Book Review: The Art of Photography - An Approach to Personal Expression by Bruce Barnbaum
O
n one knee out in the street with the parade approaching, I don't need to be consciously thinking about how the camera works, what the histogram might look like, or how chemicals worked in the dark room. What I need is the ability to make the settings necessary to get what I want quickly and accurately then get out of the street before the majorettes knock me down and stomp me. There are times,however, when I do want to know the nuances of exposure, composition, metering and post production.
“Self-taught” is the description for my education in photography and over the years my library has swelled with a variety of books and magazines. The majority of books are the works of other photographers. Until recently, my interest has been in areas that did not involve human portraiture. My interest in jazz music has led to my interest in the work of Francis Wolff, John Abbott, and William Claxton. Wolff's work in particular is amazing due to the fact this his portraits were not posed. They were working shots of musicians during rehearsals and jam sessions. Wolff had obviously done some preparation as the lighting was ideal.
One of the most helpful books I own is one on exposure and specifically how to use the “manual” setting on my camera for the desired exposure. Another favorite is a “how to get this shot” type book with suggested settings. With the addition of The Art of Photography - An Approach to Personal Expression, by Bruce Barnbaum, the technical aspect of my library should be complete.
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