The selection reflected a wide range of approaches, from street and documentary work to retrospective personal and historical perspectives.

The books shared sparked thoughtful conversation around intention, editing, and the physical experience of the photobook. More than a show-and-tell, the meetup reinforced the role of books as quiet teachers—exposing members to diverse photographers and approaches while offering lasting inspiration.

Books shared at the January 2026 meeting included:

• Think Like a Street Photographer — Matt Stuart

• New York Street Diaries — Phil Penman

• Empire of Illusion — Terry Munro

• Forsake — Lana Šlezić

• Serendipity — Vineet Vohra

• Project 562 — Matika Wilbur

• City Lux — Ray K. Metzker

• Ark Work: On the Creative Life — Sally Mann

• American Photographs — Walker Evans

• Berenice Abbott: Masters of Photography — Julian Can Haaften (Aperture Masters of Photography series)

• Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Man, The Image & the World: A Retrospective — Peter Galassi

• Duo-Tones & Tri-Tones — Steve Penner