Book Reviews

Photographing The World Around You: 
A Visual Design Workshop
Freeman Patterson
ISBN: 1-55013-590-2
Key Porter Books Ltd., Toronto, Canada

Freeman Patterson is a Canadian photographer. The New Brunswick native has authored many small square books on the subject of photography. Photographing The World Around You is the second Patterson book I have had the pleasure of reading.

Essentially a workshop between covers, the book is based on the week-long workshops Patterson has given in Canada and in South Africa for over 20 years. The only assumption made is that the reader has a basic understanding of how cameras and lenses work.

Opening with a brief discussion about learning to explore visually, the book is broken down into two main sections: The Building Blocks of Visual Design (light, shape, line, texture and perspective) and Putting the Blocks Together (dominance, balance, proportion, and rhythm). Patterson provides the reader with stories and examples to illustrate his points. He also instructs the reader in evaluating his or her own work.

At only 168 pages, this book eschews protracted technical writing. Instead, Patterson's easy narrative and subtle photography guide both amateur and advanced photographers into new approaches towards the art of making memorable images.

Regardless of your level of photographic experience, I give this book a Highly Recommended rating.

Raymond A. van der Woning
Contributing Author

Ray is a photographer who lives in Beaumont, Alberta. You can view his photography at photographi.ca.