The Essence of Photography, 2nd Edition: Seeing and Creativity

The Essence of Photography, 2nd Edition: Seeing and Creativity
Category: Unique & Unclassified Photography Books
Author: Bruce Barnbaum
Publisher: Rocky Nook
Publication Date: 2021
Print Length: 368 pages

In this fully revised and greatly expanded second edition of The Essence of Photography, world-renowned photographer and teacher Bruce Barnbaum draws upon 50 years of experience and observation to teach the art of photographic seeing and creativity.

There is a lot more to photography than simply picking up a camera, pointing it toward something, and tripping the shutter. Achieving a great photograph requires thought and preparation, an understanding of the photographic process, and a firm grasp of how light and composition affect a photo. There must be personal involvement and personal expression. There must be experimentation, with the recognition that only a small percentage of experiments end successfully.

In this revised and expanded second edition of The Essence of Photography, best-selling author and world-renowned photographer and teacher Bruce Barnbaum explores these seldom-discussed issues by drawing upon his personal experiences and observations from 50 years of photographing and teaching. In addition to photographs, Bruce also uses painting, music, and writing, as well as the sciences and even business, to provide pertinent examples of creative thinking. These examples serve as stepping stones that will lead you to your own heightened ability to see and be creative.

expand_circle_rightGet the Book: The Essence of Photography, 2nd Edition: Seeing and Creativity

Selected Books by This Photographer

The Art of Photography: A Personal Approach to Artistic Expression

The Art of Photography: A Personal Approach to Artistic Expression

2017 - Rocky Nook

Bruce Barnbaum

 
Tone Poems - Book 2: Opuses 4, 5 & 6

Tone Poems - Book 2: Opuses 4, 5 & 6

2012 - Rocky Nook

Bruce Barnbaum

 
Tone Poems - Book 1: Opuses 1, 2 & 3

Tone Poems - Book 1: Opuses 1, 2 & 3

2012 - Rocky Nook

Bruce Barnbaum

 

Books From the Same Publisher

Bird Photography: Pocket Guide

Bird Photography: Pocket Guide

Aug 2026 - Rocky Nook

Marie Read

The iPhone Photography Book (2nd Edition)

The iPhone Photography Book (2nd Edition)

Jul 2026 - Rocky Nook

Scott Kelby

The Art of Street Photography

The Art of Street Photography

Jun 2026 - Rocky Nook

Sean Tucker, Joshua K. Jackson

A Brief History of Photography: From the Very Beginning to the Age of Digital

A Brief History of Photography: From the Very Beginning to the Age of Digital

Feb 2025 - Rocky Nook

David S. Young

 
How Do I Do That In Photoshop?

How Do I Do That In Photoshop?

2023 - Rocky Nook

Scott Kelby

 
Mastering Bird Photography

Mastering Bird Photography

2019 - Rocky Nook

Marie Read

 
AAP Magazine Travels 2026
 

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2021 — GOFF BOOKS

Miscellaneous Photography Books: Behind the Camera: American Women Photographers Who Shaped How We See the World

Each of the women in this series stepped out of the bounds of physical and social expectations to pursue her personal vision through photography. Some were fortunate to have come from wealthy families who fostered their interests. Others had to make their way by supporting themselves, or they found encouragement from other, more established photographers. Many chose to avoid or leave behind the comforts of married life at a time when marriage provided the primary source of financial security for

Secrets of the Whales

2021 — National Geographic

Miscellaneous Photography Books: Secrets of the Whales

This provocative book of photography offers bold new insight into the lives of the world's largest mammals, along with their complex societies. In these pages, we learn that whales share an amazing ability to learn and adapt to opportunities, from specialized feeding strategies to parenting techniques. There is also evidence of deeper, cultural elements of whale identity, from unique dialects to matrilineal societies to organized social customs like singing contests. Featuring the arresting unde

Photo Ark Wonders: Celebrating Diversity in the Animal Kingdom

2021 — National Geographic

Miscellaneous Photography Books: Photo Ark Wonders: Celebrating Diversity in the Animal Kingdom

A glorious new volume of Sartore's signature animal portraits, this time highlighting the fascinating shapes, patterns, and expressions of animals both familiar and little known. Joel Sartore, on a mission to photograph all the animal species in human care, now delights us with more photographs, this time selected to represent the amazing diversity of the world's animals. The book's four chapters -- Pattern, Shape, Extra, and Personality -- invite us to revel in these photographs, many cleverl

National Geographic Ocean: A Global Odyssey

2021 — National Geographic

Miscellaneous Photography Books: National Geographic Ocean: A Global Odyssey

Discover the world's ocean--from tides and currents to the creatures living in it to the impact it has on our lives, whether we know it or not--in this richly illustrated overview of the life force that defines and sustains our planet, written by world-renowned oceanographer Sylvia Earle. Everything you want to know about the ocean can be found inside these beautiful and dynamic pages. National Geographic Ocean unveils the power and significance of our planet's watery essence: the fundamental

Photography: A Critical Introduction

2021 — Routledge

Miscellaneous Photography Books: Photography: A Critical Introduction

Now in its sixth edition, this seminal textbook examines key debates in photographic theory and places them in their social and political contexts. Written especially for students in further and higher education and for introductory college courses, it provides a coherent introduction to the nature of photographic seeing. Individual chapters cover: Key debates in photographic theory and history Documentary photography and photojournalism Personal and popular photography Photograph

Women Street Photographers

2021 — Prestel

Miscellaneous Photography Books: Women Street Photographers

With a rising number of women throughout the world picking up their cameras and capturing their surroundings, this book explores the work of 100 women and the experiences behind their greatest images. Traditionally a male-dominated field, street photography is increasingly becoming the domain of women. This fantastic collection of images reflects that shift, showcasing 100 contemporary women street photographers working around the world today, accompanied by personal statements about their wo

The New Woman Behind the Camera

2020 — National Gallery of Art
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Miscellaneous Photography Books: The New Woman Behind the Camera

An in-depth look at the many ways women around the world helped shape modern photography from the 1920s to the 1950s as they captured images of a radically changing world During the 1920s the New Woman was easy to recognize but hard to define. Hair bobbed and fashionably dressed, this iconic figure of modernity was everywhere, splashed across magazine pages or projected on the silver screen. A global phenomenon, she embodied an ideal of female empowerment based on real women making revolutio

Extraordinary Women

2020 — Acc Art Books

Miscellaneous Photography Books: Extraordinary Women

Typical warzone coverage has two focuses. The fighters, predominantly young men; and the victims - everyone else. This book calls this familiar narrative into question. Without glamorizing or sanitizing the harsh realities of our world, it presents the endurance and iron will of women in situations of war, poverty and hardship. Throughout his career, award winning photographer Tom Stoddart has shown us the remarkable resilience of all sorts of people from across the world. With Extraordinary

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