36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Truly captures what it means to be a travel photographer, May 31, 2004
This review is from: Spirit of Place: The Art of the Traveling Photographer (Paperback)
I love travel and I love cameras. Unfortunately, as many of us often discover, my photos don't always capture the essence of my travel experience. I know I've been frustrated many times that some quixotic quality of my travels is missing from my photo album.
Bob Krist's book has helped me to see that what I am missing is the spirit of place, which of course is different for every location and every traveler. While the book covers the basics of equipment management, shooting decisions and the like, it is less a technical guide and more of a philosophy of travel. His approach to travel informs his approach to travel photography. He seeks to be a "traveler," not a "sightseer," wanting to engage with the culture in which he finds himself. I find this concept to be especially helpful in pinpointing my own disappointment with my photos. While I follow his approach of being a traveler, I have hesitated to capture the people I meet along the way. It's that element I always feel I am missing in my work.
He gives some tips and insight into how to begin to approach people to get those great people shots, how to get past the initial fear of offending, and how to handle a situation where you might be refused.
Above all, the examples and photoessays speak volumes about how to approach such work. It is clear that Bob Krist is a master in his approach to capturing the essence of a place, whether it be the Jazz Quarter in New Orleans or a blinding snowstorm in Hokkaido. If you are looking for ideas and inspiration to improve the photos you bring back from your next adventure, I'd highly recommend Spirit of Place.
(Gwyn is an enthusiastic photographer who, among other things, travels overseas each summer with teenagers as a People to People delegation leader. Yes, teenagers!)
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best books on travel photography, September 1, 2001
This review is from: Spirit of Place: The Art of the Traveling Photographer (Paperback)
If you want to learn how to capture meaningful images when you travel, this is the book to read. The book explains in clear simple language how to go about making great travel pictures. The process involves a lot more than the technical details. You must be at the right place at the right time to make a great picture. This book will help you undertand how to that and help with the technical part as well. The photographs in the book are absolutely stunning and a great source of inspiration. This is absolutely my favorite travel photography book.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Ultimate Travel Photography Book, May 9, 2000
This review is from: Spirit of Place: The Art of the Traveling Photographer (Paperback)
As one who has written numerous Book Reviews for photo magazines, I have read all the books on travel photography. This one stands head-and-shoulders above the others.
It is the definitive work on this topic by a top pro who makes travel images that are intimate, sensitive to the culture, informed and well-executed: capturing the spirit of the location instead of replicating the postcard views.
Highly recommended for photographers of all levels - particularly those who want to make images as a traveler and not merely as a tourist.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
