Zine juggernaut Hamburger Eyes has gone hardcover! Perhaps “juggernaut” is not the right word, because making a zine suggests a more humble approach to publishing material by doing it yourself. That's quite appropriate because this Bay Area photo collective, helmed by Ray Potes, has consistently published so many issues of desirable content that expansion is inevitable.
This compilation, SF Eyes, draws from their vast archive of work, seamlessly putting together a greatest hits photo art book. “The continuing story of life on Earth,” is their slogan, but for this particular book, Ray updates it as, “The continuing story of life, loss, tragedy, and triumph in the city of San Francisco as captured by the all-seeing lens of Hamburger Eyes photography magazine.” Such regional focus captures an enchantment with San Francisco that begs for photography beyond mere urban documentation. The photographers speak their truth under the backdrop of this magical city where the unreal is real and the real is unbelievable. No matter the era, this collection of photos is swathed in black and white, which renders them timeless. What Hamburger Eyes does so well is present images that are awesome at first glance, then revealed at second look to be raw, quirky or just plain odd. Thus, life viewed through the Eyes of a Hamburger. —Joey Garfield
SF Eyes is published by Hat & Beard Press
