The First Edition of The Essence of Photography won the German Photo book award for best educational book! Now comes that vastly expanded Second Edition of The Essence of Photography…Seeing and Creativity.

The new book expands the first edition from 8 chapters to 20 chapters, and is illustrated with 215 photographs, both color and black-and-white images, that bring to life the issues discussed throughout the book. The central issue is the necessary thinking that goes into making fine photographs. Not only will this book expand your critical thinking about photography, but it will serve as a wonderful art book, as well.

Photography is not simply a matter of aiming your camera at something and clicking the shutter. Fine photography is far more; it is a true art form. All art requires thought, and it is the thinking behind the photographs that is the heart of The Essence of Photography…Seeing and Creativity. The book draws on Bruce’s decades of experience in producing his own personal work, his years of producing commercial work, and his decades of teaching workshops to give you insights into how to produce a creative mindset ending up in producing truly good photographs. Picking up a camera and shooting does not make you a photographer any more than picking up a pencil and writing makes you a writer. You have to work at both, and this book helps you do it with photography.

When you say you “have a good eye” do you mean that you can recognize a beautiful scene (which virtually anyone can do), or do you mean you recognize exceptionally good lighting, good relationships of forms within the scene, particularly advantageous conditions, and so many other imponderables that can make a photograph something special? Do you recognize the difference between the scene in front of your eye and camera, and the image you can produce, using the scene as a starting point for your expression? This book explains the differences, and tells you how to go beyond “capturing the scene” to making your statement about how you feel about the scene.

The printed book is expected to be available March 16. You can order a personally signed copy directly from Bruce for $49.99 plus shipping. (Shipping is $15.00 within the USA, $50.00 (US dollars) to Canada and $90.00 elsewhere.) The personally signed book will be sent to you shortly after Bruce gets them in hand.

You can also order the book from the publisher, Rocky Nook, for the same price of $49.99. All you have to do to obtain a copy is to go to Rocky Nook's website at rockynook.com. You can get specific information about the 2nd edition of The Essence of Photography…Seeing and Creativity by linking to https://rockynook.com/shop/topics-and-techniques/landscape/the-essence-of-photography-2nd-edition/. You can also find general information about Rocky Nook’s eBook store (https://rockynook.com/eBook-store-faq/), as well as information about how to download eBook files for various devices (https://rockynook.com/eBook-download-how-to/).

An eBook version of this marvelous book is now available. The cost of the eBook is $39.99. You can also order both an eBook and a printed book from Rocky Nook for the low price of $59.99 for the pair (plus shipping). (NOTE: Purchase of the eBook, either by itself or together with the printed book, requires acceptance of the purchase agreement, which is available only through the publisher, not through Bruce.) If you purchase the pair, you will be charged for the eBook now—and you’ll get it immediately—and will be charged for the remainder when the printed book is sent to you.)

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To Order Now: 

You can order a personally signed copy of The Essence of Photography…Seeing and Creativity  for $49.95, plus shipping. Shipping is $15.00 anywhere in the USA and $50.00 (US dollars) to Canada. Beyond those two nations, shipping will cost $90.00 US dollars. Thus, the total cost is $64.95 within the USA, $99.95 ($US) to Canada, .and $139.95 to all other locations. Orders can be sent via this website: click “Add to Cart” and follow the directions.

Alternatively, if you choose not to pay via credit card, but by personal check, you can obtain a personally signed copy of The Essence of Photography…Seeing and Creativity by emailing Bruce at: barnbaum@aol.com or phone him at (360) 691-4105 to discuss direct purchase by personal check from him.  Or you can simply send a check by standard mail for the full amount to Bruce Barnbaum, with the check made out to Bruce Barnbaum and sent to:

BRUCE BARNBAUM
P.O.Box 1791
Granite Falls, WA 98252

Be sure to include your home or shipping address and your Email or phone contact info. And put a note about any requests of the signed copy together with your check (especially if it’s a gift for someone else).