Talking Photography: Viewpoints on the Art, Craft and Business (Paperback)

~ Frank Riper (Author) "I inherited what talent I have as a writer from my father..." (more)
Key Phrases: location portraiture, studio strobes, strobe units, New York, Daily News, Ansel Adams (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In this volume, "Washington Post" photography columnist Frank Van Riper assembles a selection of photographic insights from his columns. A photographer and writer, he seeks to inform and entertain readers with vignettes on the art, craft and business of photography. Chapters include answers to basic and rarely-addressed technical questions, from shooting pictures under fluorescent light to defending oneself against bloodthirsty mosquitoes; cutting-edge interviews with photography icons of various genres; essays on the everyday life and great moments in the life of a photographer; and reviews of photography books and shows.

About the Author

Frank Van Riper is a distinguished photographer in both commercial and fine arts photography. He is also an acclaimed journalist who has been Washington Bureau News Editor of the New York Daily News and an award-winning White House Correspondent. Today, he writes the photography column for the Washington Post and is the managing editor of the ASMP Mid-Atlantic Publication. His photography criticism has also appeared in PhotoVision, Contretype, as well as in arts publications such as EyeWash. He is also the author of Glenn the Astronaut Who Would be President, a political biography, and Faces of the Eastern Shore and Down East Maine, both highly praised illustrated books. His photographic work has been exhibited in New York and other major U.S. cities and is currently represented in Washington by the Touchstone Gallery. The author lives in Washington, DC.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Allworth Press (February 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581152086
• ISBN-13: 978-1581152081
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,131,351 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very informative & friendly photographic guide., April 23, 2002

By	inframan (the lower depths) - See all my reviews

I first encountered the writing of Frank Van Riper in the Washington Post & was immediately impressed by his openness. He's the kind of pro that you feel is not afraid to give away his "secrets". I find that most photography books are like cookbooks: the pictures & descriptions are enticing, but trying to follow the instructions leads most often to major disappointments. Maybe it's deliberate. The authors like to flaunt their skills, but they don't want to increase the competition. Not so with Frank. He tells you all you need to know: the technical aspects, the business aspects & the human aspects. He writes as well as he does because he's a retired NY Daily News reporter. I'd easily give this book 5 stars, except that the publishers have slipped up on one point: all the photos are reproduced in black & white, even though some, if not all, were originally shot in color.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Thoughtful and Comprehensive Compendium on Photography, March 23, 2002

By	David Enzel (Chevy Chase, MD USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Frank Van Riper writes a weekly column about photography for the Washington Post. This book collects Van Riper's best columns. The book is well organized with sections on the "State of the Art," "On Becoming a Photographer," "Shooting People" and "Technical Tips." There are also articles about equipment and famous photographers. Some of the articles are illustrated with black and white photos. Most of all, the reader gets the benefit of Van Riper's years of experience and thoughtful writing. The book is well indexed, which I find very useful. The index allows the reader to locate any topic quickly. I highly recommend this book to readers with a passion for photography. The book will inspire you.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good overview on what photography is about, June 22, 2002

By	Clarence Carvell (Fulton, MD United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

To produce a quarter to half page article each week on a topic such as photography, intended to appeal to a large and varied audience, requires a pretty good understanding of the medium as well as an understanding of the audience. After nearly ten years of writing for the Washington Post, that's over five hundred articles, on everything from photography etiquette to the latest and greatest in film and equipment, including all the techniques and sundries in between, Frank Van Riper has won the following of nearly every amateur and professional photographer in the Washington, DC area and now with Camera Works online, his articles are available anywhere there is a computer. Talking Photography, Viewpoints on the Art, Craft and Business, is a selection of Frank's best articles, one hundred in all. Suffice to say, there's something for everyone in Talking Photography.