Fine Art Flower Photography: Creative Techniques and the Art of Observation [Paperback]

Tony Sweet (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 24, 2005

A striking new collection from the author of Fine Art Nature Photography

Includes instructions for creating varied photographic effects

Detailed specs and equipment given for each picture with "before" and "after" versions provided for many images

Acclaimed nature photographer Tony Sweet helps us to see a familiar subject through new eyes in this astonishing collection of flower photography. Ranging from the elegiac to the experimental, these pictures offer a kaleidoscopic survey of innovative photographic techniques--including multiple exposures and "slide sandwiching" --along with instructions for creating similar effects in your own photography. Perfectly balancing grace and spontaneity, Fine Art Flower Photography ensures that none of us will look at (or photograph) flowers the same way again.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tony Sweet is a professional nature/fine art photographer, lecturer, workshop instructor, and author of many photography books. He lives in Eldersburg, Maryland.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Stackpole Books (March 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811731812
• ISBN-13: 978-0811731812
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #663,480 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #51 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Color

More About the Author

Tony Sweet is a professional nature/fine art photographer, lecturer, workshop instructor, and author of several photography books. He is a Nikon "Legend Behind the Lens," a nikSoftware team member, a Lensbaby Guru, and a Bogen Mentor. Tony has written columns for Nikon World and is a contributor to Shutterbug and Rangefinder. He teaches online classes at betterphoto.com. Tony's work is represented by Getty Images. He lives in Eldersburg, Maryland.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Looking at flowers in a new way, August 23, 2005

By 

W. Oliver (Alabama) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Fine Art Flower Photography: Creative Techniques and the Art of Observation (Paperback)

The 100 or so photographs in this book are simply stunning and photography/author Tony Sweet shows the reader how he takes them. Each photograph is accompanied by a brief but comprehensive explanatory paragraph. Some have a set of step-by-step instructions. Sweet uses a variety of techniques to achieve these works of art but many of them are achieved with multiple exposures, slide sandwiches, filters and camera movements. Technical info, like types of lenses used and f-stop settings are also provided. In addition to technical tricks, Sweet also shows how he approaches positioning an object in the frame to achieve certain effects as well as achieving the best results with color contrasts. He also provides a list of the equipment (cameras, tripods, lenses, filters, etc.) that he uses as well as websites and addresses of the companies that sell them.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not What I Expected, June 25, 2006

By 

Devon Mccarroll "devonsvoice" (Snoqualmie, WA, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Fine Art Flower Photography: Creative Techniques and the Art of Observation (Paperback)

I expected this book to be more of a training manual of techniques. Instead, every page is a photo with a VERY brief explanation of how or where it was taken, often without enough detail to recreate the idea. Although the photos are beautiful and Tony Sweet is a great photographer, the book is not at all what I expected. If you're looking for a photo book of his work, it's great, but don't expect to learn much from it.

40 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful. Insightful. Bravo., April 10, 2005

By 

Conrad J. Obregon (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fine Art Flower Photography: Creative Techniques and the Art of Observation (Paperback)

This book made me reconsider some of my fundamental feelings about art and photography. For example it made me consider the distinction between non-representational and abstract art. I realized that non-representational art has no counterpart in the world. Abstract art might have such a counterpart, but it is more concerned with line, form, color and other indicia as such than with the subject itself. I also realized that just because a photograph must start with something in the real world doesn't mean that it can't be abstract and concern itself with indicia rather than the subject.

All of this is by way of saying that "Fine Art Flower Photography" is a book of abstract art that starts with real flowers, but which has as its subject line, form and color. And it is a terrific and inspiring book.

By using a variety of photographic techniques, Sweet is able to divorce line, form and color from their subject and present them in a pure manner that delights the eye. In fact Sweet was so effective in doing this that he transformed my vision of other abstract art and its value.

Sweet accomplishes this task by manipulating depth of field, multiple exposures and camera movement to present us with a view of flowers that we would never see with the unaided eye. And these views are surprisingly striking, evoking deep, non-rational responses in the viewer. I have never believed that aesthetics was simply the province of the beautiful, but these pictures certainly can be used to support such an argument.

I've long had a feeling that manipulating a photograph in the camera in a way that one could not see in a peek through the viewfinder was somehow not real art. Sweet makes it clear though that he starts with a visualization of his final image and then takes the steps to make that vision come true, which of course is exactly what all the great photographers have done, and which is certainly a process that leads to art.

This book could stand on its own, as a set of beautiful images, but expert photographers will also find valuable lessons here. Sweet's comments are pithy, but for a person who understands the photographic process, they can suggest the technical steps that will allow the photographer to follow in Sweet's footsteps. My question is whether Sweet has set the bar so high that no one can exceed him. But perhaps these same techniques can be applied to other forms of photography to make different statements that are as beautiful.

Although Sweet has used film as his medium, digital photographers will be inspired to apply his same techniques, either in camera or in post processing.

Bravo.