Featuring over 120 intimate images from 19 photographers, The Reader invites you to pause and reflect on the quiet beauty of reading, both as a solitary act and a shared human experience. From cozy cafes to serene parks, city benches to sandy beaches, these images beautifully capture people from around the world lost in the timeless act of reading. Each photograph portrays the universal yet deeply personal connection between a reader and the printed word.
We asked our photographers four questions: Where is your favorite place to read?; What is your favorite book?; Is there a book that changed the way you think about the world?; and What is your local bookstore? Hear from 7 more photographers in part two of this two-part Q&A series below and click here to read Part 1.
The Reader is exclusively available at trope.com and will be in stores early December. Order your copy today.
Peter Jonker
Where is your favorite place to read?
My favorite place to read is definitely the beach. There’s something magical about the sound of the waves and the endless view of the ocean. It creates the perfect atmosphere to get lost in a good book. I love how peaceful it feels, away from the noise and crowds.
What is your favorite book?
That’s always a tough question, but I always love Stephen King’s work. He’s a master at building tension and creating that perfect mix of excitement and unease. One of my favorites is Holly. It follows private detective Holly Gibney as she unravels a dark and disturbing mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end. What I love most about it (and King’s writing in general) is how he blends psychological depth and suspense. You’re not just intrigued by the plot, but you’re drawn into the characters’ emotions as well.
Is there a book that changed the way you think about the world?
There's many, but the most recent book is Hyperfocus: How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction by Chris Bailey. It’s all about learning how to direct your attention toward what really matters, which feels is relevant in today’s world where we’re constantly surrounded by distractions, notifications, and endless devices competing for our focus. Non-fiction books like this are not as exciting as fiction books, but they definitely change the way how I approach things.
What is your local bookstore?
This has to be La Central del Raval in Barcelona. Not just because of its large collection of (local) photography books, but also for its atmosphere. The store has a beautiful café with a garden terrace where you can sit down to enjoy the book you just bought, or simply relax with a good coffee.
Declan McWhinney
Where is your favorite place to read?
My favorite place to read is on my balcony on a cool spring day with the sun shining on me. The combination of cool breeze and warm sun creates a perfect harmony, and a balanced environment for me to relax and dive deep into the written word.
What is your favorite book?
My favorite book is a series - "The Inheritance Cycle" by Christopher Paolini
Is there a book that changed the way you think about the world?
It’s On Me by Sara Kuburic: a book that helped me understand self-reflection, accountability, and empowerment.
What is your local bookstore?
Sydney doesn’t have a lot of smaller bookstores. My local would be Dymocks, which is a larger but great company.
Ian Kobylanski
Where is your favorite place to read?
My favorite place to read is either on a lounger on the beach or while camping in the forest. I love reading when there aren't any other distractions around. During the day to day, I find audiobooks are the most realistic way for me to move through reading material amongst a busy schedule. I always feel like I'm multitasking when I'm at home in London. But when I'm travelling, my vacation responder is on, and I can delve into a book without distraction – that is when I enjoy and get the most from reading.
What is your favorite book?
While it's always changing, the book I find impacts my day to day the most, I reference (or mentally think of), or I recommend is called How to Talk to Anyone by Leil Lowndes. Admittedly, I listened to it as an audiobook – as I do for most educational books. My wife and I were travelling through Australia, hoping to make new connections as we drove down the coast as we embarked on a year-long trip before settling in London. We listened to the audiobook in the car together and it changed the way we connected with others, approached new people, and held conversations. It's made an impact on the way I interact with all my photography clients today. If you're someone who can't get all the way through and educational book, Lowndes front-end loads the most valuable tips at the start – I even wrote some of them down as recurring reminders in my phone to keep them top of mind, such as mental reminders for posture, eye-contact, telling stories, chatting with new people, and more. It's been especially helpful since making the permanent move to London last year without knowing anybody here.
Is there a book that changed the way you think about the world?
The book that shaped how I see the world is Under Vancouver by Greg Girard. To be fair, this is a street photography book with minimal text. However, this book made me become a street photographer. I first discovered Girard because of his work documenting Hong Kong's Kowloon walled city before it was demolished. I was fascinated by the gritty, realness and vulnerability of the subjects he photographed there. After looking into Girard, I later found out he's from my hometown of Vancouver, BC. I went on to buy his book with street photography of Vancouver in the 80's: when Vancouver had some of the most neon signs in the world outside of Las Vegas. Not only were the images striking, but Girard's story humbled and guided my approach to shooting street photography for myself. Girard took these photos for decades, not thinking anyone would ever see them. He photographed for himself. Only later in his life did his photography work get seen by others, and he's now one of the most revered street photographers in Canada. He was also one of the only people documenting a time in Vancouver when it was rough and working class, nowhere near the world-renowned status (and housing prices) it has today. What was mundane at the time is timeless today. I think about this when I go out and shoot street in London today: I'm shooting for the book I may make in 30 year's time, and not for the fleeting Instagram tomorrow.
What is your local bookstore?
While there are a ton of great bookstores, The Photographer's Gallery bookstore in London has some of my all time favorite legends in there. 
Tiffany Bell
Where is your favorite place to read?
On my balcony
What is your favorite book?
I don’t have a single favorite, but I really loved Life Will Be the Death of Me… and You Too by Chelsea Handler and Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed. Both made me laugh and think.
Is there a book that changed the way you think about the world?
Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel S. F. Heller definitely did. It completely reshaped how I understand relationships – which, in turn, shifts how I see the world and the people in it.
What is your local bookstore?
Larry Edmunds Bookshop in Hollywood, a hidden gem.
Graham Chapman
Where is your favorite place to read?
I love reading outside - specifically on a park bench. There's something about being outdoors, away from my home, that lets me connect with the pages on another level. Put me in a park with a book and I'm a happy camper.
What is your favorite book?
My favorite book...tough question. Storm Front by Jim Butcher is the first book in an 18 book series of contemporary fantasy novels. It introduced me to a genre of books I didn't know I needed in my life. It was a years long journey finishing it. It eventually led the way to another favorite series of mine. The Dark Tower by Stephen King and The Magicians by Lev Grossman are other notable favorites.
Meg Miller
Where is your favorite place to read?
If I am not listening to audiobooks while I am editing photos or driving to photo shoots then my favorite place to read is at the beach in our town. One of the photos selected in The Reader is at this very spot.
What is your local bookstore?
My local bookstore is amazing, Athena Books. They host some amazing authors and inspirational speakers and is a lovely gathering place in our small town of Old Greenwich, CT.
Lucy Hamidzadeh
Where is your favorite place to read?
My favorite place to read really depends on the moment and whether I’m at home or travelling. I love settling into a cosy coffee shop, surrounded by the gentle hum of chatter - it’s the perfect kind of white noise that helps me drift into a story. On quieter days, nothing beats curling up on the sofa with a mug of tea. And when I’m travelling, I can’t resist a serene spot by the sea, where the rhythm of the waves makes every page feel even more immersive.
What is your favorite book?
My favorite book has to be Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. It’s a sprawling, immersive story that draws you into a world full of adventure, beauty, and chaos. I love how it captures the power of human connection across different cultures and places, and the sense of discovery that comes from stepping into a world far from your own - it perfectly reflects my love of travel and the people we meet along the way. I read it many years ago, and it’s a book that will always sit in my collection.
Is there a book that changed the way you think about the world?
Actually recently, The Gentleman from Peru by André Aciman completely captivated me. I read it four times in a row whilst travelling. When I’m travelling alone, I crave human connection and getting lost in the pages of this book felt so poignant. I guess just on the way that we meet people at varying times in our lives and how with some people/strangers that we encounter it can feel as if we’ve known them forever. It gave me actual goosebumps and really made me feel something deep inside. The way Aciman explores memory, desire, and the nature of connection made me pause and see the world in softer focus - as if every interaction and random encounter with a stranger suddenly held deeper meaning. It’s also set in Italy, which is my favourite place to visit and capture life, and it carries that unmistakable warmth, sunlit, nostalgic, and quietly romantic. It just left me with the haunting feeling that perhaps we meet the same souls again, just in different lifetimes. It’s a small book, but it’s just compelling.
