"Photographing the World Around You" - My favorite photography book so far

One of my fondest passions is photography.  If you happen to be like me, then you probably also spend countless hours browsing the internet for tips that will help you achieve the awesome images you know you are capable of producing but that for some reason rarely make it to your memory card.  I am going to give you the great tip you've been waiting for and that is read an awesome photography book and put the knowledge into practice right away.  No, don't discard my tip right away!  It works if you pick the right book.

I happen to have found a jewel at my university library and to my delight the author is a Canadian fella.
Photographing the World Around You by Freeman Patterson is by far my favorite book about photography!  It is not the newest book and it doesn't give you a recipe of tips that will magically improve your skills.  But it teaches you the "building blocks of visual design", like the the author puts it.  You know a photography book is good when you look forward to reading it and the pictures are there to give you that aha! moment.  I'm pretty sure you'll agree with me after you read it.  Because what is better than to truly understand what makes a photograph visually striking so that your creativity is focused on what you want to show rather that on how you are going to do it.

I can't wait to put my hands on all the other books he has published.  Just thinking of all the awesome pictures I will get in this very photogenic land gives me butterflies in my stomach!


If you want to know more about Freeman Patterson or buy his books his webpage is here.

I love this picture I took of my husband at Cultus Lake, BC.  I think it has good rhythm and a nice texture going on.  I wonder if Mr. Patterson would agree.