stefan_johansson1 Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 Hi, I would like to buy a book that can help me to develop my photographing. I have been doing photography for some years and I'm not interested in a book that goes through the basics too much. My favorite things to do is landscape and I'm also interested in more creatively things. I looked at amazon.com and found numerous of titles from many different photographers... For example: "Learning to see creatively" by Bryan F. Peterson, "Photography and the art of seeing" by Freeman Paterson, "Designing a Photograph: Visual Techniques for Making Your Photographs Work" by Bill Smith, John Shaw's Landscape photography, "The art of photographing nature" by Art Wolfe, and many more...(too many to choose from...) Maybe you could help me. I would like to have some kind of a "how to"- book, that discuss the technique behind the photograph and how the photographer was thinking. Please give some good titles! Stefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swenson Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 Nature Photography Field Guide or Landscape Photography by John Shaw Outdoor Photography By Boyd Norton and anything you can get by Galen Roewll come to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mats nilson photography Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 One good book for a landscape photographer would be <a href=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/082121750X/ref=sr_aps_books_1_1/026-8600001-1214844>Examples: the Making of 40 Photographs </a>by Ansel Adams. Some of the visualisations he claims to have made in advance seem like reconstructions but what do I know? Its a good book anyway. John Shaw is also an engaging writer. From what I see on your website, I can tell that you are already doing very well but that your inspiration is shining through (e.g. J-P L ducks in pond and coastal landscapes, R M pebbles, J T rock formations etc) and that you wish to develop a style of your own. Since you are both young and talented, I suggest more film and time in the field and you are bound to develop your own style eventually. (Not that I have, but I'm in a slightly different field and do not worry about originality much...)If you are going to read anything, read about other forms of art, surrealist painting or whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith_van_hulle1 Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 Anything by John Shaw is a good read. They're usually more how-to though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_tobin Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 Since you are looking for books that "discuss the technique behind the photograph and how the photographer was thinking" I would recommend "The Making of Landscape Photographs" by Charlie Waite c1992; "Better Picture Guide to Landscape Photography" by Michael Busselle, c1998; and "Photographing the Landscape: the art of seeing" by John Fielder, c1996. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qtluong Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 I've read many, and I think Galen Rowell's "Mountain Light" is still the most interesting for someone who already knows the basics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason_elsworth3 Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 Mounain Light by Galen Rowell would also get my vote as number 1. It has been a wonderful source of inspiration to me over the years. When I was concentrating on photographing landscapes this book was my constant companion. It inspired me to keep getting out of bed before dawn, run around chasing the light and to keep on trying for that great shot. John Shaw's books are good, but very how to focused. I recently saw a book by Joe Cornish called Fist light a landscape photographers journey, which looked very good. Joe is great photographer. I would have bought it, but I have some what of an addiction to books and am trying to cut back :) Jason www.jasonelsworth.co.nz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leif_goodwin8 Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 I recommend anything by John Shaw. Outdoor Photography By Boyd Norton is okay. Looks like I will be checking out some of the above books too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
continuity Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 Freeman's book isn't specifically about landscape or nature photography. It's theme is more about learning to see what's around you, the things you miss on a normal day. <p>It also includes exercises on making you look and "see" the interesting in the ordinary. I'm a big fan of Freeman's way of explaining the philosophy and why of photography, and why he made his photographs the way he did. Whenever I'm feeling "uncreative", <i>Photography and the Art of Seeing</i> helps kickstart my brain again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_tobin Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 I own several of John Shaw's older books. They were extremely helpful for choosing equipment (especially Nikon) and developing technique. However his books have little information on the artistic side of nature photography. Judging from his photographs I don't think he has the ability to offer much in this area (IMHO). So, thumbs up for his craft, but thumbs down for his art. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildpicture Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 Stefan, please have a look at the bookreviews on my website. At the moment some 50 extensive reviews with scans from the books are online. The biggest part of them about wildlife and nature photography. The rest are mainly field guides. www.wildpicture.com Regards, Hans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_schoof1 Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 Another vote for Mountain Light, which includes about 80 of Rowell's favorite pictures and the stories behind them (technical, mental, logistical, etc.). I had to get another copy after I wore the first out. Shaw's and Wolfe's are nice too, but never inspired me as much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthuryeo Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 Don't forget to look thru David Muench's books to see how he composes and the type of light he captured for the successfully published ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredlee70x7 Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 I agreed with all above. Still cannot find Rowell's Mounatin Light in any bookstore including Amazon.com. Talking about books, can anyone recommend one by photographers using Mamiya RZ or Rollei 6008i other than Zuckerman? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee_shively Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 Other photographer's whose works you should study: Eliot Porter, Philip Hyde and Jack Dykinga. They are/were master landscape photographers. Any books by John Shaw are good teaching tools. Shaw is an excellent teacher although I agree his photos are not exceptional. "Mountain Light" by Rowell and "The Art of Photographing Nature" by Wolfe are both good books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ed_lowe Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 Stefan, Two of the best books I've seen are Galen Rowell's "Mountain Light" and Art Wolfe's "The Art of Photographing Nature". Both are filled with excellent images and an informative text about each image. You can not go wrong with either book. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stefan_johansson1 Posted January 25, 2003 Author Share Posted January 25, 2003 Thanks everyone for giving me good advices! Maybe I will go for the Ansel Adams book. After all, he is the true master in landscape... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the lone ranger Posted January 26, 2003 Share Posted January 26, 2003 the two books that got me on the way to seeing things that i din't previously see were Mountain Light and another of Galen's books called Vision-The Art of Adventure Photography Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry_carter1 Posted January 26, 2003 Share Posted January 26, 2003 Let me add a couple more to the growing list. "A Field Guide to Landscape Photography" by Peter Watson "Fine Art Nature Photograhy" by Tony Sweet Perhaps not germane to the original post, but just yesterday I bought Galen Rowell's "Inner Game of Outdoor Photography" which appears to have something for everyone. I would imagine this is Galen's last book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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