3 Photography Books to Spark Your Inspiration

 

OK, I'm not a writer, I'm a photographer–but I have a few things to say about photography. So, why not write a photography book about it, right? Exactly one year ago, before we left on our journey around the world, I finished my first book. I decided to write A Guide for the Wandering Photographer because I received a lot of questions about my photography. I also believe that you can learn more from the work of fellow photographers than from technical photography books. A good photography book should spark your inspiration. 

When I graduated from photographic college, I thought I'd learned a lot but I was wrong. In the following years, I learned ten times as much by looking at the work of other photographers and it's not so much about learning new techniques or technical details, it's about getting new ideas. Looking at the work of other photographers inspires you to get out there and take photos. It’s important for beginners and advanced photographers to find that inspiration.

Books aren’t enough for you? Consider becoming my patron.

 
 

I've been shooting documentary, portrait and travel photography for more than ten years now and I thought it was a good idea to write down my thoughts and tips. I hope that my photography books inspire a few people around the globe just like the work of other photographers inspired me.

What are my photography books about?

I don't like to write about very technical stuff or show you graphs and histograms. For me, there's only one thing that's important and that's the image–and even more, the process of creating an image. These books are for beginners as well as pros.

I'm traveling the world right now so I can do what I love and that, is making photographs. My last photography book is about the essence of what makes a great image because I'm convinced that you can make great photos with any camera gear. You just have to know what to look for and learn how to capture it. The thing is, you can find inspiration as a photographer everywhere…

Read This And Make Better Photographs

In Read This And Make Better photographs I explain what, for me, the goal is to create compelling images. Gear and camera settings are not as important as many believe. A great photo conveys stories and emotions. If you really want to make better photos, you need to learn about composition, light, storytelling and so much more.

 
 

I explain every topic in the photography book through my photos from around the world. I've been traveling non-stop for a year now and I take you on a journey around the world with lots of example photos. There are no graphs and it doesn't have difficult photography jargon so you can read it even if you’re a beginner.

In this book, the photograph is the main character. It’ll help you find what to look for and where to focus your attention if you want to make better photos. Whether you're a beginner or seasoned photographer, I'm sure there's something interesting to see and read.

A Guide for the Wandering Photographer

This photography book is a little bit different. I wrote it because people asked me how I work, what gear I use and what my camera setting are for certain shots. I show and explain it all in this book. Again, there are lots of examples from my photography from all over the world and every photo is accompanied by the camera settings.

 
 

I also explain what I look for when I'm in the field photographing. It's a photography book for beginners and advanced photographers that would like to see examples with more information and details–camera settings. If you read this book you'll know everything about my way of photographing and hopefully it gives you that little spark of inspiration too.

How I Photograph People

How I Photograph People is an extension of A Guide for the Wandering Photographer. Here, I pay a lot of attention to portrait photography. Whether I'm creating a personal photo project or traveling around the world, portraits are super important for me. I've developed a particular style and in this photography book, I explain what's important for me when taking a portrait photo. I also describe how I approach people or pick a subject when walking in the streets. Again, all of my examples are accompanied by the camera settings for that little extra information.

 
 

If you decide to buy one of my books, I hope you enjoy reading it. Feel free to leave me a comment or tell me where I can improve or what you would like me to add. I'm happy to answer all your questions but above all, I hope there's something in my books that will inspire you to get out there and start taking photos.

 
Joris HermansComment