*Books You Can Use: PHOTOGRAPHY

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From time to time, I am going to go out on a limb and recommend books that are both interesting and useful. While initially they will be about photography, I promise to research books that will interest designers and writers as well. If you are reading this and want to send in your suggestion, I would love to hear from you. Send in your suggestions to me at: seshu[at]pipalproductions[dot]com.

Here is the first of what I hope will be many books you can use:

I am a big fan of Frank Van Riper's column in Camera Works, The Washington Post's online feature about photography. His writing is lucid and his experiences as a photographer universal, such that we can all learn from him and his wife, Judith Goodman.

Last Christmas a friend gifted me Riper's book – Talking Photography – a collection of his columns that have appeared on the website.

No matter how you classify yourselves – an emerging professional or an ardent amateur – I recommend this book to you. Apart from technical “how-to's,” the author clearly describes the “why's” behind doing certain things on photo assignment. The writing is authorative, but not overwhelming or intimidating. You don't have to read it cover-to-cover. You are given the liberty of picking and choosing columns that interest you. Eventually, I suspect, you will end up reading them all. They are that good.