Dumpster Diving

OK, I admit it. I like to go dumpster diving.

I prefer to keep my olfactory factory aroma-free though.

So, I use Amazon.com instead. Simply by searching through all of their photography books with the search results ordered by Low Price to High you can find all sorts of goodies. I often buy these used as all the books from third-party resellers that I've purchased on Amazon have been in very decent to excellent shape. There are pages and pages of books for only $.01 with $4 shipping in the U.S.

I picked up Great Smoky Mountain Impressions today for only $0.01, because I plan to go back to the Smokies soon. If I can learn possible shooting locations and subjects from this book, then great, but if it turns out to be only inspirational then that's fine too. I always study a LOT of location-specific work by other photographers before visiting a location. NOT to copy their work, but to build a mental database of possibilities and things to look for. Over and over again I pick up on locations and things to see that are not listed in any of the guidebooks and I usually read all of those too, thanks to the library!

Jay Maisel is one of the greatest photographers of our time. I bought his book, ON ASSIGNMENT (Photographers at Work), for only $1.15. Published in 1990, it may not explain how the next version of Photoshop will solve all of my digital workflow problems, but I'm willing to bet I'll learn a lot from it anyway.

I also picked up a Klik: Showcase Photography annual (I don't think these are published anymore.) for only $0.06, and a very promising book called Photographing In The Studio: Tools and Techniques for Creative Expression by Gary Kolb for only $2.59. It has two 5-star reviews and one reviewer said it is the "best studio lighting textbook I have ever found". The book was published in 1993 but that review was written in 2005, so maybe it still has some secrets to share.

I've created a whole wish list of books like this on Amazon to share with my family members as a birthday and Christmas gift list. You should do the same. There's plenty of great stuff out there to find!

If you're just starting out in photography, don't overlook your local library either. When I was an amateur photographer I read through pretty much everything the library had, dozens and dozens of tutorial and picture books. It's an important starting place!