Every July, Rencontres d'Arles turns this sleepy little town in the south of France into the centre of the photography world. For a few months, churches, old train depots, courtyards and abandoned buildings become galleries, and suddenly you're walking from one incredible exhibition to the next with absolutely no hope of seeing everything.
That's part of the magic, really.
Arles isn't about ticking exhibitions off a list. It's about conversations. One show leads into another. A photographer working a century ago suddenly feels completely contemporary. Themes keep resurfacing-memory, identity, travel, family, documentary photography, the stories we tell ourselves through images. You leave with your camera roll full and your head even fuller.
But here's the thing: the festival doesn't really end when you leave Arles.
Some of the best exhibitions linger because you find them again in a photobook. A good photobook lets you slow down. You notice details you missed on the gallery wall. You spend time with the sequencing, the editing, the rhythm of the work. It's a different experience altogether.
With that in mind, we've pulled together six books from our shelves that feel right at home alongside this year's festival.
Photofile: Claude Cahun
Claude Cahun was making photographs that questioned identity, gender and performance long before those conversations became part of the mainstream. Their self-portraits still feel surprisingly fresh, and it's easy to see why contemporary photographers keep returning to the work. The Photofile edition is small, affordable and a brilliant place to start if you've somehow never met Cahun before.
True Stories, Sophie Calle
Part memoir, part fiction, part performance piece, True Stories slips between photographs and short texts that are funny, awkward, intimate and occasionally heartbreaking. It feels less like reading a book and more like someone quietly telling you stories. You'll finish it in an evening, then probably come back to it again.
Photofile: William Klein
If you've ever wondered where the energy of modern street photography comes from, there's a good chance it starts with William Klein. Blurred frames. Crooked horizons. Faces filling the picture. Rules happily ignored. Klein made photographs that felt alive, and they still do. The Photofile edition captures that restless energy without needing to weigh a tonne.
Photofile: Marc Riboud
Marc Riboud travelled everywhere, but his photographs never feel like postcards. There's a quiet curiosity running through his work-a sense of patience, observation and genuine connection with the people he photographed. If you're interested in travel photography that goes beyond the obvious, this is a lovely place to spend an afternoon.
Early Works, Martin Parr
Before the bright colours, beach holidays and brilliantly awkward social observations, Martin Parr was making understated black-and-white photographs of everyday Britain. Early Works is fascinating because you can see the Parr we know today beginning to emerge. The humour is already there, just a little quieter. It's also a reminder that even the most recognisable photographers didn't arrive fully formed.
A Reading List That's Better Than a Souvenir
Whether you're lucky enough to be wandering around Arles this summer or following it all from home, these books are a great way to keep the conversation going.
The best photobooks aren't souvenirs. They don't just remind you of an exhibition—they become exhibitions in their own right. Every time you pick one up, you notice something new, make a different connection or find yourself seeing a familiar image in a completely different way.
And that's probably the closest thing to bringing a bit of Arles home.
