Light and Lens: Photography in the Digital Age

During the 2007 year, I had the opportunity to participate as a book reviewer for Robert Hirsh's book Light and Lens: Photography in the Digital Age. Being a participant in the process of how Bob crafted the book from raw text to a completed, bound, color photo book, was insightful. Part of that process included inviting readers including myself to constantly provide feedback and suggestions, chapter by chapter. In some respects, it had an element of an open source wiki. In essence, I read the entire contents of the book, chapter by chapter, over the course of 6 months or so. In participating in this way, I was able to fully reflect on my own pedagogical and technical approaches to teaching. I was also fortunate, living in the same town, to have lunch with Bob from time to time and develop our friendship.

I recommend Light and Lens on a number of levels. No, I don't get $$$ for recommending the book though I do have several photographs in book. More importantly, I recommend it because Bob Hirsch really knows what he is talking about and writes with integrity and passion while giving you the tools and knowledge base you need to get the tools figured out and the job done. Bob is a working artist who recognizes that the tools he is teaching you about are just one step in the process of making art and expressing oneself to the world.