Shore’s interest in amateur techniques and production has led to striking contrasts within his oeuvre. His highly influential artist’s books, published through major imprints, were followed up by a series of iPhone print-on-demand books made through Apple from 2003 to 2010. Shore published dozens of letter-sized books in limited editions of 20, featuring series shot in one day or less, like a visit to the Westminster Dog Show or a walk through Central Park.
The extreme variation in Shore’s work has sometimes worked against him. “The full range of his work remains unknown or misunderstood, too often reduced to his 1970s photographs of everyday American subjects,” Bajac writes, noting one of the major factors is “his lack of a clearly identifiable style.”
Yet Shore has never shied away from the challenges that arise from his experimentation. He even revisits past work, including classic images in his print-on-demand books, releasing extended editions of older publications, or reprinting older images at different sizes. “This constant reworking points to a photographer who has never been boxed in by a single approach,” Bajac writes, “and considers all of his work, whether current or past, to be alive and in flux.”