Sunday, July 5, 2009

Reading books about photography


Rubus odoratus, originally uploaded by jiihaa.


Wet and dry, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

I have continued my reading of photography books. Having finished "The Photographers Eye", I'm now re-reading "Photography for the Joy of It" by Freeman Patterson and André Gallant. This book is partly outdated (discussing film cameras etc.), but still good reading, with excellent photography illustrating the subject matter.

Here are two images from today. The weather was partly clouded, partly rainy, partly sunny. Fast changes, generating a lot of possibilities for photography.

Update: I moved on to another book. Now I'm re-reading "The Simple Secret to Better Painting: How to Immediately Improve Your Work with the One Rule of Composition" by Greg Albert. I realized - thanks to a comment on "principles vs. formats" by Freeman Patterson - that you can look at the lessons from a "principles" point of view, and then then the book provides a lot of opporturnities to explore further, room for growth. Otherwise, it is constricting, a format.

6 comments:

Markus Spring said...

Juhaa, I have read both books and enjoyed them very much. They are for sure emphasizing different aspects, and whilst I found many touching points in Patterson's book, but "The Photographers Eye" I see as a real treasure in the way he's demonstrating not only what works and why, but also how he works. A lot of things to internalize until they work from the subconscious...

Juha Haataja said...

I agree on "The Photographers Eye", it provides a lot of food for thought.

I'm now re-reading "The Simple Secret to Better Painting: How to Immediately Improve Your Work with the One Rule of Composition" by Greg Albert.

The first time I didn't finish the book, finding the lessons constricting, format-like. But now I'm finding you can look at the lessons from a "principles" point of view, and then it provides a lot of opporturnities to explore further, room for growth.

Thomas said...

I simply love Pattersons books. They really make a point, a very personal one actually. And that really works for me. Freeman seems to be enjoying his photography so much, that I usally simply HAVE to get my camera out after browsing through one of his books. It's really inspiring.

Juha Haataja said...

@Thomas: Agree!

Markus Spring said...

Juhaa, your short description was reason enough for me to order this book. I am already curious about it.

Juha Haataja said...

@Markus: I'm curious how you find the book, I hope it is useful.