Photography and the Art of Seeing: A Visual Perception Workshop for Film and Digital Photography [Paperback]

Freeman Patterson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 10, 2004

A practical and inspiring guide.

This Third Edition familiarizes readers with the traditional principles of composition and visual design. The jargon-free text provides practical techniques and innovative exercises for breaking with traditional concepts of design to enable the photographer to develop a keen awareness of subject matter and a personal direction.

Topics include:

• Barriers to seeing
• Learning to observe: rethinking the familiar
• Learning to imagine: abstracting and selecting
• Learning to express: Subject matter and the photographer
• Elements and principles of visual design and more.

This edition of Photography and the Art of Seeing is updated to include technical guidelines adapted for both digital and film photographers and includes photographs from Freeman Patterson's personal collection. Extended captions include valuable technical information and personal commentary reflective of the superb craftsmanship and stunning photography from one of the most highly acclaimed and celebrated photographers worldwide.

Editorial Reviews

Review

I don't think you can go wrong with any of Freeman's books.... This book covers visual design, it will help you to "see" and photograph the world around you. (Garry Black Garry Black Photography (GarryBlack.com) 2004)

About the Author

Freeman Patterson began to work in photography in 1965. He co-founded the Namaqualand Photographic Workshops in southern Africa and has given numerous workshops in the United States, Israel, England, New Zealand, and Australia. He has published eleven books and has written for many national magazines. In 2001, Patterson received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Nature Photography Association.

Product Details

• Paperback: 156 pages
• Publisher: Key Porter Books; 3rd edition (October 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552636143
• ISBN-13: 978-1552636145
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 8.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #604,911 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

240 of 244 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Not your typical book on photography May 12, 2005

By D. Booth

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought "Photography and the Art of Seeing" knowing nothing about it. I had not even heard of the author, Freeman Patterson. I had a certain expectation based on current photography books of the same genre, but what I found is a book beyond compare.

I would recommend this book to any level of photographer with a desire to truly express themselves through their photography. You won't come away with a list of rules and instructions about when to apply them. Nor will you end up with a cheat sheet of camera settings that achieve particular effects. If you are open to it, however, you will learn new ways to look at, think about, understand, and portray the world you see through the lens of your camera; you will become more empowered to express yourself in your photography.

I was happily surprised that this book is more about photography than it is about the author. Certainly he includes many personal experiences to explain himself and his work, but he does so without the self-aggrandizing rhetoric of similar books. You really begin to feel as if you are part of his process, rather than someone he is trying to impress, as he describes his approach to his work.

And the photos! While they are exceptional, this is not a book to flip through, pause for the pictures, and then put on a shelf. Instead, it lives up to an important word in the subtitle, "workshop." You may never attend an expensive workshop with an accomplished photographer. But Patterson generously provides a workshop that includes intriguing, mind-expanding exercises all for the cost of this book.

Yes, I love this book! So much so that I've ordered two more of Patterson's books, and I can hardly wait to get started on them.

123 of 126 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't buy this book - PLEASE! November 29, 2006

By KiwiExpat

Format:Paperback

Please don't buy this book. It will change your photography. I bought it, and now I have an advantage, and I want to keep it!

Seriously, this is probably the most disturbing photography book I have found. It will challenge everything you do in photography, and that is unsettling.

If you follow the exercises properly, you will develop a whole new way of seeing and taking photos.

Sure, if you want to, you can read it from cover to cover and go "Ho, hum, very nice." and take it no further. But if you want to improve your photography, take your time, and do the exercises carefully. You will be surprised at the results.

I especially like the one where you lock yourself in a small room (bathroom) and have to take 20 images. "If you don't feel desperation before you finish this exercise, then you have to take another 20 photos."

Don't buy this book! Run away and hide. Keep taking boring photos.

56 of 57 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book October 25, 2005

By TheGonz

Format:Paperback

This book is full of exercises targeted to open your mind to new ways to see and new ways to make a picture too. You have to have some spare time and patience to spend on some of these exercises, I have just made two of them with great results! This book is totally different to what you normally expect from a photo book as you don't only get some technical details but also the author's philosophy which reveals his passion for photography.

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Covers the art and emotion of photography, not the mechanics September 16, 2002

By tomh VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

I have been using cameras for a long time, so I mostly know how they work. But I was looking for guidance and inspiration on how to make my photos more emotionally compelling. This book really hit the sweet spot for me.

First, it discusses and describes important concepts of composition with what I thought were excellent examples, as well as beautiful photographs. While most other books talk about basics like the rule of thirds, leading lines, etc, Art of Seeing goes much further into compositional elements.

But as important is Mr Patterson's clear love of the medium and ability to convey how to see in many different ways. I have been practicing this summer, and am finding now that many more of my images are worth something -- many just helping me understand where I went wrong so I can continue to improve. This book helped me find the subjects that are hidden in many otherwise ordinary things.

My only criticism of the book is that on a personal level I am not as interested in highly asbstract subjects that are a large part of the images in the book, although I will say that there is one shot of trees from an airplane that had me entranced. But this kind of subject makes sense for a book focused on composition.

I really learned a lot from this book, and highly recommend it.

66 of 72 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Patterson shows you visualization without camera or lenses April 18, 2001

By Sarawoot Chittratanawat

Format:Paperback

Freeman Patterson is an artist with camera in his hand. All of this books are not limited to the "talking-of-equipment" nor "exposure setting". Instead, Freeman gives you the visual design; then, you address what you see + what you design on film. In this book, Freeman applied the "visual design" through the framing and composing technique -the art of seeing. Unlike other photo books, this book shows you more on composition of shape and color, not much on equipment. Thus, the gear-luster may found this book is inferior to others. I, however, found this book is a requirement after you master the exposure and gear. Several workshops are given in this book as well as the evaluation techniques that I found very useful. Like other Freeman's books, many nice photo are provided for your joy and learn.