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When I started my photography journey I scoured the internet for everything and anything photography related - I read blog posts, listened to podcasts and watched SO MANY YouTube videos!
In this episode I show you three photography books that are my favourite which I used to start my photography journey - the first two books are great for beginners and the last is a photo book that pumps me full of travel inspiration.
Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs - Henry Carroll
The first book I ever picked up in my photography journey was Henry Carroll's Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs. It's a short read at 125 pages but its packed with great information, quotes and 'photography philosophy'.
The books takes you through basic composition, exposure, working with light, the different kinds of lenses, and seeing not looking.
I was able to finish this book in one evening but it's a great read if you're a beginner photographer or you're looking to add to your photography book collection.
What I liked about the book was that it touches on photography composition and the technicals (i.e. Rule of Thirds, Leading Lines, Framing, etc.) but it focuses more on YOU.
Creative Vision - Lisa Michele Burns (The Wandering Lens)
The second book that I picked up in the summer was Lisa Michele Burns (The Wandering Lens) Creative Vision ebook. This book is also a short read at 60 pages but its full of great advice, journal prompts and exercises that you can try. I was able to read in a morning but it took me a couple days to complete some journaling and exercises.
Lisa also focuses more on your creativity and your creative eye than the technicalities.
It's a great book if you're a beginner to photography or you're looking to get serious into your photography career.
Dame Traveler: Live the Spirit of Adventure - Nastasia Yakoub
The last book that I want to show you is Dame Traveler's Live the Spirit of Adventure photo book.
This is a beautiful photo book full of travel photos from several different women travelers. It's split into four sections: Architecture, Water, Culture and Nature.
Along with absolutely beautiful photos you'll also read stories from these different women.
During the early parts of COVID-19 when it was just beginning to hit Canada I picked up this book because I couldn't travel but I wanted to consume travel inspiration. To this day I still flip through it when I need some travel inspo!
Final Thoughts
I bought the first and last book on Amazon (see the titles for links) and the second one off Lisa's website.
Other books on the horizon for me is Thomas Heatons Landscape Photography Photo Book and Renee and Matthew Hahnel Roaming Ameirca: Exploring All the National Parks.
As well, I wouldn't mind reading Use This if You Want to Take Great Photographs and Read This if You Want to Take Great Photographs of Places.