Oh, how I love them bookstores. But a book is just a book. And what is a book worth on Instagram? Well, we can tell you that it’s certainly worth something. Mendo asked the Sizoo Brothers (not a boyband) to curate an awesome photography book with a selection of their favourite travel Instagrammers. It gets better, and then they asked (one of my favourite Instagrammers) Joost Bastmeijer to write it. How’s that for a get-together? And since he’s that good in writing, I asked him to write a guest blog about it.

Photo (c) MENDO

‘Depart’ has arrived

My father loves photography, he always carries a camera around. So when I grew up, the bookcase was always filled with the prettiest photo books. I obviously wasn’t into photography – because hey, I’m not my father. But that changed when I downloaded the Instagram app in 2012: it turned out that the love for photography also runs through my veins.

After uploading more than a thousand pictures on Instagram, the transition from online to a real photo book is quite surreal. Some might even think that that transition is illogical: isn’t a photo book something old fashioned? I don’t think so, and I’m definitely not the only one. So when the guys from the Amsterdam-based book store MENDO asked me to work with them on a new photo book featuring 25 Insta-famous photographers, I was immediately excited.

Photo (c) Mendo

Sizoo Brothers

After initiating a bunch of other books, MENDO teamed up with the Sizoo brothers to make ‘Depart’, a coffee table book I would describe as a ‘photographic guide’ that will definitely trigger your wanderlust. Bob, Willem and Bastiaan Sizoo asked 22 photographers from all over the world to contribute photos of their favourite trip.

Photo by @bastiaansizoo

I’m not only in the book with eight pictures I took in Jordan and Israel, I’m also responsible for all of the texts, including the foreword. It was a great experience to work with so many talented Instagram photographers, and though I have only seen the final PDF version of the book, I’m sure it will be a great addition to my father’s bookcase.

Photo by @joostbastmeijer

‘Depart’ will be presented at Hutspot Rozengracht (come and say hi!), at Thursday night 6pm, October 26th. But secretly, the book is already available through this link.  

Joost Bastmeijer

DEPART, A photographic travel and adventure guide | Mendo Books | Berenstraat 11 | Amsterdam