One of my favorite photographers is Bruce Barnbaum. I can stare at his images for a really long time, and his compositions are on a level I can only hope to someday achieve.
Here’s the other cool thing about Bruce Barnbaum: he’s a phenomenal writer. His most famous book, The Art of Photography, has been a defining work for the way I approach and understand the art form. So I wanted to take a second and hit a couple of the main reasons why you might want to read this book.
I should get something out of the way up front. Bruce Barnbaum has been shooting for a long time. Long before digital made its way onto the scene in any kind of meaningful way. I think he mentions that he dabbles with digital a bit now, but he’s primarily a large format film shooter these days as far as I know. Which means his book is heavy on film terminology.
The good news is, if you want to shoot film, this is a plus! His chapters on darkroom work and technique are fabulous and inspiring.
If you’re shooting purely digital right now, fear not. The majority of the book is applicable to any kind of imaging technology, and even a lot of the film-specific stuff he talks about translates well to digital photography.
Which brings me to my first point:
Mr. Barnbaum starts off with what I consider to be a crucial mental exercise, where you take some time and seriously figure out what motivates you to take photos. Obviously this exercise doesn’t change based on which medium you’re shooting on. It’s not necessarily easy, but once I figured out my motivation for taking photos, I found that it informed everything I ever did in photography from that point forward in a meaningful way. If that chapter comprised the entirety of the book, it would be worth every penny of the full price.
The other huge highlight in the book is his chapters on composition. Never have I found anyone who has more clearly articulated composition. He very quickly brushes aside what I had spent years using as the foundation for my understanding of composition, and that was “rules.” The rule of thirds. The golden ratio. Leading lines. Triangles.
No, he describes composition as a visual language. Like any language, it’s not as simple as sticking to a short list of inflexible rules. But there are patterns. Vertical lines often convey a sense of strength or security, but can also be calm and peaceful. Horizontal lines can make a scene feel serene or stagnant. Diagonal lines tend to feel more chaotic or dynamic. Bright or contrasting areas draw the eye. An imbalanced distribution of elements in the frame can create a feeling of discomfort. And you can exploit these patterns to help convey the message you’re trying to convey with your photograph.
These chapters go in-depth on many of the ways composition can help communicate ideas. They’re worth their weight in gold.
I try to make it a point to re-read this book at least once a year. It’s not very long, and it’s packed full of information just begging to be implemented.
If you haven’t read this book and would like to, check your local library, or get a copy on Amazon or eBay. Looks like it’s going new for $40 new, or way less used.
Do you have a book that had a huge impact on your photography? Let me know in the comments!