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So you want to be a photographer? 6 books to help you on your way

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Photography is often a skill to learn sitting on people’s hobby wish-lists and it is no secret that Team Booko loves taking photos too. We have scoured the internet looking for books to not only inspire you but to also offer tips and tricks for those who would like to take a plunge into this creative world. 

It would be remiss of us to share our favourite photography books and not include our very own photographic inspiration based here in Melbourne in the form of Chris Cincotta. Chris is behind the lens of the Humans In Melbourne facebook page (you can follow his work here) and @melbourneiloveyou on Instagram. Chris takes a photo each and shares it every day and, not surprisingly, has some wonderful coffee table books available on his website.

Understanding Street Photography: An Introduction to Shooting Compelling Images on the Street by Bryan Peterson

Discover the secrets to mastering street photography from an acclaimed international photographer, teacher, and best-selling author, Bryan Peterson. Street photography enables us to experience the world through a new lens. In Understanding Street Photography, readers will learn the techniques behind images taken around the globe, from the vibrant streets of Varanasi, India, to the crowded walkways of the Charles Bridge in Prague, and so many other corners of the world. In this master class, street photography is defined as images that convey evidence of human interaction, whether that’s a striking cityscape, an image of rush-hour foot traffic, the remains of a half-eaten sandwich, or a pedestrian portrait. Along the way, Peterson shares 120 “mini diaries” the story behind each image; the thought process; the arrangement of the composition; the psychology of the colours; and the lens, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO for readers to replicate his work. Professional and aspiring photographers alike will learn how to produce posed and candid compositions, capture light and movement, and work with shadows, weather, and architecture, and hone your craft. Through lessons, exercises, and anecdotes, Peterson shares his best tips for capturing the unpredictable world of urban life in motion.

Photographers on Photography by Henry Carroll

Think you know photography? Think again. Through a carefully curated selection of quotes and images, this book reveals what matters most to the masters of photography. With accompanying text by Henry Carroll, author of the internationally bestselling Read This If You Want To Take Great Photographs series, you’ll learn what photography actually means to the giants of the genres and how they developed their distinctive visual styles. Divided into clear sections, quotes offer intimate insights into “the camera”, “the photograph”, “taking pictures”, “style, subject matter and technique” and ultimately answer that all-important question-“what exactly is photography?” in wildlife.

Flora Photographica: The Flower in Contemporary Photography by William A. Ewing and Danaé Panchaud

Vivid, bold, spectacular and unexpected: a definitive overview of one of contemporary photography’s most innovative fields, showcasing flower imagery by more than 120 of the world’s leading practitioners. There has never been a period in photography’s long history – no school, no movement – when flowers have not been a central focus, whether in the form of the classic still life, the botanical study, incorporated into portraiture and studies of the human body, documented in street photography, or used subversively in surrealist collage and montage. Today, flower photography remains in full bloom, with photographers the world over depicting flowers and floral motifs in novel ways. Featuring works by more than 120 photographers, Flora Photographica links the very best of flower photography from the past thirty years with its predecessors. Vibrant and abundant with myriad species of flora, this stunning book is both a celebration of organic beauty and a keen look at the meaning of flowers in human culture – not to mention an insightful look at a key aspect of contemporary photography – making it a must-have publication for lovers of flowers and photography alike.

How I Make Photographs by David Yarrow

For over two decades, legendary British photographer David Yarrow has been putting himself in harm’s way to capture immersive and evocative photography of some of the world’s most revered and endangered animal species. With his images heightening awareness of endangered species and also raising huge sums for charity and conservation, he is one of the most relevant photographers in the world today. Featuring his 150 most iconic photographs, David Yarrow Photography offers a view of some of the world’s most compelling and threatened species. This collection of stunning images, paired with Yarrow’s first-person contextual narrative, offers an insight into a man who will not accept second best in the relentless pursuit of excellence.

Take Photographs, Not Snapshots: The Essential Elements of Photography by Cider Mill Press 

There is no reason to be intimidated by your camera, as this book is ideal for the beginner looking to learn more or the professional looking for a quick reference guide on location. Take your photos from so-so to stunning with techniques to help you understand aperture, depth of field, lighting, and composition. With guides for both digital and traditional cameras, as well as smartphones, upgrade your photography game on any platform with ease. Don’t just settle for a good enough picture, become a master photographer with Take Photos, Not Snapshots.

How Do I Photograph A Sunset? by Chris Gatcum

How do we learn? We learn by asking questions. But what if we don’t know what questions we should be asking? Thanks to the digital revolution, photography has never been so popular, and whether you shoot on a phone or a top-spec DSLR or CSC camera, the urge to improve is relentless. In this book, author Chris Gatcum asks the questions that every photographer will have in mind at some point in their image-making journey, and then answers them in a clear, concise, straightforward and inspirational manner. Laid out in intuitive sections, this book tackles the questions that are on every photographer’s mind, as well as those that they haven’t thought of yet. And with a clear progression through each chapter, from the simple to more complex, the book asks and answers questions to satisfy the complete novice as well as the advanced practitioner.

Enjoy!

Ted Talk Wednesday: Life Lessons Through Tinkering

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We have an inspiring Ted Talk for you today. Gever Tulley uses engaging photos and footage to demonstrate the valuable lessons kids learn at his Tinkering School. When given tools, materials and guidance, these young imaginations run wild and creative problem-solving takes over to build unique boats, bridges and even a roller coaster! It’s a short, but great talk.

The best books on photography

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While we are all staying safe at home, many of us have been working on our hobbies. At Booko HQ we really enjoy taking photos. Thankfully there are a number of great tools available online to help you take your photography skills to the next level. But if you are looking for a little more inspiration, or want to take some time to flick through an actual book then look no further. We have rounded up some of the greatest books on photography to inspire you. 

Studio Anywhere by Nick Fancher

What’s your definition of a photo studio? Is it a room with a white seamless backdrop? Maybe it’s simply anywhere you’re in control of the lighting. But the reality is that you may have an outdated DSLR with two decent lenses (which took you several years to save up for), and all you have at your disposal is an unfinished basement, your garage, or the empty conference room at your office. That’s where Studio Anywhere comes in. With photographer Nick Fancher as your guide, you’ll learn how to get portfolio-ready photos while working in some of the most problematic scenarios imaginable. Whether shooting a corporate portrait, a test shoot with a model, or a promo shoot with a band, you’ll discover that most of the time, there’s no need for an expensive studio, you just have to get creative. Studio Anywhere is a resource for photographers to learn through behind-the-scenes photos and lighting diagrams from a range of photo shoots but it doesn’t stop there. Because directing a photo shoot involves more than simply knowing how to wield a camera or process a raw file, Nick also lets you in on the aesthetic decisions he makes in his signature photos, inspiring you to develop your own vision.

Photographers on Photography by Henry Carroll

Think you know photography? Think again. Through a carefully curated selection of quotes and images, this book reveals what matters most to the masters of photography. With accompanying text by Henry Carroll, author of the internationally bestselling Read This If You Want To Take Great Photographs series, you’ll learn what photography actually means to the giants of the genres and how they developed their distinctive visual styles. Divided into clear sections, quotes offer intimate insights into “the camera”, “the photograph”, “taking pictures”, “style, subject matter and technique” and ultimately answer that all-important question-“what exactly is photography?”.

Zen Camera by David Ulrich

Zen Camera is a photography and mindfulness program that guides you to the creativity at your fingertips, literally, requiring nothing more than your smartphone or any other type of camera. Over the course of six lessons gleaned from the author’s 40 years of teaching photography, you’ll learn how to use the camera in your pocket to explore self-expression as a photographer and produce photographs that are both wildly beautiful and uniquely your own. Gorgeously illustrated with 60-75 full-colour photographs, David Ulrich’s lessons combine mindfulness principles with concrete exercises and the basic mechanics of taking a good photograph. He guides you through a program of taking photos every day (called your Daily Record), similar to a journaling practice. He also offers profound insight into the nature of seeing, art, and attention, pushing you to live more authentically.

The Social Photo by Nathan Jurgenson

With the rise of the smart phone and social media, cameras have become ubiquitous, infiltrating nearly every aspect of social life. The glowing camera screen is the lens by which many of us apprehend and communicate our experience. But our thinking about photography has been slow to catch up; this major fixture of everyday life is still often treated in the terms of art or journalism. In The Social Photo, social theorist Nathan Jurgenson develops bold new ways of understanding the transformations wrought by these image-making and sharing technologies and the cultural objects they have ushered in the selfie, the faux-vintage photo, the self-destructing image, and the food photo. Jurgenson shows how these devices and platforms have re-made the world and our understanding of ourselves within it.

Annie Leibovitz at Work by Annie Leibovitz

Leibovitz addresses young photographers and readers interested in what photographers do, but any reader interested in contemporary history will be fascinated by her account of one of the richest bodies of work in the photographic canon. The subjects include photojournalism, studio work, photographing dancers and athletes, working with writers, and making the transition from shooting with film to working with digital cameras. Originally published in 2008, this revised and updated edition brings Leibovitz’s bestselling book back into print.

Midlife by Elinor Carucci

From acclaimed photographer Elinor Carucci, Midlife is a vivid chronicle of one woman’s passage through aging, family, illness, and intimacy. It is a period in life that is universal, at some point, to everyone, yet in our day-to-day and cultural dialogue, nearly invisible. Midlife is a moving and empathetic portrait of an artist at the point in her life when inexorable change is more apparent than ever. Elinor Carucci, continues her immersive and close-up examination of her own life in this volume, portraying this moment in vibrant detail. As one of the most autobiographically rigorous photographers of her generation, Carucci recruits and revisits the same members of her family that we have seen since her work gained prominence two decades ago. Even as we observe telling details, graying hair, the pressures and joys of marriage, episodes of pronounced illness, the evolution of her aging parents’ roles as grandparents, her children’s increasing independence, we are invited to reflect on the experiences that we all share contending with the challenges of life, love, and change.

Enjoy!