People Pictures: 30 Exercises for Creating Authentic Photographs [Paperback]

Chris Orwig (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 30, 2011 | ISBN-10: 0321774973 | ISBN-13: 978-0321774972 | Edition: 1

Bestselling author/photographer Chris Orwig offers 30 photographic exercises to renew your passion for capturing the people in your world. This is not a traditional portrait photography book. The goal isn’t flattery, but connection and depth. Whether you are a student, busy parent, or seasoned pro photographer, these exercises provide an accessible framework for exploration and growth.
 
With titles like: Be Quiet, Turn the Camera Around, and the Fabric of Family, each of the 30 exercises encourages you to have fun and experiment at your own pace. With step-by-step instructions and using natural light, you will explore everything from street, lifestyle, candid, and environmental shots. The projects are small artistic endeavors meant to change how you see and the pictures that you make. All that’s required is a camera, an intrepid attitude, curiosity, and some imagination.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Chris Orwig is a visual artist who brings passion to all that he does. He is a pro photographer, speaker, and on the professional photography faculty at the Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, California. He is the author of the bestselling title, Visual Poetry: A Creative Guide for Making Engaging Digital Photographs (New Riders/Voices that Matter).

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Peachpit Press; 1 edition (September 30, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321774973
• ISBN-13: 978-0321774972
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.5 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #42,539 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #46 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Portraits

More About the Author

Chris Orwig is a visual artist who brings passion to all that he does. He is a pro photographer, interactive designer, author, speaker and on the faculty of the world-renowned Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California. Apart from his professional endeavors, Chris enjoys getting out in the great outdoors any way he can - from mountain biking, cycling, camping, surfing, kayaking, snow camping, backpacking, running, etc. He currently lives in SB with his three favorite girls - his wife and (very cute) daughters!

For more inspiration visit:
- http://www.chrisorwig.com - portfolio
- http://www.chrisorwig.com/flipside - blog
- http://www.visual-poet.com - book companion site
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsUXSRuV61o - TEDx presentation

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Catch a moment of fullness and expectation December 29, 2011

By J. Nipar

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

So there's all kinds of reviews here that express disappointment that a book titled "30 Exercises" is chock full of "exercises". Crazy. Don't be fooled by these passive-aggressive reviews. This book is a gem.

As for my experience with the book it is *exactly* what I wanted. The chapters are short, concise and pointed. And you can accomplish them, in any order, if you simply try. There's no need to buy new lighting, no need for a new lens, no need to study rules of composition, no need to rent a studio, .... Just Go and Do It. Take some photos. Think about the essence of people. Look into their eyes - there's depth in there. Wait for it, Click. Chat it up. Wait a second, Click. How wonderful.

Not happy with your lighting? Go to a window. Find a garage. It's basic stuff, but it's organized for you to learn. Practice the right way and it'll all come together when it matters most to you, like on Christmas morning, or when you're enjoying a brew on the front porch with some buds. These exercises teach you to see that moment and capture it.

My favorite exercise is the one focused on developing your style. It's purely a white-paper and pen exercise, too, but taking the time to really think about what I wanted to capture makes so much difference. Just to share, my vision for people photographs is that they catch a moment of fullness and expectation, just like that split-second when the head of your brew crests the top of the mug. Cheers!

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Know about your subject and potrait photography January 19, 2012

By M. M. Konakanchi

Format:Paperback

Discloser: I am beginner to intermediate skilled DSLR owner, loves and spends free time with photogrphy.

This book is not about technical details of camera, neither about post processing. It more about taking inspiring potraits of people. Author has very good command in this field and knows what he says.

Book explains 30 different possibilities to improve the your portraits, keeping subject at ease and experiment photos based on subject life style. It helps you think out of box (may be known style for pro's). Most of all, encourages slowing down and appreciate your errors and best shots.

It provides the referrences to many great photographers and their works on internet. This will give broad view and differnt styles of photographs.
If you need some inspiration on taking great portraits or improve your potrait style or create your own. This book is for you.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars inspiring November 10, 2011

By J. Lee

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Very inspiring and deep-thinking book by Orwig. I have his other book and must say that one is better than this one, but that doesn't mean this book is bad. He quotes from many famous photographers and artists that provide fresh perspectives into photography. There are some places that are a bit too philosophical, but generally anyone beyond the amateur level will find this book enlightening. By all means, do NOT buy this book if you're looking for shutter speeds and aperture settings! This is for people who already know how to take technical pictures but need a kick in the butt to get through photographer's block.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't think of this book as photography technical manual March 25, 2012

By Carlos Trejos

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is not the type of book that will instruct you to use this lens with this f-stop and shoot from this angle in this situation. Search amazon and you'll find a TON of those books.
The reader needs to understand that this is more like a photography seminar by distance. Since every chapter gives you homework, i.e. shoot 10 self portraits, or shoot 30 black and white people pictures, etc; you kind of get the feeling that you are with the author in a class room.
The objective of this book is to stimulate your creativity and create this mental exercise to clarify what's your own style and what type of pictures you wanna make.
Buy this book if you are willing to challenge yourself to start thinking different and you'll draw inspiration from it. If you want a photography manual, look somewhere else.

27 of 34 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Exercises, not inspiration. October 12, 2011

By Julian Velasco VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I like Chris Orwig's writing style. I *loved* his previous book, Visual Poetry. I really looked forward to this book; but I was a bit disappointed. This book is NOT all that inspirational. It is more like a course, with 30 exercises. There is barely a page and a half of text before each exercise. It's not enough to draw inspiration from. The reason to buy this book is to actually go through the 30 exercises. If you're not going to do that, don't buy this book. If you are willing to do the work, then this is like taking a great course in photography at a very low price!

I want to be clear, my disappointment is NOT THE AUTHOR'S FAULT. The book's title says that it's "30 Exercises", and that's what it is! And it seems to be pretty good at that. But I was hoping for more inspirational writing, as in Visual Poetry. And if that's not what you're looking for, you should look elsewhere.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book! November 9, 2011

By R. Caldwell

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

As much as I love shooting landscapes and animals, it's the portraits of the ones I love that I keep and go back to time and time again. They are the most valuable to me -- priceless really -- they are the things I would grab in a fire. With that said, I was eager to pick up this latest book from Chris Orwig. I've always thought his portraits captured so much depth and authenticity, I can't think of another photographer I would rather learn from. I'm only three exercises in so far and already I feel like one of his students at Brooks (which makes this book quite a value!). The exercises require commitment and time, but they have already put me out of my comfort zone (which is a good thing). And already I see this small investment significantly improving the types of photos I cherish most -- my people pictures.