Larry Fink on Composition and Improvisation: The Photography Workshop Series Paperback – Illustrated, May 31, 2014
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Larry Fink on Composition and Improvisation: The Photography Workshop Series Paperback – Illustrated, May 31, 2014

4.5/5
Product ID: 1791277
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4.5

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M**T

Fantastic book about photography, composition and vision. Highly recommended.

This is a delightful book in the Apeture workshop series written by one of the great masters of photography that can be appreciated by beginner and experienced photographers alike. Rather than spend a lot of time going over the "rules" of photographic composition, Larry Fink takes the reader down the road of the mindset, perspective, and passion that will help the reader make good photographs and develop into a better photographer. The examples and advice are drawn directly from his many decades of experience both as a photographer and teacher. Some might say this makes the book better suited to more advanced photographers but I think that it's of just as much value to those who are new to photography. Highly recommended.

S**.

I was about to ignore this book...

I bought the book because I recently purchased a new camera and wanted to learn how to use it properly. Maybe it was because the cover was so un-interesting, I don't know, but it was a couple of weeks before I picked it up to read. I must say, I learned more in the two hours it took to read than any course I had ever taken. I guess I'am a visual learner, but I started to understand the various teachings and insights on photography composition - it truly was a workshop experience. A great book about a somewhat vague subject matter.

S**N

it would be best for all concerned if you sold your photography equipment ...

To be honest, if you can't appreciate Larry Fink's photography, it would be best for all concerned if you sold your photography equipment and took up playing the piano or perhaps dart making. The foundational mindset, the nugget of artistic spark, the compassion for all humanity, required to understand the true purpose of all this infernal shutter clicking is missing from your soul ;) Move along, there is nothing for you here. Perhaps take a selfie instead.

W**R

Highly Recommended - Full of Insights

I just finished reading this workshop book, and even after 50 years of photo / art work, I can say that I gained a number of insights from it, some profound. There are a few places in the work where you may say "Oh, come on", but in many others I think you will say "Wow". I highly recommend this book to people serious about their photography, from students to working pros. Enjoy!

G**3

I definitely recommend this book

I definitely recommend this book, if only for Fink's amazing photographs. His black and whites are masterpieces of composition, reflecting a deep connection and empathy with his subjects.As with this whole Aperture series, some disappointment is to be expected regarding the "workshop experience" aspect. There's nothing very practical or technical about the material here. I wouldn't even call it educational content.However, unlike other books in the series, what Fink has to say is insightful and tightly related to the images. Although very few shooting or post processing recommendations are given, he analyzes what is taking place inside his frames, sharing his precious experience about how to put patterns, shapes and symmetries at work at the service of the photographer's sensitivity.

A**R

I think most people who really love the act and process of making photographs

I think most people who really love the act and process of making photographs, especially street/snapshot photography will really enjoy this one.In fact, I have really enjoyed this entire series by Aperture and I recommend them to anyone who truly loves the medium.

M**Y

Five Stars

GREAT BOOK AND GREAT PURCHASE

Q**O

Not inspirational and can't see the merits of the author's compositional skills

I don't know about the author before purchasing this book, I purchased this along with the other one written by Alex Webb in the same workshop series, so I thought it would be a promising book for composition inspiration. After reading the first 30 pages, I realized this book was kind of a joke. But i told myself to continue as the author got his fame on this for reasons and I need to read more to understand that. Until the end of this book, I almost didn't find any really excellent photographs that deserve a thorough study. All of the photos inside are black and white, shot in photojournalistic style and quite a bunch were shot with flash. To me, a good candid or photojournalistic photo needs to have something that leads your eyes and keep them there, it may be some interesting light, some exotic juxtaposition, some decisive moments or something that you can smell out of it. But most of the author's works shown in the book are not that interesting at all, some of them have really flat or bad light, harsh flash illumination, poor crop of human bodies at the frame edge or corner as well as no real moments existed there. And the author's explanation in the excellence of his works are also confusing and not convincing. It looks like the author randomly made the incomplete crop or object inclusion when clicking the shutter, and then figured out some academic reasons or principles from nowhere to make these stuff sound like magic and then persuade you to follow and study.Examples like Page 26, the author emphasized the importance of the table edge at the bottom left corner of the frame, which brought out the 3D feel of the image. To me, it's like a redundant and incomplete composition, I would clone it out in PS without a second thought. If you want a 3D look, use the side lighting to shape your subject to bring out the texture of dimensionality instead of introducing unnecessary distractions into the frame, like the table here which has nothing to do with the central theme of the photo - the boxer. Other works like page 34, I even can't figure out what that image is talking about, what are the roles of those people and what are they doing. The author seemed to be quite proud about the compositional arrangements in this photo, but I can't find any interesting arrangements here, as well as no real moments can be discerned. It looks like a common snapshot, and if it is thrown onto the internet anonymously, I really doubt it will draw any attention from the public. Same thing for page 35 and a lot more pages in the book. At page 99, the author seemed to be quite excited to have a "lucky" photo, which to me is similar to a boring selfie photo bomb in today's instagram. The main subject the author trying to photograph is a black student, who situated in the center of the frame in big proportion, emotionlessly, disinterested and only god knows why the author thought he was interesting enough for him to click the shutter. The other two silhouette students at the right side talking to each other, also cluelessly and had no obvious business with the main character in the center. The background is another black boy's face bumped right out of the main character's head, which is a failed composition in any common sense, or at least nothing special in my mind. And now the highlight came from the boy at the left, who laughed and waved his hands hysterically, staring at the camera and the author (the photographer). So what is this image all about? I didn't see any good compositional or improvisational merits here. All I see is a common and random image taking phenomenon: You walked in a street and suddenly came across a beautiful lady, and then you quickly lifted your camera at the same time threw harsh flash light from your side on her face, only finding that the moment you clicked the shutter her daughter from behind was making a face towards you. Is this really a good photograph that worth your 2nd look? Is this a photo that deserved to be shown in a photo book or in a museum art exhibition? I doubt it, and I simply can't understand it.There are too many unconvincing ideas, instructions and explanations in this book, most of which is not practical or relevant to the title. I really can't figure out how the author got great fame or his senior academic positions in photography, which is also a big mystery to many of my professional photographer colleagues after my showing them the works and the words in this book. Maybe we are too "young" to understand the art, but if I can easily appreciate and learn from lots of the other admirable photographers' works such as those from Magnum Photos, I believe the author is simply incompetent in certain ways here.Since this book looks more or less a best seller in this category on Amazon so far, I seriously wonder if anyone who purchased this book had the similar doubts but can't or not dare to admit. Personally, I would strongly not recommend this book for educational purpose as it doesn't show you any usable or practical compositional knowledge and skills as well as not exhibit any great examples falling in this aspect. It may be a good purchase or inclusion for any fans of this author's works. I truly believe photographers such as Constantine Manos, Steve McCurry or Gueorgui Pinkhassov from Magnum Photos are more suitable for this book, their works and technical skills in this part is at least several light years better than the author, unabashedly.

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