The Moment It Clicks: Photography secrets from one of the world's top shooters (Voices That Matter) Reviews

• Beware - and have realistic goals for buying this book

  
  By A2HWJ8VROTMC1E on 2008-02-12
  I am writing this review from the perspective of someone who is known as the "Eternal Optimist". I got the book for the purpose of gaining a serious insight into "how he did it" - kind of like Scott Kelby's How-to books - which by the way, are all very good.
  
  When Joe McNally's photos are seen, one can only wonder, "how did he do that?", so naturally, we are all inclined to want to get our hands on his book, so we can reproduce his shots, and ultimately learn by doing.
  
  Sadly, this book just doesn't come close to providing that end! Half the entire book is simply a full page of his glorious shots. The other half of the book is "supposed to be showing you how he did it".
  
  Each photo is supposed to represent a single element that he wants to stress as the critical component necessary for that particular shot. But seriously, those glorious shots consist of a constellation of critical factors that can NOT be explained on the basis of one "hint" only.
  
  Most of us are buying the book so that we can fully reproduce his shots, but this will never be accomplished by his book alone. Truly, he is providing only a "miniscule hint" as to the thought processes behind each shot. Some of the hints are useful, but the majority of the book simply represents the interesting story behind the shot, without providing much useful information as to how we can accomplish the same scenario.
  
  After reading the book, one has to ask, Does Joe, himself not know how he got the shot? Or is he intentionally just trying to keep us all in the dark, hoping that we'll buy more of his books so that one day we'll come a little closer to a better understanding? Is he afraid that if he tells us too much we may all become his competitors?
  
  If you want a pretty "picture book" then this is it! But if you're desiring a critical guide to reproducing his shots, you'll finish this book very disappointed, wondering what his motive was for writing the book? Was it simply to make a buck? Or did he really think we were going to get much out of it?
  
  While there is something important that can be learned from all photography books, I tend to believe that this book falls into the category of other similar books, which is to say - If you finish most books and come away with 2-3 seriously important points, that change your philosophy and actions, then your money has been well spent.
  
  If your goals and intent for reading this book are appropriate, then you won't be disappointed. However, if you think that you'll be reproducing Joe's shots after reading this book, you'll likely come away angry or even feel betrayed - sad to say.
  
  This book underscores the fact that there is no simple solution to creating great, world-class photographs. The more you read, the more you'll know. This book is simply one small step on the road to a lifetime of perpetual self-education.
  
  Do I recommend this book? I will reservedly say yes, but understand that realistically, you'll come away with more questions than you had before you started, and you'll still be asking yourself the eternal question, "I wish I knew just how did he did it".
  
  
  
  

• It About the Light.

  
  By A1F6PIIZ0ZHHD6 on 2008-02-11
  Picture this. You meet one of the world's great photographers in a bar. He has a stack of pictures with him from his portfolio. As you go through the pictures, he talks about them, about the people in the photographs, and how he made each of them. About a third of the way through you realize that when he talks about the technical details he talks mostly about the lighting, and you are sorry you didn't pick up on that right from the beginning, but now you listen avidly to try to learn his lighting techniques.
  
  Then, about two-thirds of the way through, he stops talking about the lighting, and starts meandering about the photo editors he knew, and how he may have sacrificed some of his family life to be a photographer, and how he came up through the ranks, and that's interesting too.
  
  When Joe McNally talks about lighting a picture of James Brown, or Sophia Loren, or Larry Tisch, the techniques he uses seem to be ones you could use. But when he talks about getting a bunch of masks from the Smithsonian to shoot Michelle Pfeiffer, or five full length mirrors set up on the field for a picture of shortstop Ozzie Smith, or using 10 or 15 2400 watt lights to light fielder Eric Davis, you may hope that you can at least get inspiration because you are never going to have that kind of equipment, or if you are, then to quote McNally, "you don't need my advice". And don't take a peek at McNally's equipment until you come to that page in normal reading or you may decide the book is not for you.
  
  If you are looking for instruction, it's here amongst the stories, even if it's delivered in a non-structured sort of way. I haven't invested in a dozen Speedotrons, but after reading this book, I did decide to upgrade my umbrella to a couple of softboxes. On the other hand if you are interested in looking at a portfolio of great pictures, McNally has them. And if you like to listen to photographers tell stories about photography, often at their own expense, you'll probably love this book.
  
  Other then the lighting there is little of a technical nature here. There's nothing about exposure, or depth of field or Photoshop. I am certain that the people that talked the author into writing this book loved the stories and the way they were told and how they related back occasionally to transforming a vision into an image by using equipment. McNally's personality comes through. Whether this is the way for you to learn some lighting tricks will depend on what you feel about winnowing them out of the stories and pictures. On the other hand, Joe McNally is a great guy to have a drink with.
  
  

• If you love photography, this book is a must have

  
  By A23L2IJ9HIZ0YO on 2008-02-03
  This book is written in such a way that photographers of every experience, style and age will gain huge value.
  This is now my favorite book to date on photography.
  
  My one line summary:
  
  It will teach you "how to have a single photo tell a real story", with emotion and from different perspectives. In my opinion it is a must for amateurs through pros.
  
  Pros:
  
  The books is written simply with no unexplained jargon. If the author mentions an industry word (e.g. Ripping Film), he goes on to explain what it means. You learn some of the industry street terms and get a feel for the authors experience shooting.
  
  Every turn of the page has a compelling photo which is the subject of the lesson. Some lessons are technical such as how-to on lighting, while others are lessons on approach, demeanor or attitude.
  
  The book is emotionally engaging. You want to put the book down and immediate try some of the approaches.
  
  The author isn't demonstrating ego - this book is NOT about him! It's about the the world around him. You turn each page and learn how he captured an amazing picture of someone like James Brown, or how he found the real story in Augusta.
  
  It will give you ideas on how to have a single photo tell a real story.
  
  Cons:
  
  The only real complaint: This is a soft cover and Amazon shipped it in an envelope instead of a box. The edges of the cover got crimped a bit.
  
  Feedback for the author:
  I'd love for more - just simply put - I want the second volume. I'd love to figure out how to get this signed :)
  
  This is a real gem and I would have loved it in perfect condition for my office desktop.
  
  Great job to the author.
  
  

• A Very Big Disappointment

  
  By A8AIIVZ3M5LSB on 2008-02-18
  The Moment It Clicks: Photography secrets from one of the world's top shooters
  
  
  I cannot see the big hype about this book. Joe McNally is a fantastic photographer yes, I agree, but this book is just a biography about his life and career as a photographer and about light. It's all about the light. If you are a big time lighting fanatic then I would consider purchasing this book. The images he uses in the book are nothing to write home about. I am sure Joe has much more impressive photos he could have shared in his book. Seeing Winona Ryder in her pj's sprawled on a bed as a teenager (at least that what she looked like in the photo) is nothing to write home about. Joe has a story to tell with every single photo in the book. I really did not care about how he rented an elephant for $6000 or a dog for $1000 or even invest some $3400 in some angel wings in order to get "the shot" How many of us could afford or will actually be in a situation like that? If your pay scale is the same as Joe's, maybe.... I have learned so much more from Scott Kelby books like his digital photography books 1 and 2. They are technical and actually have a real world use. (No, I do not have any affiliation with Scott Kelby whatsoever. I am just stating a point so anyone who is thinking about buying this book for some really in depth technical knowledge should look somewhere else) How many of us will actually take a ride in a helicopter in this lifetime and snap a photo of an Asian actress dangling from a rope? Even the pointers Joe provides are nothing more than common sense. "If a strobe blew up and flames starting shooting out of the softbox, stay calm and show your client you have everything under control." Or "be persistent, persistence pays" Or"straight flash is disaster light" This review is just to express my disappointment as I expected much more from one of the world's top photographers.
  
  

• The Light Shines!

  
  By A2EP7WMVUMZB5Q on 2008-01-31
  There is no finer shooter out there, and no finer photographic teacher than Joe McNally. What Joe brings to you between the covers is a helluva lot more than shutter speeds and f/stops, but a passion for light, subject and photograph. This read will make you a better person, better photographer and lover of life!
  
  Moose Peterson
  
  
• For owners of expensive lighting only
  By A2N7G9AM5RIZYA on 2008-02-11
  If you own a boatload of lighting equipment, this book is for you. It will show you how to use all kinds of strobes and softboxes and other major lighting assets. If not, there are about 4 or 5 pages that will fit your equipment profile. If you shoot existing light, save your money.
  
  
• Wow! One Click "The Moment it Clicks"!!
  By A1GNSLNCXXG2HE on 2008-02-07
  If you're like me, your bookshelf, nightstand, coffee table as well as your desk, and probably your floor are strewn with photography books (if you have a passion for something, you'll pay to learn more). Some good, and some, well, not so good. Rare is the book that has value cover to cover. Most have some nuggets here or there and for the most part, we feel pretty good about our purchase decision when we can cull 2 or 3 of those nuggets for our own use.
  
  Then Joe wrote "The Moment it Clicks" which has a nugget ON EVERY PAGE! Trust me, if you were listening to Joe speak, you'd pay $20 for 1 or 2 of those gems. Incredible. You just can't past the second page without being BLOWN AWAY! By the 20th page, this had become my all time favorite book on the subject of photography. Yes, it is that good.
  
  That said, take a look for yourself. Or go out to Joe McNally's website (it is his name). Talk about gifted! If I can take 1 shot in the next six months that even approach's Joe's stuff, I'll be absolutely thrilled.
  
  So if you want to get better as a shutterbug, then gift this book to yourself. And in short order, you'll be as blown away as the rest of us... what are you waiting for... Just One Click "The Moment it Clicks".
  
  
  
  
• Straight Info, straight from the best
  By ABNMDL7J6GYD4 on 2008-02-05
  If I could choose a career in Photography, it would be the one Joe McNally has had. And since my Photography is more for creative purposes and an adjunct to my 3D work, rather than the primary part of my work, I feel that I can live vicariously through Joe thanks to "The Moment It Clicks." When I first heard about this book, I was excited because Joe's work is outstanding, if not iconic. For Joe to do a book on his career, you can really get a sense of what drives him, what motivates him, and soon you get a complete understanding of how he got the shot. What I particularly like is that he discusses, in straight talk, the situation behind various images. Imagine sitting down with Joe McNally, looking through his portfolio, and asking him about the shot. Everything from using a fill flash, to making your pictures "shout", to finding your way into a lunch with the head of Disney, simply to get the shot you want.
  
  When I started writing books for 3D animation, people often asked me why I would do such a thing. How could I "give away my secrets." I told them that it's just software instruction, technique, and tips. I can't teach anyone to be a 3D artist, but only how to use their software and help guide them. So when I started reading Joe's book, I thought to myself "how can he give us all this valuable information..." Suddenly I caught myself. I realized that I was asking the same question people had asked me. Joe can't teach you to be an photographic artist. But it's his insight, experience, and outlook that can help you see better, and perhaps, become a better photographer - if you allow it.
  
  This book is a welcomed addition to the arsenal of photo books on the market that continually talk about the same thing. Exposure, perspective, types of lighting, etc. Only a few books come along that you can refer to time and time again, once you know the basics. Joe's book is one of those books and it will remain on my bookshelf for years to come. I'm so glad I signed up for Moose Peterson's Digital Landscape Photography Workshop next fall, as Joe is one of the instructors!
  
  
  
  
  
  
• A blast of fresh air for photographers at all levels
  By AU7BCVT5I29VJ on 2008-02-08
  In a world filled with digi-cams behind every latte cup and legions of enthusiasts who upload their latest masterpieces to Flickr every night, `The Moment It Clicks' is a huge blast of fresh air. Joe McNally is a photographer's photographer who, fortunately for us, has taken the time to candidly share the most important insights gained during three decades as a professional shooter. Every spread in the book is a mini-course, both technically and aesthetically, on the creation of an amazing photograph.
  
  More importantly, `The Moment It Clicks' reaches well beyond the genre of how-to books. It's a book on what its like to BE a photographer. I've no doubt that 20 years from now, the new captains of the photography world will look back and point to the `The Moment It Clicks' as being the turning point when they started down the path of becoming great photographers.
  
  Consider `The Moment It Clicks' to be a must-have - regardless of your skill level. If you are an armchair enthusiast who reads more than he shoots, you'll be entertained with Joe's stories from the front lines. If you are a student contemplating a life in our profession, you'll gain more insights from this book than from any teacher (unless, of course, you're lucky enough to get into one of Joe's workshops). If you are a professional, set aside your cynicism and buy the book. Joe's candid stories will re-kindle your creative fire and help bolster your courage in this challenging market.
  
  Many books, magazines, and DVDs can teach you how to compose, light and expose. You may even have a gear bag full of the latest equipment that's worth more than most cars on the road. Yet, having the right gear and knowing how to turn it on does not make you a good photographer any more than having the right golf clubs will get you into the PGA Tour. But reading the right book, this book, will give you wisdom well beyond your years. It certainly did for me.
  
  
  
  
• Uninspirational Photography, Nothing Really Useful
  By A2AMK22U9TKJ2W on 2008-02-26
  Definitely a fiasco of a book. The premise is interesting and the writing is even funny at times, specially all the spelling mistakes. However, 90% of the photography is nothing special. Actually, if those pictures came out of my camera, I would certainly have deleted most of them. This is not what I expected from an award-winning photographer.
  
  The advice in the book is very repetitive (I swear, he explains at least 5 times what a honeycomb filter looks like) and often he simply just keeps stating the obvious. When it is not obvious, it is just beyond the reach of most photographers in terms of setup. Some picture were taking with a dozen strobes with assistants holding reflects, sandbags and a different colored gel on each light!
  
  
• For the Professional Only
  By A757G01FHE20T on 2008-02-18
  I was disappointed in this book. For me it is a book for professionals with a great deal of expensive equipment. The photos were outstanding, but I saw very little for the amateur photography. It was way over my head. Prior to and after purchasing the book, I read some outstanding reviews. After I bought and read the book, I do not agree with most of the favorable comments.
  
  
• If you are not a portrait photographer, not the book to buy!!
  By A3JKNA60S4W5K5 on 2008-04-08
  Save your money!! This is definitely not a "one foot in the classroom" type of book. Quite honestly, I don't know what to make of it!!! I was looking forward to getting it from Amazon as I had read quite a few very positive reviews of the book. Anyway, I start to read it. Looked at some of the photos/snapshots. I started to laugh!! There is absolutely no rhyme or reason to this book. It completely blew my mind! Honestly, here are a few examples of those "photography secrets: "This is a shot with available light-late afternoon, using a 20mm wide angle lens" (p.120) Here's another "This shot was taken outdoors at dusk in Jaipu, India, during the Festival of Lights using available light. It was taken with a 180mm lens at f2.8. The soft glow through the veil was provided entirely by the candles" (p.88) Wow, thanks for those tips Joe. And most don't even mention that much technical information. Oh sure, there are some decent photos, and some good tips, but I was expecting a helluva lot more. "Photography secrets from one of the world's top shooters"????? Most of non-portrait/artificial lighting topics are common sense. The text consists of way too much dribble with little of the pertinent information which the book advertised. Most importantly, if you are not a portrait photographer and do not do a lot of work with artificial lighting, you could spend your money and time on something better. I was actually thinking of returning this book to Amazon, but have decided to give it to a friend for his birthday. He gave me a crappy gift for mine!!
  
  
• The real secret....There is no secret
  By A29HLLSMGPT74G on 2008-02-23
  This is an interesting book, but not an informative one. The title is misleading as it is not particularly "secretive". Unless you consider gels, softboxes, bounce your flash and use "available" light "secretive" there really is NOTHING from an technical standpoint to make this book a 5 star read. It's entertaining and loaded with nice on location images with brief descriptions of the shoot. But "Photography secrets" is a bit of a misleading title for this book. His setups are solid lighting techniques available in a myriad of other books (and in drastically better detail than here), NOTHING NEW.
  
  McNally's "secret" is he's creative, has solid lighting skills and happens to have access to people and money a lot of us don't to set up unique scenarios.
  
  
  
  
• Revealing photography magic tricks
  By A1NSGSS59J5GXY on 2008-02-07
  This one of the few photography books that I took out of the package, flipped through, sat down and read it from cover to cover. It's like "Breaking the Magician's Code" only in book form for photographers.
  
  TMIC is organized with two page spreads for each "tip." On one page (usually the right side) is a brilliant photo. On the opposite page is a story, memory or piece of advice. For emphasis, a succinct quote from the narrative that summarizes the tip is placed on the page as well. Many times there is a section, "How to Get This Type of Shot," that explains how he got the effect in the photograph displayed.
  
  I am impressed with the "humanness" of the book. It doesn't talk down to you. If there is photographic jargon in the story that might be confusing, he will put in a footnote to explain it. He also includes a glossary and an index, bless his little cotton socks.
  
  This is a book I could give to a friend who doesn't care a whit about the rudiments of photography, as well as to my obsessive photographer friends. It has a place on my bookshelf where I put books that I thumb through all the time.
  
  
  
• Great photos, but only full of stories
  By A3PF6Y91T4BH6W on 2008-02-20
  I agree with Randall Steffens's review... this book has great photos with interesting stories... but that's it.. picture with stories.
  
  This book is supposed to provide "Ah ha! moments" so we can reproduce his shot, but unfortunately there is not much useful information.
  
  It was pleasant to read the book but sad to say I will be returning this book back and save my money for another SB800.
  
  
• Not a gotta have help book
  By A3EWSN3SD3GCBE on 2008-02-23
  After much self-serving hype from Scott Kelby this was a disappointing read. I didn't get any of the "tricks of the trade" that were promised to give me a wow. there was name dropping along the way, but few of the tricks made sense to me. I'm sure that if you could ask questions about Joe's explanations of how he got the shot it would be a wow. Even showing where his assistant stood with lights would help. His placement of softboxes and reflectors, lenses used and exposures are all missing from many of the photos. Maybe this is really a nice book just for the pictures, but it isn't the secrets book that was promoted.
  
  
• Mostly about lighting
  By A4OWHM89B6PQ4 on 2008-03-02
  I read this book and found it interesting, although somewhat limiting in its practical application for mere enthusiasts. This is a great photographer no doubt, but I found that the book is 80% about lighting for magazine shoots (think expensive). And unless you're a professional photographer with a large budget, you will never own the lighting gear he uses for those shoots. Since my focus is mainly on nature photography, I found only sporadic tidits of useful advice here. The rest is intriguing in its own right (hey, it was cool to learn how he rented and lit a circus elephant for a studio shoot), but it's not something I can use. I like my books to be more pragmatic. This one is for highly paid pros.
  
  
• Not really a how-to book, but still excellent
  By A680RUE1FDO8B on 2008-05-25
  From its description, I expected a "how-to" book. It isn't. Rather, it is a book filled with truly excellent photographs with a bit of personal story for each, many of which are interesting, and just a couple of hints about capturing shots like those on the pages.
  
  The truth is that most of us will never have the opportunity to get shots like these; at the top of a New York skyscraper, dangling from a helicopter 500 feet about the well-known Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, photographing prima ballerinas and telling them to take off their shoes.
  
  One revealing tidbit of just how different Joe McNally is different from me (and probably you) is the contents of his camera bag. Well, actually bags: three of them. Three Nikon bodies, eleven Nikon lenses, five Nikon SB-800 speedlights - and a lot more. And, of course, a lot of the shots are lit with truly serious lighting, the kind of units that cost thousands of dollars or rent for hundreds of dollars a day. like Joe's Avenger 12 x 12 foot Butterfly Foldaway Frame.
  
  So what do we have here?
  
  A book of great photographs, some interesting stories on how they came to be and some hints and tips.
  
  It is more than enough, frankly.
  
  For example, Joe tells of an experience in Star City, the Russian space training facility. He gets on a zero-gravity training plane by bribing someone with $7,500, talks about retching 50 times as the plane dives to acheive zero Gs, gives a one sentence of how he made the shot on the facing page which, frankly, is breathtaking.
  
  No, I will never be able to duplicate Joe's experience, but I am sure glad to that Joe McNally has shared some insights into his life with the rest of us.
  
  All told, this is really more or less a coffee table photo book with a lot of personal stories. Great photography, great stories and more than a few useful tips.
  
  Jerry
  
  
• Location Photogrpahy for Commerical and Portrait Photographers
  By A2IPJU07ZEDQXR on 2008-06-06
  I'll keep this short and sweet.
  
  1. NOT a cookbook or "how to" book.
  2. NOT a beginners book.
  3. IS a book for high intermediate level and advanced photographers (see#4).
  4. This book does not give F stops or other technical information. That's why it's an advanced book.
  5. 100% LOCATION photography and how to overcome the hardships of this type of shot.
  6. Emphasis on hard core commercial photography, as in Donald Trump, CEO's, Sports figures, etc. But if you know your stuff, you can use the information to your advantage for any location shooting.
  
  Summary: This book made a lot of sense to me, but only because I understand light and the problems of location photography. If you do not understand the problems of light on location, how to use strobes, reflectors, etc., then you will not "get" this book.
  
  McNally is pretty extraordinary in his element, which is fast thinking in a fast paced location based commercial environment. He hit everything I've experienced stress wise trying to create a nice image using natural and strobe light on location.
  
  If you have ever tried location photography w/o a flash gun on your camera--because you do not use an ON CAMERA flash when doing location photography (and bouncing an on camera flash counts as having the light off camera, and yes there are exceptions)--then you understand the horrible chills you get when learning this skill, and even after you learn the basics the stress and abject FEAR involved. McNally does a great job of imparting this fear and stress and explaining how he works though it, or not--he admits sometimes you just fail, get use to it.
  
  In that sense, the book gets 5 stars. If you think you are the only one who goes through these levels of fear, stress, self hatred, and messing up, then read this book. It will allow you, if nothing else, to see that you are on the right track and that even super pros like McNally go through these same anxieties.
  
  In conclusion, this book is for advanced photographers looking to hone their skills and to understand if they are actually on the right track. Even if you don't do hard core commercial, you can impart this information to your skill set because all of the stuff he talks about is relevant to ANY location type photography, including weddings. The book also uses what I believe are perfect examples of what Joe is trying to convey to other photographers.
  
  Thanks Joe. Good book!
  
  
• Great images, lessons, & stories
  By AFWRKNG202UO0 on 2008-02-08
  Joe is a great teacher. Open, honest, with an encyclopedic knowledge of the art, and the craft of photography. Joe is a problem solver who builds photographs brick by brick. Studying everything, engage his subject, using all his tools, it is like watching someone put a puzzle together.
  His new book combines a great selection of images, with his anecdotal stories, and technical descriptions of how they were made. Joe has balanced the book, carefully selecting every image to cover a wide range of situations, to help fellow photographers through the "peeks and valleys" of freelance photography. He has thirty years of experience shooting in over fifty countries to glean from. Working for Life, National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, and lots of Fortune 500 companies.
  In "Joe talk", the lessons include: "Basic human interaction trumps everything; Zoom with your feet; Shoot it now; The most important asset is your attitude". There are lots more clearly presented.
  Buy the book for it's great photographs, because you want to learn about being a photographer, or being a parent. To learn about lighting, and what to pack in your camera bag. To learn a few tricks, or about light. Learn how to shoot what you love, to convey what you want to say in a photo.
  A great book by a great photographer at the top of his game.
  
  
• How to use $10,000 worth of lighting
  By AK5GVTDQSL5BN on 2008-06-24
  I was expecting a well written book by a expert in his field. This book was well reccomended by Scott Kelby which was good enough for me. I was highly dissapointed. The entire book was based around how he used thousands of dollars worth of lighting to get ordinary pictures. I understand lighting is important but 240 pages of how he lit his pictures was to much. No real insite to how he composed or planned the pictures. Or even the camera set up he used. I am no expert but I do know when something is written to make a couple of dollars. The last 14 pages of the book is a glossary of the terms he used in the book (some made up). I read the entire book in a evening. Some comments were interesting but woke up the next morning trying to remember a single thing I liked about the book. Only thing I can remember is that he uses a lot of very expensive lighting for his shots.
  Shame on Scott Kelby for reccomending this book.
  
  
• A treasure both visual, learning, and story telling
  By A1J1IUNGUTDQ6K on 2008-02-05
  This is absolutely one of the best books on photography I have ever read and read and read. The pictures are better than most books on the coffee table. The photography lessons are worth the price alone. But the stories associated with the pictures and 1 line lessons are the true treasures. If you want to try to understand lighting and know that there are no absolute rules then this is the book for you. Originally I thought that this book was a bit expensive, but the quality of the printed photography is only exceeded by the story on the opposite page. Base on 1 line lessons you want to go onto the next pair of pages to read about the story behind that photo. The written style is simple and easy to follow with on page definitions for those photography tech terms needed for understanding the lighting. Simply outstanding. Thanks to Mr.(s) McNally and Scott Kelby for understanding the value of its contents.
  
  Amazon shipped mine in a standard carton, but blister wrapped the book inside with cardboard. Thank you; it was raining in Los Angeles the week it was delivered. Yes, one corner was curled. But reading this book as much as I have these past two days quickly curled the other corner.
  
  The peachpit.com bonus pdf addendum for registering the book online was not available at the time I wrote this.
  
  
• Best Book on Photography This Year
  By A226CT5SJQ8NQC on 2008-02-10
  When I got the book, I simply could not put it down until I finished it. This will most likely be the best book published on photography in year 2008. Let me share few of my thoughts on why.
  
  Joe McNally is one of the most famous and most successful photojournalists of our time. He shoots all kinds of things, but he's best known for his people photography. Joe is also considered to be an outstanding teacher, and it shoes through the book.
  
  Joe has an amazing talent of taking an individual or a group of people and capturing them in a way that you don't need any explanations. Each photo of his is an essay in itself. So if you like shooting people, for journalism, or simply for family history purposes, you will simply love just looking at the pictures presented here. In fact, the book would be worth it even if it cost 10 times of what it costs now ($32) just for the collection of images presented there. They are outstanding, and what's good, the quality of printing is very good too. And if you're not yet shooting people, this book will make you start shooting them, as there is not a subject that is more exciting.
  
  Besides photos, Joe also presents stories behind them, including how he lit the objects and why. This kind of information is what made the book extra captivating for me. He's got a talent of telling stories in a way that you can't stop reading them. You open a page, see an image that blows your mind away, and on top of that, you get a story of how it was created, along with the guiding principle behind it, or "one-liner" that is easy to remember. He shares photography wisdom with in every section of the book, and many of his pearls will be quoted by teachers and writers on the topic of photography for years to come.
  
  He also gets personal and shares stories of his struggles from the time he was a beginner to the present day. You'll hear details about how he once destroyed six cameras in one day, or about what image jump started his career, or about his tries to be a good parent to his children when he was away most of the time as they were growing. I am always impressed when people of his caliber talk about their mistakes and failures so openly. It also makes you take your own mistakes more easily.
  
  In summary, through his book Joe McNally has inspired me, has made me better photographer through his own example, both in terms of technical aspects and creativity, and once again has made me want to go out and keep shooting. I was sad the book was over, but it's one of these books that I will read again and again. It is for sure as good as any book I have read on the topic of the art of photography, and you're losing out if you have not yet ordered your copy.
  
  
• Telling a story through photographs
  By AYCTX8EWG4JDZ on 2008-03-22
  Joe McNally is a gifted story teller, both with photographs and with words. The photos included in his book -- primarily formal and candid portraits -- are well worth studying for composition and technique. Regardless whether or not one has access to the kinds of equipment McNally describes, there's much to learn by studying his work. The accompanying text is informative and entertaining, filled with anecdotes that reveal a great deal about making photographs and about making it as a major professional photographer.
  
  McNally's anecdotes are at the center of the book because they're effective teaching tools, through which he can talk about photography without becoming didactic. They also allow him to acknowledge photographers and editors who helped shape his career. McNally always plays a role in these anecdotes (it's his book, after all), but often enough lets others have the punch line or make the basic point. For example, Jim Richardson of "National Geographic" is quoted as delivering this straightforward, sound advice: "If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of more interesting stuff."
  
  This is precisely what McNally writes about: how photographers make what they're standing in front of more interesting, for themselves and their audience. How to use light and composition as powerfully as possible, without overpowering the subject. How to think about a photograph and the story it's intended to tell.
  
  So, who should read this book? If you're a photographer interested in standing in front of more interesting stuff or making what you're standing in front of more interesting, then there's probably something you can learn here. That's also true if you're not a photographer, but want to know more about making photos. You'll have to do some work by studying McNally's photos and what he has to say about them, but it's worth the effort.
  
  On the other hand, this is absolutely not a "how to" book. There's no discussion of software or the mechanics of operating a camera. The book is about photography as a creative process, so to get the most out of it, you probably need at least some basic background. There's nothing wrong with wanting help using a new camera or with taking better family and vacation snapshots, but you won't find it in this book. Look elsewhere.
  
  
• The Moment It Clicks
  By AQRZFBIFKWZ6U on 2008-02-28
  This book is getting rave reviews. If you are into artificial lighting and lighting accessories, this is a must have book. However, for a person like me, who much prefers natural light, it is a very interesting read but not one that I would refer back to. No doubt about it, McNally is terrific at what he does. And because he is so outstanding, every photographer probably should read his book at least once.
  
  
• Totally over-hyped unless you're a fanatic Stobist-type
  By APWE258OC4KCQ on 2008-03-19
  McNally is a fantastic photographer, no doubt. His career has been an amazing one. But for average schmucks like you and me, this book will have little value. I echo the comments of others, in that how many of us are going to stand on the top of the antenna of the Empire State Building or shoot celebrities with all sorts of huge, expensive lighting equipment? 95% of the book explains how his shots were made by explaining the lighting. So basically this book is 95% about lighting. Very complicated, large lighting set-ups, mostly.
  
  I just turned the last page today, and I'm putting it up for sale on eBay. Save your money - don't bother with this unless you're a fanatic off-camera lighting, stobist-type. Not that there's anything wrong with that ...
  
  
• Not what I expected
  By A31OK3HUAAYH7K on 2008-04-09
  I got the book thinking of learning some from this great photographer.
  One just can wonder how he got the pictures. The book is great as a coffee table but not good as a learning tool.
  His session on equipment doesn't cover much. He just listed his great cameras, filters and more. No explanations or suggestions are offered. The pictures are great but no much cover on how they were taken.
  BUT if you want to indulge your eye and have your guess have a topic a conversation you may want to buy it.
  
  
• Get it.
  By ADY4D7V9CCES7 on 2008-06-01
  If you already know a bit of lighting and photography basics, you'll love this book. If you don't have a clue but you'd like to learn, this book has a lot to teach, but not specifics, its more about the broader vision that's behind all those little things. Great and entertaining, full of stories, tips, etc.
  
  
• Joe rocks!
  By A3ACS7MIYZPI4F on 2008-06-05
  Fabulous book, hilarious but very useful comments, great pictures!
  I'm sure Joe is a great teacher and person!
  
  Someone here said Joe didn't reveal everything. That is not true. He gives you more details in the beginning and as you read further, it's more about particular atmosphere or thoughts he used to create the particular image - NOT an instant-recipe for perfect photo!
  Doesn't matter if you are a pro or a rookie, his thoughts could provide you with something you accidentally overlooked!
  
  This book makes you think and use your brain, rather than copy/paste or steal his ideas!
  
  
• Not your average photo book.
  By A2V99RXY8L0HL7 on 2008-06-19
  I've been a fan of Joe McNally for years and have heard him lecture in person a few times. To say that I've been looking forward to a book from him would be an understatement.
  
  However, when I first heard about this book I wasn't sure that I wanted it. Normally, I like two kinds of photo books. Those that show the photographer's work or those that are of the "how to" type. This is neither in that it combines both genres......kind of.
  
  It's certainly not a collection of McNally's work in the conventional sense. It is, instead, a potpourri of his photos. It's also not a "how-to" book since it doesn't give more than a cursory explanation of how the photos were made. All that said, I've found it to be extremely enjoyable.
  
  The photos are typical McNally. Technically and aesthetically superb. Nothing less than what one would expect.
  
  In his how-to explanations (which I think of as "how-to lite", no pun intended), Joe gives a brief overview of what was involved in getting each shot. That's fine with me, as I've never understood why some photographers feel that they need to give the aperture and shutter speed for every shot. While such information can be useful if one wants to duplicate a specific effect, they are meaningless for most shots as they only represent the light conditions present at that place and time.
  
  What comes through loud and clear are McNally's insights and practical advice. He doesn't tell us how to duplicate each shot but, instead, tells us why he did what he did to get it. Let's face it, he knows, and so should we, that we are never going to own the equipment that he does or are we ever likely to develop the expertise to use it in the ways that he does.
  
  If you're looking for a portfolio of Joe's work or a how-to guide to help you duplicate it, save your money as you won't find that here. If you want to get into McNally's head and perhaps become motivated to improve your own photography as a result, you won't be disappointed.
  
  
  

• The Digital Photography Book
• The Digital Photography Book, Volume 2
• The Adobe Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter)

• The Digital Photography Book, Volume 2
• Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
• Scott Kelby's 7-Point System for Adobe Photoshop CS3 (Voices)
• Layers: The Complete Guide to Photoshop's Most Powerful Feature
• Understanding Shutter Speed: Creative Action and Low-Light Photography Beyond 1/125 Second