I never liked 'how to...' guides, but this little book is a gem. Probably one of the best books on photography I have seen. ( )

This slim volume is loaded with provocative ideas and, as the subtitle says, practical guides. Little will come as a surprise to serious photographers— “just wandering around looking for pictures, hoping that something will pop up and announce itself, does not work”—worth emphasizing for those who don't do photography every day—and even we need to be reminded of that now and then. Hurn's attitude is stated bluntly throughout, e.g., “most teachers, classes, workshops, books, whatever, imply that how the picture is made, what techniques were employed, why it looks different and artistic, is more important than the subject matter. Yet the photographer is primarily a subject-selector. Much as it might offend the artistically inclined, the history of photography is primarily the history of the subject matter.” Jay, whose columns appear regularly in Lenswork is the interlocutor, with Hurn responding based on his experience for Magnum. That's a bit unfortunate, as Jay is exceptionally thoughtful and is here confined to a minor role. ( )