Last week I got a call from FedEx in Vancouver. They tried to deliver the first copies of Photographically Speaking to an address I’ve not lived in for 9 months. Sigh. Getting the first copies of a new book – I mean literally the first two copies off the press – is a thrill and I’m a little sad I’m not there to get them. But it means – and this is the point – the book is out and within days now some of you should be getting first copies!! I can’t wait for you to have it in your hands, though there’s a good chance now that some of you will see it before I do, which seems a little unfair.

If you get the book, I wonder if you’d do me a favor and share. I’ve got three ideas how you can do that.

1. Share with me.
Would you let me know you got it? I’d love to see its progress as deliveries happen. It’s a thrill to see people around the world pick up something you’ve worked so hard on.

2. Share with the World!
If you enjoy the book, would you help me out by telling the world? If you have a blog or use Facebook or Twitter would you point people to the book on Amazon? Would you consider writing an enthusiastic, but helpful and honest, review and posting it on Amazon? These reviews are so helpful and they help offset the occasional rants and weird personal attacks. No need to write a novel, or undue praise, just a short comment and honest rating would be great. Thanks in advance. While you’re at it, feel free to do that for any of the other books you’ve read, by me or any other author – it’s a small thing but it means a great deal to us.

3. Share with your Community.
If you’ve got a few extra shekels, would you consider donating a copy to your local library? There are a lot of students that would benefit from this book but library budgets get tighter and tighter every year. I’d love to know people can read my books and never pay a penny to do so.

If you don’t have a few extra shekels, but you know a student or struggling photographer that could use a copy and can’t afford one, would you please leave a comment below and tell me about them? You can use first names only, or change names to protect the innocent, I just want to pass along some love. I’m going to ask Peachpit, my publisher, to send 20 copies to photographers that simply can’t afford them. We’ll select them, and then send the copy to you to deliver in person. Cool?

Where Within The Frame was sometimes perceived as just a book about travel photography, Photographically Speaking is for everyone. It addresses the most fundamental stuff of our craft – photographs themselves. It talks about the language of photographs and how an understanding of the visual language can make our images stronger. My hope is that you find this book important enough to you to share with others.

You can find Photographically Speaking on Amazon.com HERE, and if you haven’t seen it yet, there’s a brief intro video to the book HERE. Anyways, book’s almost here. Thanks, as always for your support.