I Want to Take Picture - Signed -
Bill Burke
1987 - Nexus Press, Atlanta - First Edition
Illustrated throughout with duotones and halftones from photographs by Bill Burke; some colour reproductions and photographs.
Signed by Bill Burke with inscription to Terry Etherton within a trace of the photographer's left hand.
A photographic journal taken during the author's trips through Thailand along the Cambodian border in the early 1980’s, particularly focusing on the after-effects of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia.
‘In 1982, years after Vietnam, I decided to give myself my own Southeast Asia experience. I wanted to make pictures in a place where I didn't know the rules, where I'd be off balance. Friends who had been there recommended Thailand; nice people, easy transportation, good food. Another friend told me that as long as I was going to Thailand I should go see the refugees coming out of Cambodia. He set me up with the International Rescue Committee, which was working at the Thai-Cambodian border.’ – Bill Burke. ‘Bill Burke has become known for his large-format portraits shot on Polaroid Land film, which have the formality and feel of nineteenth-century photographs whilst remaining acutely modern in their sensibilities. In his best book, I Want To Take Picture, this technique is entirely appropriate, since it records his personal pilgrimage to southeast Asia, duplicating the enterprise of the old colonialist photographers but adding a contemporary twist.’ [Parr & Badger]
Provenance: From the collection of Terry Etherton, Arizona (see below for more detail).
Reference: Blind Magazine (2025), The 50 Most Influential Photobooks of All Time, 22. Parr & Badger, The Photobook: A History, Vol II, 40.
Folio (book size 39x29.5cm). Unpaginated. In publisher’s laminated boards.
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The Photography Book Collection of Terry Etherton - ‘I began collecting photography books in 1971 when I was a student at Southern Illinois University. The first book I purchased was Conversations with the Dead by Danny Lyon. I didn’t know it then, but that book would have a profound effect on the course of my life – inspiring not only a lifelong fascination with photography, but ultimately a career.
In the beginning, I bought books simply to learn — to better understand the medium and the extraordinary people working within it. Over time though, collecting became something deeper. These books were not just reference material; they were objects of beauty and power. I never set out to build a photography library of over 4,500 volumes, but when I opened Etherton Gallery in Tucson, Arizona in 1981, the collection continued to grow — quietly, steadily, and with purpose.
This library became a tool of my trade, my daily companion, and a reflection of my life’s work as a gallerist. It supported over 300 exhibitions and more than 150 art fairs. Many of the books are signed by the artists I’ve had the privilege to work with over the decades. In a way, the collection became part of my DNA – telling the story of my journey through photography and the remarkable community of photographers, collectors, and curators that shaped it.
Letting go of this library is bittersweet. It’s exciting to see these books begin a new life with other collectors and institutions, but also emotional — this collection represents over four decades of passion, purpose, and discovery.’ – Terry Etherton Condition: Fine but for small split to head of spine. Ref: 112345 Price: HK$ 8,000
Signed by Bill Burke with inscription to Terry Etherton within a trace of the photographer's left hand.
A photographic journal taken during the author's trips through Thailand along the Cambodian border in the early 1980’s, particularly focusing on the after-effects of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia.
‘In 1982, years after Vietnam, I decided to give myself my own Southeast Asia experience. I wanted to make pictures in a place where I didn't know the rules, where I'd be off balance. Friends who had been there recommended Thailand; nice people, easy transportation, good food. Another friend told me that as long as I was going to Thailand I should go see the refugees coming out of Cambodia. He set me up with the International Rescue Committee, which was working at the Thai-Cambodian border.’ – Bill Burke. ‘Bill Burke has become known for his large-format portraits shot on Polaroid Land film, which have the formality and feel of nineteenth-century photographs whilst remaining acutely modern in their sensibilities. In his best book, I Want To Take Picture, this technique is entirely appropriate, since it records his personal pilgrimage to southeast Asia, duplicating the enterprise of the old colonialist photographers but adding a contemporary twist.’ [Parr & Badger]
Provenance: From the collection of Terry Etherton, Arizona (see below for more detail).
Reference: Blind Magazine (2025), The 50 Most Influential Photobooks of All Time, 22. Parr & Badger, The Photobook: A History, Vol II, 40.
Folio (book size 39x29.5cm). Unpaginated. In publisher’s laminated boards.
+++
The Photography Book Collection of Terry Etherton - ‘I began collecting photography books in 1971 when I was a student at Southern Illinois University. The first book I purchased was Conversations with the Dead by Danny Lyon. I didn’t know it then, but that book would have a profound effect on the course of my life – inspiring not only a lifelong fascination with photography, but ultimately a career.
In the beginning, I bought books simply to learn — to better understand the medium and the extraordinary people working within it. Over time though, collecting became something deeper. These books were not just reference material; they were objects of beauty and power. I never set out to build a photography library of over 4,500 volumes, but when I opened Etherton Gallery in Tucson, Arizona in 1981, the collection continued to grow — quietly, steadily, and with purpose.
This library became a tool of my trade, my daily companion, and a reflection of my life’s work as a gallerist. It supported over 300 exhibitions and more than 150 art fairs. Many of the books are signed by the artists I’ve had the privilege to work with over the decades. In a way, the collection became part of my DNA – telling the story of my journey through photography and the remarkable community of photographers, collectors, and curators that shaped it.
Letting go of this library is bittersweet. It’s exciting to see these books begin a new life with other collectors and institutions, but also emotional — this collection represents over four decades of passion, purpose, and discovery.’ – Terry Etherton Condition: Fine but for small split to head of spine. Ref: 112345 Price: HK$ 8,000