Shutter Sisters

For the Love of Books

By

Where would we be without our wealth of books? On our shelves, our night stands, our coffee tables. Reading to ourselves, to our children, or being read to. Words, illustrations, pictures. Covers, sleeves, pages. Oh, our beloved books!

Ever since our very first Shutter Sisters book has been out, we’ve seen it on bookstore shelves, being busted out of Amazon boxes, displayed in your homes. There have been encouraging words, rave reviews, and giveaways. We cannot thank you enough for all of your support!

With all this good stuff to report, we’ve decided to create a little home pagefor all the links that are around the blogosphere. Have your shared your thoughts on Expressive Photography on your blog or somewhere else around the wonderfully wide web?  Please share it with us on our new Expressive Photography page here at Shutter Sisters. And if you’ve got a shot of the book to share, we’ve got a new place for those too! It’s called Book Sightings and it’s just for pictures of the book. All you have to do is add your images into our Flickr Pool tagged “Expressive Photography” (with the quotes) and we’ll be featuring your sightings! What better way to celebrate?

And because we are focusing on the love of books of all kinds, our generous sponsor this month Focal Press has offered a number of their stellar titles to YOU for a book love giveaway day today.

All you have to do is share a comment on this post between now and Sunday 11/27 at midnight EST to be entered to win one of these photography titles from Focal Press:

Expressive Photography: A Shutter Sister Guide to Shooting from the Heart (wink wink)

The Elements of Photographyby Angela Faris Belt

Plastic Cameras: Toying with Creativity by Michelle Bates

Lensbaby: Bending Your Perspectiveby Corey Hiltz

The Photographer’s Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos by Michael Freeman

Books! Books! And more books! 5 books means 5 winners! YAY! So, this post begs the question: what are your favorite books? Do tell the story!

Comments

  1. Ooooh, I am currently reading "The Photographer's Eye" and getting so much out of it. Would love to win another title. I imagine it must be fabulous to spot your book, when out and about!

  2. Becoming a fledgling photographer definitely has its ups and downs, but David DuChemin's "VisionMongers: Making a Life and Living in Photography" has been the most informative book I have ever read having to do with the marketing of yourself and your photography. Actually, anything by DuChemin is worth checking out. I have another one called "Vision and Voice: Refining Your Vision in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom" that is great as well. I have a couple of Ebooks. He isn't schmaltzy. Very straight to the point, and I like that. Not like a manual either, though. More like someone you would pay to mentor with. He is that good.

  3. I don't have any photography books, so one of these would be awesome (especially yours!!!) Thank you for the chance. My very favorite book is John Grisham's The Camel Club.

  6. UH! I already bought Expressive and Its' fantastic!
    Soooo now…. I'll try for photographer's eye… hard choosing, eh?

  7. What a fabulous giveaway! I'm currently devouring our very own Shutter Sister Karen's book "The Beauty of Different". Its words and images heal and delight.

    Check this book out too (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/4786713450/in/set-72157607625768404/), a fantastic novel.

    I posted some pics of my copy of "Expressive Photography" (UK edition) to the SS Flickr pool back when it arrived on my doorstep in October (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/5097455250/in/set-72157607625768404/). Since then it's given me many hours of enjoyment and inspiration. Thank you, sisters!

  10. Just got my copy of Expressive…loving it just getting into photography so all the other titles look delightful! Currently, The Gifts of Imperfection is top of my list…

  11. I love Expressive Photography. Every time I pick it up I learn something. And it's not written like a manual, more like friends just talking

  13. I, too, am reading the Photographer's Eye and really liked the Tao of Photography: Seeing Beyond Seeing.

  18. I just put holds on some books from the library that were recommended by my photography class instructor.
    Bryan Peterson: Understanding Exposure and a few others of his, and a book by Joe McNally.

  20. I am new to photography so my only book is Expressive Photography. I love it!! I have learned so much and improved my photography.

    I am currently reading Olive Kitteridge, and it is great. Fabulous character development.

  23. I loved undrestanding exposure, but now I'm ready to read more about the creative side of photography! Expressive photography has been in my Amazon cart, so I've been wanting it badly. Photographers eye and Lensbaby books look great too!

  24. I would love to have any of these books added to my pile. Currently enjoying Humble Masterpieces by Paola Antonelli and Scott Kelby's Digital Photography book 2.

  25. I have been reading your new book and loving it. I do not have any of the others but they look great.
    Thank you for the opportunity to win. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
    Sandi

  26. I have the Lensbaby book, and I am so glad to see your suggestions! I would love Expressive Photography and the Elements of Photography. I have eyed Photographers Eye like forever!

  27. I just ordered this the other day (along with 4 other photog books) and can't wait til they arrive! Other than the Shutter Sisters book I don't have any of the other titles and would love a chance to win one of them! Thanks for the give away =)

  29. I love books — especially photography books. Expressive Photography is already on my list to buy. Thank you for your wonderful blog!

  31. I don't have as much time to read for fun as I'd like since I'm a busy senior in high school, but when I do get the chance, I especially love:
    (1) Biographies of how people overcame weaknesses, such as blindness or paralysis,
    and
    (2) Exciting and mysterious books like those written Frank Peretti.

    I don't have any photography books yet, but I do have one on my Christmas list. I hadn't heard of all those you mentioned — they sound awesome!

  32. I love to read, I love all types of books! It's so hard for me to pick a favorite. But, on the top of my list at the moment are books that make you think and question. I just finished "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert and just started reading her second autobiography of sorts, "Committed." I love her wit and sense of wonder. She definitely makes me think!
    I am also currently reading "Photographer's Market Guide to Building Your Photography Business" It is a great read for anything even considering starting a photography business. It has taught me so much about the the business process. It may not be the most exciting read, but it is really teaching me quite a bit.

  36. I love books about photography, especially those with photos and examples of how oto use different settings.

  38. Currently devouring "Expressive Photography" and all its beauty and brilliance. Just got word "The Beauty of Difference" is on its way and I can't wait! The best book I ever read- that might have to be "James and the Giant Peach", for all its magic, wonder and silliness.

  39. Oh…I would SO, SO, SO love to win this. I am in the mist of reading every photography book out there…including perfect exposure, the photographers eye, Perfect portrait workshops…you name it.

    I have wanted this book for awhile!!

  40. I always give my favorite book slot to A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving — but I also love Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman.

    I would love to have a copy of Expressive Photography — super biased as so many of you are my friends and photographic inspirations. Happy Thanksgiving to all of the SIsters. 🙂

  43. I really love non-fiction books about society (think Malcolm Gladwell or Freakanomics) or good autobiographies. All of the Harry Potter books are my guilty pleasure. I am looking so forward to the day when my little girl starts reading them. =)

  45. I just love reading books! I have so many photography books. The one that I am currently so happy about is The Linked Photographers' Guide to Online Marketing and Social Media. Love it! I would love to have one of these books as well!

  46. i'm currently reading 'organized simplicity' – but am really looking forward to diving into 'the art of racing in the rain'.

    favorite book ever? toss up between the twilight books and 'the notebook' 🙂 i'm a sappy girl!

  47. I would love love love to win any of these books exspecially YOURS! I am just starting out and loving it. Im signed up for your BPS calls starting next wednesday! I am having so much fun learning! I also just bought a book you suggested the gifts of imperfections…love it too! Thanks…PICK ME PICK ME!

  49. Right now my favorite book is Siddhartha by Herman Hesse.
    Expressive photography is a topic that inspires me regularly, so I'd love to read any of these books.

  50. I don't have a favorite book. I love too many to name one favorite. However, in the area of photography, I totally enjoyed reading Expressive Photography. That was well-worth the money! It's the only one your list above that I've read.

  51. What a fabulous opportunity to win 5 amazing books! My favourite kinds of books these, I love to learn and feed my need to have knowledge on this fabulous art of Photography. The book I own on Photography is Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson it was recommended to me as a beginner.

  53. I am addicted to the In Death series by JD Robb – love crime-drama series. I have a few photography related books and I am always looking for new ones. This is a great list to choose from. Thanks

  56. Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott continues to be one of my favorites–but I love anything that creates a visual inspiration–whether that's through pictures or words.

  58. What a fabulous giveaway! Any one of those books would make the best Christmas present!! I'm a book-a-holic and find it hard to say a favorite but The Lord of the Rings and Chocolate are near or at the top of my list. I just started experimenting in photography this spring and hope to capture magic, which is what I find most appealing in my favorite books!

    Thank you for your generosity and good luck to all

  59. Wow! What an awesome giveaway! I love books! Especially ones with pictures!!!! I have Shutter Sisters Expressive Photography on my wish list this year for Christams, but all these other books look great also! Hopefully that "Randon Number Generator" decides to pick this entry today! If it does I will be crazy stoked! Thanks for the chance!!!!

  60. What an awesome giveaway. I would love to win! Expressive Photography is currently on my Wish List. 😀

    My favorite photo books right now? Well, I am waiting on some via mail, so I don't know yet. I do have John Fielder's book on landscape photography. Excellent!

  61. I just bought Expressive Photography for a friend for Christmas. The images inside are stunning and inspirational, I would love a copy to keep for myself. As for good fictional reads, I'd recommend Katherine Weber's "Objects in the Mirror."

  63. I'm fairly new to photography, and I guess this sounds contrived but my favourite book on the subject is nature. I find I am learning so much just by looking at the light, the colours, the compositions of the wild.

  65. I haven't seriously studied photography since college and I've been wanting the new shutter sisters book, it's on my christmas wish list.. these other titles also sound excellent!!!

  74. Would LOVE to win the Shutter Sisters book!

    I don't know what my favourite book of all time would be, but I did love the whole Dragonriders of Pern series and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Re-reading it is like slipping into my favourite jeans.

  75. I've been reading Expressive Photography and LOVE it. It is full of useful information and inspiration. I would really be excited to win any one of these titles. I enjoy reading anything and everything about Photography. My favorite novel…kind of an older one…is Where the Heart Is. It's a great little book and what I would consider to be the root of my interest in picture taking.

  76. Expressive Photography just arrived and I can't wait to sit down with it. I'm also getting ready to delve into Peterson's Close-up Photography.

  77. I'm reading a book that's titled "150 Photography Projects to Boost Your Creativity" or a least something like that. Unfortunately, I left the book in the room where my 2 yr old is napping so I can't tell you for sure!

  78. I *LOVE* books. Being able to hold a book in your hand, smell the pages, the images. Love them. I'm slowly getting into purchasing photography books and don't have a favorite yet!

  80. I love photography books. One of my favorites is "How to Photograph Just About Anything". I also love "From My Side, Being A Child".

  81. I read the Clan of the Cave Bear series OVER and over! Dont ask me why- maybe it is just a good escape.

  82. I just picked up Expressive Photography & it's such a great book! The others sound wonderful as well. I'll definitely check them out!

    As for my favourite book… that is so hard! There are so many wonderful books out there, but I tend to enjoy real life travel stories the most. That's my favourite catagory of book.

  83. I don't have any photography books at all. I just took a class through our local fine arts center and have fallen in love with photography. My favorite book is whatever I'm currently reading which right now is Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper. Good luck to everyone!

  85. Wow, what a fantastic giveaway. I would be thrilled with any of the books. Thank you for the opportunity!

  86. I'd have to say my favorite books are still children's picture books. I can't get over the art, the stories, the happy tales, the lessons learned. I'm still rooted where I started. But I love a good novel too!

  87. I don't have any photography books either! But I grab a copy of every photography magazine I can!
    My favorite book is The Little Prince!

  88. I have your book and the Lensbaby book. I love them both and if I won either of them I would pass them onto a friend. I would keep myself any of the others if won.

  89. The book that changed photography for me was Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure – it is still a favorite.

  91. I would love to win these books…especially now…I just got myself a cool camera from Black Friday sale….This might help me start my photography on a right foot.

  95. Totally coincidental, but my Day 26 (today!) of Gratitude was BOOKS!

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/14632491@N07/5209474463/

    “No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting.” (Lady Mary Wortley Montagu)

    My favorite book of all time is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It's a fable about a young boy's journey for the secrets of the universe, and it is truly, truly magical.

  96. Expressive Photography is on my Christmas wish list … I'm hoping that the hubby will get my very direct hints that I want it. I love, LOVE photography books but don't have the titles you've listed. My most recent purchases are "Days With My Father" by Philip Toledano and "Photo Op: 52 Inspirational Projects For the Adventurous Image-Maker" by Kenvin Meredith.

  97. I absolutely love the book, I am not quite done with it, I am really taking my time and savoring every page, word, thought and photo. You all did such a wonderful job. In between cooking Thanksgiving dinner, taking pictures of all the festivities, and time with family, I was sneaking peaks at the Dining section, gaining further inspiration for my shots of the day!!

  98. I have two editions of Brian Peterson's Understanding Exposure. Other than that I just read on the onternet for photo how-to. I do love "picture books". My favourite is John Marriott's Wildlife of the Canadian Rockies.

  99. I love and have read repeatedly Understanding Exposure. Now, I'm reading your Expressive Photography and it's another of a few that I will read and refer to again and again. Winning any of the books would be a great addition to my library but I'm particularly interested in The Photographer's Eye.

  100. I'm from the other side (yup, a guy), and was just window shopping on this website. I hope nobody minds that I came in for a closer look; it was just too interesting to stay out. I only recently discovered this website, and find the perspective and creativity of the photos and discussions here very refreshing and intriguing. My point of creative view as a dad/photographer is certainly different from what I've seen here, and that makes it so much more interesting to see such work from a different perspective. I was touched by many of the photographs and comments posted on this site; many of them show the emotional involvement of the photographers with their subjects, which is most often a taboo for many male photographers. Thanks for sharing! I'm looking forward to reviewing some of your publications, including Expressive Photography in our local bookstore. I believe that more men should try shooting from the heart (boy, is that an understatement!)

  101. Sorry for the second post, but some of my favorite books include Lord of the Rings and Sisters of the Earth (really!) Sisters of the Earth is a collection of writings by natural history related female authors such as Terry Tempest Williams (my favorite female author). As far as photographic books, I grew up as a photographer loving to do landscape photography, thus enjoyed photo how-to books by Ansel Adams (The Negative) and such, but I’ve recently discovered the joys of people photography through being a father of a wonderful 5-year old – hence my discovery of this website while I was searching the web for insights and suggestions on photographing children. I think I found my answer here too – just do it from the heart…

  102. If I won one of these books… I'd wrap it up and put it under the Christmas tree for me! It's not Christmas without a book to open.

  103. Right now I don't have any favorites photography books but I'm trying desperately to learn and know there's so much to learn…..yikes!

  104. I have the shutter sisters book on my nightstand and read from it each night. I would be thrilled to add another beautiful book to my collection!

  105. My favorite books are definitely ones I can read to my kids. But I always forget myself, I love to read and learn things so any one of these photography books would be awesome to have! Keeping my fingers crossed.

  106. It would be awesome to win one of these books. I only have Understanding Exposures at the moment.

  107. Very cool giveaway. I was just at the bookstore and was overwhelmed with all the photography books. I'm definitely going to write this list down and check them out. Hopefully I win!

  109. Well, my *favourite* book is Pride & Prejudice. I love Jane Austen! But I'd be super thrilled to win *your* book… it looks great!

  111. My favorite photography book so far is David duChemin's Within the Frame. My favorite work of literature is Les Miserables (unabridged) by Victor Hugo, but most all Dickens and Austen titles are tops as well. I LOVE to read non-fiction… As I am obsessed with photography, this giveaway has me salivating!

  112. My favorite book of all time is Gone With the Wind….I've probably read it 10 or 12 times. Sometimes I just open it up and read a few pages.

  113. I'm not really sure I can choose just one favourite book…but I have been hoping a copy of Expressive Photography will appear under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning (even if I end up having to give it to myself!)…

  115. What a wonderful giveaway! I am always seeking to grow as a photographer and I would love to have one of these books to inspire me! I recently read The Help and loved it, so it's probably my current favorite book 🙂

  117. I'd say one of my favorite books is Of Love and Shadows by Isabel Allende. It's one of a very few books that I've actually read twice-the first time for the story and the second time just because it was written so well.

  118. I don't own any photography books yet, but could definitely use the inspiration and knowledge. I love literature set in the south, and re-read "To Kill a Mockingbird" every year. My new favorite is "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett.

  121. Oops, I accidentally closed my tab, and I think my comment didn't post. If I post twice, please excuse me!

    I'm assuming we're talking about photography books? Because if we're opening it up beyond that, I don't even know where to start! Well, okay, I'd start with the Alice in Wonderland books, but I couldn't possibly stop there!

    As for photography books, I'll go with what's at the top of my current wishlist:

    Andrew Zuckerman's Bird
    Andrew Zuckerman's Creature
    Leonard Nimoy's The Full Body Project

  122. I don't have any books on photography yet… I'd love to start with Expressive Photography! One of my favorite books of all time is The Artist's Way — it's life-changing!

  123. I love books that give me a new perspective on things. I'm currently reading Michael Pollan's Second Nature. He does with words what my favorite photographers do with photos.

  124. It's like a treasure when kids are asleep and I find time to read within "Expressive Photography" …

  126. I have a semi-fancy schmancy camera but have never learned how to really use it. I can take lovely photos with it but have no idea what most of my settings do. I am slowly learning and my goal is to fully take advantage of the fact that I have a decent camera within the next six months. These books would provide great motivation to keep down this path.

  127. My favorite book is: Little Woman by Louisa May Alcott. There are many but this one I really like.
    I also hope to win the photography books….really really hope..

  129. I would love a copy of Expressive Photography for xmas, but I'm also fascinated by Lensbaby lenses, so that would be a good one too! I don't have any photography books.
    As an English major, I have too many favorite literature books to start listing them here. 😉

  130. My favourite photography book is Robert Frank's 'The Americans,' but I would love to read all of the books on this list.

  132. Expressive Photography is definitely on my wish list! But my favorite books are probably the ones that let me escape the real world for a couple minutes or hours! 🙂

  133. ANYTHING by Michael Freeman is great! I also have the Angela farris Belt book and really got a lot out of it as well. I've become a focal books fan girl! They rock! : )

  134. i just love my expressive photography book. i love the layout and the way the chapters are organized. and i love getting to know the writers through their words and photos! would love to win another of the titles, or to give away a copy of expressive! thank you for this giveaway!