book review

Alex Webb & Rebecca Norris Webb. On Street Photography and the Poetic Image (Part 2)

This is part two of my review on Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb, ‘On Street Photography and the Poetic Image‘.

For part one, click here.

Alex Webb & Rebecca Norris Webb. On Street Photography and the Poetic Image (Part 1)

Aperture have released a book collection called ‘The Photography Workshop Series‘ and currently have four in that set. I recently bought the co-authored one from Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb, ‘On Street Photography and the Poetic Image‘. As Alex is one of my favourite photographers, I wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to gain knowledge and guidance from such a great photographer. Especially as it’s unlikely that I’m going to get the chance to meet him in person, and what better alternative than with a book.

Book Review: The Decisive Moment by Henri Cartier-Bresson

“A bible for photographers” – Clement Cheroux

Wow— where do I even begin? I would say that “The Decisive Moment” by Cartier-Bresson is one of the most beautiful photo books I have ever handled— and it is a book that brings me extreme joy and happiness (you can see all the photos from the book for free on the MagnumPhotos website here).

Sure I have seen many of these photos by Cartier-Bresson before, but to see them in a physical manifestation is a different experience. Not only that, but the original version of “The Decisive Moment” was nearly impossible to get (second-hand copies before the reprint were around $1000+). However now with this re-print by Steidl, “The Decisive Moment” is now open to everybody.

Book Review: “The Suffering of Light” by Alex Webb

All photos copyrighted by Alex Webb / Magnum Photos. You can pick up a copy of “The Suffering of Light” on Amazon here.

After my month-long trip abroad in Stockholm, London, and Dubai I am finally (mostly) over my jet lag and have recovered at home. I’m sitting in my apartment and thinking to myself: what should I focus on for the blog?

I have thought about this a lot— and realized that 99% of the photography sites on the internet are gear-related. This includes news about the newest cameras, rumors about upcoming cameras, gear reviews, lens sharpness testing (taking photos of brick walls, and seeing how sharp the edges are).

Book Review: “Capitolio” by Christopher Anderson, Magnum Photographer

One of the mottos that I have is “Buy Books, Not Gear“. Why? While buying gear is important in photography, the best “bang-for-the-buck” way to improve your photography is to buy lots of photography books to improve your photographic vision and insight. Many of us (including myself) can get sucked into “gear-porn” and worry too much about the equipment, rather than gaining inspiration and creating art.

For this week, I wanted to review “Capitolio” by Magnum photographer Christopher Anderson.

I picked up my copy of Capitolio via the iPad in the iTunes bookstore after being recommended by my buddy Bill Reeves. The word “Capitolio” refers to the domed building that houses a government. For example in Washington D.C., the Capitolio is set on top of Capitol Hill. For this book, Christopher Anderson set out to Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela.