The Moment It Clicks by Joe McNally

PindyPindy Registered Users Posts: 1,089 Major grins
edited July 17, 2009 in Technique
Just finished this book and I highly recommend it to anybody who takes pictures. It was a riveting read and is so packed full of great technique it's impossible not to get something out of it just in that regard. He only gives a loosely laid out single page to talk about any one topic (usually how the frame on the opposite page was made) so there's nothing long-winded about any of the actual instruction, usually a paragraph. Fantastic, especially, if you're interested in lighting, and I noticed that Strobist gave it the big nod. Seriously though, it was totally engaging. Just thought I'd share!
:thumb

Comments

  • doug pettwaydoug pettway Registered Users Posts: 55 Big grins
    edited February 11, 2008
    very cool. i have been looking forward to picking this up...just gotta wait for payday. :D
    "A .jpg is worth 1kb of .txt"

    www.douglaspettway.com
    www.douglaspettwaylive.com
  • ohsogorgeous1ohsogorgeous1 Registered Users Posts: 46 Big grins
    edited February 11, 2008
    Is it meant more for the experienced photographer or does it reach out to beginners as well?
  • schmooschmoo Registered Users Posts: 8,468 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2008
    Pindy,would you be interested in doing a(n only slightly more in-depth) review for our book section ?
    SmugMug Editor / News Flash!
    Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
  • PindyPindy Registered Users Posts: 1,089 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2008
    schmoo wrote:
    Pindy,would you be interested in doing a(n only slightly more in-depth) review for our book section ?

    I'd be delighted. Sending you a PM.
  • PindyPindy Registered Users Posts: 1,089 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2008
    ohsogorgeous1 wrote:
    Is it meant more for the experienced photographer or does it reach out to beginners as well?

    I think a lot of the lighting advice is meant for at least the intermediate photographer and beyond (He assumes pros will read this book), but there's loads for everybody. So much of it is about circumstance and dealing with people. Not heady or technically complex in the least.
  • schmooschmoo Registered Users Posts: 8,468 Major grins
    edited February 13, 2008
    The review is up here! Thanks so much for writing this up and bringing this to our attention. Amazon currently lists it out of stock, but it looks good enough that I might have to swing by the local bookstore this weekend. thumb.gif
    SmugMug Editor / News Flash!
    Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,703 moderator
    edited February 14, 2008
    Definitely worth a read - something to learn from each shot in the book.

    I like this kind of presentation a lot.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited March 9, 2008
    +1 on the book (sorry, didn't see this thread and made a separate post)
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • saurorasaurora Registered Users Posts: 4,320 Major grins
    edited March 9, 2008
    This book is a great read. If you love to read stories and look at great photos, you will really enjoy this one. If you like to know the technical info in a nutshell as to how a show was done, you will also enjoy this book. In addition to being a 'how-to' book, it is entertaining and highly motivational. Joe challenges you to try different things in different ways. It's a book I will keep and read again and again. thumb.gif
  • Eric&SusanEric&Susan Registered Users Posts: 1,280 Major grins
    edited March 10, 2008
    Just got this book last week from Amazon. It is great I'm about half way through and it has already given me some pretty good ideas and tips to put to good use.

    Eric
    "My dad taught me everything I know, unfortunately he didn't teach me everything he knows" Dale Earnhardt Jr

    It's better to be hated for who you are than to be loved for who you're not.

    http://photosbyeric.smugmug.com
  • KEDKED Registered Users Posts: 843 Major grins
    edited March 10, 2008
    Eric&Susan wrote:
    Just got this book last week from Amazon. It is great I'm about half way through and it has already given me some pretty good ideas and tips to put to good use.

    Eric
    This thread also seduced me into buying it. I just finished it today -- the guy is amazing, but I am so not interested in flash photography and even less so now. But I'm not sorry about the purchase or the reading experience.
    KED
    __________________
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    http://browngreensports.smugmug.com
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited March 10, 2008
    KED wrote:
    This thread also seduced me into buying it. I just finished it today -- the guy is amazing, but I am so not interested in flash photography and even less so now. But I'm not sorry about the purchase or the reading experience.
    Just remember his quote about "available light" rolleyes1.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • KEDKED Registered Users Posts: 843 Major grins
    edited March 11, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Just remember his quote about "available light" rolleyes1.gif
    That's generally not a problem for me since I shoot mostly where there are no walls and no roof. He did stress that a lot, but probably used flash setups in, I don't know, around 99% of the shots in his book. And did you look at his rig in the back of the book? The man's a pro that's for sure.
    KED
    __________________
    www.browngreensports.com
    http://browngreensports.smugmug.com
  • Eric&SusanEric&Susan Registered Users Posts: 1,280 Major grins
    edited March 12, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Just remember his quote about "available light" rolleyes1.gif

    That would be ANY %&@$#^@ lightrolleyes1.gif

    Eric
    "My dad taught me everything I know, unfortunately he didn't teach me everything he knows" Dale Earnhardt Jr

    It's better to be hated for who you are than to be loved for who you're not.

    http://photosbyeric.smugmug.com
  • DonnaLuDonnaLu Registered Users Posts: 69 Big grins
    edited March 12, 2008
    Read it twice!
    It was two days after I bought it before I had the opportunity to pick it up, and that was it! I was hooked. Once I finished, I started over again. While it's mostly geared toward intermediates and flash users, you can't walk away from it without being inspired. An added bonus....some funny anecdotes :D
    "You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." ~M. Twain
  • dadwtwinsdadwtwins Registered Users Posts: 804 Major grins
    edited March 12, 2008
    I was lucky enough to hear Joe at the Photoshop convention. He had a short 45min discussion on shooting techniques. What a wonderful presenter and trainer.

    His pictures are awesome as well as his demeanor and training techniques. As soon as the session was over I bought this book and read it from start to finish that same day.

    Definitely a must buyclap.gif
    My Homepage :thumb-->http://dthorp.smugmug.com
    My Photo Blog -->http://dthorpphoto.blogspot.com/
  • thejohnremusthejohnremus Registered Users Posts: 25 Big grins
    edited March 19, 2008
    Joe is an amazing guy.
    I've had the pleasure of working with him, and he's one of the friendliest guys you could hope to speak with.
    People joke and call him the King of Strobes, or King of Light, Master of Light, etc.
    It really is amazing what you can see him do with what seems like so little gear.

    And whether or not you use strobes in your shooting or not... you'll want to go buy a bunch afterward and just do nothing but shoot with them.


    Great guy.
    I haven't read his book yet, maybe I'll have to pick it up soon.
  • joshhuntnmjoshhuntnm Registered Users Posts: 1,924 Major grins
    edited June 27, 2008
    I love this book!!!

    What is your favorite chapter/ idea/ insight?

    Here is mine: if you want to take good pictures, stand in front of something interesting.
    Josh
    Las Cruces Photographer / Las Cruces Wedding Photographer
    Other site
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited June 27, 2008
    joshhuntnm wrote:
    I love this book!!!

    What is your favorite chapter/ idea/ insight?

    Here is mine: if you want to take good pictures, stand in front of something interesting.
    I mentioned that one several times already: "if you want to make your subject look interesting, you don't have to light it all"
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • TravisTravis Registered Users Posts: 1,472 Major grins
    edited June 27, 2008
    Another thumbs up for this book. thumb.gif It is inspiring and humbling as well. I love how he makes lite (excuse the pun) of capturing famous people or shooting from some incredible place where most people would be too awestruck to remember to click the shutter. Great read!
    Travis Owney Photography
    My Images | My Lessons Learned and Other Adventures
  • DonnaLuDonnaLu Registered Users Posts: 69 Big grins
    edited June 27, 2008
    joshhuntnm wrote:
    I love this book!!!

    What is your favorite chapter/ idea/ insight?

    Here is mine: if you want to take good pictures, stand in front of something interesting.

    "Sometimes it's all working for you & you still miss. Other times it all sucks & you get a terrific frame. You just never know. The one surefire way to get nothing is to not bother looking."

    Another fav..."Don't pack up your camera until you've left the location."

    Damn, you've made me start reading the book again! :D

    ps...Joe's got a blog, for those who've not found it yet. Every bit as enlightening, inspiring & funny as the book.
    "You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." ~M. Twain
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited June 27, 2008
    DonnaLu wrote:
    Damn, you've made me start reading the book again! :D
    Yep, my thoughts exactly...mwink.gifrolleyes1.gif
    ps...Joe's got a blog, for those who've not found it yet. Every bit as enlightening, inspiring & funny as the book.
    Thanks!thumb.gifbowdown.gif Bookmarked! deal.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • DonnaLuDonnaLu Registered Users Posts: 69 Big grins
    edited June 27, 2008
    Thanks!thumb.gifbowdown.gif Bookmarked! deal.gif[/quote]


    Heck, Nikolai.....try the Rss Blog Subscription instead. it tells you when there's an update. Glad to have turned you on to it, tho!!!
    "You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." ~M. Twain
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited June 27, 2008
    DonnaLu wrote:
    Thanks!thumb.gifbowdown.gif Bookmarked! deal.gif


    Heck, Nikolai.....try the Rss Blog Subscription instead. it tells you when there's an update. Glad to have turned you on to it, tho!!![/quote]
    Yep, that's what I did in fact:-)
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • MnemosyneMnemosyne Registered Users Posts: 251 Major grins
    edited July 10, 2008
    Loved it!!!
    Audentes fortuna iuvat
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,952 moderator
    edited July 17, 2009
    Great book, but a little expensive. As soon as I finished it, I ordered $350 worth of lighting gear. And I know that´s only the very beginning. I hate to think what rereading it is going to cost. lol3.gif
    My Pics
  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited July 17, 2009
    Hot Shoe Diaries rocks as well.

    I took a week long workshop with Joe in February and he is an excellent teacher, generous with helpful hints and insights into how to take photos to the next level and the realities of the photo business today (not a pretty picture).

    If you can't take one of his workshops, I highly recommend his videos in the Kelby OnLine Training syllabus. Check out the one on corporate photography. It is a wonderful lesson in troubleshooting all sorts of lighting problems so that the picture SOOC is close to perfect. The best training video I have ever seen and I'm sure I will never do any corporate photography!!

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

    Email
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