Visual Toolbox, The: 60 Lessons for Stronger Photographs

The Visual Toolbox: 60 Lessons for Stronger Photographs is author David duChemin's conception of a "curriculum" for the first year of a photography school that doesn't exist, but could. It's what he calls "the bones"-a year's worth of lessons and assignments for photographers who want to do more than just master their cameras; it's for those who want to create photographs. It's for photographers who are stuck and for those having a hard time making it an aesthetic art and not merely a technical craft. The book is targeted at any aspiring, hobbyist, or pro photographer who can benefit from sitting with a photographer and teacher who has learned-and is still learning-these lessons the hard way and wants others to benefit from them.

This book is not made up of magic bullets or quick tips, but if the reader studies the book's lessons and completes the assignments, he or she will become a stronger photographer faster than they would by just picking up a bunch of quick tips and platitudes out there in other books. With 60 short "micro chapter" lessons, where David pairs an explanation of the concept ("Learn to Isolate") with an active assignment for the reader to complete, every one of the lessons is a stepping stone to becoming more proficient with the tools of the photographic art, and the means by which the reader can create stronger experiences with their images. Some of these tools are the camera and lens, but many of them have to do with composition, balance, tension, and scale-the tools of the visual language itself-or with being present, perceptive, and learning to see. And they're all practical, get out there and do it kind of lessons, because in the end one doesn't truly improve her photography by only reading from a book, but from time spent making photographs. This book is a collection of 60 guided steps in that direction.

Auteur

DAVID DUCHEMIN is a world and humanitarian assignment photographer, best-selling author, and international workshop leader whose spirit of adventure fuels his fire to create and share. Based in Vancouver, Canada, David leads a nomadic life chasing compelling images on all seven continents. When on assignment, David creates powerful photographs that convey the hope and dignity of children, the vulnerable, and the oppressed for the international NGO community. When creating the art he so passionately shares, David strives to capture the beauty of the natural world. He’s done assignment work in Ecuador, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Ethiopia, Malawi, DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, and Bangladesh, among others, and pursued personal work in places like Iceland, Antarctica, Tunisia, Cuba, Vietnam, Kenya, and Italy. Learn more at davidduchemin.com.

Résumé

Simply having a certain camera or lens isn’t going to make you a better photographer. So, what will? Understanding your camera. Thinking differently. Studying photographs and knowing what they provoke in you, and why. Giving the craft time to grow. Looking to painters, designers, and others who work in two dimensions and learning from them. Relentlessly looking for light, lines, and moments. Making photographs–thousands and thousands of photographs. There’s no magic bullet to achieving success, but in these pages you will learn the value of studying, practice, and remembering that your most important assets as an artist are imagination, passion, patience, receptivity, curiosity, and a dogged refusal to follow the rules.

THE VISUAL TOOLBOX is photographer David duChemin’s curriculum for learning not just how to use a camera–but how to make stronger photographs. He has developed 60 lessons, each one a stepping stone to becoming more proficient with the tools of this art, and the means to create deeper visual experiences with your images. David introduces you to the technical side of the craft but quickly moves on to composition, the creative process, and the principles that have always been responsible for making great photographs; he shows you these principles and invites you to play with them, turn them on their heads, and try a different approach to create beautiful, compelling images with your camera.

• Features action-oriented micro-chapters designed to improve your photography immediately
• Includes explanations of 60 concepts with an assignment for nearly every chapter
• Covers such topics as balance, using negative space, exploring color contrast, waiting for the moment, learning to incorporate mood and motion, and much more

Contenu

¿ Master the Triangle

¿ Learn to Pan

¿ Explore Color Contrast

¿ Lines: Lead My Eye

¿ Learn to Sketch

¿ Light: Silhouettes

¿ Light: Reflections

¿ Moments: Timing

¿ Moments: Patience

¿ Use Negative Space

¿ Orientation of Frame

¿ Use Scale¿