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Face to Face: Rick Sammon's Complete Guide to Photographing People

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Author: Rick Sammon
Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
Category: Book

List Price: ~~$34.99~~
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Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

15 reviews
Sales Rank: 15003

Format: Illustrated
Media: Paperback
Pages: 303
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 9.9 x 8.1 x 0.7

ISBN: 059651574X
Dewey Decimal Number: 778.92
EAN: 9780596515744
ASIN: 059651574X

Publication Date: May 28, 2008
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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com Review
Whether you're interested in studio photographs, or "environmental" photos of individuals where they live, in Face to Face you'll learn the preparation and attention to detail required to make alluring people pictures.

From the Introduction
The Camera Looks Both Ways

“In picturing the subject, we are also picturing a part of ourselves.”
When it comes to photographing people, that is, no doubt, the most important photo tip I can share with you. “Every picture is a self portrait” is another way of conveying that point. Let me explain. When you are looking through your camera’s viewfinder, viewing and framing a subject, if you realize that the feeling, the emotion, the attitude and the energy that you project will be reflected in your subject’s face--and eyes--you’ll get a higher percentage of pictures that you like. That’s because by your actions, you are subconsciously “directing” the subject to mirror the way you feel. So in looking at the opening photograph in this introduction, I am sure that you know exactly how I was feeling when I took the picture outside a school in Lombok, Indonesia. That’s right! I was having a blast. For all the photographs in this book, I will provide their locations for those of you who may want to know where the pictures were taken. Some of you may find that photographing strangers in strange lands is the ultimate photography experience. For me, getting people to like, or at least accept me, in a matter of seconds in far-away places is my prime goal as a travel photographer. After achieving that goal, taking the pictures is relatively easy--if you follow the tips in this book. Even if you are not a world traveler, however, you’ll find that my tips and techniques for photographing people, for the most part, are the same, no matter where you go. In this book, the one that I’ve dreamed about writing for years, I’ll also share some behind-the-scenes stories. For my Lombok picture, for example, I had just finished doing magic tricks for about an hour in one of the school’s classrooms. I love doing magic tricks when I travel, and it’s also a great technique for “breaking the ice” and getting people to let me into their lives for a few moments. That effort resulted in one of my favorite group shots--a shot that captures the enthusiasm of the school kids. Of course, I’ll also get into the technical aspects of photographing people on the following pages. You’ll learn how to photograph people in low light and in bright light, with a flash and without a flash. You’ll see how reflectors and diffusers can turn a snapshot into a great shot. You’ll understand the difference between an environmental portrait and a portrait--and the difference between taking and making a picture. Camera settings and lenses will also be covered. You’ll find sections on Outdoor Photography and Indoor Photography. In some cases, you’ll be able to use the techniques interchangeably, such as when it comes to posing a group or creating a sense of depth in a photograph. In fact, I will share everything I know about photographing people with you--all while trying to make the learning process fun and enjoyable. Before moving on, I’d like to share three more pictures with you that illustrate my “Camera Looks Both Ways” philosophy.

Check out my pictures of a young woman whom I photographed in Cuba, a Buddhist monk whom I photographed in Cambodia, and a man with face piercing whom I photographed in Cuba. While photographing one subject, I was beaming with joy. For another, I was trying to show an honest feeling of respect. And for another, I was expressing the feeling of, “Man, you look totally awesome.” I don’t have to match the photos with the feeling for you. See! The camera does, indeed, look both ways. Speaking of photo philosophies, if you check out the table of contents, you’ll see that Photo Philosophies is the longest section in this book. That’s because getting a good picture of a person goes way beyond technique. When it comes to photographing a person, you really need to think before you shoot, and that section offers a lot of food for thought. So what about Photoshop? Well, all of the pictures in this book have been enhanced to some degree, even it was only in sharpening, cropping and/or adjusting the brightness, contrast and color of an image. This is not a Photoshop book. However, because Photoshop can help you get a more dramatic, dynamic and artistic images, I’ve included a section at the end of this book that features my favorite Photoshop enhancements when it comes to people pictures.

For now, this before-and-after pair of images of a horse and rider at sunset, photographed at the Ponderosa Ranch in Oregon, shows how simple cropping and a bit of color, contrast and brightness enhancement can turn a snapshot into a great shot.
Ready to get going with some solid tips and techniques? I am. In fact, I can’t wait for you to read the rest of this book--because I truly enjoy teaching and sharing my photographic experiences. Naturally, I also like “revisiting,” so to speak, some of my favorite subjects. Those of you who have attended my workshops and seminars, or have seen my Web TV shows, also know that I enjoy meeting people. For those of you who are joining me for the first time, I hope you enjoy “meeting” me here. Before you go, however, I’d like to share two of my all-time people pictures with you.

Let's look at a portrait of a young girl whom I photographed in Bhutan and a picture of three girls that I photographed in Costa Rica. What I like about these pictures is the direct eye contact the subjects are making with my camera--and me. Connect with your subjects, and your pictures will connect with those who view them.
Understand your subject, and you’ll gain some insight into the soul of the photographer--your soul.

--Rick Sammon
Croton-on-Hudson, NY

Product Description
In this beautifully illustrated book, travel and adventure photographer Rick Sammon introduces the proven techniques he uses to make extraordinary photographs of people around the world. You'll find important tips and strategies for engaging your subject and setting up the shoot, along with techniques for shooting in a variety of conditions both indoors and outdoors.

Rick Sammon is people person who loves the art of making -- rather than simply taking -- people pictures. In Face to Face, he makes learning people photography a quick and enjoyable experience. Rick demonstrates his methods through a collection of his original photographs. Each photo includes notes explaining the principles he followed and the techniques he used.

Face to Face offers hundreds of tips you can you for studio shoots and "environmental" people pictures, including:

Outdoor techniques for shooting in low light, shooting in bright light, for capturing action, taking profiles, taking group shots, and more
Indoor techniques for using a flash and strobes, and for shooting silhouettes, working with mirrors, and other techniques
Photo philosophies and creative advice, such as developing a sense of place, carefully choosing the background, seeing pictures within a picture, and more
How to photograph people in different cultures, along with fascinating behind-the-scenes stories of photos in the book

The largest section of the book, "Photo Philosophies", lays out several principles for making people pictures. Rick stresses that the camera looks both ways -- in other words, the attitude and energy you bring to a shoot will be reflected in a subject's face. If you're enthusiastic, you'll capture a picture that portrays enthusiasm. If you're impatient or distracted, that will be reflected as well.

Getting subjects to accept him in a matter of seconds is his prime goal as a people photographer -- after that, he says, taking pictures is much easier. Even if you're not a world traveler, Rick's tips and techniques will have you taking top-notch people pictures wherever you are.

Rick Sammon gives more than a dozen workshops and presentations each year, holds online classes, and is the producer of seven interactive DVDs for photographers on all facets of photography.

Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

Fun with Tips June 10, 2008
Conrad J. Obregon (New York, NY USA)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful

This book is about taking pictures of people; not just portraits, but also people at events, and even, in a few cases, people in the landscape.

The book is divided into five parts. Part I includes a portfolio of pictures from Carnevale, in Venice, with the author's pithy comments like "Choose a creative angle. Break the traditional rules of composition and look for unique angles." There is also a short portfolio of pictures from Mongolia, in which the author mentions different pieces of equipment he found useful in taking the pictures.

Part II includes 19 chapters, each a bit of photographic philosophy, like "Adding Props", together with several photos that are said to illustrate the point and a few hundred words of explanation.

There are parts on outdoor and indoor photography that provide several tips on photographing in these lighting conditions. The book concludes with a section on using Photoshop, wherein the author describes several techniques that can be used to manipulate images for a different effect.

Sammon is an enthusiastic author and that comes through in the writing. He is also takes interesting, colorful and exciting pictures in exotic places that will catch the reader's eye, including Venice, Namibia, and ranches in the American Southwest. Yet, after the pleasure of reading this book, I realized that I was looking at a book that combined a portfolio of photographs (some of which I recalled from other Sammon books) and a bunch of tips. I like to see instruction built up in a structured fashion rather then as tips. For example, Sammon gives a lot of tips about depth-of-field, but never gives a comprehensive explanation of the subject.

Moreover, it seemed to me that this was the same ground that Sammon had covered in several of his other twenty seven books. If you've never read a book by the author, this volume may be a lot of fun, but if you've read one of his more general books, you may find this book repetitious. The tips seem to be aimed at the beginning photographer, rather then the advanced image maker. For the expert, it may be useful to be reminded of some of the tips, but there will be little new here.

I suspect that publishers believe that there must be reference to Photoshop to make a book applicable to digital photography. Pitching the Photoshop section of the book to more manipulative techniques, rather than mentioning basic exposure and color controls, might lead new photographers, who appear to be the main audience for this book, to conceive of the software as a tool mainly for image alteration. Moreover, Sammon's instructions sometimes utilize destructive adjustments, like dodging, rather then the more generally favored adjustment layers.

If you've never read a book by Rick Sammon, this one will certainly be a lot of fun. If you are looking for some kind of advanced advice, you probably won't find it here.

4 out of 5 stars

Capturing essence rather than just image... June 21, 2008
Thomas Duff (Portland, OR United States)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I'm about to graduate from a digital point-and-shoot to an entry level DSLR camera. In order to create all those images that will wow my friends, I read through the book Face to Face: Rick Sammon's Complete Guide to Photographing People by Rick Sammon. If you're looking to focus on people and faces, this book puts you in the proper mindset on how best to shoot in a way that captures more than just an image.

Contents:
Introduction - The Camera Looks Both Ways
Part 1 - Cameras Don't Take Pictures, People Do: A Quick Look at Gear
Part 2 - Photo Philosophies: Making Pictures Versus Taking Pictures; From Head to Toe; Creating a Sense of Place; Dead Center Is Deadly; Horizontal and/or Vertical; Silence Is Deadly; Being There and Being Aware; Portraits Versus Environmental Portraits; The All-Important Background; Paying People; Dress for Success; Body Language and Hands; Seeing Eye to Eye; Choose a Location; Adding Props; Seeing Pictures Within a Picture; Adding a Person Adds Scale to a Picture; Thinking Creatively; Taking Fun Shots
Part 3 - Capturing Action; Using Reflectors; The Beauty of Using Diffusers; Garage Glamour; Daylight Fill-in Flash; The Disequilibrium Technique; The Key to a Good Profile; Photographing People in Low Light and at Night; Group Photography; Take Advantage of Backlight; Photographing Festivals; Creating a Sense of Depth
Part 4 - Indoor Photography: Rembrandt Lighting; Shooting Silhouettes; Basic Flash Techniques; Using Lighting Kits; Working with Mirrors; Photographing a Stage Show
Part 5 - Enhancing Your Pictures in Photoshop: Create a Beautiful Black-and-White Image; The Renaissance Painter Effect; Color and Black-and-White in the Same Image; From Snapshot to Artistic Image; Create the Disequilibrium Effect; Change the Shutter Speed and F-Stop; Remove Distracting Elements in a Scene; Brighten a Subject's Eyes and Smile; Basic Skin Coloring; Hand-Color a Picture; Playin' with Plug-ins
Epilog: Your Assignment - On-Location Portraiture
Index

This seems to differ somewhat from other photography books I've read in that he spends more time talking about composition and lighting rather than the technical details of exposure, f-stops, and other nitty-gritty elements. It's not that he ignores those details, but he's more concerned about issues like framing, background, subject interaction, and telling a story. As such, I could implement many of these techniques regardless of what camera I'm using. Yes, there is a limitation when you can't fully control lens selection and such, but you can still using lighting and composition to get memorable pictures. As the title indicates, Sammon is focusing (no pun intended) on the techniques involved in shooting people rather than scenery or special effects. While I don't expect to be an expert a day after the new camera arrives, I now realize that shooting people is something that says as much about you the photographer as it does about the person being shot. I'm looking forward to working through the "lessons", which is how each chapter is laid out. I also got a much better appreciation for the role of Photoshop in getting that image that looks professional. I have so much to learn...

About the only thing I didn't care for in the book is that a significant number of pictures in the book are from a select few photo shoots that he did. For instance, Silence is Deadly introduces an attractive woman with different facial expressions based on how the photographer was talking with her. But she then shows up repeatedly in staged old-time Western shots, and you learn that she's a model. In that case, the photographer definitely has a subject who can provide more than a spur-of-the-moment series of images. The other western shots carried the old-time saloon theme, and they looked more staged than I would have expected. On the other hand, his African tribe shots are very real. I just don't think I would have used them as much or as often as they were used to illustrate the different points.

Even with that minor nit, there's a lot to learn from this book for people like myself who are trying to kick up their skills to a new level.

5 out of 5 stars

A Way of Seeing June 7, 2008
Richard D. Zakia (North Carolina)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

The cover photograph on Rick Sammon's book says it well. This is a book about faces, faces of people young and old, people from various cultures around the world, people you will enjoy meeting, people who will engage you face to face These compelling environmental portraits are illuminated with practical and easy to follow personal accounts of how the photographs were made. The "how they were made" is important. He distinguishes between taking a photograph and making a photograph
Sammon is a people photographer, a teacher and prodigious author of many books that are instructional, interesting and `user friendly'. This book provides not only a way of seeing but also a way of living.

5 out of 5 stars

Delivering the vision June 20, 2008
D. A. Page (Durham NC)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

In an age where many academic Art historians and studio Art teachers often feel that art is about thought and explanation as opposed to inspiration, revisualization, craft and execution, this exquisitely illustrated book teaches how world-class images are the result of both inspiration careful visualition AND execution.

Rick Sammon shares techniques he uses to make extraordinary and artistic portraits. He reveals important tips and strategies for engaging the subject and setting up the shoot, along with techniques for photographing in a variety of conditions indoors and outdoors.

His side by side comparisons of subtle and sometimes not so subtle changes that make all the difference taking the image from acceptable to meaningful, is one of the most helpful aspects of his book. The book handles sometimes highly technical parameters in a simple and easily understood way. It teaches the value of understanding the craft so that the photographer does not stumble over technique as he/she tries to illustrate and share an important thought.

facetoface is a must study for young working professional portrait photographers but also extremely valuable for those wishing to commit art.. This book helps the artist to deliver on his/her vision. And as any mother knows it is easer to conceive than to deliver. Artists deserve to learn the same.

David A.Page
Fine Arts Photographer (ret.)
Duke University

5 out of 5 stars

Educational and Entertaining June 13, 2008
Kate Faust (Upper Saddle River, NJ)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Rick Sammon's "face to face" book is more than just a great guide to digital photography. I found it very easy to read and understand. I appreciated how the information was written in an "entertaining genre" instead of in a "tedious, uninteresting and structured style". I especially liked how Rick gave examples of what went wrong in certain photographs and how to correct them. He seems to really connect with his subjects and that connection comes through in his pictures. I am a photographer who likes to try to "capture the shot" in the camera but after reading this book I am looking forward to going out there and "Making Pictures Instead of Taking Pictures". I also know that this book was not intended as a photoshop lesson but for someone like me who knows very little about photoshop, part five was very enlightening. Last but not least, one of the great things I love about the book is all the wonderful images inside of it. Not only is "face to face" a great instructional guide but it looks great on my living room table for all my guests to see and explore!!!

candid photography composition photography portraits professional

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