6 ms·

Ask HN: Any good Silicon Valley Photo coffee table books?

71 points by vclouder 3y ago

Has anyone come across any good photo books of Silicon Valley from the past or present. I love looking back and reliving those early days of the valley and like to see how it has transformed.

cpach 3y ago
I haven’t read it in physical form, but maybe Revolution in the Valley: The Insanely Great Story of How the Mac Was Made by Andy Hertzfeld? AFAICT it’s based on the stories from https://folklore.org/ https://folklore.org/, so I ought to be good. You can see how it looks here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMExWOBvmho https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMExWOBvmho https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolution_in_the_Valley https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolution_in_the_Valley
lkdfjlkdfjlg 3y ago
[flagged]
bwb 3y ago
i am not 100% sure, but i think this one was the same one I browsed in a waiting room once and it was pretty cool -> https://www.siliconvalleysmarts.com/silicon-valley-book https://www.siliconvalleysmarts.com/silicon-valley-book
- vclouder 3y ago
  Awesome, looks good. Thank you
  - jrmg 3y ago
    Are you _in_ Silicon Valley? I ask because I remember that when I was in Bells Books on Emerson in Palo Alto a month or two ago they had a display of Silicon Valley themed books that I think had a few different coffee table books. I had a chat with the person at the counter about them when he saw me browsing them. I think the book suggested above was among them, but there were definitely a few more. Some (not all) of them may have been ‘old’ - but I think ‘old’ Silicon Valley books may be what you’re after? If you’re nearby maybe go and take a look and/or ask the staff members there? (Or maybe someone reading this can and report back here? :-)
marcuskaz 3y ago
Not a book, and a bit self promotional, but I have a small photo series I worked on https://mkaz.com/silicon-valley/ https://mkaz.com/silicon-valley/ Also, look for Silicon Valley '07 by Gabriele Basilico, it's a photo book - not a huge coffee table book but pretty good with about 80-100 photos from 2007
- justusthane 3y ago
  I love your exterior building shots. Is that film, filters, or post processing (if you don’t mind)?
  - marcuskaz 3y ago
    Thanks! The majority of them are digital, most with a Fujifilm camera either X-T1 or X-PRO2 depending on when they were taken. I do shoot a fair amount of film, so a couple will be Kodak Portra. I prefer the film aesthetic so my digital presets aim for that look.
    - yitchelle 3y ago
      I got a X-T1 about 6 months ago from eBay for around 250€. It does a wonderful job of films simulation. Still very surprised that a 10year old camera can take such wonderful pictures.
- vclouder 3y ago
  Love it, thanks for sharing.
- zerojames 3y ago
  I love this! Amazing work!
- ChrisArchitect 3y ago
  Nice work. That Sun Microsystems one should be the same as the Facebook one, but the back of that sign ;) (as I see you've included in the FB writeup. Good show)
coldpie 3y ago
I suppose print-on-demand services are cheap enough that you could put together your own fairly easily. Flickr has very permissive licensing by default, if you wanted to make it available for others, too.
bastian 3y ago
Same. Let's work on publishing one. I am happy to fund it.
- marcuskaz 3y ago
  My photos linked above are licensed under creative commons, so feel free to use any. I'd be interested in helping with the project too and can supply higher res if needed.
  - klelatti 3y ago
    They are terrific. Thank you for sharing and licensing under CC.
  - dublinben 3y ago
    Is this license information on your website somewhere? I'm not seeing it on any of the pages for your pictures.
    - marcuskaz 3y ago
      I think I might of lost it over various site migrations. I added it back to About page.
ratana 3y ago
Check out “Songbook” by Alec Soth. He’s an amazing photographer, and while the book isn’t exclusively Silicon Valley, there’s some great photos of various campuses and areas that feel timeless. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/justinesharrock/silicon-valley-hidden-in-plain-sight https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/justinesharrock/silicon... https://www.magnumphotos.com/shop/collections/books/songbook-alec-soth-signed/ https://www.magnumphotos.com/shop/collections/books/songbook...
corethree 3y ago
A bit of an aside. But I would love a book on the comprehensive history of silicon valley up to and describing the crisis we face today of housing and everyone leaving.
- coldpie 3y ago
  > the crisis we face today of housing and everyone leaving Well, which is it? ;)
  - corethree 3y ago
    Both
    - kadoban 3y ago
      Nobody goes there, it's too crowded.
- jrmg 3y ago
  So, I bought this and haven’t actually read it yet, so take my suggestion with a grain of salt, but I’ve _heard_ that this, from 2017, is good: https://www.amazon.com/Peopling-Silicon-Valley-1940-Present/dp/0984239154 https://www.amazon.com/Peopling-Silicon-Valley-1940-Present/... I read this ages ago and it was good, but it’s 24 years old now: https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Silicon-Valley-Entrepreneurial-Paperback/dp/0804737347 https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Silicon-Valley-Entrepre...
- 2devnull 3y ago
  The book would be short. The “me generation” takes control, zeroes interest rates after they crash the world economy in 2008. Roll the clock forward 10 years, nimbyism plus importing cheap labor and allowing the housing market to be used as a Ponzi scheme because who cares about younger generations as long as the children of the 60s can buy vanity wineries, and all own multi-million dollar homes, drive corvettes or whatever Biden is ridin.
  - 3y ago
rafaelc 3y ago
I highly recommend "Silicon Valley: The History In Pictures" by Mary Wadden Edit: (Written in conjunction with the Silicon Valley Historical Association)
Yanael 3y ago
I enjoyed the photo book of SF by Victoria Smith https://www.amazon.co.uk/See-San-Francisco-Through-SFGirlbyBay/dp/1452138206 https://www.amazon.co.uk/See-San-Francisco-Through-SFGirlbyB...
plg 3y ago
https://shifthappens.site https://shifthappens.site
aamoyg 3y ago
The HP Way ?
ruggeri 3y ago
I bought San Francisco Dream (Yoko Takahashi) a while back. It had a lot of photos that reminded me of what it felt like when I had just moved here. Possibly not an answer to your question, but just in case someone else reading finds it interesting. https://leicastoresf.com/collections/lssf-photobooks/products/yoko-takahashi-san-francisco-dream https://leicastoresf.com/collections/lssf-photobooks/product...
supportengineer 3y ago
Look up “San Jose signs project” or the San Francisco one.
moose44 3y ago
Does anyone have any tips for moving to the valley at a young age? I'm very young, not from the US and looking to move to the valley to be around more ambitious people. Any tips or things I should know? Neighbourhoods to consider? Areas to be in? What to avoid? How to meet people? Hidden gems?
- wojtczyk 3y ago
  Just go to the coffee shops and meet people :)
  - moose44 3y ago
    Thank you!
- troebr 3y ago
  Maybe your question is worth its own thread. Your biggest hurdle will be immigrating to the US. As far as I know the best way to manage that would be to finish your studies in the US. If you're from Canada I believe getting a visa is easier. Many cities/countries have good startup cultures nowadays, and SV is no longer the only option to get started!
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - moose44 3y ago
    Thank you for this. I appreciate your input. I started a thread [https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39205494 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39205494]. I am from Canada and do have US family.
    - dron57 3y ago
      If you're from Canada your best bet is to get an engineering degree and to land a job with a startup. Look into the TN Visa for Canadians. There are no limits on application numbers and they're very easy to get (if you have a qualifying degree).
electrondood 3y ago
At Half Price Books in Fremont, there's an entire shelf dedicated to these local history books. Some of my favorites: https://www.amazon.com/Palo-Alto-Centennial-Ward-Winslow/dp/0963809830/ https://www.amazon.com/Palo-Alto-Centennial-Ward-Winslow/dp/... https://www.amazon.com/Menlo-Park-California-Beyond-Gate/dp/1881529649 https://www.amazon.com/Menlo-Park-California-Beyond-Gate/dp/... https://www.amazon.com/Seabright-Images-America-Arcadia-Publishing/dp/1540215652 https://www.amazon.com/Seabright-Images-America-Arcadia-Publ... In fact, the Images of America series is exactly what you're looking for, think. https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/collections/images-of-america https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/collections/images-of-amer...
spking 3y ago
This book has a lot of great Bay Area photos from the 50s-60s: https://www.amazon.com/Mid-Century-Bay-Celebration-Francisco-1950s/dp/0615316565 https://www.amazon.com/Mid-Century-Bay-Celebration-Francisco...
sizzzzlerz 3y ago
To really understand it's changes, you first need a book with pictures of the valley from the 1940's to the 1960's. I don't have such a book but I've seen a number of pictures when the valley was all orchards. Then you overlay those with modern day pictures and you see how places like Sunnyvale, Mountain View, and Palo Alto transformed into large cities that essentially removed those trees and replaced them with buildings, houses, and roads. I could study those pictures for hours.

71 points by vclouder 3y ago

Has anyone come across any good photo books of Silicon Valley from the past or present. I love looking back and reliving those early days of the valley and like to see how it has transformed.

cpach 3y ago

I haven’t read it in physical form, but maybe Revolution in the Valley: The Insanely Great Story of How the Mac Was Made by Andy Hertzfeld? AFAICT it’s based on the stories from https://folklore.org/ https://folklore.org/, so I ought to be good. You can see how it looks here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMExWOBvmho https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMExWOBvmho https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolution_in_the_Valley https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolution_in_the_Valley

lkdfjlkdfjlg 3y ago

[flagged]

bwb 3y ago

i am not 100% sure, but i think this one was the same one I browsed in a waiting room once and it was pretty cool -> https://www.siliconvalleysmarts.com/silicon-valley-book https://www.siliconvalleysmarts.com/silicon-valley-book

vclouder 3y ago
Awesome, looks good. Thank you
- jrmg 3y ago
  Are you _in_ Silicon Valley? I ask because I remember that when I was in Bells Books on Emerson in Palo Alto a month or two ago they had a display of Silicon Valley themed books that I think had a few different coffee table books. I had a chat with the person at the counter about them when he saw me browsing them. I think the book suggested above was among them, but there were definitely a few more. Some (not all) of them may have been ‘old’ - but I think ‘old’ Silicon Valley books may be what you’re after? If you’re nearby maybe go and take a look and/or ask the staff members there? (Or maybe someone reading this can and report back here? :-)

marcuskaz 3y ago

Not a book, and a bit self promotional, but I have a small photo series I worked on https://mkaz.com/silicon-valley/ https://mkaz.com/silicon-valley/ Also, look for Silicon Valley '07 by Gabriele Basilico, it's a photo book - not a huge coffee table book but pretty good with about 80-100 photos from 2007

justusthane 3y ago
I love your exterior building shots. Is that film, filters, or post processing (if you don’t mind)?
- marcuskaz 3y ago
  Thanks! The majority of them are digital, most with a Fujifilm camera either X-T1 or X-PRO2 depending on when they were taken. I do shoot a fair amount of film, so a couple will be Kodak Portra. I prefer the film aesthetic so my digital presets aim for that look.
  - yitchelle 3y ago
    I got a X-T1 about 6 months ago from eBay for around 250€. It does a wonderful job of films simulation. Still very surprised that a 10year old camera can take such wonderful pictures.
vclouder 3y ago
Love it, thanks for sharing.
zerojames 3y ago
I love this! Amazing work!
ChrisArchitect 3y ago
Nice work. That Sun Microsystems one should be the same as the Facebook one, but the back of that sign ;) (as I see you've included in the FB writeup. Good show)

coldpie 3y ago

I suppose print-on-demand services are cheap enough that you could put together your own fairly easily. Flickr has very permissive licensing by default, if you wanted to make it available for others, too.

bastian 3y ago

Same. Let's work on publishing one. I am happy to fund it.

marcuskaz 3y ago
My photos linked above are licensed under creative commons, so feel free to use any. I'd be interested in helping with the project too and can supply higher res if needed.
- klelatti 3y ago
  They are terrific. Thank you for sharing and licensing under CC.
- dublinben 3y ago
  Is this license information on your website somewhere? I'm not seeing it on any of the pages for your pictures.
  - marcuskaz 3y ago
    I think I might of lost it over various site migrations. I added it back to About page.

ratana 3y ago

Check out “Songbook” by Alec Soth. He’s an amazing photographer, and while the book isn’t exclusively Silicon Valley, there’s some great photos of various campuses and areas that feel timeless. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/justinesharrock/silicon-valley-hidden-in-plain-sight https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/justinesharrock/silicon... https://www.magnumphotos.com/shop/collections/books/songbook-alec-soth-signed/ https://www.magnumphotos.com/shop/collections/books/songbook...

corethree 3y ago

A bit of an aside. But I would love a book on the comprehensive history of silicon valley up to and describing the crisis we face today of housing and everyone leaving.

coldpie 3y ago
> the crisis we face today of housing and everyone leaving Well, which is it? ;)
- corethree 3y ago
  Both
  - kadoban 3y ago
    Nobody goes there, it's too crowded.
jrmg 3y ago
So, I bought this and haven’t actually read it yet, so take my suggestion with a grain of salt, but I’ve _heard_ that this, from 2017, is good: https://www.amazon.com/Peopling-Silicon-Valley-1940-Present/dp/0984239154 https://www.amazon.com/Peopling-Silicon-Valley-1940-Present/... I read this ages ago and it was good, but it’s 24 years old now: https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Silicon-Valley-Entrepreneurial-Paperback/dp/0804737347 https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Silicon-Valley-Entrepre...
2devnull 3y ago
The book would be short. The “me generation” takes control, zeroes interest rates after they crash the world economy in 2008. Roll the clock forward 10 years, nimbyism plus importing cheap labor and allowing the housing market to be used as a Ponzi scheme because who cares about younger generations as long as the children of the 60s can buy vanity wineries, and all own multi-million dollar homes, drive corvettes or whatever Biden is ridin.
- 3y ago

rafaelc 3y ago

I highly recommend "Silicon Valley: The History In Pictures" by Mary Wadden Edit: (Written in conjunction with the Silicon Valley Historical Association)

Yanael 3y ago

I enjoyed the photo book of SF by Victoria Smith https://www.amazon.co.uk/See-San-Francisco-Through-SFGirlbyBay/dp/1452138206 https://www.amazon.co.uk/See-San-Francisco-Through-SFGirlbyB...

plg 3y ago

https://shifthappens.site https://shifthappens.site

aamoyg 3y ago

The HP Way ?

ruggeri 3y ago

I bought San Francisco Dream (Yoko Takahashi) a while back. It had a lot of photos that reminded me of what it felt like when I had just moved here. Possibly not an answer to your question, but just in case someone else reading finds it interesting. https://leicastoresf.com/collections/lssf-photobooks/products/yoko-takahashi-san-francisco-dream https://leicastoresf.com/collections/lssf-photobooks/product...

supportengineer 3y ago

Look up “San Jose signs project” or the San Francisco one.

moose44 3y ago

Does anyone have any tips for moving to the valley at a young age? I'm very young, not from the US and looking to move to the valley to be around more ambitious people. Any tips or things I should know? Neighbourhoods to consider? Areas to be in? What to avoid? How to meet people? Hidden gems?

wojtczyk 3y ago
Just go to the coffee shops and meet people :)
- moose44 3y ago
  Thank you!
troebr 3y ago
Maybe your question is worth its own thread. Your biggest hurdle will be immigrating to the US. As far as I know the best way to manage that would be to finish your studies in the US. If you're from Canada I believe getting a visa is easier. Many cities/countries have good startup cultures nowadays, and SV is no longer the only option to get started!
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- moose44 3y ago
  Thank you for this. I appreciate your input. I started a thread [https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39205494 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39205494]. I am from Canada and do have US family.
  - dron57 3y ago
    If you're from Canada your best bet is to get an engineering degree and to land a job with a startup. Look into the TN Visa for Canadians. There are no limits on application numbers and they're very easy to get (if you have a qualifying degree).

electrondood 3y ago

At Half Price Books in Fremont, there's an entire shelf dedicated to these local history books. Some of my favorites: https://www.amazon.com/Palo-Alto-Centennial-Ward-Winslow/dp/0963809830/ https://www.amazon.com/Palo-Alto-Centennial-Ward-Winslow/dp/... https://www.amazon.com/Menlo-Park-California-Beyond-Gate/dp/1881529649 https://www.amazon.com/Menlo-Park-California-Beyond-Gate/dp/... https://www.amazon.com/Seabright-Images-America-Arcadia-Publishing/dp/1540215652 https://www.amazon.com/Seabright-Images-America-Arcadia-Publ... In fact, the Images of America series is exactly what you're looking for, think. https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/collections/images-of-america https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/collections/images-of-amer...

spking 3y ago

This book has a lot of great Bay Area photos from the 50s-60s: https://www.amazon.com/Mid-Century-Bay-Celebration-Francisco-1950s/dp/0615316565 https://www.amazon.com/Mid-Century-Bay-Celebration-Francisco...

sizzzzlerz 3y ago

To really understand it's changes, you first need a book with pictures of the valley from the 1940's to the 1960's. I don't have such a book but I've seen a number of pictures when the valley was all orchards. Then you overlay those with modern day pictures and you see how places like Sunnyvale, Mountain View, and Palo Alto transformed into large cities that essentially removed those trees and replaced them with buildings, houses, and roads. I could study those pictures for hours.