Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1
This chapter served to explain the overall history of photography. It began talking about Louis Daguerre and the early daguerrotype photography style and progressed to discussing the different types of film and how they have evolved over time. It also explained some of the archaic methods used for photo manipulation before the time digital imaging. This chapter demonstrates the philosophies behind taking photos over the course of this mediums lifespan.

Chapter 2
In this chapter I think that the biggest focus of the author was to describe how to take a photo with successful composition. The framing of a good composition is one of the most important and yet, basic aspects of photography. The chapter went on to illustrate the idea of the “Golden Means,” which promoted the idea of taking photos with the idea of thirds in the compositional set up. It explained that often times this method produced successful photos and echoed the idea of the perfect proportions.

Chapter 3
In this reading the inner, mechanical workings of the camera were discussed. The physical process of capturing light was described and followed its way through the rest of the physical photo making process. This reading also explained how shutter speed and aperature functioned, which I had no idea about before. This demonstrated how you can adjust the amount of light let in to the camera to get a successful picture for a specific lighting situation. It also explained how to adjust the shutter speed to capture subjects in motion.

Chapter 4
This reading further explains some of the technical aspects to taking photos. In particular it discusses the use of lens filters and light meters in photography in order to take superior photos. Thinking about exposure in photos is an important facet it deciding how to light the subject, given each idiosyncratic lighting situation, plays a paramount role in how to take a successful photo. This chapter stresses that idea in full, focusing on taking photos that rely less on post-production correction methods.

Chapter 5
I found this nice quote about light that reminds me of chapter 5. “There are two types of light: the glow that illuminates and the glare that obscures.” –James Thurber. I think that this describes the message of this chapter…the only difference is that this chapter references many more than two types of light. Different seasonal and day light times affect the photos you produce and continually change the different settings you have at your access on the camera. Although it can never be perfect, the dedicated photographer works with the light he or she is given.

Chapter 6
I found this reading to be my favorite among the chapters of the book. It shows the difference between scientific methodology and the artistic process as a means to create a product. What the author aims to illustrate is that unlike a rigid, structured formula to create something, art instead has no direct process to successful work. It relies instead on the intangible and the felt.

Chapter 8
This chapter discusses the different ways to save digital image files. The text describes how to adjust the DPI and PPI for both printing and online digital imaging, and the differences in sharing your photos giving different levels of resolution. This chapter also describes the various methods of digital manipulation that can be used with applications like photoshop.

Chapter 9
This chapter focuses on the final stages of photography and its ability to present photos as finished products in various ways. I think that this is important note to hit upon because presentation of photographs can sometimes be just as influential to viewers as the photos themselves. It describes the many ways of mounting a photo, and gives example of the types of paper that preserve for many years. These are all essential technical aspects to producing a physical photo that should not go unknown by even the novice photographer.

Chapter 10
In this reading the author presents the idea of using different camera angles to enhance the compositions of your photos. In doing this you learn to view your subject in new and visually stimulating ways. Although the viewfinder does limit the area to which you can see, it also creates a rectangular space in which contain only what you want inside it. There is no peripheral vision, nothing to distract you from what you are looking at besides what is there.

Chapter 11
This Chapter focuses on looking at your body of work as a whole and thinking about its implications before shooting. I am on the fence with this one. I am largely in favor shooting with spontenaety and letting the situational theme of my work come from what is naturally occurring. This reading goes on to mention how this type of pre shooting planning can shape the outcome of your work. It promotes a sense of research into the subject before taking photos of it. I find this to be an important factor in my own work. I feel that the more overall knowledge you have about a subject, the more of a connection you are able to have with it, thus producing better work.