Magnum Contact Sheets "presents an unparalleled wealth of unpublished material, revealing the story behind many iconic and historical images of modern times taken by the world's most celebrated photographers," says Magnum Photos. "The book shows their creative process and also acts, in the words of Martin Parr, as an ‘epitaph to the contact sheet' as it marks the end of the analog era as we move to a digital generation."

To coincide with the launch of the 508-page book, Magnum Photos is organising a symposium with the photography department of London College of Communication. The one-day event, held on 26 November, will see editors, curators and photography experts discuss the importance of contact sheets in understanding a photograph's meaning and context.

Speakers will include Simon Baker, Photography Curator at Tate; Martin Barnes, Senior Curator, Photographs, V&A; David Campany, artist, writer & critic and Reader in Photography at the University of Westminster, London; Zelda Cheatle, partner of The Tosca Photography Fund; David Hurn, Magnum photographer and founder of the School of Documentary Photography in Newport; Francis Hodgson, writer & photography critic; Sean O'Hagan, photography writer, The Guardian; Colin Jacobson, author and former picture editor; as well as Peter Marlow of Magnum and Andrew Sanigar, Commissioning Editor at Thames & Hudson.

The Symposium will be introduced by Sophie Wright, cultural director at Magnum Photos.

Tickets retail at £45 and can be purchased from magnumcontactsheets.eventbrite.com.