Reddit reviews The Art of Photography: An Approach to Personal Expression
We found 14 Reddit comments about The Art of Photography: An Approach to Personal Expression. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Used Book in Good Condition
Photography is not about lenses and expensive equipment. It's about light and composition. You can take good pictures with a phone camera and lousy ones with an SLR.
Please read this book written 150 years ago, and still holding true.
First few lines in the preface outline what I mean:
> ... Nine out of ten photographers are, unfortunately, quite ignorant of art; some think manipulation all-sufficient, others are too much absorbed in the scientific principles involved to think of making pictures; while comparatively a few only have regarded the science as a means of giving pictorial embodiment to their ideas. ...
Improve your photographic skill before you think about dumping a whole lot of money into it.
For something more recent I recommend The Art of Photography.
I highly recommend The Art of Photography by Bruce Barnbaum.
Although not a book about composition, I would highly recommend "The Art of Photography - An approach to Personal Expression".
I too, like to read before going to sleep and this book will definitely do the trick for you, since you are looking for inspiration and not for technical advice. I believe you won't regret reading it :)
I looked at the handful of images on flickr. The images there are snapshots; possibly interesting to the people in them, but not bearing critical analysis. This is "someone with a camera," not a photographer. If he were 8 years old, it'd be more important to be encouraging. He appears to be in his 20s. He needs to spend 6 months learning about composition, lighting, and exposure, and then hit people up for critique.
If this simply sounds bitchy and negative to you, we're talking about very different things. If this guy wants to be a photographer, he needs to put in some learning time. This isn't arbitrary elitist nonsense, it's the difference between intelligently comparing Italian restaurants versus discussing the pros and cons of the menu at The Olive Garden.
At absolute minimum, beginning digital photographers should read, digest, and internalize a handful of basic books on the subject. Books like:
And if he wants to get more serious, he should study books like:
He should go and see museum and gallery showings of great photographic work, and should study the work of at least 20 or so master photographers to the point of familiarity. (Seeing Robert Polidori's actual prints are completely different than looking at his shots on the web/in a book!) He should get his hands on magazines like B&W, Aperture, The British Journal of Photography, Focus, Blind Spot, 8, .. He needs to travel. He needs to shoot every day. He needs some understanding of darkroom work or digital postprocessing.
Very infrequently does one become a really good photographer without studying fundamental design principles. Most great photographers are artists in several mediums. I've been shooting and developing/postprocessing since Gerald Ford was in office, and I consider myself a middling, journeyman photographer. Maybe in another five years I'll be A Good Photographer. The OP is at square one, which is fine. That's where everyone starts.
Coworker: I immediately thought she should get a really graphic Batman poster. You could even get it framed if you have enough left over. Here are some from Etsy: 1, 2, 3, 4, this one's a little different.. but it's video game related so.. here! 5
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Boss: A nice photography book would probably be a safe bet: 1, 2, 3, 4, last one is $5 over budget, but 5
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Professor: I'm sorry I don't have more original ideas for him but here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
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GOOD LUCK!!
Nobody hates you /u/MrGCar ,but your pictures are simply not good. They lack conceptual originality and basic technical quality in execution.
I suggest that you take some photography classes at your local community college and/or buy some books about photography.
A very good general book about photography: The Art of Photography.
And two books about learning to photograph: (aptly named) Learning to photograph Volume one and Volume two.
Also, if money is tight, there is also /r/photoclass2015 .
^(And finally, why do you assume there are only guys here?)
Anything by John Hedgecoe. While they may be old, they are still usefull.
Also this book is good.
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Photography-Approach-Personal-Expression/dp/1933952687
I cant believe no one has mentioned this yet, but The Art of Photography is a beautiful book which covers a variety of topics. Total game changer once i started reading it!
Well, I assume that you know much of the technical aspects of photography, I suggest reading into some resources that talk more about the art of photography, which by the way The Art of Photography by Bruce Barnum is an excellent book.
Everyone advances at their own pace, some have a talent, others are more slow and need to be more deliberate. For me, I have to work a little harder so that I could subconsciously take better shots.
Some tips.
Study some movies you like. Pay attention to the composition that they use as well as the lighting.
Take an art workshop, like painting. (or mooch off an artsy friend) Photography workshops like to delve into techniques and post processing, but other art forms like to do more on composition. you could learn a lot from the way painters think about composition.
Practice certain composition techniques. You don't have to do this on medium format, your digital setup will do just fine, especially if you are short on cash. Spend some time learning how use the "rule" of thirds (when shooting not cropping), "rule" of odds, negative space, texture, lines and shape. Spend a week shooting one aspect of composition. Every now and then start mixing up one or two aspects together. The idea is that you get these general concepts of photographic composition down to a subconscious level. My music theory teacher said this, "we learn these rules, so that we can learn how to break them." We have these "rules" of composition because we know what the human eyes prefer. Learning when use or break them can create a powerful composition.
Walk around with your hands in front your eyes framing the things infront of you, like a movie director would. Like this. You don't always have your camera on you, but you should still think about your photography. see something interesting? Frame it, play with it, and ask, is this a good shot?
Most importantly, write things down. Every shot you take, write down what you did. Write down what you wanted to get out that shot you just took, the settings you used, time of day, type of lighting, etc. On digital, we have exif data to tell us some of the stuff, but we still need to write down. I think your composition will get stronger as you learn what you want out of a photograph and being able to achieve it. Basically, knowing what your shot will be like, without actually seeing it (my ultimate goal).
I read that it is probably also best to shoot black and white exclusively, as it will force you to think about lines and textures even more, but I never did that, and maybe I am at a bit of a disadvantage for that. I don't know.
Like you, I am always striving to improve. I use these tips to help my composition as well. I like to think of every day as a chance to improve.
I hope this helps.
The Art of Photography: An Approach to Personal Expression
by Bruce Barnbaum
Also, even experienced photographers can get something out of devouring a slew of books on composition. Many of them cover the same subjects, but I find value in the different photographic expressions they use. The library is the best way to go through a bunch of these, and even if your library doesn't have a particular book they can usually get it through interlibrary loan.
A humble suggestion that has helped me tremendously: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Photography-Approach-Personal-Expression/dp/1933952687
This is the book you need I think: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Photography-Approach-Personal-Expression/dp/1933952687
For an absolute beginner shooting digital, Ken Kobre's Photojournalism and Bruce Barnbaum's The Art of Photography would be my pick, if only because those were the books I learned from in j-school.
For an intermediate film photographer who needs inspiration or thoughtful meditations on the medium more than they need inspiration, I am always going back to Vivian Maier: Street Photographer, Annie Leibovitz's A Photographer's Life: 1990-2005, and the exhibition book from Francesca Woodman's exhibit at SFMOMA/the Guggenheim. But I have an abiding interest in female photographers, self-portraiture, and the female gaze, so YMMV there.
The biggest tip I can give you is to pay attention to light. While you perceive the world as a bunch of 'things', you really need to pay attention to the light, and how it interacts with the 'things' in the scene. The tip on early/late day light is a good one, but should be treated as a guideline rather than a rule. You can make great photographs at any time of the day, but you may have to work harder when the light is less forgiving.
Check out this book by Bruce Barnbaum: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Photography-Approach-Personal-Expression/dp/1933952687/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474377504&sr=8-1&keywords=art+of+photography
It spends a lot of time talking about light and composition, which may be useful to you. It also focuses (ha!) a bit on film photography, but the general concepts of photography are universal, so the book is still very useful.
One other tip is to look at photographs. A lot. Look at good ones. Bad ones. Try to understand why the good ones are good, and the bad ones are bad. This will help you with composition.
Equipment is a tool; learn to use your tools well. Don't think buying the best tools will make you a better photographer. It may help, but learning how to photograph will help much more.
Good luck, and photograph. All the time!