The Art of Photography: A Personal Approach to Artistic Expression

This is an updated and newly revised edition of the classic book The Art of Photography: An Approach to Personal Expression. Originally published in 1994 and first revised in 2010, The Art of Photography has sold well over 100,000 copies and has firmly established itself as the most readable, understandable, and complete textbook on photography. Featuring nearly 200 beautiful photographs in both black-and-white and color, as well as numerous charts, graphs, and tables, this book presents the world of photography to beginner, intermediate, and advanced photographers who seek to make a personal statement through the medium of photography.

Without talking down to anyone or talking over anyone's head, renowned photographer, teacher, and author Bruce Barnbaum presents how-to techniques for both traditional and digital approaches. In this newest edition of the book, Barnbaum has included many new images and has completely revised the text, with particular focus on two crucial chapters covering digital photography: he revised a chapter covering the digital zone system, and includes a brand-new chapter on image adjustments using digital tools. There is also a new chapter discussing the concepts of “art versus technique” and “traditional versus digital” approaches to photography. Throughout the book, Barnbaum goes well beyond the technical, as he delves deeply into the philosophical, expressive, and creative aspects of photography so often avoided in other books.

Barnbaum is recognized as one of the world's finest landscape and architectural photographers, and for decades has been considered one of the best instructors in the field of photography. This latest incarnation of his textbook—which has evolved, grown, and been refined over the past 45 years—will prove to be an ongoing, invaluable photographic reference for years to come. It is truly the resource of choice for the thinking photographer.Topics include:

• Elements of Composition
• Visualization
• Light and Color 
• Filters
• Black-and-White
• The Digital Zone System
• The Zone System for Film
• Printing and Presentation
• Exploding Photographic Myths
• Artistic Integrity
• Realism, Abstraction, and Art
• Creativity and Intuition
• A Personal Philosophy
• And much, much more…

Bruce Barnbaum, of Granite Falls, WA, began photography as a hobbyist in the 1960s, and after five decades, it is still his hobby. Photography has also been his life’s work for the past 50 years.

Bruce’s educational background includes Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in mathematics from UCLA. After working for several years as a mathematical analyst and computer programmer for missile guidance systems, he abruptly left the field and turned to photography.

Bruce is recognized as one of the finest darkroom printers on this planet for his exceptional black-and-white work. He understands light to an extent rarely found and combines this understanding with mastery of composition, applying his knowleEAe to an extraordinarily wide range of subject matter.

Bruce has authored several books that have become classics. The first edition of The Art of Photography: An Approach to Personal Expression was released in 2010 by Rocky Nook. After having sold over 100,000 copies, it is now in its revised second edition. This book became an instant bestseller and is sure to remain a classic for years to come.

The Essence of Photography, released in 2015, is now in its second printing. This non-technical book delves deeply into the heart of turning photography from an instrument of recording images to one of making artistic personal statements; progressing from the scene you encountered, to how you feel about the scene you encountered, and then onto how to express that feeling to others.

Bruce’s two Tone Poems books are a collaboration of photography and accompanying music. On musical CDs packaged with each book, pianist Judith Cohen—performing solos as well as with other musicians in duets and trios—matches the mood of the imagery found in each book with carefully chosen classical music. Book 1 contains 90 black-and-white images; Book 2 delivers another 91 images. These books, which were magnificently printed in Italy, come in large 12?x12? format.

Bruce’s Plateaus and Canyons is an all-color book that displays the wonders of the Colorado Plateau of Northern Arizona and Southern Utah with its varied plateaus, canyons, and unique slit canyons.

Bruce has been an active environmental advocate for five decades, both independently and through his involvement and leadership with organizations such as the Sierra Club, the National Audubon Society, the Mountain Loop Conservancy, Futurewise, and the North Cascades Conservation Council.