The Best Sports Photography Books of All Time

A colorful, insider portrait of ’70s surf culture, with a foreword by Pulitzer Prize–winning author William Finnegan. If you were there, even just for some of it―Hawaii, California, surfing, the ’70s―the memories and stories will flow freely from these photographs. Jeff Divine was there for all of it, and these images have been culled from an enormous personal archive. Divine was shooting for Surfer, the monthly magazine that was the bible of the scene. His photos from this archive show the precommercialized era in surfing when the hippie influence still held sway.

Surfers had their own slang-infused language and were deep into a world of Mother Ocean, wilderness and a culture that mainstream society spurned. Surfboards were handmade in family garages, often made for a specific kind of wave or speed, for paddling, ease of turning, and featured all kinds of psychedelic designs. Some were even hollowed out to smuggle hash from Morocco. The color and black-and-white photographs collected here, taken throughout California on the coastlines at Baja, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, La Jolla, Malibu, San Clemente and Oahu, give a vivid image of this close-knit culture and the incredible athletic feats of its heroes and heroines. Raised in La Jolla, California, Jeff Divine (born 1950) started photographing the surfing world in 1966. He held jobs as photo editor for 35 years with Surfer magazine and Surfer’s Journal. His works have been displayed worldwide in museums and galleries, as well as in books, magazines and media. In 2019 he was inducted into the Huntington Beach Surfing Walk of Fame for his contribution to surf culture in a career lasting 50 years.

This beautiful, comprehensive collection of thrilling stories and stunning archive photography is the complete guide to the history of Formula One, from the 1950s to the present day. The adrenaline-fueled, high-octane world of Formula One has created some of the greatest moments in sporting history. Its infamous circuits have played host to intense rivalries that have produced moments of tragedy and triumph that read like a film script. Since the 1950s, Bernard Cahier and his son, Paul- Henri, have been trackside capturing the drama of the Formula One Championships.

Their stunning photographs chronicle both the changing face of the teams and their cars, from Lotus and Cooper to Williams and Ferrari, and of course the legendary drivers who have pushed their machines and themselves to the limits. Formula One correspondent Maurice Hamilton brings the stories behind these photographs to life; from the charismatic rivalries of Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss and the highly competitive Championship battles of Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, through to the historic tales of Monaco’s winding course and the atmospheric crowds of Monza. With over 300 photographs – from the 1950s to the present day – all from The Cahier Archive and many previously unpublished, The Pursuit of Speed is the ultimate celebration of Formula One.

Field of Play is a striking celebration of decades of unparalleled access to the NFL by a critically acclaimed sports photojournalist. For the past 60 years, Michael Zagaris has taken his camera behind the scenes of the NFL, capturing the moments that define America’s game. With unparalleled access—42 Super Bowls, 49 seasons as team photographer for the San Francisco 49ers, and a behind-the-scenes passport to the rest of the NFL—Zagaris takes his aim beyond the field and to the locker room, the bench, the practices, and the training camps.

His intimate portraits convey the nerves, the tension, the pain, and the elation with emotional depth and the clarity of a longtime insider. With contributions from celebrated Hall of Famers Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, and Fred Biletnikoff, as well as text from renowned sportswriter Steve Cassady and sociologist Dr. Harry Edwards, Field of Play highlights Zagaris’s storied career as a photographer, showcasing the irresistible force of football and celebrates its enduring presence. Includes Color Photographs.