George Barr, the blogger behind the great photo technique site Luminous Landscape, comes at us with his book to Take Your Photography to the Next Level. oooh the elusive Next Level! Will it also Optimize Performance by helping me Think Outside of the Box and Find that Cheese Someone Hid from Me?

Anyway, Barr decided to write this book “when he discovered he could explain things clearly” –a point he re-states several more times throughout the book. Barr is a family doctor and his writing oozes the patronizing tone I associate with doctors, judges addressing poor clients and people speaking slooooowly and cleeeaaaarly to senior citizens.

It’s too bad the editors didn’t temper his didactic tone because the book is a comprehensive and clearly written primer on the elusive practice of “seeing” creatively. Barr walks readers through basic concepts behind visual composition (lines, points, planes, texture, tones, color etc.) and offers step-by-step instructions on critiquing and fully experiencing an image.

The images are beautiful and some are masterpieces of digital darkroom wizardry. The technique and craft lessons are helpful. It’s a useful resource if you can get past the self-flattery.

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