A photobook is just like any other storybook except that it tells a story through visually appealing images rather than words. It is basically a collection of photographs taken by a photographer, often to showcase a particular technique or style.
Penprints is a multi-dimensional publishing company in Kolkata, has actively contributing to the world of photobooks through its unique and meaningful publications. Some of the top 5 photobooks from Penprints publications are Kolkata: My Endless City, Ethereal Earth, Gangasagar- Salvation by Water, The God in the Mirror and Smritipot.
Kolkata: My Endless City is a heartfelt photobook by photographer Rajib De and writer Arup Ghosh. The book captures the charm of Kolkata with its rich heritage, architecture and colonial era buildings The photobook is not a guidebook photo album but rather its s a photo essay that tries to find beauty and meaning in everyday, ordinary things.
The photobook Ethereal earth by Rishipratim Guha Mustafi shows the beauty of landscapes as if each image is speaking to us. The images show the quiet, silent moments of nature. Mustafi’s passion for nature is seen in the minute details of each shot.
Sandipan Mukherjee’s Gangasagar-Salvation by Water captures the moments of spirituality near the shore of Ganganagar a place of divine virtue. Through its raw photographs he shows how thousands of pilgrims travel to the Sagar Island to take a dip in the ganga river as a form of purification. The images are not just about the rituals but also reflects the faith, struggle and emotions of those people.
The photobook The God in the Mirror by Sugato Mukherjee gives a glimpse into Theyyam, a ritual performance from Kerala. The photos feel alive as if we are witnessing it in front of us with all its bright colours, costumes, and dance of people who represent gods.
Smritipot by Tapan Ghosh feels like going through an old journal where it’s not the words but the images that hold memory. The photobook reflects the passage of time with each image quietly telling a story from the past, not just personal memories but about shared cultural moments.