Elvis Costello on tour in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1977. Photo by Anton Corbijn.

The only way to know what images are the most indicative of life in the world of rock ‘n’ roll is to be a part of that world yourself. In his new book, “Taking Aim,” photographer and singer-songwriter Graham Nash (of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young) has hand-picked the best photographs to take us into that world.

Collecting images from such luminaries in the photography world as Daniel Kramer, Charles Peterson, Annie Leibovitz and others, the book manages to give fans a glimpse behind the curtain of some of the most iconic singers and musicians. Included in the book are photos of everyone from Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin, to Kurt Cobain, Sting and REM‘s Michael Stipe.

A veteran photographer himself, Graham Nash has been collecting photographs for almost four decades now. He has shown his own work in numerous exhibitions over the years, and is currently touring his “Taking Aim” exhibit around the country and talking about style, technique and what it takes to create a great rock ‘n’ roll photograph.

“I wanted energy,” he said in a recent interview about choosing which works to include in the exhibit. “I wanted to be able to show the energy of rock and roll in all its forms, be it very still or incredibly chaotic.”

To see Nash’s collection of images from music history, check out his book, “Taking Aim,” or try to catch him at one of his exhibits. Stay up to date on where his shows will be over at GrahamNash.com.