BOOK: The Moment it Clicks by Joe McNally
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[imgr]http://dgrin.smugmug.com/photos/i-hhvxJsB/0/S/i-hhvxJsB-S.jpg[/imgr]The Moment it Clicks: Photography secrets from one of the world's top shooters
Book by Joe McNally, review by Pindy
The Moment It Clicks by 30-year veteran Joe McNally is possibly the best non-technical book on photography I've ever read. It's a kind of one-man's Tao of Image Making. Those interested in photojournalism and portraiture shouldn't miss it, but it's worth the price just for the lighting tips!
The format is simple—on one page is a gorgeous photo which probably graced the cover or a featured article of a magazine (Sports Illustrated, National Geographic, Life, among others) and on the opposite is a story of how the photo came about, which is never without interest. McNally is a spontaneous photographer and the photos are rarely pre-meditated. The writing is filled with distilled wisdom from his experience in the field, with truths learned from his editors, heroes and colleagues. McNally humbles himself throughout with lessons learned and frank accounts of misadventures, all delivered with a real sense of humor.
What made me like this book so much is how much McNally is able to convey to the reader in so few words. Most of the time, there's a sidebar called "How To Get This Type Of Shot," which is invaluable and concise. Difficult concepts clicked. I was very encouraged to try these things for myself.
Each image has a different creative angle. I was never bored. I was also moved by the way he's coped with being a parent who travels so much and these diary-like entries were a welcome part of a book that's all about work, work, work. The value of this book is incredible. I highly recommend it.
![http://dgrin.smugmug.com/photos/i-hhvxJsB/0/S/i-hhvxJsB-S.jpg[/imgr]](http://dgrin.smugmug.com/photos/i-hhvxJsB/0/S/i-hhvxJsB-S.jpg[/imgr]){kind=link}
Book by Joe McNally, review by Pindy
The Moment It Clicks by 30-year veteran Joe McNally is possibly the best non-technical book on photography I've ever read. It's a kind of one-man's Tao of Image Making. Those interested in photojournalism and portraiture shouldn't miss it, but it's worth the price just for the lighting tips!
The format is simple—on one page is a gorgeous photo which probably graced the cover or a featured article of a magazine (Sports Illustrated, National Geographic, Life, among others) and on the opposite is a story of how the photo came about, which is never without interest. McNally is a spontaneous photographer and the photos are rarely pre-meditated. The writing is filled with distilled wisdom from his experience in the field, with truths learned from his editors, heroes and colleagues. McNally humbles himself throughout with lessons learned and frank accounts of misadventures, all delivered with a real sense of humor.
What made me like this book so much is how much McNally is able to convey to the reader in so few words. Most of the time, there's a sidebar called "How To Get This Type Of Shot," which is invaluable and concise. Difficult concepts clicked. I was very encouraged to try these things for myself.
Each image has a different creative angle. I was never bored. I was also moved by the way he's coped with being a parent who travels so much and these diary-like entries were a welcome part of a book that's all about work, work, work. The value of this book is incredible. I highly recommend it.
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