Books of the Year 2025: #6

A career retrospective on one of the all-time great photographers of both music and black culture, Dennis Morris.

When we think of the trailblazing photographer Dennis Morris’s work, music is right there. Morris’s adventures in the 1970s reggae and punk scene laid the groundwork for a six-decade career.

It all began with Bob Marley: Morris doorstepped Marley in his early teens while skipping school and went on to capture much of Marley’s tour, which launched his career as a music photographer. He later became the official photographer for the Sex Pistols, and for John Lydon’s next project, Public Image Limited, Morris was art director and designer as well as taking iconic images for the band. He captured the greats of reggae and roots music, from Lee 'Scratch' Perry to Toots and Jimmy Cliff, forming friendships with many of the acts.

Morris's documentary and street photography work, with roots in his experiences as a Black teenager in 1970s Britain, bring us visionary projects that explore race, politics and cultural identity. From the miner's strike to squat protests, from civil rights organizations to pop-up studio portraits, his work was a reckoning with his new home, capturing eccentricity and individual spirits with his camera.Edited by Laurie Hurwitz, this book unfolds in two electrifying parts: the first unravels Morris’s lens on race, culture and identity in 1970s Britain, while the second pulses with encounters with music legends like Patti Smith, Gregory Isaacs, The Stone Roses and Radiohead.With contributions from agnès B and Sean O’Hagan, the book will delight photography fans and music lovers alike. It includes previously unseen images, and is supported by an internationally touring exhibition, presenting Morris’s influential work in depth for the first time.