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 | | Spirit of Place: The Art of the Traveling Photographer by Bob Krist ISBN-10: 9780817458942 ISBN-10: 0-8174-5894-8 ISBN-13: 9780817458942 ISBN-13: 978-0-8174-5894-2 Paperback 2000-03-15 Amphoto Books Find Lowest Price |
Editorials | ||
Product Description The natural synergy between photography and travel is explored in these exquisite, lavishly illustrated, and instructive pages that demonstrate how artful camera use can record the true spirit of a place. On this thrilling worldwide tour, the author shows traveling nonprofessional photographers how to bring home memorable pictures of people, festivals, wildlife, architecture-even aerial and underwater shots. Directions are detailed for composing landscapes with a variety of lenses, working in both natural and artificial light. Valuable tips tell how to pack and carry photo equipment, deal with airport and hotel security, and prepare for various locations and weather conditions. | ||
Reviews | ||
Great work on the subject, if a little dated. Good book I got this book in anticipation of an upcoming vacation and it was worth the money. I think it serves the target market (amateur photographers on vacation) pretty well. It makes a few references to stock photography but doesn't dwell on shooting for it, doesn't mention selling it except in passing. It starts out with a basic overview of composition (rule of thirds, Depth of Field, directional light, patterns etc). Other books cover this in greater detail, it is only an overview after all. The author does include a few tips on how each might apply to travel photography. After photo 101 it goes on to cover specific environments/situations. Cityscapes, tropics, winter etc. This was the meat of the book, each subject was given and adequate overview with a few specific examples to illustrate. There are also chapters on underwater and Ariel photography. Good intros but if your going to be plunking out the bucks for that I'd look for more specialized instruction. He finished the book with some travel tips that may not apply to the non-professional (especially about packing in the post 9-11 travel climate) and on gear selection. There are plenty of example photos that more or less illustrate the point he was talking about. Most of his shots seem to come from the Caribbean or North America, a few from Europe. Preferences to the Caribbean. On the plus most of them seem to be something that a person with normal means might replicate using moderately expensive gear. He did most of his work in the 20-35mm and 80-200mm focal ranges with full 35mm film. The cameras he used were by no means top of the line. He also addresses what is realistic to expect from the traveling photographer vs the pro who has been on location dozens of times. The biggest shortcoming of this book is that it is film-centric (35mm). It was published in 2000 which was really before the digital age really took off. Most of the tips and techniques (The real meat of the book) are universal regardless of what kind of camera you use. But he does spend some time on film selection, care and feeding (especially filters and white balance) that are very different in the digital. Of course there is no information on digital care and feeding as a consequence. I'm interested to see how well this book holds up over time. Years ago when I was starting out with photography I got a book on composition. At the time I felt it was an "overview" and probably lacking something. Now after years of experience I see that book really had it all, all the subjects were there, what was lacking was my experience to implement them. I suspect in time I will come to see this book the same way. Pros- Good book on the subject written to the beginner-intermediate level Good pictures to illustrate the subjects Focuses on "achievable" pictures rather than the extreme works of art Covers all the bases Great advice on film (if your using it) Cons- Needs updating. Lots of good film info but nothing on digital and the new capabilities (and liabilities) that it provides. Some may want more in depth instruction on specific areas. Conclusion A great resource for travel/location photography. If you already have the basics down (Fstops and exposure and whatnot) then this is a good next step. I'd recommend it for anyone looking to make their vacation photos better. | ||
Spirit of Place: The Art of the Travelling Photographer It's amazing that in 7 years since this book was released, the transition of most enthusiast's and amatuers photo capture is now almost entirely digital, that this book seems "old". However the basic's of capturing the light, composition of the photo and the steps to recording the countries, cities and inhabitants don't (it just how they're recorded).Bob Krist workflows that he outlines and the tips provided in my opinion are well suited to the beginner and enthusiaist photographer. In fact, it would be a great idea to copy the simple steps down onto a card and slip in the camera bag for a checklist when travelling.This book precedes my copy of Lonely Planets Travel Photography but is simpler and more anecdotal. A good read and recommended even if your capture is digital. This book will be the one I use for reference before my next attempt of capturing the "Spirit" of the places I travel to and not just taking the pictures. | ||
A materpiece! This is film photography that is fully compatible with the digital age. It is not so much on what settings he used but on the planning and preparation that matters the most. What was in his mind when the shot was taken is fabulous. While he shoots landscapes mostly at the time when we are either calling it a day or still sleeping in the early morning, there are certain tips that opens our views on not only what, but also when and how to take a shot! This is a must have book for travellers wanting to have beautiful memories of his/her travel. We will never reproduce the same scene on a given place or event but it will surely open our eyes on what to look for and how to be a more creative photogpraher. I agree with Bob that when you know what to look for then you will realize how abundant there is to shoot wherever you are!! A must have book indeed! I give it 6 stars but unfortunately 5 is the best there is to choose from! | ||
Great book I bought quite a few books before a recent trip to Kauai where photography was a large part of my experience. This book provided as much or more insight into how to approach a place and experience it through photography as any other I read. Part of the value of this book will be in re-reading parts of it over a few times, before any major outing, at least until you take what it's saying to heart. In the end, photography is an active thing, and reading about it will only take you so far. | ||
Very Well Done Travel Photography Guide Spirit of Place provides an excellent overview of travel photography. It is well organized, written clearly and concisely, and is filled with beautiful photos to help illustrate the points made in the text. The author discusses techniques to help you deal with various difficulties from how to find the best vantage point when shooting tall buildings to dealing with people that you may want to photograph. One thing that I really appreciated was that he also gave advice on which equipment to use in various settings and situations. For travel photographers, the topics covered are pretty comprehensive. The author walks through some basics of composition. There is a full chapter devoted to working with various light sources and using filters to enhance that light. There are sections on skylines, architecture, shooting in the tropics, wildlife, and more. Each section is fairly brief. This book is more about giving general direction and ideas then trying to offer a detailed approach to all possible shooting possibilities. I found the level of coverage just about right. No one can provide detailed direction for every possible consideration for travel photographers so the author wisely offers some general advice to start you thinking and leaves it at that. If the book has a weakness it is that it was written back in 2000 by a photographer who obviously didn't so much as scan his slides for further editing. This is strictly centered around film photography and that definitely limits the usefulness of the material focusing on film selection if you use a digital camera. Forturnately, most of his advice is sound regardless of whether you use film or digital so I would still highly recommend the book. | ||