Letting Go of the Camera
06/15/2011
Letting Go of the Camera by Brooks Jensen is a compilation of essays written while editor of LensWork magazine. Though targeted toward the serious photographer, his overall message applies equally as well for other creative disciplines. With a writing style that deftly balances tongue and cheek humor with straight forward frankness; he carefully delivers a narrative that at times is both thoughtful and instructive.
With that said, first and foremost this is not your typical “how to” book. Devoid of inspirational photographs, Photoshop screen captures, or tables explaining reciprocity failure; his emphasis lies squarely on the creative process. As the title implies, this book is not about the camera, rather the person behind it. In its essence, it is a book about artistic growth.
Letting Go of the Camera
By thoroughly describing the necessities of dedication to craft, dedication to practice, and dedication to discovering your own voice; he presents two pervasive arguments. First, he espouses the virtues of a project based approach toward artistic development. By helping him stay focused, on point, and goal-oriented; projects provide the structural framework for achieving such growth. And second, he emphasizes how breaking habits and moving beyond clichés are the best way to develop personal vision.
“Repetition of what has already been done is a useful technical exercise but rarely produces artwork of merit.”
Overall the book excels at picking up where other photography books leave off. That is to say, most explain how to photograph a subject, this book explains the how and why of choosing a subject. But if there is one frustration I had, it is from minimizing the real world need of selling, for the higher pursuit of creating. Ultimately one is left pondering how to balance the two. While the author acknowledges the contradiction, he does so dismissively. Though in fairness, this book was never about achieving financial success, rather how to gain artistic success. It was not his intention to reconcile the two; that was left for the reader.
“By harboring expectations of consistency, the audience lures the creative artist to abandon the path of exploration and instead reproduce the formula that has finally secured bread for their table…”
Though Letting Go of the Camera leaves some questions unanswered, on balance it is an important book and a must read. My copy, with its dog-eared pages and highlighted passages has provided enormous guidance.
