The Passionate Photographer: Ten Steps Toward Becoming Great (Voices That Matter)

If this book had been entitled, "The Passionate Digital Photographer" I'd have no gripe. I would not have paid money for the book, but I might have borrowed it from the library and gotten what I could from it. It is well written, and the great majority of those who read this book will enjoy it and gain much from Simon's experience. But there are tens of thousands of passionate photographers out there who shoot with both digital and film cameras, who take pride in crafting traditional darkroom fine art prints, and who are looking for guidance in becoming great photographers. For me, as one of that kind of passionate photographer, "The Passionate Photographer" felt like a punch below the belt.Simon has written a book which takes as a given that film died at least a decade ago (he took up digital photography in 2001) and simply and incontrovertibly has no more than historical relevance for serious photographers today. "Back in the days of film . . ." is a phrase he repeats more than once in the book, on the few occasions he references film photography at all. At one point he declares, for instance, "Great images are great images. It doesn't matter if they were taken with an iPhone, a medium-format digital camera, a DSLR, or a pinhole camera." Why not say "medium-format camera" instead of specifying the digital medium-format camera? Contemporary film photography is slighted consistently throughout the book, as if Simon cannot take that medium seriously in this day and age. His entire treatment of black and white photography, a form in which traditional photography still resists the digital revolution successfully, fits on a single page of his nearly 250 page book, and Simon writes only of the question of whether to "convert" your color digital capture to black and white. He does at least reference film here: "In the film days, you had to commit to photographing in black and white while viewing the world in living color through your viewfinder." Yes, Mr. Simon, I can still remember doing that. This morning.His rare mentions of straight film photography are consistently in past tense, sepia-toned. His reference to a pinhole camera in my earlier quote is just an example of his willingness to acknowledge "lomography", an emerging genre of artistic film images created by toy or lens-less cameras. It is the only sort of contemporary film photography he recognizes in this book.A great deal of what Simon imparts is as applicable to film photography as it is to digital image making. It should also dawn on the reader of the book that almost everything Simon learned about photography, and that he is teaching in this book, he learned with a film camera in his hands. A lot of examples, like his terrific image of a tornado in 1987, were shot on film. Certainly a book which purports to be for passionate photographers who want to become great photographers should respect those who still use film in that endeavor. What a pity it is this book treats today's film photographers like we no longer exist, like the art we put so much of our soul into has become quaint and unimportant.

This is NOT a beginners photography book. I suppose some pros could consider it a beginner's book looking at it from the aspect that it's a great book to read if you are just starting a career in photography or nearing the completion of your studies. However, there are no in depth discussions on the effects of aperture, shutter speed and ISO. There is no discussion about what the buttons on your camera do and there is only brief discussion on traditional compositional techniques (e.g. the rule of thirds). The author assumes you know these things and you should before reading this book.If you feel you have a good technical and creative grasp of photography but that your knowledge somehow isn't making it from your brain to your eye to your final photos, then I think you'll enjoy this book. The author breaks down ten easy to understand steps to improve your photography. These aren't just quick little tips or tricks, this is a veteran photographer who has gone through the growing pains selflessly giving you the knowledge he's picked up through his experiences. It's the closest you can come to spending a few hours learning from a professional without paying a ton of money for a workshop.Typically intermediate photography books have taken me about 6 weeks to read. Not because I'm a slow reader but because I've found them lacking or felt the authors holding back knowledge and I've had to force myself to finish when I really didn't want to continue. This is undoubtedly the best photography book I've ever read. The highest compliment I can pay it is that it took me less than a week to read it from cover to cover.

This book is unique. Most how-to books teach specific skills. In "The Passionate Photographer", Steve Simon, instead, covers the learning process itself. His 10 steps address ways to practice photography. Yes, some are skill based, but most cover methods relating to practice and attitudes.It takes practice to get good at anything. But practice needs to be done with attention and intention to effective. Just going out and shooting 10,000 frames won't make us good. With the super fast burst modes that modern cameras offer, a determined photographer, with enough batteries and memory cards, could shoot that many photos in a single day. That wouldn't be attentive practice, though. Steve Simon offers a very well though out method of approaching practice, one that aligns with the latest learning process theories.The method isn't rigid or cookie-cutter. It allows plenty of room for personal goals and vision. It also gives us permission to go out and make terrible photographs. Indeed, Simon encourages us to do so. If we don't fail, we haven't pushed beyond the comfort zone of routine. There are also specific recommendations for dealing with common fears like shyness and the inevitable flat spots of inspiration.If you want to become a better photographer, there is no other book that covers this material in as concise and thorough a manner. It's a bonus that the writing is easy to read, conversational and well thought out. It doesn't hurt that the book is filled with excellent photos either. I couldn't recommend it more highly.

I very much enjoyed reading this book and found the tips useful and practical. The format of the book is to base each chapter around a "step" towards becoming a better photographer, with the format of introducing what you need to do and giving a rationale for why this will increase your skill level. I liked the way it was written, and considered the advice to be very sound, and in most cases not just a repetition of what most people know anyway or a regurgitation of the contents of a hundred other books. I am quite happy to recommend it. It may not make you a great photographer, but for most people it will make you better.

Thi,s is not a book for learning how to use a digital camera, there are many of those, this is a book for those - like me- who want to improve their picture making and maybe with luck move up to the next stage. I must confess I have not yet finished the book, but the advice that I have read already seems to be both useful and well worth the purchase price. Definitely recommended for those who want to improve !

Move your photography projects up a notch or two by getting hold of this book. A breakdown in ten chapters of how to professionalise your photography projects. Excellent examples of topics with plenty of illustrations.Steve Simon is a master of storytelling through imagery and he has shared his wealth of experience here. Worth every penny (or cent)

If there be a philosophy of photography, then this book introduces you to it. Very well written and inspirational. The author has delved deep into his own mind to uncover his philosophy.

Really impressive book that I would highly recommend for anyone who enjoys photography