The Essence of Photography: Seeing and Creativity Paperback – Illustrated, November 20, 2014

Bruce Barnbaum stresses the importance of preparedness of the “Technical” and the “Design” process in taking a photograph to ignite inspiration in the “Creative” process. – Short Version.After an introduction of familiar teaching on vision Bruce Barnbaum begins in chapter two asking you to write down your 3 favourite photographers (more allowed), and a note as to why, then read to the end of the chapter. You must do this to identify your own target photographic goals and determine this books suitability to further your progress towards creative photographic art, and if that is where you want to go.To stress this here are my three Favourite Photographers and why:1. Ansel AdamsMaster of B&W, my best teacher, yet I don’t even try to emulate his work2. Julius ShulmanHis photographs of case study houses combined two captivating interests3. Max DupainHis B&W architectural photography first interested me in getting into photography. It is Max Dupain’s photography I have up on my walls.These latter two styles seem achievable4. Horst P HorstPhotographs of celebrities set the portrait standard with more lighting than I could replicate with even a McNally wedding set-up (my lighting is exclusively Speedlights).Bruce Barnbaum says “Without consideration of composition and lighting you are merely snapping pictures”. He advocates a slowing down and applying the pre-visualisation process, a discipline contained within the procedure of using a large format camera, as did all my four photographers above, all in B&W - you can see what is coming at the end of the chapter for me.You need to “see” the light, the compositional elements within the frame, the decisive moment. In the process unimportant areas within the composition are to be eliminated. This approach is not encouraged by digital camera amenity where instant feedback and the delete button often circumvents the necessary approach of film - and creativity.The thing is this Bruce Barnbaum stuff is not new to me, he did a good job in “The Art of Photography” - seconding Ansel Adams books. Reading this second book I find I am a page ahead of myself most of the time, but not in a sense of “I know that” or even “why aren’t I doing that” but rather in the joy of photography.Beyond Chapter 2 Bruce Barnbaum becomes more anecdotal relating his long photographic experience with intention to inspire the reader to produce creative photography. He quotes Ansel Adams “The negative is the score, the print is the performance” and cites the many interpretations of a music score being parallel to the RAW and the Tiff image in the various ways it can be processed, many outcomes with one piece of raw material.Bruce Barnbaum says the more realistic an image is the more it must be confined to realistic colours, which may justify the saturation of abstractions of slow shutters speed images that are not as we see reality. Realistic colours are a skin/sky/grass, thing.Bruce Barnbaum concedes creativity probably cannot be taught but requires a certain intuition, and for that to work preparation is necessary. For inspiration to strike, a state of preparedness has to have gone before to acquire the knowledge, interest and involvement necessary to place you in a state where imagination can inspire an intuition towards creativity. Preparation requires total commitment and a solid knowledge basis; you need to be deeply engaged and bright, and use your intuition.Then you are ready for “chance favours the prepared mind” – Louis Pasteur.As such this book is a natural progression from “The Art of Photograph”, the modern day definitive text on the subject, extending the quest for creativity beyond its introduction there. Bruce Barnbaum is a purist, his love is B&W 4x5 Large Format camera photography, he does own a digital camera and half of his photography is colour these days. This is a valuable resource in my photographic development, answer the question in the second chapter to determine if it shall be so for you.

Most photo books describe how to take photos under varying conditions. Bruce Bamabum goes into making personal images, not by learning new techniques but by learning our own inclinations and, to use a currently trendy term, voice (my term - not the author's). Techniques and composition are mentioned throughout but not as ends in themselves. Rather both are put in service to personal vision and voice. As a friend of mine, Ray Ketcham says, "Anybody can learn your technique. Only you can make pictures that reflect your voice." For instance, we don't need to learn the rule of thirds to make "properly composed" images but because photos composed that way have certain impacts on the viewer. Is that what we want from a particular photo? Composition rules become composition tools in the service of how we want the image to display. Technical knowledge is always put in service to improving our craft not as an end in itself. Throughout the book Bambaum repeats the notion that photography is a skill and as with any skill practice, experimentation and making bad photos are necessary. Bad photos are not a negative, just something to learn from and if we don't make bad photos we haven't pushed out of our comfort zones. He makes the point that many of the worst photos he sees in workshops come from working pros who get into the habit of making commercially acceptable pictures not ones that reflect their vision. They forget how to experiment and take chances.Bambaum covers more than just technique, though. He emphasizes getting instruction from multiple instructors and workshops (we learn different stuff from each), getting feedback or critiques of your photos and how to take that feedback, as well as how to learn from classes and such. Yes, there is a section on technique and gear, as well as a discussion of printing. Yes, again, those are put in service to making personal images not as absolutes or must haves.Much of the book is relayed through the author's personal history. At times it's a tiny bit tedious but I don't know any other way to talk about personal process than personally. Bambaum shows a lot of his own photos. They are not all his most commercially successful images, rather ones that mean something to him and illustrate his points. That means that they may not all wow you, say, the way Joe McNally does. That's part of the essence of photography, too.

This an excellent book on photography! This not where to learn about shutter speeds and apertures (though there is always practical camera capture details to the illustrative pictures).... this is much more. Barnbaum writes of the deeper significance of how a person sees and makes a photograph. In order to accomplish this he is detailed and explicit about composition and light among other important aspect of the art, and in a way that is always interesting and thought-provoking, as well as offering guidance (not direction!). I enjoyed it so much and got such a lot from it that I am now halfway through his second or companion book| 'The essence of Photography - Seeing and Creativity.' His experience, and indeed photographic wisdom, shines through the pages. This is satisfying reading for both digital and film photographers, and colour as well as Black and white picture -making.

At last, a photographic book that explains one photographers thought process. It was illuminating to read Mr. Barnbsums book, which relies on his own experiences of a 40+ year career in photography, to explain some ideas about creativity. The strength of the book is in using personal examples & anecdotes to explain his creative process. He, at no time, tries to say his way is correct for all, but stresses that it works for him. His advice is based on common sense & tries to steer the reader in a direction that will benefit them. A throughly enjoyable read, & a shame I can't (a) attend one of his workshops in the USA & (b) afford it. Thank you for a real eye-opening read about photography.

I understand from previous reviews that this was not an instructional book before buying. However, what category it then falls into is a mystery. This isn't, in my opinion, even entertaining to read for the anecdotal offerings. If this were half the price I wouldn't consider it value for money. How it has reached the stage of a second edition is baffling.

I liked the book because it was informative and written by a person with a wealth of experience and knowledge. It was easy to read, many helpful hints on what to do.

If you are into photography then this guy is for you. He writes with conviction, experience and knowledge and conveys it so well. A very good read and you will learn a lot from this guy - I was delighted with it