Book Description
Foreword by Skip Cohen
Translating the chaos of the real world into a breathtakingly
simple, beautiful photograph can often seem like an impossible
task. With busy, cluttered backgrounds and subjects who don’t
know how to pose, how can you take control and get a great shot no
matter the situation? In Picture Perfect Practice,
photographer Roberto Valenzuela breaks down the craft of
photography into three key elements–locations, poses, and
execution–that you can use to unlock the photographic
opportunities lying beneath every challenging situation.
Valenzuela stresses the need for photographers to actively practice
their craft every day–just like you would practice a musical
instrument–in order to master the art of making great images.
With chapters that offer practice exercises to strengthen your
photographic abilities, you’ll learn how to approach a scene,
break it down, and see your way to a great photograph. The Location
section features chapters that cover symmetry, balance, framing,
color elements, textures, and much more. The Posing section
includes the Five Key Posing Techniques that Valenzuela uses every
time he’s shooting people, as well as a complete list of
poses and how to achieve, customize, and perfect them. The
Execution portion, with sections like “Lighting through
Direction” and “Simplicity through Subtraction,”
reveals Valenzuela’s overall approach to getting the shot.
The book also includes an inspiring and helpful chapter on
deliberate practice techniques, where Valenzuela describes his
system for practicing and analyzing his work, which leads to
constant improvement as a photographer.
If you’ve been frustrated and overwhelmed by the challenges
of real-world locations, posing your subjects, or executing a great
image–or if you simply want to become a better shooter but
don’t know where to start–Picture Perfect
Practice gives you the tools and information you need to
finally become the kind of photographer you’ve always wanted
to be: the kind who can confidently walk into any location, under
any lighting condition, with any subject, and know that you can
create astonishing photographs that have a timeless impact.