Steve Best to release another book of comedians' photos

Comedian and photographer Steve Best is working on a follow-up to his book of portraits, Comedy Snapshot.

A total of 450 stand-ups including John Bishop, Stewart Lee, Jimmy Carr, Alexei Sayle, Phill Jupitus, Matt Lucas, Alan Davies and Dara O'Briain will feature in the second book, which has the confusingly similar title Comedy Snapshots.

Best has raised more than £4,000 from crowdfunding to cover the publication, which is just under half the amount he needs. And his deal with Unbound means that if he gets close to his target, Penguin will pick up the title for a second print run to get the book into major shops in addition to the limited special edition available to those who paid upfront.

The plan would then to be follow it up with a 'bigger, more arty book' for next year, entitled Comedians Back To Front, featuring performers both onstage and off.

Best said: 'The big plan is to write a stand-up show around these projects and also have an exhibition and go to the Edinburgh Festival in 2017. The unique selling point is that to my knowledge there hasn't been a stand-up/photographer standing up and exhibiting. I would then plan to tour the show and exhibition in galleries rather than arts centres/theatres, with books and limited edition prints to sell.'

As with his first book (reviewed here, Comedy Snapshots will feature some of the featured comics' gags, as well as little-known facts about them

Some jokes in the book include:

'Conference pears – what do they talk about' – Mike McShane

'I passed a shop window today it was full of essential oils and I don't have any of them. I'm lucky to be alive' – Ardal O'Hanlon

'I before E except after C. But there is an exception, which is weird' – Jessica Fostekew

'They say it's easy to spot someone wearing a wig and it's true because I wore one yesterday and saw three people' – Anthony King

And some facts:

• Andy Zaltzman's great uncle was Nelson Mandela's accountant.
• Rob Beckett can peel a banana with his feet.
•Sara Pascoe use to be backing singer for Robbie Williams' dad, Pete Conway.

Other stand-ups include Julian Clary, Al Murray, Mackenzie Crook, Mark Thomas, Rob Newman, Johnny Vegas, Katharine Ryan and David Baddiel.

Best is also offering a discount on the crowdfunding benefits to Chortle readers. Use the code 'FunnyFriends' at the checkout for £10 off any of the pledges (except the e-book), or Click here to get a signed book for £10 rather than £30.

Here's a video with more information.

Published: 12 Feb 2016