The
Art of Photography 2nd Edition
A Personal Approach to Artistic Expression
Book Description This is an updated and newly revised edition of the classic book The Art of Photography: An Approach to Personal Expression. Originally published in 1994 and first revised in 2010, The Art of Photography has sold well over 100,000 copies and has firmly established itself as the most readable, understandable, and complete textbook on photography. Featuring nearly 200 beautiful photographs in both black-and-white and color, as well as numerous charts, graphs, and tables, this book presents the world of photography to beginner, intermediate, and advanced photographers who seek to make a personal statement through the medium of photography. Without talking down to anyone or talking over anyone’s head, renowned photographer, teacher, and author Bruce Barnbaum presents how-to techniques for both traditional and digital approaches. In this newest edition of the book, Barnbaum has included many new images and has completely revised the text, with particular focus on two crucial chapters covering digital photography: he revised a chapter covering the digital zone system, and includes a brand-new chapter on image adjustments using digital tools. There is also a new chapter discussing the concepts of “art versus technique” and “traditional versus digital” approaches to photography. Throughout the book, Barnbaum goes well beyond the technical as he delves deeply into the philosophical, expressive, and creative aspects of photography so often avoided in other books. Barnbaum is recognized as one of the world’s finest landscape and architectural photographers, and for decades has been considered one of the best instructors in the field of photography. This latest incarnation of his textbook—which has evolved, grown, and been refined over the past 45 years—will prove to be an ongoing, invaluable photographic reference for years to come. It is truly the resource of choice for the thinking photographer.
Topics include: • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Elements of Composition Visualization Light and Color Filters Black-and-White The Digital Zone System The Zone System for Film Printing and Presentation Exploding Photographic Myths Artistic Integrity Realism, Abstraction, and Art Creativity and Intuition A Personal Philosophy And much, much more…
Table of Contents Acknowledgements 1. Communication Through Photograph Enthusiasm Judging Your Own Personal Response
2. What Is Composition? How the Human Eye Sees Unified Thought Simplicity Expressing Your Own Point of View Simplicity vs. Complexity
3. Elements of Composition Contrast and Tone Line Form Line, Form, Contrast, and Emotion Pattern Balance Movement Positive/ Negative Space Texture Camera Position Focal Length of Lens and Cropping Depth of Field Shutter Speed Relationships Involvement with the Scene Rules, Formulas, and Other Problems and Pitfalls
4. Visualization Step 1: Photographic Looking and Seeing Step 2: Composing an Image Step 3: Envisioning the Final Image Step 4: Suggested Procedures for Those Having Trouble Envisioning a Final Image Step 5: Planning a Strategy for a Final Image How Your Eye Differs from Your Camera Alternative Approaches
Table of Contents Con’t. 5. Light Looking at Light Exercises in Learning to See Light More Accurately Light Determines Form Types of Lighting/Quality of Light Light as Seen by the Eye and by Film or Sensors, and the Inverse Square Law
6. Color The Color Wheel and Color Sphere Color Composition Color Families, Color Contrast, and Their Emotional Effects Subjectivity and Mood of Color Working with Color Digitally Working with Color Traditionally In Summary
7. Filters Black-and-White Filters for Film Examples with a Hypothetical Landscape Contrast Control with Filters Infrared Film and Filters Color Correction Filters for Traditional Film Imagery Neutral Density and Polarizing Filters Problems Associated with Polarizers Digital Polarizing Filter Digital Black-and-White Filtration Digital Color Filtration
8. The Zone System of Exposure for Black-and-White Film A Brief Overview Film’s Response to Light: Building the Zone System Translating Negative Densities to Print Tonalities The Light Meter—How It Works Review of Negative Exposure Procedure Using the Zone System to Depart from Reality The Zone System for Color Negatives The Zone System and the Inverse Square Law In Summary
9. Contrast Control and the Extended Zone System for Black-and-White Negatives Chapter 9 Overview The Negative During Development The Bellows Analogy Putting Higher Zones to Work Reciprocity Failure Examples of Decreasing and Increasing Contrast The Exposure/Density Curve and Zone 4 Shadow Placement Differences Between Photography and Sensitometry: Texture vs. Tone and Zone 4 Shadow Placement Developing the Exposed Negative Explanation of Compensating Development Two-Solution Compensating Development for Negatives Development Procedures for Sheet Film and Roll Film The Zone System and Roll Film Negative Materials and Developers
10. The Print Black-and-White Enlarging Papers Variable Contrast vs. Graded Papers Fiber Base Papers vs. Resin Coated (RC) Papers Black-and-White Paper Developers Making Contact Proof Prints Preliminary Work Toward a Final Print Make Test Prints, Not Test Strips Dodging and Burning Integrating the Entire Process: Visualization, Exposure, Development, and Printing Burning with Variable Contrast Papers Advanced Darkroom Techniques Inspection, Evaluation, and the Myth of “Dry-Down” Potassium Ferricyanide Reducing (Bleaching) Final Fixing of the Image Local vs. Overall Contrast Control Scale Selenium Toning Prints Other Toners
Chemical Coloration Full Archival Processing of Prints Toning, Intensifying, and Reducing Negatives Cold, Neutral, and Warm Tone Papers Review of Contrast Controls Infinite Contrast Control for Black-and-White after Negative Development Color Printing The Final Product Is What Matters Scanning from Film
11. The Digital Zone System Basics of Digital Exposure The Sensor’s Useful Brightness Range Translating Theory to Excellent Digital Exposures The Histogram—The Heart of the Digital Zone System The RAW Converter—Processing the RAW Exposure High Dynamic Range Images—The Extended Zone System for Digital Photography Converting Digital Color Exposures to Black-and- White Panoramas and Other Image Combinations
12. Image Adjustments—Using the Digital Tools The ACR Tool Chest ACR Summary The Photoshop Tool Chest Closing Thoughts
15. Presentation Dry Mounting Prints Making Positioning Guides for Print Placement Spotting, Etching, and Correction of Defects Print Finishing
16. Photographic Realism, Abstraction, and Art Photography as Fine Art Photography and Painting—Their Mutual Influence Some Personal Examples The Strength of Abstraction Inwardly and Outwardly Directed Questions The Power of Photography
17. Approaching Creativity Intuitively Intuition in Science Avoiding Intuition Understanding and Misunderstanding Intuition Examples of the Intuitive Approach Applying Intuition to Your Photography Conclusion
18. Toward a Personal Philosophy Flexibility Visual Arts Nonvisual Arts Expanding and Defining Your Interests Limitations of Photography Developing a Personal Style Self-Critique, Interaction, and Study
APPENDIX 1 13. Traditional, Digital, Art and Technique Art, Technique, and Their Importance Choosing Digital or Traditional Some Closing Thoughts
14. Exploding Photographic Myths
Testing Materials and Equipment for Traditional Photography
APPENDIX 2 Enlarger Light Sources Index
Sample Spreads
The Art of Photography is a must-have book for any photographer, whether starting out or veteran. It certainly is a must for photographers who have never shot with film. The book discusses everything there is to know, from technical to art related. …[It] is a book that makes you think. …every serious photographer who isn’t afraid to question his own skills should buy and read this book. ~Erik Vleitnch, IT Enquirer
The reader, whether a beginning film photographer, a digital photographer, or an advanced photographer who has begun the intense analysis of their work in their attempt to move from technical competence to truly artistic vision, will find something of value in this volume. I found it a seriously interesting read with parts I kept returning to after some thought on the processes discussed. ~Michael N. Roach, DigitalAppleJuice.com
Bruce Barnbaum’s The Art of Photogrpahy is the best book I’ve read in over 40 years of reading about photography. Bruce Barnbaum goes further and deeper into explaining the intangibles that make a great photograph than anyone else ever has. If you want to learn how to create powerful photographs instead of just snapping away and hoping something turns out later in your computer, this is the one book you must read. …It is the best book for people willing to invest the time and effort demanded to create brilliant photographs. ~Ken Rockwell
If you would like to find a book that will take you into a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of what makes for a great photograph then this book does that and more. ~Lloyd M. Bentsen, Amazon.com
Excellent resource. …This is by far and away one of the best books on working through the thought process of “how to see” a photograph. Everything from what makes a pleasing image, to shape, and color is very well thought out, well presented, and makes some great comparisons with photos from the author’s works. ~Russell Miller, Amazon.com