Tao of Photography: Seeing Beyond Seeing
by Philippe L. Gross, S.I. Shapiro
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Book Summary Information
Author: Philippe L. Gross, S.I. ShapiroEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2001-01-09
ISBN: 1580081940
Number of pages: 144
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Book Reviews of Tao of Photography: Seeing Beyond Seeing
Book Review: Applied philosophy for photographers!
Summary: 5 Stars
Before shouting "Oh no! Not another book on Tao of something..."; I must tell you that this book has got to be named like this!
It is "indeed" on photography from a philosophical Taoist angle. And, I must also tell you at the beginning that it is a very good one at that.
If you are interested more in the "technical" aspects of photography, this should be the last book you ever touch! If, on the other hand, you are after a peaceful, calm, balanced, natural and relaxing approach to photography; you are at the right place! Mind you, this is as much on philosophy as it is on photography...
The book tries to present photography as an extension of the (philosophical) Taoist view of life. (The stress on "philosophical", which I will not repeat anymore, is important since it has little in common with the "religion" of the same name). The guide is one of the essential books of Taoism (Chuang-tzu) compiled more than two thousand years ago. That is, some years before the invention of photography! The principles are simple, clear and durable as they have already stood the test of time for such a long time. A present day empiricist can, however, easily (dis)regard all the Taoist volumes as "totally useless" if not "meaningless" because they may mean different things to different people. If you think you are one, let this book is read by somebody else! Just look at the subtitle of the book as a test to find out your position: "Seeing beyond seeing".
Both the authors are academicians and the principal author is a real photographer. The book contains two types of photographs; those of P. Gross are selected nicely to accompany the text and are printed small. They do work nicely in this regard and can be enjoyed also by themselves. The second type of photographs are those of the "giants", from Alfred Stieglitz to Minor White and from H. Cartier Bresson to Elliott Erwitt . This latter type of photos are printed on a full page; a pleasure to look at. They also fit the subjects at hand.
The production quality of the square format book from its paper and font to the reproductions are nothing less then first class. The visual design is beautiful and lets one enjoy, for example, some words of wisdom by prominent photographers placed alone at the center of a full page. Although this design feature can be seen as a waste of space; I have certainly enjoyed looking at an occasional lightly populated page with a short, strong message at the very center.
I finish by providing two words of wisdom (which are abound in the book) from page 101:
- The bells and stones have voices but, unless they are struck, they will not sound. "Chuang-tzu".
- Aesthetics is for the artists as ornithology is for the birds. "Barnett Newman".
A photographer who believes in the above after reading the book and practices accordingly, becomes a different photographer...
This is not a book that is to be read from cover to cover while eating a sandwich on your way to work (a life should not be lived like that, anyway).
It is for contemplation.
It is a praise for a slow pace, a suitably attentive open mind, and a broad, relaxed view of the thing we call life.
Photography is a part of that...
Summary of Tao of Photography: Seeing Beyond Seeing
This provocative, visually stunning volume draws upon Taoist teachings to explore the creative and spiritual dimensions of the art of photography. Excerpts from the Taoist classic the Chuang-tzu and the writings of Western aesthetes are complemented by over 60 photographs from the work of such canonical photographers as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Alfred Stieglitz, and Dorothea Lange. Lucid instructional text and enlightening exercises assure that photographers of all levels will be able to incorporate the lessons of the Tao into their own work.How-to Books
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