Author: Philippe L. Gross, S.I. Shapiro

Rating: 10/10

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I don't think there is a single book out there that influenced my photography as much as the "The Tao of Photography" did.

This book was first recommended to me by a friend when I was just giving my proverbial "first steps" in the world of art and photography. It was a timely and important recommendation. This is not a book that will change your technical understanding of the medium in any way. The text may actually steer you away from dwelling over those technicalities and rather focus your energy on what is important: your photos, your style and the world around you. The author takes a very philosophical approach to the art and tries to link it to the ancient Taoist teachings. The fundamental idea is to be "in tune" with the world around you, to let the photos come to you rather then seek them. The photographs that accompany the text are also exceptional... an "eye opener", literally. The authors' own photographs are rather good and are generously supplemented with classical photos from influential photographers such as Cartier-Bresson, Edward Weston and many others. If you are looking for f/stops and Photoshop techniques, this is not the book for you. But if you reached the point where you want to go beyond the obvious cliche' photograph and are looking for new directions, this book may just help you turn the corner. It did for me.

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