by successfulbob | photography books, photography education
Rocky Nook Books – April Fools Sale
Wanna save some bucks on quality photography books?
It’s the Aprils Fools Flash Sale. (flash as in gone before you not it, not flash photography although that’s in there too!) Save 40% on paperback books. Use Coupon Code 40FLASH & 50% on Ebooks using coupon code 50FLASH but only through April 2nd. Check it out now…
Good books. Great prices.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
PS – FYI I am a Rocky Nook affiliate so I get a little percentage for sharing this with you that helps support this site and the education provided. Enjoy the discount!
PPS – I highly recommend you looking into Roberto Valenzuela’s books! No Foolin!
by successfulbob | book review, inspiration, photography, photography books, photography creativity, photography education
Visual Palette Book Review
Lots of information and detail. That’s what I look for in a book.
Are you a photographer just getting started? Find yourself in a photographic rut? Getting the same old photographs from iconic places?
And this one has it.Are you a photographer just getting started? Find yourself in a photographic rut? Getting the same old photographs from iconic places?
Are you a photographer just getting started? Find yourself in a photographic rut? Getting the same old photographs from iconic places?
A pro and find yourself in a photographic rut?
Getting the same old photographs from iconic places?
Maybe it’s time to take a look at a book called Visual Palette by Rocky Nook Author Brian Matiash.
I always appreciate taking a peek into another artist’s thought process when it comes to finding new ways to view and capture a scene that lay before me. Brian gives a great primer on the basics of composition and then moves the process forward with ways to apply the basics in a more advanced way. The
The images included in the book are solid examples of the point that is being made. Are all stellar? Nope. Some are. But, do they do the job? You bet. This book is about, and should be about YOUR photography. You get to experience Brian’s work and thought process but he is sharing ideas and concepts that you can take out for a test drive.
And that’s what it’s all about. Learning new ideas or being reminded of those long forgotten.
Yours in CreativePhotography, Bob
PS – here’s a small excerpt from the book to give you a taste of Brian’s ‘voice’…
“I, Photographer
I am sharing the backstory of my life as a student to illustrate a few
points as it relates to you, the photographer. The first, and probably
most important, point to make is that photography absolutely is a
journey with no set destination. There isn’t a geographic coordinate
to plot to, a set distance of miles to travel, or a number of exposures
to take. There is no master class you can complete where you’ll
receive a certificate stating, “You’ve Made It!”
Don’t feel any despair over this. The fact that this is a never-ending
journey should be something to rejoice! I first picked up a camera to
use with meaningful intent in 1996. At the time of this writing—nearly
20 years later—I’m still forging ahead on my path to discover who this
person, this photographer, really is. Sure, I have a solid understanding
of the correlation between the aperture, ISO, and shutter speed
of my camera equipment, but beyond that, I will be a student of this
craft for life. To think otherwise is to resign myself to the idea that I
am done growing as a photographer. And that, dear reader, is a terrifying
thought to ponder.” Brian Matiash
by successfulbob | art books, photography books, photography education
I initially meant to name this post Rocky Nook E-Book Sale but I had a misspelling but I thought it would work since this is a Halloween sale with 40% off all E-Books through November 5th… Get in while the gettin’ is good!
E books 40% off…
I enjoy the quality of Rocky Nook Books.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
PS – If you’ve read this far you get a bonus!! Rooky Nook just put out a Free E-Book on Flash terminology Download Here
by successfulbob | art books, fine art photography, photography - art quote, photography books, photography education
What are your goals when you make a photograph?
I came across this quote from Robert Farber (see his work here) and thought it was worth a share and some thinking on this Sunday morning.
“I try to create emotion through a mood, an appreciation for what’s there – something people walk by every day and don’t see.” Robert Farber
I don’t now that I have a concise thought like this about my photography.
I don’t have much more to say so I’ll end on this note and ask for your thoughts while I spend time thinking about my goals in creating images.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
PS – Here’s a link to some of Farber’s books, many of them quite reasonable, if you want to expand your photo library.
by successfulbob | art books, photography, photography books
Reminders.
New ideas.
Insight from another photographer who has excellent skills.
And, some pretty darn nice photography all wrapped up in a beautiful package.
I’m talking about Bruce Barnbaum’s book The Essence of Photography – Seeing and Creativity published by rockynook. Bruce starts with a narrative that in the beginning I felt was a little too ‘I’ centric. But, he was sharing information as he saw and experienced it trough his career and I actually enjoy seeing through his eyes this way.
Bruce’s book cover.
Bruce gives lots of information on creativity and getting out of your own way. Suggestions on how to be a great photographer are there for the picking. This is not light reading but get you gets you to examine your photography and creativity in-depth.
Here’s a quick sample paragraph from the book…
The Importance of Defining Your Expressive Goals
“Sometimes a photographer has an idea of what he wants to accomplish, but he doesn’t really know how to achieve that goal. Mapping out that pathway can be the most difficult part of the process. Prior to that, figuring out exactly what you want to say about about your subject matter – whether it’s the character of the person you want to bring out in a portrait, the forces in nature found in the sandstone walls of a slit canyon, or anything else -can also be challenging. This is where the combination of drawing upon your deepest interests and fully understanding the technical aspects of photography – digital or traditional – gives you the tools you need to accomplish your goals.”
From the rockynook site on what’s inside…
• Defining your own unique rhythm and approach as a photographer
• How to translate the scene in front of you to the final photograph
• The differences and similarities between how an amateur and a professional approach photography
• The differences between realism and abstraction, and the possibilities and limitations of each
• Learning to expand your own seeing and creativity through classes, workshops, and associating with other photographers
• Why the rules of composition should be ignored
• How to follow your passion
• When to listen to the critics and when to ignore them Here’s one particular passage I want to share with you…
Lots of inspiration for creativity. This will be a book I return to for a refresher on an ongoing basis.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
PS – You can get Bruce’s The Essence of Photography on Amazon
