On Being a Photographer: A Practical Guide [Illustrated] [Paperback]

David Hurn (Author), Bill Jay (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Lenswork Pub; 3 edition (2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888803061
• ISBN-13: 978-1888803068
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #752,418 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic Exposition! Buy it!, February 18, 2003

By 

John Jennings - See all my reviews

This review is from: On Being a Photographer: A Practical Guide (Paperback)

Upfront, I want to say that this is an OUTSTANDING book!

Any self-help book makes assumptions about what hang-ups the reader is dealing with. It sometimes happens that a book is useless to a given reader, because he is so perfect he has already transcended the problems the authors deal with.

But for me, the authors of "On Being a Photographer" precisely target the questions I have struggled with.

Just to name a few (addressed in this book):

1) Yeah, subject IS more important than technique!

2) Am I the only one to shoot reams of film and never quite get the perfect shot?

3) Does luck has a lot to do with it? But can I make my own luck?

4) Exactly HOW does a top photographer approach taking the single picture?

(And much more!)

Since this book has no photographs, it is very reasonably priced. It is not very long, but neither is the Constitution of the United States.

Both authors spent some time in academia, and there is a certain amount of high-toned discussion, but they cut rapidly to the core principles. Stylistically, there is a bit of the mutual admiration society, but this serves the question and answer format that reinforces the classic points they make. I have found that the concise chapters aid easy rereading of specific topics in coffee shops or chores like jury duty. I will reread this book many times.

Since this book has no photographs, it is very reasonably priced. It is not very long, but neither is the Constitution of the United States.

David Hurd's core experience base was back in the classic days of Magnum, which may be a problem for some who may feel that nothing important happened before they were born some sixteen years ago. But a camera is still just a box, whether you are using a Leica M3 or a plasma camera in the thirty-watt range. And single images are as powerful as ever.

This is a great book. Buy it. Read it. Read it again.

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps the best photography book, October 14, 2001

By 

David Enzel (Chevy Chase, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On Being a Photographer: A Practical Guide (Paperback)

If I could only recommend one book about photography, this would be it. The book explains what it means to be a photographer. This is the book to read before you buy equipment (or more equipment). The book is a road map for developing into a photographer. The book will help you decide what to photograph. The equipment, technique and images will follow.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For those who love photogrpahy, September 25, 2005

By 

Marilyn Dalrymple "MaLing" (Lancaster, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: On Being a Photographer: A Practical Guide (Paperback)

This is written for lovers of photography. Not only does it discuss the romance of camera and film, it has good information, it is motivating and it reminds those of us who have developer, stop and fix in our veins why we fell in love with the art.

Motivating, educational and a good read. Don't miss this one.