Tom Wood - Photie Man - 2005

Photie Man is a rare photography book by Tom Wood, published by Steidl in 2005.

Photie Man stands as one of the most vivid and human bodies of work in contemporary photography. Over the span of more than two decades, Tom Wood turned his camera toward the pulse of everyday life — moments that are spontaneous, raw, and full of subtle poetry.

His photographs move with energy and empathy. They capture people as they are: unguarded, alive, sometimes chaotic, always real. There’s no distance between the photographer and his subjects — Wood’s presence feels both invisible and deeply personal, the result of long observation and quiet connection.

In Photie Man, ordinary scenes become extraordinary through rhythm, light, and timing. The sequencing, designed with painter Padraig Timoney, gives the book a cinematic flow — a visual narrative that unfolds like memory, rich in color and emotion.

For collectors, this volume represents a landmark in British photography: a work that bridges documentary truth and artistic intuition. It is a book about seeing — about finding beauty, humor, and tenderness in the fleeting gestures of everyday life.

Photie Man is not simply a collection of photographs; it is a portrait of human presence, rendered with honesty, affection, and an enduring sense of wonder.