Customer Reviews

Photography Essentials Waiting For The Light

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm mellowing. It used to be that any time I saw a photographer's portfolio disguised as an instruction manual to appeal to a larger audience, I would call foul. But lately, I've begun to believe that any opportunity for a good photographer to get his work in print deserves an appraisal of his work, regardless of the box that his publisher has forced the work into.

Actually this wasn't a hard position to take with "Waiting for the Light." The claims for instruction are minimal, and the photographs are so good that the book deserves examination strictly as a portfolio of Noton's work. The photographer's forte is the panoramic landscape image, shot with a 617 camera that creates the 6:17 ratio. The individual pictures are glorious with an extreme range of light that made me wonder if these pictures hadn't been processed with High Dynamic Range in Photoshop, but Noton claims that they are the result of waiting for just the right light for the scene he visualized, even if it might mean waiting for a week for just that light (although he does acknowledge some manipulation in Photoshop). There is nothing else in the text about how he got that look, other then to occasionally use a neutral density filter to stretch out the shutter speed to minutes, or sometimes add a split neutral density filter. Perhaps it is the changing light over an eight minute exposure that creates the glow. Certainly, it would be worth trying these long exposures to see if that would yield such striking images.

The book also includes a fair share of 35mm exposures of people, city streets and the like which are also quite striking, but in an age where we are regularly exposed to images from the most remote parts of the world, these do not have the impact of the light in the panoramas.

Unfortunately the pictures are presented on almost square pages of 24 by 26 centimeters. If ever a set of pictures called for a higher ratio shaped page, these demanded it. I wanted to see the pictures larger, without two on a page, or so much space above and below a panorama. And I was certainly disappointed to see a panorama stretched across a centerfold.

Good pictures do not necessarily make a good book, and here I objected to the rhetoric of the presentation, that is, the way that the order and juxtaposition of images adds to our understanding of what is being presented. Here the pictures were presented in an order that seemed to evolve out of an organization based on instruction that added nothing to our understanding rather then a synergistic presentation. Perhaps it would be useful for the publisher's design staff to study the books of Jack Dykinga or Art Wolfe.

When it comes to instruction, one theme resounds throughout the book. Wait for the light! There are a lot of other tips sprinkled throughout the book, but not in any fashion that would allow photographers to organize them into a coherent approach to capturing images. Still, there probably is an instructional benefit from studying Noton's photographs carefully and analyzing what makes them so good. There is a final mandatory chapter on mechanics, but it mostly discusses Noton's transition from film to digital and that's a ship which has long since sailed. I almost cried when the author said that Levels and Curves are important to control light but were beyond the remit of this book.

Where does that leave one? Noton's pictures are eye-stoppers that you shouldn't miss. But you shouldn't expect too much of the presentation.

Waiting for the Light is a very apt title for this book. It emphasizes, patience, persistence, and discipline. The focus is on what needs to be done to prior to pressing the shutter button. It offers good insight into setting up, and pre-visualizing to create quality images rather than just snapshots. It's more about the thinking process, rather than the how to. I am enjoying the book and getting a lot out of it.

4 stars for content. I really enjoy the content of this book with its beautiful pictures and insightful tips. I was disappointed that the one that I ordered was said to be new but it was not new. It had bent corners and the whole book was slightly warped.

A really enjoyable book on a number of different levels and fully merits the high ratings others have given:

Images are great and the book would be a good one if there was nothing more than this: the pictures are nicely printed and of a reasonable size (not the case in many books), the glossy paper helps.

Very good insight into the thinking behind how David Noton creates his images without going into lots of technical detail. He has an easygoing accessible style and a sense of humor.

Gives you a good view of what life as a photographer might be like (involves a lot of dedication and hard work).

Can be read straight through or almost as a series of articles: It's a nice mix that includes photo essays and journals- Good value as it is only the price of a few magazines. I'm thinking about buying the DVD and landscapes are not my specialty!

While research photography books, I found this masterpiece. It isn't an instructional, how to book. It is an incredibly inspirational book full of beauty and exquisite images. This is a book that seasoned professionals can appreciate, admire and hold up as bench mark especially for judging landscape photography. There is enough relative information to make the book more interesting, but there is no need for words when the pictures eloquently example the unspeakable beauty of nature.

If you are interested in nature and landscape photography, this is as good as it gets and then some. Prepare to be inspired and awe struck.

The book is titled "Waiting For The Light", well I had to wait sometime for mine to be delivered for what appeared to be several unrelated delays! Well it was "worth the wait" - some superb use of lighting conditions as the title suggests. The book lives up to David Noton's reputation as a superb landscape photographer. Some excellent images in this volume which can only serve as great inspritaion to any landscape photographer. Print quality is very good. As with many photography books these days it is softbacked - is this purley due to cost I wonder?

Very enjoyable and well written book by a gifted landscape and travel photographer. Ive seen and read alot of David Noton material in various magazines and on his website so I was very keen to get his book as soon as it came out.


I havent been disappointed. Nice photography, great coverage of subjects and fairly well printed. I would recommend this to anyone into landscape and travel photography of all levels of knowledge.

A great book, just wonderful. A great writer who explains the value of light and why we need to wait for it to be just right. I would recommend this book as a gift to a photographer who wants to take their work to the next level. Great examples and images are on almost every page.