Photobook Recomendations From David and Miwa of Dashwood Books

Descend the stairs on Bond Street in Manhattan and you will find a tiny mecca of independent publishing hidden in plain sight. Led by David and Miwa’s passionate commitment to curating rare collectors’ editions, unique titles and self-published work. Since opening in 2005, Dashwood Books has had an enormous influence on contemporary photography worldwide. Owner David, originally from England, previously assisted Mario Testino and worked as the cultural director of Magnum Photo for years before realising he wanted to concentrate on books. Manager Miwa also runs her own ‘Session Press’, focusing on Japanese and Chinese photography. Her Instagram, which documents the Dashwood openings, is said to double as a dating site for Downtown Manhattan.

We asked the pair about their lifelong love affair with photography and books.


Is there a photography book you're looking at right now? What page are you on?

Miwa:  I am currently reading I’m So Happy You Are Here: Japanese Women Photographers From The 1950s To Now (Aperture, 2024) by Pauline Vermare and Lesley A. Martin. I am grateful for Lesley and Pauline's long and hard endeavour to complete this masterpiece. I hope many people will learn more about the variety and beauty of female Japanese photographers' work through this publication.

David: I just finished cataloguing some books I picked up in London at the OffPrint fair at the Tate in May. A notable one was Mongrelism by Jono Rotman, published by Here Press. It came out in 2018, but Jono had come to see me for years showing me how the project was evolving.  It’s a really special project and the book is an unusually beautiful and thoughtful treatment of a rough subject, the notorious Mongrel Mob - a violent group of bikers from New Zealand largely made up of indigenous Maori.

What photography book do you most often recommend to customers and why?

Miwa: It really depends on the person’s needs, but when they are looking for contemporary photography that deals with various issues, I always recommend "Périphérique" by Mohamed Bourouissa. It addresses many social factors that we need to confront, and his work is visually powerful. It's a masterpiece!

I recommend photobooks that have the potential to broaden a customer’s perspective. If someone is only looking for a specific book without being open to exploring new possibilities, it defeats the purpose of having a physical location to serve our clients. By continuously learning and educating myself, I strive to be a better photobook consultant and introduce them to more than what they initially seek.

David: There are a few books that come to mind based on genre, but the one I mostly end up recommending is probably Utatane by Rinko Kawauchi. It’s kind of a gateway drug for contemporary photobooks; a book that really opens the novice’s eyes to the possibility of the medium. Beautifully designed with simple elements that really elevate it, and the photographs and pairings have soulful depth to them with a universal appeal.

What sort of work do you like to publish? How do you find it and how do you choose?

Miwa: For my own publishing company, Session Press, my main criterion is whether the work moves me. I don't mind working with a difficult photographer (though I hope they are nice to work with, he he) as long as I truly believe their work deserves to be published. I tend to be drawn to personal documentary photos, like those by Mao Ishikawa and Momo Okabe.

David: I’m looking for artists who are really known for their work through books rather than prints. Ones who bring a lot to the projects and are looking to collaborate with publishers and graphic designers to create unique books. Generally I meet them in person through the store quite casually as they are often collectors as well.

What is the last photograph you took?

Miwa: I always take photos of people at Dashwood. However, the last photo I received was from my designer, Geoff Han, for our upcoming publication by Wing Shya. It’s a test print, and it looks beautiful and promising. I’m excited to receive the final version of his book soon. Dashwood Project, run by Anne Christensen and David Strettell, will have his show around mid-November, along with his signing event. It will be exciting.

David: I’m trying to lose some weight right now so I document my weight daily photographing my scales to keep track.

Do you take pictures aside from on your phone? If so, what camera do you use and why?

Miwa: No, I don’t even own a camera.

David: Rarely, but I have an old Fujica 6x4.5. I think it’s the smallest medium format film camera out there and it folds to fit in your pocket.

Can you send/scan a photograph or page that represents an important moment or memory related to your book collection?

Miwa: I own many photobook references in my library, but Martin Parr and Gerry Badger’s The Photobook: A History was the first book that truly inspired me as a publisher, writer, and photobook consultant. While I appreciate criticism and reviews online, I still prefer print for the slow processing of understanding what authors want to convey.

David: This was the cover of the first book we published, The Chance is Higher by Ari Marcopoulos. The cover subject is a London based musician called Alice Temple who had just had this large back tattoo completed and I encouraged Ari to photograph her.

The book was masterfully designed and produced by one of my favourite book designers, Gilles Gavillet. Miwa and I are collaborating with him on a book later this year by Takashi Homma.

Did you grow up surrounded by books?

Miwa: My father, a mathematician, loved reading, and our house was filled with various types of books, including the Bible, the Koran, art history, Buddhist sculpture, literature, and philosophy. He used to buy me beautiful picture books at Sanseido-shoten in Jinbocho, and those early visual exposures certainly shaped my vision. In addition, My grandfather was a painter who aspired to be like Cézanne or Monet. Though he wasn’t as talented as those masters, his painting of the Buddha statue at Senso-ji, the oldest Japanese temple in Asakusa where I grew up, felt more authentic and impactful to me. It was the only time I praised his work, teaching me that true expression comes from within, not from imitation.

David: My parents were in advertising and antiques and had a passing interest in art. We had a large house growing up and rented out rooms to students. Some of them were studying art and became friends and I got interested in art through them. My older sister, Jo, was a fashion student at Central Saint Martins in the 80s - she introduced me to a lot of fashion photographers growing up.

What would you be doing if you weren't running Dashwood? Is there an alternate career/life?

Miwa: That’s a tough question, as I’m deeply immersed in my work at Dashwood and it’s hard to think of anything else. However, I would love to do something meaningful for a larger community while being surrounded by people I adore.

David: I’ve worked with photographers in one form or another since I was 19 - first in fashion as an assistant and then in documentaries with Magnum Photos, so Dashwood is really my third career. I’m sure I’d be working with artists in some form or another whatever else I did.