Visual Poetry: A Creative Guide for Making Engaging Digital Photographs
Product DescriptionA great photograph has the potential to transcend verbal and written language. But how do you create these photographs? It’s not the how that’s important, but the who and the what. Who you are as a person has a direct impact on what you capture as a photographer. Whether you are an amateur or professional, architect or acupuncturist, physician or photographer, this guide provides inspiration, simple techniques, and assignments to boost your creative proce. . . More >>
Visual Poetry: A Creative Guide for Making Engaging Digital Photographs
December 10th, 2009 at 5:38 am
This book is a rehash of the what’s, how’s and a bit of why’s of photography. And a not very compelling one.
I sense the big star givers are buddies of the author. . .
There are so many other photography books out there that cover the same ground more succinctly and compellingly as part of a book that offers more photography know-how, value-add insights & visual delight (at lower price points). One alternative to consider: “Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision” by David deChemin.
Look elsewhere. Save your money on this one.
Rating: 1 / 5
December 10th, 2009 at 7:10 am
With a title like “Visual Poetry” and a promise of “a creative guide for making engaging digital photographs”, this book sounds irresistible. Who doesn’t want to find more creativity, in photography or otherwise?
The book starts with general discussion and inspirational messages about poetry, creativity, vision, and even a little technique. Having laid this foundation Orwig then examines a number of different genres, although his taxonomy is a little unusual: portraits; kids and families; wedding bells; travel; action and the great outdoors; and found objects and subjects. The genre chapters start with inspirational messages, then give so called “practical tips”, suggest “gear at a glance” and then provide workshop assignments. The final book part discusses equipment (don’t get hung up on it) and becoming a professional (persevere). Each chapter ends with a few interviews with famous and some less famous great photographers including Joyce Tenneson, Steve McCurry and Ralph Clevenger.
To me, the workshop assignments are the best part of the book. They include surveying the work of photographers in books and on line, photography assignments and encouragement to share your images, including posting them on a book-related flickr site. My own experience tells me that if you can bend your will to do the assignments, your photography will improve. I say bend your will because most of us will be reluctant to, for example, approach strangers and ask to take their pictures.
The interviews asked the same questions of all the photographers, e. g. , “what inspires you?” What the answers show is that professional photographers have many different views, but that most believe that to succeed one has to persevere.
It was Orwig’s inspirational messages that most put me off, even though many of them are good advice. They usually took the form of a message of from one third of a page to several pages, wrapped around a tip, telling us to do something, like dare to be different. I don’t mean to be uncharitable, but they often reminded me of those posters that show some animal battling nature with a phrase like “fortitude” underneath, or half-time speeches from a high school coach. As I read one after another, I felt that the messages would be better off on one of those daily tear-off calendars with a different message every day.
Developing creativity is hard. You have to find it deep in you, and bring it to the surface. Another recent book by the same publisher, “Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision” by David DuChemin, was far more successful in helping me to mine my creativity. Still, just as there are many paths to photographic success, there are many paths to releasing our creativity. If short inspirational messages work for you, this book may help.
Rating: 4 / 5
December 10th, 2009 at 8:48 am
I will be honest, I am not all the way through the book yet. So far I really am seeing things in a whole new light. Chris Orwig is a gifted individual.
and yes. a lot of us know him.
If you knew him you would buy his book to. trust me.
Aj Brown
Rating: 5 / 5
December 10th, 2009 at 9:27 am
The great thing about Chris Orwig is not only the technical training he provides in his books, or at [. . . ], it is the perspective he holds towards life as a whole. Visual Poetry is about being who you were born to be and letting it come out in your photography.
Rating: 5 / 5
December 10th, 2009 at 11:46 am
The book is written by a photography teacher and the intended audience is the passionate student:. “It is written for those who are interested in going against the grain and who believe in effort pays off. It is written for those who are willing to grow and change”.
I can imagine that for a student say age 15 to 25 with limited life experience and maybe even those approaching middle age before reflecting on life, the message in the first part of the book about the importance of commitment, involvement and living your life in accordance with your dreams will hit its mark. I enjoyed spinning through these chapter and especially the quotes from various famous and accomplished persons are worth the read.
The above is no simple goal in itself. However, the introduction continues: ” And most of all, it is written for those who are enamored with photography, and who want to learn how to create the most compelling and engaging photographs of their lives. ” The book is far weaker in achieving this goal. There are ample variation of the mantras from the first part of the book for each of the themes: Portrait, kids and family, weddings, travel, action and outdoors and finally found objects and subjects. However, the book gives few clues of the necessary skills or aesthetical elements for achieving this goal. In my view David duChemin’s book “Within the Frame” succeeds much better at this Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision.
I have to admit I am not particularly drawn to the authors images. Perhaps, partly due to the quality of printing which is dull with colors lacking vibrancy. Books on photography generally demand a certain quality of printing to catch the eye.
The book is somewhat difficult to rate. Altogether the book seems very overrated and in it’s present form it is not one I want to recommend so I end up giving it one star.
Rating: 1 / 5