Book Recommendations

[aizan]

looking at photographs + the photographer's eye - john szarkowski
the nature of photographs - stephen shore
beauty in photographs + why people photograph - robert adams

William Klein New York 1954-55 (sometimes titled "Chance Witness Reveals").

revels, actually.

 

[morback]

Thank you all very much for your input.

I guess I will shoot my way in and out of a library this week-end.

m.

 

[marke]

I'm not sure if these are what you're looking for, but I've found them to be interesting:

"Photo Journalism: The Professionals' Approach" by Kenneth Kombre
"Dialogue with Photography: Interviews by Paul Hill and Thomas Cooper"

 

[Cale Arthur]

William Klein New York 1954-55 (sometimes titled "Chance Witness Reveals").

revels, actually.

Trance Witness Revels (aka, 'Life is Good & Good for You in New York'), if we're keeping score.. 😉

This is a truly fantastic thread, by the way.. very refreshing. And a hearty 'here, here' on the Moriyama recommendation - if you're dead set on deriving inspiration from another photographer's work, find a copy of 'Stray Dog' and let the rule-free healing begin!

Otherwise, i defer completely to Bill and Al, whose advice is beyond sage.

--c--

 

[Phantomas]

If the books don't work - alcohol!
Heh, I don't want to promote indulgence in "harmful" substances here, but I remember that I always wanted to take street portraits but could never work up bravery. So one day I had a few beers in the park, got up and started asking every passer by if I could shoot photo of them. It was a great day! I wasn't a drunken maniac mind you, just enough beer to feel relaxed about aproaching complete strangers and asking them to pose/play along. That experience was definitely a milestone for me after which I started to feel a lot more relaxed in general about pointing the camera at people on the streets.

 

[Tom A]

Occasionally I tag on to a thread in Flickr, maybe "M2 Nirvana", "Black and White" or any of the multitude of sites. You open it and put it on "slideshow" and just sit back. The images are set to a 4 sec "showing" and then go on to the next! Yes, there are a lot of bad ones, but the fact that you are watching a "stream" of images, forces you to concentrate. Wonderfully "zen" like trance after a while. You quickly learn to pick the shots that grab you and let the rest go by.
I have been down with a really bad case of the flu for the last week. I have no idea how many 1000's of images I have looked at this way, while coughing and wiping a dripping nose, but it certainly lets you OD on images.
The variety of shots is almost endless and the good ones truly "pop" from among the bad or mundane ones.

 

[morback]

Thanks Tom, that's actually a nice original idea!
Now I gotta wait for the flu...

m.

 

[canonetc]

Refractions by Ralph Gibson

Refractions by Ralph Gibson

"Refractions" by Ralph Gibson, published by Stedl, is, IMHO, an excellent book on Gibson's photographic philosophy. I liked his language and perspectives. Even if you don't like Gibson's work, view it as simplistic or whatever, what he has to say is fascinating and for me was motivational.

Cheers,

Chris

 

[johnastovall]

If the books don't work - alcohol!
Heh, I don't want to promote indulgence in "harmful" substances here, but I remember that I always wanted to take street portraits but could never work up bravery. So one day I had a few beers in the park, got up and started asking every passer by if I could shoot photo of them. It was a great day! I wasn't a drunken maniac mind you, just enough beer to feel relaxed about aproaching complete strangers and asking them to pose/play along. That experience was definitely a milestone for me after which I started to feel a lot more relaxed in general about pointing the camera at people on the streets.

Sounds like a subset of the Ballmer Peak.

 

[lawrence]

You could try "Walker Evans at Work" to see how one of the truly greats photographed. Particularly interesting are his lists of projects such as "Evans Patented Portfolio Ideas".

 

[morback]

For your condition, try reading:

LETTING GO OF THE CAMERA: ​

Essays on Photography and the Creative Life
by Brooks Jensen

Excellent recommendation. It put words n some feelings I had about this whole business of picture taking.

 

[Tom A]

Just got "Looking In" the expanded version of Robert Frank's "The Americans" and other work by him. Included are about 87 of his contact prints and his pick of the shots for "The Americans". Extremely educational - you keep looking at his shots and how he "worked" a subject until he got what he wanted. About 575 pages - and they are all interesting.
OK, you do get this urge to get into an old car and set out across the continent with just a couple of cameras and 800 rolls of film - which doesn't sound all that bad anyway.
I would also recommend Eugeen Smith's "Dream Street". It shows you what can be done if you are not willing to compromise and willing to work a project to "the bones". Probably his finest work!
I like Jay/Hurn's "On being a Photographer" - no nonsense advice - including the importance of good shoes!

 

[Tom A]

February has been a photo book month! Just got "The North End", John Paskievich essay on Winnipeg's North End. Published by University of Manitoba ISBN978-0-88755-700-2.
These are pictures taken between 1970 and 1990's of the rough end of Winnipeg. It was an area settled by immigrants, Ukrainian's, native indians etc. Very well shot and interesting. It was a gift from a friend - he had just returned from a family visit there. Complained about the fact that it was cold enough to have film cracking and ripping sprockets.
It belongs to the type of book that makes you want to take the camera and go out shooting! Some books do that and some just have you consider never, ever taking another picture!

 

[whitecat]

Ansel Adams books "The Camera" "The Negative" and "The Print" are highly recommended for the serious beginner.