The Essence of Photography: Seeing and Creativity

In this fully revised and greatly expanded second edition of The Essence of Photography, world-renowned photographer and teacher Bruce Barnbaum draws upon 50 years of experience and observation to teach the art of photographic seeing and creativity.

There is a lot more to photography than simply picking up a camera, pointing it toward something, and tripping the shutter. Achieving a great photograph requires thought and preparation, an understanding of the photographic process, and a firm grasp of how light and composition affect a photo. There must be personal involvement and personal expression. There must be experimentation, with the recognition that only a small percentage of experiments end successfully.

In this revised and expanded second edition of The Essence of Photography, best-selling author and world-renowned photographer and teacher Bruce Barnbaum explores these seldom-discussed issues by drawing upon his personal experiences and observations from 50 years of photographing and teaching. In addition to photographs, Bruce also uses painting, music, and writing, as well as the sciences and even business, to provide pertinent examples of creative thinking. These examples serve as stepping stones that will lead you to your own heightened ability to see and be creative.

Creativity is a topic that is almost wholly ignored in formal education because most instructors think that it cannot be taught or learned. To the contrary, Bruce has proven that photographic seeing and creativity can be taught, learned, and improved. This book expands on the ideas that are central to Bruce’s method of teaching photography, which he has used in workshops for the past 50 years.

Included in the book are in-depth discussions on the following topics:

•Defining your own unique rhythm and approach as a photographer

•How to translate the scene in front of you to the final photograph

•The differences and similarities between how an amateur and a professional approach photography

•The differences between realism and abstraction, and the possibilities and limitations of each

•Learning to expand your own seeing and creativity through classes, workshops, and associating with other photographers

•Why the rules of composition should be ignored

•How to follow your passion

•When to listen to the critics and when to ignore them

The book is richly illustrated with well over 100 photographs taken by Bruce as well as other photographers.

Seeing and creativity are difficult to teach, but not impossible. This very different, perhaps groundbreaking book is sure to inspire photographers of all skill levels—from beginners to seasoned professionals—to think deeply about the issues involved in creating successful photographs.

Bruce Barnbaum, of Granite Falls, WA, began photography as a hobbyist in the 1960s, and after five decades, it is still his hobby. Photography has also been his life’s work for the past 50 years.

Bruce’s educational background includes Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in mathematics from UCLA. After working for several years as a mathematical analyst and computer programmer for missile guidance systems, he abruptly left the field and turned to photography.

Bruce is recognized as one of the finest darkroom printers on this planet for his exceptional black-and-white work. He understands light to an extent rarely found and combines this understanding with mastery of composition, applying his knowledge to an extraordinarily wide range of subject matter.

Bruce has authored several books that have become classics. The first edition of The Art of Photography: An Approach to Personal Expression was released in 2010 by Rocky Nook. After having sold over 100,000 copies, it is now in its revised second edition. This book became an instant bestseller and is sure to remain a classic for years to come.

The Essence of Photography, released in 2015, is now in its second printing. This non-technical book delves deeply into the heart of turning photography from an instrument of recording images to one of making artistic personal statements; progressing from the scene you encountered, to how you feel about the scene you encountered, and then onto how to express that feeling to others.

Bruce’s two Tone Poems books are a collaboration of photography and accompanying music. On musical CDs packaged with each book, pianist Judith Cohen—performing solos as well as with other musicians in duets and trios—matches the mood of the imagery found in each book with carefully chosen classical music. Book 1 contains 90 black-and-white images; Book 2 delivers another 91 images. These books, which were magnificently printed in Italy, come in large 12?x12? format.

Bruce’s Plateaus and Canyons is an all-color book that displays the wonders of the Colorado Plateau of Northern Arizona and Southern Utah with its varied plateaus, canyons, and unique slit canyons.

Bruce has been an active environmental advocate for five decades, both independently and through his involvement and leadership with organizations such as the Sierra Club, the National Audubon Society, the Mountain Loop Conservancy, Futurewise, and the North Cascades Conservation Council.