David duChemin

A book that transcends ordinary travel photography books and delivers the inspiration needed to take truly great images * * An inspirational book about capturing the spirit and flavor of a culture and place. * Author David DuChemin, an impassioned travel and humanitarian photographer, shares his knowledge in this one-of-a-kind travel photography book * This is a book about the art and craft of photography and creating great images. This book is not merely about going places with your camera, or bring this lens and point it in that direction, but about capturing the spirit of a place, its culture and people, whether the photographer travels around the world or within their own city. Within the Frame, written in plain language, revolves around the narrative of the author planning for and undertaking a four week trip around the world that stops in the following exotic destinations: Prague, Kathmandu, Vietnam, and Samoa. Images created on the journey provide illustration and inspiration. This book teaches photographers to see people and places with a fresh eye and how to convert that vision into compelling, meaningful, and unique images that get past the postcard view. This is primarily a book about creating great images, not about how to get there.

The Journey of Photographic Vision

Within the Frame

Uses interviews with working photographers, along with his own personal experience, to offer guidance to aspiring professional photographers.

Making a Life and a Living in Photography

Vision Mongers

60 lessons for stronger photographs

The visual toolbox

When looking at a photograph, too often a conversation starts–and, unfortunately, ends–with a statement such as, “I like it.” The logical next question, “Why?”, often goes unasked and unanswered. As photographers, we frequently have difficulty speaking about images because, frankly, we don’t know how to think about them. And if we don’t know how to think about a photograph and its “visual language”– how an image is constructed, how it works, and why it works–then, when we’re behind the camera, are we really making images that best communicate our vision, our original intent? Vision–crucial as it is–is not the ultimate goal of photography; expression is the goal. And to best express ourselves, it is necessary to learn and use the grammar and vocabulary of the visual language. Photographically Speaking is about learning photography’s visual language to better speak to why and how a photograph succeeds, and in turn to consciously use that visual language in the creation of our own photographs, making us stronger photographers who are able to fully express and communicate our vision. By breaking up the visual language into two main components–“elements” make up its vocabulary, and “decisions” are its grammar–David duChemin transforms what has traditionally been esoteric and difficult subject matter into an accessible and practical discussion that photographers can immediately use to improve their craft. Elements are the “words” of the image, what we place within the frame–lines, curves, light, color, contrast. Decisions are the choices we make in assembling those elements to best express and communicate our vision–the use of framing, perspective, point of view, balance, focus, exposure. All content within the frame has meaning, and duChemin establishes that photographers must consciously and deliberately choose the elements that go within their frame and make the decisions about how that frame is constructed and presented. In the second half of the book, duChemin applies this methodology to his own craft, as he explores the visual language in 20 of his own images, discussing how the intentional choices of elements and decisions that went into their creation contribute to their success.

A Deeper Look at Creating Stronger Images

Photographically Speaking

"Author David duChemin's masterful and balanced emphasis on both the head and the heart--craft and technique on the one hand, passion and vision on the other--mirror the process of creating compelling, meaningful photographs that convey your vision. Filled with engaging photography, thought-provoking text, actionable takeaways, and creative exercises, the book's message continues to resonate strongly with readers across the globe." --

Within the Frame, 10th Anniversary Edition

As both an art form and a universal language, the photograph has an extraordinary ability to connect and communicate with others. But with over one trillion photos taken each year, why do so few of them truly connect? Why do so few of them grab our emotions or our imaginations? It is not because the images lack focus or proper exposure; with advances in technology, the camera does that so well these days. Photographer David duChemin believes the majority of our images fall short because they lack soul. And without soul, the images have no ability to resonate with others. They simply cannot connect with the viewer, or even—if we’re being truthful—with ourselves. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Avenir Next'} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Avenir Next'; min-height: 16.0px} In The Soul of the Camera: The Photographer’s Place in Picture-Making, David explores what it means to make better photographs. Illustrated with a collection of beautiful black-and-white images, the book’s essays address topics such as craft, mastery, vision, audience, discipline, story, and authenticity. The Soul of the Camera is a personal and deeply pragmatic book that quietly yet forcefully challenges the idea that our cameras, lenses, and settings are anything more than dumb and mute tools. It is the photographer, not the camera, that can and must learn to make better photographs—photographs that convey our vision, connect with others, and, at their core, contain our humanity. The Soul of the Camera helps us do that.

The Photographer's Place in Picture-Making

The Soul of the Camera

When the Life Creative Becomes the Life Created

A Beautiful Anarchy

Start Ugly is a celebration of the messy creative process and a call to face the obstacles of that process with mindfulness and humanity. This is a book for anyone who has ever wished they were "more creative."

The Unexpected Path to Everyday Creativity

Start Ugly

Was ist eigentlich ein gutes Bild? Ist dieses Bild gut? Nach welchen Kriterien bewerte ich eigentlich meine eigene Arbeit? Und wie sehen das Andere? Diese Fragen stellt sich wohl jeder Fotograf bei der Durchsicht seiner Bilder – und bleibt dabei oft ratlos. Bildkritik ist nicht leicht, eine kritische Analyse der eigenen Arbeiten noch schwerer. Regeln, Formeln oder Rezepte helfen nicht wirklich, um zum Kern der Frage vorzustoßen: Was genau ist ein gutes Bild? David duChemin gibt in seinem Buch auch keine Antwort auf diese Frage, liefert keine Rezepte für das "gute Bild" – er stellt Fragen. Fragen wie "Wo ist die Geschichte?", "Wie sieht es mit Balance und Spannung aus?", "Welche Rolle spielt das Licht?", "Wie führen die Linien den Blick des Betrachters?", Fragen, die dem Fotografen helfen sollen, Bilder besser zu verstehen, ihre Qualität zu erkennen. Die ihm aber auch helfen sollen, den kreativen Prozess des Fotografierens bewusster zu steuern und die Qualität seiner Arbeit zu verbessern. Doch duChemin stellt nicht nur Fragen. Er erklärt, er illustriert mit eigenen Bildern, welche Bedeutung seine Fragen haben, wohin der Weg führt, den er dem Leser mit diesem Buch weist: Zu stärkeren und authentischeren Bildern.

Fragen und Ideen für ausdrucksstärkere Bilder

Das Herz der Fotografie

The Print and the Process is a book of ideas, thoughts, and techniques about our photographs and the process that leads us to the final image. (To be clear, it is not an instructional book about how to print your images.) In this beautiful book, David duChemin takes the reader behind the scenes on four distinct photographic projects, discussing motivation, image creation, and post-production. The projects he walks the reader through are from Iceland, Kenya, Antarctica, and Venice–and for each he discusses the hows and whys of his own image-making process. Each project begins with a beautiful series of 20-30 final images from that project–this is "the print" section, and it's geared for the reader to really take in those images holistically. Then, duChemin discusses "the process" behind creating those images. In this section, the reader will see the project images again but as thumbnails, and David goes through each one, explaining very thoroughly his process. duChemin does not "pre-visualize" a scene, as Ansel Adams famously discussed. Instead, he feels it. And it's from that feeling that he begins working with the elements in front of him and looking at the choices available to him. As he moves around, including and excluding elements from the frame, the camera and the photographer become collaborators. It's from this struggle that the final image emerges. DuChemin has been making images for over two decades, and this process has changed and evolved during that time. By exploring duChemin's images and reflecting on the process behind them–both behind the camera and in post-processing–the reader learns to pay more attention to their own process, and identify ways in which their process can be further examined and improved in order to take more compelling images.

Taking Compelling Photographs from Vision to Expression

The Print and the Process

Das Handwerkszeug des Fotografen Ein Buch für leidenschaftliche Fotografen, die sich stets fragen: könnten meine Bilder noch besser sein? Nicht die Werkzeuge - Kameras, Objektive, Zubehör - entscheiden über ein gutes Bild, sondern die Beherrschung des fotografischen Handwerks. Doch das ist komplex: Sie müssen Ihr Motiv erkennen, verstehen, die eingesetzte Technik in- und auswendig kennen, Licht, Farben und Bildelemente sehen und nutzen - und immer jenseits von Tellerrand und Regeln nach noch besseren Wegen zur Umsetzung Ihrer Vorstellung vom idealen Foto suchen. In diesem Buch fasst David DuChemin das Handwerkszeug des Fotografen in 60 Workshops zusammen, in denen sie frei nach Wahl an Ihren handwerklichen Fähigkeiten als Fotograf/in arbeiten können - um so noch bessere Bilder zu machen. Nutzen Sie alle gestalterischen Möglichkeiten natürlichen Lichts? Sind Sie öfter unsicher bei der Bildaufteilung? Setzen Sie Farbkontraste gezielt ein? Können Sie mit Ihren Bildern Geschichten erzählen? Dies und noch vieles mehr lernen Sie mit diesem Buch. Jeder der 60 Workshops endet mit einer Aufgabe, die Ihnen hilft, das Gelernte zu festigen und in der Praxis anzuwenden.

In 60 Workshops zu besseren Fotos

Das Handwerkszeug des Fotografen

For those who want to make the transition into the world of vocational photography—staying true to your craft and vision, while fusing that craft with commerce VisionMongers is a great place to begin your journey. With a voice equally realistic and encouraging, photographer David duChemin discusses the experiences he’s had, the lessons he’s learned, and the practices he’s adopted in his own winding journey to becoming a successful working photographer. When it comes to this personal, honest combination of craft and commerce, there is no single path to success. Everyone’s goals are different, as is everyone’s definition of success. As such, VisionMongers does not prescribe a one size-fits-all program. Instead, duChemin candidly shares ideas, wisdom, and inspiration to introduce you to, and help you navigate, the many aspects of transforming your passion into your vocation. He addresses everything from the anxiety-riddled question “Am I good enough?” to the basics—and beyond—of marketing, business, and finance, as well as the core assumption that your product is great and your craft is always improving. Along the way, duChemin features the stories of nine other photographers—including Chase Jarvis, Gavin Gough, and Zack Arias—whose paths, while unique, have all shared a commitment and passion for bringing their own vision to market. With VisionMongers, you’ll learn what paths have been taken—what has worked for these photographers—and you’ll be equipped to begin the process of forging your own.

VisionMongers

The Problem with Muses is a collection of transcripts from David duChemin's podcast, A Beautiful Anarchy, pulled together for the first time for those who prefer the written word.

Notes on Everyday Creativity

The Problem with Muses

Using the principles set forth in his book, photographer and humanitarian David duChemin critiques images that members of Peachpit's Within the Frame flickr group have posted.

Within the Frame Podcast

Learn to ask better, more helpful questions of your work so that you can create stronger and more powerful photographs. Photographers often look at an image—one they’ve either already created or are in the process of making—and ask themselves a simple question: “Is this a good photograph?” It’s an understandable question, but it’s really not very helpful. How are you supposed to answer that? What does “good” even mean? Is it the same for everyone? What if you were equipped to ask better, more constructive questions of your work so that you could think more intentionally and creatively, and in doing so, bring more specific action and vision to the act of creating photographs? What if asking stronger questions allowed you to establish a more effective approach to your image-making? In The Heart of the Photograph: 100 Questions for Making Stronger, More Expressive Photographs, photographer and author David duChemin helps you learn to ask better questions of your work in order to craft more successful photographs—photographs that express and connect, photographs that are strong and, above all, photographs that are truly yours. From the big-picture questions—What do I want this image to accomplish?—to the more detail-oriented questions that help you get there—What is the light doing? Where do the lines lead? What can I do about it?—David walks you through his thought process so that you can establish your own. Along the way, he discusses the building blocks from which compelling photographs are made, such as gesture, balance, scale, contrast, perspective, story, memory, symbolism, and much more. The Heart of the Photograph is not a theoretical book. It is a practical and useful book that equips you to think more intentionally as a photographer and empowers you to ask more helpful questions of you and your work, so that you can produce images that are not only better than “good,” but as powerful and authentic as you hope them to be. TABLE OF CONTENTS Better Questions PART ONE: A GOOD PHOTOGRAPH? Is It Good? The Audience's Good The Photographer's Good PART TWO: BETTER THAN GOOD Better Subjects PART THREE: BETTER EXPRESSION Exploration and Expression What Is the Light Doing? What Does Colour Contribute? What Role Do the Lines and Shapes Play? What's Your Point of View? What Is the Quality of the Moment? Where Is the Story? Where Is the Contrast? What About Balance and Tension? What Is the Energy? How Can I Use Space and Scale? Can I Go Deeper? What About the Frame? Do the Elements Repeat? Harmony Can I Exclude More? Where Does the Eye Go? How Does It Feel? Where's the Mystery? Remember When? Can I Use Symbols? Am I Being Too Literal? PART FOUR: BETTER PHOTOGRAPHS The Heart of the Photograph Index

David duChemin

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