The Camera, The Negative, & The Print...

[Michael Firstlight]

@Michael Firstlight, is this the Bruce Barnbaum book?

Yes.

 

[choiliefan]

There were five books in the original Basic Photo series:
Book 4 is Natural-Light Photography
Book 5 is Artificial-Light Photography
Available from the usual sources.

 

[BrianShaw]

I read them as very advanced. LIke "How I Do It"

You should write the Foreword to the next edition.. and this should be that... including tense!

 

[voceumana]

There was also Polaroid Land Photography which, thought the materials are no longer available has some nice images and is worth reading, or finding a used copy.

 

[C-130 Nav]

I purchased a complete set of first printings (I think book 1 was ca. 1946 and book 5 was ca. 1952). There was a mentioned book 6 but it was either never written, finished or printed.

The books as noted in this thread are dated as many advancements in photography have occurred in the 70 odd years since they were published. But if you have a 1940s darkroom like I do, you'll find the basic concepts quite applicable. Further, being a fan of the Group f 64 photographic style and Ansel Adams' work, many of his suggestions and techniques provide insight into how he created the contrast, tonal balance, and brilliancy seen in this style. However, I don't presume to attempt to duplicate his work as that would be disingenuous at best and probably something like plagiarism at worst.

While I have all 5 books, I've only read 1 through 3 thus far. I've read 2 (The Negative) and 3 (The Print) twice and got much more out of them during second read through. This reinforces Ansel Adams' recommendation to re-read/review the books more than once and I've found that to be helpful based on his writing style and the fact that they are not complete references on the subject.

Finally, I got my copies at Abebooks.com. It's a great resource for obtaining any book you might be looking for photographically as I find the bookstores of today avoid technical photography books and usually vend biography or coffee table picture books.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

It will be interesting to see if Chris finds AA easy to read - I know that I find his style "interesting".

What I'm finding interesting is the fact that some of this stuff I didn't realize I already knew. Since the bulk of my photography experience in the past was digitally based, the technology "dumbed things down", and left me with questions as to how or why things worked or didn't work. So now, as I'm reading things, I'm going backwards and getting explanations for things that I knew how to do, but didn't fully understand how they worked. I hope that makes sense.

 

[BradS]

I bought and read the latest edition of all three back when I was getting started in large format (ca. 2005). It was a big mistake. Took me a few years to unwind and get back to actually making photographs.

Edit: Barry Thornton's, "Edge of Darkness" is another book to read, try and then recover from.

 

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

In terms of introductions, I find that I gained much more from the first edition (I stress this) of Barbara and John Upton's Photography: Adapted From the Life Library of Photography (1975). It's the one with the cross-section of a view camera on the cover.

Amazing diagrams inside, very visual approach, and images from lots of interesting and famous twentieth photographers are marshalled to give examples.

The later editions seem to have chosen different images and adjusted the layout, but if you're learning the basics of analogue, 1975 is still pretty current.

 

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

Edit: Barry Thornton's, "Edge of Darkness" is another book to read, try and then recover from.

Oh yes, "recover" is the word. This book has the tendency to create acute gear envy syndrome and multiple developer itches in even the most secure photographer.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

The Camera. Page xiii. Paragraph 2.

Ideally the photographer will choose basic equipment of adequate quality, with nothing that is inessential.

HAHAHAHAHA!!

It is certainly preferable to work from simple equipment up, as needs dictate, than to "overbuy" equipment at first.

HAHAH!!! Stop it Ansel!! You're so funny!

Starting with basic equipment allows the photographer to develop a full understanding of the capabilities of each unit before advancing to other instruments.

AIR!!!! I NEED AIR!!!! HAHAHAAHAH!!! YOU'RE KILLING ME ANSEL!!!!!

 

[voceumana]

Re: The Edge of Darkness

Upon reading this book, it made it even more obvious that different people see the world different. Barry Thornton had "high definition eyes"--I do not. I'm quite nearsighted with super strong astigmatism, so it is only on good days that I get high definition vision. Barry presents a style of photography that he likes--I'm not as keen a fan of high definition, and find that smooth tonality (where appropriate) is more pleasing to me.

If you want to see the difference easily between high definition and fine grain (thus, smoother tonality) images, watch these two excellent movies: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (high definition) and Out of the Past. Gorgeous Sierra Nevada scenery in Out of the Past. Each development style fits the movie perfectly where it is used.

 

[eli griggs]

I have this same set and since most of what I do, is old analog tech, they are fine for the moment for me, and I'm sure you'll enjoy them and learn, especially Filter Factors,

I also have the "Natural Light" book and I do no see anything in it that I can no find in the Negative, IIRC.

Be Warned, Natural Light is a much smaller book than this set, in hardback format, and in its thinness, so do no go looking for the same sized book as the other set.

Is there anything in "Artificial Light" worth hunting up a copy, in anyone's opinion here?

I think one of my books, maybe two, are what are called institution books, meaning only that they were in a public or school library.

Here in Charlotte, many years ago we had a small shop in a commercial building next to the Main Library, which sold, for the Library old issues of books, surplus books, book that were too rarely taken out, etc.

You could spend a couple of hours going through their stacks and tables, and I believe that is where I bought "The Camera", plus a number of other volumes, on photography, etc.

Public and School (College) Libraries are always great sources for books on the cheap, and sometimes in mint condition, so think about trying what is in your area, before the last of the public libraries goes tits up in America.

IMO.

 

[Wallendo]

I bought the set a while back and never quite made it through the negative. I don't think the material was that difficult, but did find the writing style somewhat obtuse. AA frequently refers to "values" during his description of the Zone System. As a chemistry major, references to "values" without units or quantities bothered me. Maybe I'll do better with a second reading. My interest in the Zone System is mostly that of curiosity as a shoo primarily 35mm and also tend to prefer deep mysterious shadows.

 

[Sirius Glass]

The Camera. Page xiii. Paragraph 2.

HAHAHAHAHA!!

HAHAH!!! Stop it Ansel!! You're so funny!

AIR!!!! I NEED AIR!!!! HAHAHAAHAH!!! YOU'RE KILLING ME ANSEL!!!!!

Wrote the man who used a Hasselblad.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

Wrote the man who used a Hasselblad.

That’s why it’s funny. Because I did exactly the opposite of what such a master suggests.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I bought the set a while back and never quite made it through the negative. I don't think the material was that difficult, but did find the writing style somewhat obtuse. AA frequently refers to "values" during his description of the Zone System. As a chemistry major, references to "values" without units or quantities bothered me. Maybe I'll do better with a second reading. My interest in the Zone System is mostly that of curiosity as a shoo primarily 35mm and also tend to prefer deep mysterious shadows.

I too found them difficult. He later wrote one book to cover the three; it was easier to understand but still difficult. I had to come from APUG and talking [posting] with many including Roger Hicks that I really got to understand the Zone System in depth.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

I find it entertaining that he is insistent that The Camera is not about gear recommendations, but then mentions Leica, Hasselblad, and gets as giddy as a schoolgirl when it comes to Large Format. "35mm gear, blah blah blahbodyblah. MF gear, blahbadee blah blah. LF gear..... it's awesome. It'll divorce you from the real world and make you a super competent photographer. YAY LF!!!"

 

[Craig75]

like having nails hammered into your eyes reading AA. Poorly explained and now completely out of date imo

 

[titrisol]

The AA books are very good references for whole concept of visualization; however the methods are arcane. The practical zone system (Chirs johnson) makes it a lot more accesible

The list below is very good, add the Upton and Upton book (condensed version of the Time-Life series) and the Bruce Horenstein BW photo book (used to be free in his website)

The AA books are staples. I have them - easy to understand and timeless. When you get through with those the holy trio in my library are these (and none of them are cheap for good reason):

1) Way Beyond Monochrome (for the most advanced - be prepared to digest charts)
2) The Art of Photography (most practical, thorough, and consumable walk through of the zone system)
3) The Film Developing Cookbook (for the chemist in you)

The AA books make good primers for these.

MFL

 

[sterioma]

@Michael Firstlight, is this the Bruce Barnbaum book?

Yes it is.

I am half way through it. I have already read the other 2 series that Christopher mentioned, and this one is the less technical of them (at least for the sections that I have read so far).

 

[ChristopherCoy]

I'm up to Chapter 9 of The Camera. I'm very surprised to see that it is less "instructional" than I thought. Aside from a very short (as perceived) blurb about "visualization", there's really not much "creative" stuff written. There's TONS of information on how shutters are constructed, the proper way to brace your camera, the parts of a tripod, etc etc etc, but that's about it. I found the information about aspect ratios and perspectives interesting as I realized I had gotten stuck in the "zoom lens" quick sand for some years. Instead of moving closer or away from the subject physically, I just relied on zooms. Really, there's not much information contained in the book that I find particularly useful. It's way more technical than I need, which I suppose is good for some, but there's a certain point where knowing too much becomes an "impetus" of its own.

 

[eli griggs]

I find it entertaining that he is insistent that The Camera is not about gear recommendations, but then mentions Leica, Hasselblad, and gets as giddy as a schoolgirl when it comes to Large Format. "35mm gear, blah blah blahbodyblah. MF gear, blahbadee blah blah. LF gear..... it's awesome. It'll divorce you from the real world and make you a super competent photographer. YAY LF!!!"

That's understandable, as St. Adam was the John the Baptist, of Photography, always pointing the way to the salvation of your ability to see and manipulate by-way-of, The Zone System.

It's also easy to understand his inability to relate the system to others through written form, IMO, as one of the key personality traits I've read and heard about was it was difficult for him to relate to others, no into the method of Photography he spoke to, at least at the time of his writing these first books.

Adams was like THE ROCK of AGES inside his beliefs, and Methodical, which is what the Zone System requires, no matter whom the promoting writer on this topic, is.

I suggest that any reader whom is having a difficult time with these books, stop and reproach no as instruction from another photographer, but a Technical Manual.

That may just get you over the rough spots and allow you to better relate to the topics inside.

IMO.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

That may just get you over the rough spots and allow you to better relate to the topics inside.

IMO.

Oddly enough, since I've experienced a lot of "failures of visualization" (as he terms it) through my self teaching, when he explains things technically I can understand why I got what I got when I made the mistakes that I made. And having made those mistakes gives me a mental visual making it easier for a learner like myself to understand. I suppose if it were the other way around, and I was reading these books with no experience, I'd be as lost a tourist in NY traffic.

 

[alexanderjmarkow]

The AA books are staples. I have them - easy to understand and timeless. When you get through with those the holy trio in my library are these (and none of them are cheap for good reason):

1) Way Beyond Monochrome (for the most advanced - be prepared to digest charts)
2) The Art of Photography (most practical, thorough, and consumable walk through of the zone system)
3) The Film Developing Cookbook (for the chemist in you)

The AA books make good primers for these.

MFL

I wholeheartedly agree. The essentials haven't changed enough for Ansel's books to become less useful. They're still great primers. Thanks for sharing these recommendations too, I want to check out Way Beyond Monochrome.

 

[ced]

By the time you found what you were looking for the print could have been made with many variations. Nice to have but only as a decor.