When I met Steve Simon in Hawaii last year we became fast friends. I was already familiar with, and a fan of, his work. And I knew going into his lecture called The Passionate Photographer, that this was a man I shared a lot with. And then we met, shared some meals together and my respect for him deepened. Now I’ve got a copy of his book The Passionate Photographer, on the couch beside me, and I want to introduce you all to him. I try not to flood you with book reviews or “you gotta get this new gear” posts, Lord knows I flog my own stuff enough, but you really should consider getting Steve’s book; it’s that good.
Steve’s a veteran of 30 years in the trenches. He loves what he does with a rare zeal. And his work is excellent. He’s got the cred to write this book, and the subtitle – Ten Steps to Becoming Great – is more than just marketing hype. Steve gets down to basics, and while other books will fill yer brain to busting with information about advanced lighting or technique, it’s the fundamentals that will make the most significant difference in your work.
The table of content is deceiving, you’d be forgiven for thinking there’s not much to this book – only 10 steps? Just tell me what they are and move on, right? But it’s what Steve says about these 10 steps, in 250 pages, that contains the gold. Steve’s book is both deep and wide. It’s got it all, and I’m convinced there is no photographer out there, of any discipline, who will not benefit from reading it, if you’ll also put the time in to applying it. If I were teaching photography in a classroom, at anything more than a basic technical level, I would make The Passionate Photographer one of my standard texts.
Steve Simon’s The Passionate Photographer is published by Peachpit Press and available on Amazon.com HERE. Highly Recommended.
Comments
I met Steve Simon in Dubai during the GPP events here in Dubai. He is such a warm and humble person besides been a wonderful photographer. I have the pleasure to have one of his books and I think us as photographer have a mentor to look up to!
I picked up my copy at one of Steve’s Nikon D300 Workshops in August. I totally agree with everything David said in his review. I have been recommending it to my friends who are photographers. Just one added note – I feel I have an extra special copy since it is personally autographed by Steve!
This is a fantastic book. I read it a couple of months ago after a recommendation from Stuart Sipahigil and loved it.
Just ordered from amazon.co.uk… Thanks David for the suggestion… I hope everything is going well with your recovering… you are a great man… I do really appreciate you 🙂 Thank you again!
David
Thanks. Brilliant guy, good writer, and compassionate person. Ordered his book on your recommendation, my friend. Cheers.
David – thank you for recommending Steve Simon’s book. It look excellent.
Mine just arrived today and I can’t wait to dig in.
I bought this book when it was first available and absolutely devoured it. I couldn’t put it down. It was like having a light in my mind turned on. It’s a must read!
I love the lack of pretentiousness in the title. Rather than guaranteeing an outcome as so many books seem to, it’s saying, we can help point you in the right direction, the outcome is up to you.
Thanks David, Loaded up for my plane journey later this week. Hope your progress well. kingsley
also just ordered it for Kindle….
Thanks for the great recommendation on this book. I just loaded it on Kindle for pc. Awesome read.
Thank you! Just ordered.. It looks great!
Thank you! I’ve looked it up! It’s already on my ‘to buy’ list! :c)
Agree with the glowing reviews- this is a good one.
I read this book over the summer and it was excellent, and Steve is a super nice guy on top of it. It’s one of the best books I’ve read on photography and highly recommended!
So glad to see you recommend this book and very happy to have purchased it earlier this summer – looking forward to finishing it when I get home.
Cool, thanks!