David Duchemin - Photographically Speaking: A Deeper Look at Creating Better Images

A Deeper Look at Creating Stronger Images

Photographically Speaking: A Deeper Look at Creating Stronger Images
David duChemin

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New Riders is an imprint of Peachpit, a division of Pearson Education

Copyright 2012 by David duChemin
All photography David duChemin except author photo on p. Gary Dowd

Editor: Ted Waitt
Production Editor: Lisa Brazieal
Cover and Interior Design: Charlene Charles-Will
Layout and Composition: Kim Scott, Bumpy Design
Indexer: James Minkin
Cover Image: David duChemin
Back Cover Author Image: Gary Dowd

Notice of Rights

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information on getting permission reprints and excerpts, contact .

Notice of Liability

The information in this book is distributed on an As Is basis without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of the book, neither the author nor Peachpit shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained in this book or by the computer software and hardware products described in it.

Trademarks

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and Peachpit was aware of a trademark claim, the designations appear as requested by the owner of the trademark. All other product names and services identified throughout this book are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies with no intention of infringement of the trademark. No such use, or the use of any trade name, is intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book.

ISBN-13 978-0-321-75044-0
ISBN-10 0-321-75044-6

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed and bound in the United States of America

In Memory of Barbara Brown, 19762011

To my dear friends Barbara and Daniel, who spent the last 18 months fighting cancer together with courage and grace. Barbara passed away on July 24, 2011, leaving an inexpressible absence in our hearts.

It is to Barbaras beautiful memory, and to Daniels astonishing strength and love, that this book is dedicated.

Like the three books that preceded this one, Photographically Speaking didnt write itself. Im grateful beyond words to the people who had my back, held my hand, pointed out my blind spots, and polished my words. So while no one except the people in these acknowledgments reads this part, I want to thank and share the credit with the following. Of course, if the book falls on its face, then these people also share the blame.

My editor, Ted Waitt, has become both my partner in crime and my close friend. People assume that I keep writing books because of the fame and riches. (These are also the ones against whom I have restraining orders.) Others thinkand theyre partly rightthat I just cant shut up. But mostly its because I enjoy working with Ted so much that I consider it worth the blood, sweat, and carpal tunnel that comes of writing, just to work with him again.

My publisher, Nancy Aldrich-Ruenzel, who continues to take chances on me and publish my stuff against all reason. One day shell realize shes made a horrible error. Until then, Im grateful for the chance to get my words and photographs out to the broader world and to do so as part of the fantastic family of book-loving Berkeley neo-hippies at Peachpit.

Charlene Charles-Will, my designer. This is the fourth book shes made with me and Im not even sure theres a good reason for me to keep looking at the layout proofs; theyre just always so beautiful. Im unreasonably proud of how good these books look, and Im not sure why as Ive got so little to do with it.

Hilal Sala and Lisa Brazieal, the production editors who keep this whole thing on track and makes sure it gets printed and out the door. Weve not missed a deadline yet!

And then there are all the other people. The ones who live and love and work with me without any contractual obligation to do so. The ones who have influenced this book in ways both profound and diverse, though probably still not enough to be listed in a class-action suit.

My manager and best friend, Corwin, who literally holds my world together, and has been a tireless and faithful friend to me in some tough times over the last year and a half.

My friends who I am blessed to say are too numerous for me to mention without getting in trouble for missing one. Over the last handful of years Ive been particularly grateful for the support of Troy, Erick, Jeffery, Reid, Matt, Gavin, Gary, Reid, The Legendary H, Erin, Daniela, KF, Sabrina, Dave Delnea, Kevin and Trish Clark, and my dear friends Daniel and Barbara, to whom this book is dedicated.

Cynthia Brooke, who abandoned Venice to get me through the longest four days and nights of my life after the accident in Pisa. I am so, so grateful.

My colleagues in the world of photographic education. Im humbled and grateful to be counted among them. Joe McNally, Chris Orwig, Vincent Versace, Scott Kelby, Matt Brandon, Gavin Gough, Jeffrey Chapman. All of these have either written books or taught alongside me in ways that have enriched my own life and craft.

My sponsorscompanies whove been generous to me and my communitySigma Canada, SanDisk, Gitzo, Artistic Photo Canvas, LiveBooks, Think Tank Photo, and Singh Ray Filters.

My readers and the photographic community at large. I am an unabashed fan of the amateur, the ones who do this for the love of it, whether or not they ever make a buck. You folks keep me sharp and honest and as free from pretense as possible. If youve ever read my blog, left a comment, or asked a question, Im grateful. If youve ever shelled out for one of my books, ebooks, or workshops, Im equally grateful. Puzzled, but grateful. On top of all that, you saw me through months of recovery and rehab after a fall in Italy on April 23, and your endless comments, emails, card, flowers and assorted expressions of support meant more to me than you can know. Thank you!

My mother, Heather, and my stepfather, Paul, who have always managed with such grace to be both my parents and my best friends. And to my father, Dick, who gave me my first camera, a little Blacks 110, with which I acquired my lifelong habit of making far too many horrific photographs in search of the beautiful ones.

And finally God, from whom this passion comes. Be Thou my Vision, oh Lord of my heart.

Credit: Gary Dowd, Sarajevo, 2010

David duChemin is a humanitarian and world photographer, previously based in Vancouver, Canada. He wrote this book in airports around the world in a jetlagged stupor, and while living in his 1983 Land Rover Defender, Jessie, while traveling a long slow circle around the North American continent and trying hard not to think of himself as homeless. He did this until he fell off a wall while teaching in Pisa, Italy. The rest of the book was written while he rehabilitated and learned to walk again, so there was a great deal of pain meds involved. When you get to the fuzzy bits, thats why.