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December 2, 2008 |
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Created and Maintained by: The Photoimaging Information Council |
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Reviewed by Erik Orellana |
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The purpose of experience is that someone might benefit from it -- if not you then at least someone else. Lou Jones has put a considerable portion of his travel experience as a photographer in his new book travel + Photography, published by Focal Press. He writes in the introduction, "Herein you will find examples that reveal secrets, debunk myths, and explore the romance of traveling with a camera." Jones succeeds wildly at this task. The book contains over 600 color photographs and is wonderfully kinetic. Jones has peppered quotes from photographers and writers to accentuate ideas. This is not a simply a pretty book of pictures. There are sidebars through out the book where Jones gives the reader anecdotes of photographs he's taken and how assignments worked out or didn't over the course of his travels.  cover, travel+PHOTOGRAPHY © 2006 Lou Jones, courtesy of Focal Press
Jones makes photography readily accessible. He spends the first chapter on equipment. If you're just starting out on developing your interest in photography or have already established you photographic skill, the first chapter is invaluable. The basics are always important because they form the foundation of what you do. Understanding what works best and why is integral so as to become a better photographer. Photography is a highly technical field so it is refreshing to have Jones guide you. He always gives you the pros and cons on things, whether it is filters or lenses. Wonderful photographs are used as illustrations of what he writes about. The photograph on page 15 is a great example on how filters can liven up things. Photography is about details and nuances. One of the many sage pieces of advice Jones gives comes at the end of Chapter One:
There is no point in hauling something half-way around the world and across several time zones if it is not going to work. Photography equipment is just that equipment. It better work and take up no more than the necessary space.  Canoe, Haggett's Pond, Andover, Massachusetts. On a very gray day, we had to make a story where the conservationist who owned this canoe was central. So, I put a graduated filter over the top portion of the lens and gave an otherwise dull day a little life.
Whether you are just taking your vacation soon and wish to take photographs to remember the trip or you know you are headed on assignment the chapters "Light and Lighting" and "Composition" should be read before leaving the house. Photography, as Jones reminds us at start of "Light and Lighting", means to "write with light". And just as it takes time and thought to write a sentence, the same applies with taking a photograph. With the advent of affordable digital cameras people are limited only by the battery and the memory chip. Yet, just like using film not every shot is guaranteed to be award winning let alone decent. If the light is not what is needed then come back for it, as Jones so adequately states, "Don't leave without the photograph."  Darling Harbor, Sydney, Australia. Twice a day, rain or shine, you can experience this kind of light. For only about 45 minutes, just before the sun comes up or just as it is going down, the ambient light matches the city lights. The combination of reciprocity failure caused by the long exposures and the prevalent ultraviolet resulted in vibrant "magic blue" pictures. © 2006 Lou Jones, courtesy of Focal Press
The material covered in the chapter eight, "Editing", is something that should be covered in Photography 101. If you come back from a sojourn in which you rode a canoe down the Amazon or spent time strolling the streets of a city and all you come back with is a massive anonymous collection of photographs you've done yourself a disservice. Jones writes in clear concise prose about the importance of having your photographs organized. Irrespective if you will ever sell your photographs commercially, you need to know what it is you photographed. No one has perfect recall. If you keep track of what you photographed then you'll save yourself a lot of trouble down the road. You might know that the street you photographed was in Barcelona but chances are the people who see the photograph will not. It may seem cumbersome and tedious to put in the effort and time to write down what you photographed on a given day or to input notes on your laptop but such things are necessary because one day you are going to look at photo and what to know where and when it was taken.  Resort, Little Palm Island, Florida Keys. It is very difficult to always be prepared and have the appropriate clothes for varioius social situations. When traveling, it is not always possible to pack a jacket and tie or dress and jewelry for special occasions. In order to reduce the number of embarassing moments, you have to travel a lot to find out what you absolutely need and what you can leave behind. © 2006 Lou Jones, courtesy of Focal Press
As the first part of the title suggest, "travel" is part of what Jones covers in his book. The second half is devoted to travel and how it relates to photography. Jones is one of America's best photographers. He has been showered with accolades and reading this book, seeing how he works, how he thinks it is no wonder he has achieved his success. Jones has photographed across the States and the globe. The man understands the perils and excitement of trekking across borders. By far the best piece of advice Jones gives when photographing outside your home territory is, "When evaluating cultural differences, the only thing wrong is the certainty that your way is right."  Maroon Bells, Colorado. A group of us got up before dawn to scout this famous landscape. It is difficult to contribute much that has not been done before, but I focused on the rock in the water and liked the cool monochrome exposure of the light before dawn. © 2006 Lou Jones, courtesy of Focal Press
The conversational tone and stories Jones tells really drive home the point of the importance of being aware of where you are and what you're doing. Jones writes about the value of doing research before you go to your destination. A great deal of photography is spontaneous; being at the right place at the right time. In order for this to happen there are little things than can be done along the way.  Wailing Wall, Old Jerusalem, Israel. Friends told me it would be impossible to take pictures at this religious site. I was even warned by my guides not to stray from them and they told me they would ask to see if photographing it would be all right. I was so compelled by how awesome the whole thing was, though, that I made my own way toward the worshippers and spent lots of time immersing myself in the ceremony. When I took my cameras out, there was not a ripple of anxiety. © 2006 Lou Jones, courtesy of Focal Press
Jones devotes an entire chapter to modes of transportation and how a photographer might best deal with different situations. He also covers health, money, and security. The world is a big place and people move around in different ways. Adaptability is just as important as knowing how to wield the camera.  Graffiti, Esteli, Nicaragua. These little girls saw me photographing them and posed in their cute dresses. A comment on the quality of their lives was painted on the wall next to them and gave a very different spin to the nature of their daily existence. it is the photographer's responsibility to make choices such as these to convey the intended message. © 2006 Lou Jones, courtesy of Focal Press
Jones writes,
He is right. It's your photograph, it's always your photograph why not make it the best photograph you can.
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