I love books, all types of books, fiction, self-help, history and my favorite – photography books. I love reading about how other photographers work, their style, what equipment they’re using and how they handle difficult assignments. My recent purchase and quickly becoming a dog-eared classic is by Joe McNally and The Moment it Clicks.
What I really enjoy about this book is the simplistic manner in which Joe approaches and explains each assignment. With each photo assignment you’ll see a detailed explanation of how Joe got the shot. This explanation includes his choice of lighting, camera, lens and other unique elements that went into making the image happen. Joe also shares a story, often humorous, detailing his preparation and in some cases, the background of the assignment. And with each story is a unique quote from Joe. These quotes, such as “Never underestimate the floor as a light source” are valuable nuggets of information and a really unique approach to common photography challenges.
Finally, I won’t lie. I’m really excited about the opportunity to have my book personally signed by Joe when I attend his workshop in Santa Fe, New Mexico the last week of February. I was looking forward to bringing out his latest book, The Hot Shoe Diaries: Creative Applications of Small Flashes but it’s not due out until March. I’ll share more on my experience at the workshops in future postings. Happy reading!
