I think the title of the first chapter "It's All About Vision" attracted me to buy this book. But I am sorry to say that my vision isn't the same as duChemin"s. His book is about taking images in many places of the world, and of primarily either old or young people. That is his thing and I respect him for it. So if that is your thing "go for it".

I have read many photographic books over many years and this is this first one that didn't "turn me on" in any way. Just to check myself I leafed through the book to take another look at the images. I found only two that somewhat appealed to me. I am primarily a landscape photographer, always looking for some new scene, some new challenge of light, some new technique to work with.

I agree with the opinion that Freeman Patterson's books are really good. They were all published some time ago, from 1977 to 1985, before the digital age. But they are well worth reading. The titles are

"Photography for the Joy Of It"
"Photography of Natural Things"
"Photography & The Art of Seeing"

Sincerely,

Jack Porter

David du Chemin has a unique way of not only inspiring you to "get out there" and play, but also draws you unselfishly into his world of photography.

Someone who has never held a camera in their hands before could pick up this book to read and not want to put it down. It is a book about life, about love, about humility, but most of all about the vision of a man and his passion for life and people, which he expresses through the lens of a camera.

A brilliant read!

This ia a great book for learning Photography !! Shows wounderful pictures of different subjects, and will give you all the exposure information on how each was taken so you can really try it for yourself !!

Great book great price !

I love photography and shoot great pictures!

I know everything about my digital camera and wanted a book to go - deep - inside my " photographic soul ".

After lots of search, I found this one.

It is perfect to me!

So: if you love photos, take great ones, and want to undestand your internal process of creation, this is your book!

There are tons of books that talk about technique, like exposure, composition, post processing and so forth. As far as I know there are only a handful of good books that tell about how to get the secret ingredient. This book is one of them.

David's approach is an interesting and compelling way of thinking about photography, especially because most of us don't tend to think like an artist. This book will help you become a better photographer even if you still tend heavily toward the logical and analytical. This book will certainly cause you to seriously think about the issues of photographically conveying the essence of a person, place, or culture.

Can't recommend this book highly enough! All too many times other books and magazines have taught on "HOW" to take a photograph (i.e composition, lighting, technique etc etc), but David tell you exactly the reason "WHY"s and "HOW"s and goes beyond that. If ever any photography enthusiast, hobbyist, student or professional were to invest in a single book, you must make this the ONE book! Highly Recommended!!!

David presents all of his thoughts in a wonderful and inspiring way.

I find, personally, that the typical photography book is predictable and obvious. I like thinkers that challenge the status-quo, and David certainly falls in that realm. This book will inspire you because he'll give you new ways to think about stuff you've been thinking about for years. If you are the kind of person that just wants old tired dictums being reinforced, then this isn't the book for you. It's full of new, fresh thought, smart conclusions, and, of course, beautiful photographs.

The world of Photography is changing, and David is one of the great flag bearers of the new age.

This is a book primarily about travel photography. We are treated to great shots that are explained. The advice is practical, non-technical and hands-on.

I like books about composition and I have found that the best approach is to buy books from different authors. Many authors have multiple books, but they all tend to be kind of similar. So my key advice is to go for diversity.

I've bought my first DSLR and also bought 15 photography books on amazon. I'm evaluating the books from the perspective of a somewhat knowledgeable amateur.

This is my first book ever on photography, after I'm so get used to taking bad photos.

Many friends suggest other books. I borrowed some after reading Within the Frame, but only to find that I essentially get nothing as important as I get from David duChemin.

I'm not saying I understand most of the things of digital photography, in fact, many times I still need to readjust the camera again and again, but I can really feel that I'm taking serious photos now after reading Within the Frame, and now I'm adjusting the camera for a good reason: "the way I think when taking photos really matches the results the camera produced", and I get the joy of that.

As a newcomer to DSLR photography, I have read quite a few books on technical issues on how to use DSLR specific functions, which I didn't have in my previous point and shoot cameras. Now I felt I was ready to digest books in the field of composition. When reading "Whithin the Frame" I fell in love with the way the author, David duChemin, passionately writes how to get the feeling and essence of what you are photographing and try to translate this into a picture that hopefully viewers later can get a taste of.

This is the real craft of photographing. Stop taking photographs and start creating photographs. Stop looking and start seeing. I found this book to be so much more than composition.

It's a book about photographic vision. It's a book about caring and feeling for what you photograph. It is highly recommended.

This is an excellent book which will get you thinking about your photography in a way you probably never thought about

It does not talk in technical terms, but in terms of exanding and improving your photographic vision. It is well laid out with great examples of what the author discusses in his book

I have read many photographic books, but this is one that I couldn't put down as I found it enlightening, evocative and thought provoking.

A book any budding photographer should have in his reference library.

Your book has tremendously helped me to not only get started, but also naturally brought me to a new insight to understanding story telling within the frame. The flow of content is gradual and easy to follow through. It's awesome that this book is not too technically inclined. I get hands-on immediately to taking better photos. Thank you so much!

I finished the book, and purchased all eBooks that David Duchemin has published on his site [...]
he asks himself the right questions anybody interested in photography should ask himself while shooting.
The pictures are awsome, really nice colors, beautifull shoots.
But while finishing the book, I realise that most of his portraits are about smiling people, and beautifull images done with an incredible Canon 85mm 1.2 lens. This finaly became a bit boring

Perhaps it's me, but I purchased this book with the idea that it would reveal the artist's thoughts on composition and technique, and in this regard, I found it disappointing. Although it includes plenty of wonderful and well composed photographs, there's very little accompanying dialog explaining the thought process behind the technique. Nothing really wrong with that, but I suppose if I wanted a coffee table book of photographs, this wouldn't have been my first choice.

Es un libro de fácil lectura con un enfoque diferente que a partir de experiencias personales, generosamente compartidas por el autor, nos llevan a aprender mucho más que simplemente las mejores técnicas para capturar fotografías.
Este libro nos invita a incorporar de manera indeleble, lo que realmente hace a alguien que toma fotos un FOTOGRAFO. Y a la fotografía un medio mucho más efectivo y cautivante para transmitir nuestra visión única del mundo.

I've read a lot of photography books and this one is one of the best. It is not a book about travel photography and it is not for beginers as it does not teach you about exposure or light, not it gives you any tips or tell you any tricks. It thought me though something that no other book did. If you don't take pictures with your heart is all for nothing, expecially when you shoot portraits. Technically, it can be a very good photo but it won't say anything, it won't send a message...

It's not a book about nuts and bolts (although there's some of that in here when it relates to the topic at hand). It's a book about the creative journey of photography. Very inspiring, very thought provoking. If you enjoy thinking about photography and thinking about the creative process behind doing it well, this is a fine treatise on the subject and a pleasure to read, and re-read. Plus most of the images are gorgeous and wonderful examples of the concepts taught.

This is the book I had looking for many years...
I love photography. I tried to find a book that will help me to create better photos.
I have very good books but they are almost purely technical.
This book gives me lots of joy because it inspires me. I will probably reread this book.
If you want great technical book I will recommend " The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos by Michael Freeman " .
If you want & can go beyond that I recommend this wonderful book.
May I suggest a different name for this book: "Journey to photographer soul"
Gil
Israel

I'm not a huge reader and this book is hard to put down. The author's style is very engaging. The photos are nice. The ideas and spirit of the book is practical. I've appreciated what I've learned so far.

I've read lots of how-to books on photography, many of them quite good. While there's always more to learn when it comes to HOW to create a great photo, too many of us ignore the WHY. This is where David duChemin's book comes in. Yes, he covers technique and gear, but the focus of this book is on creativity and vision. It's probably been said before in other reviews, but I'm going to say it as well: This book inspires creativity in the reader. The book is filled with beautiful photos and stories from David's travels around the world that any photographer, in any place can learn from.

More important than changing how I work, this book changed how I see. After reading this book, when I go out and shoot, I find myself thinking about and interacting with my subjects differently and not coincidentally, bringing home better photos. That makes it worth far more than any other photography book I've read recently.

If you are a professional photographer that has much experience shooting overseas already, you won't learn much from this book. The author gives solid advice, but it is mostly aimed at those with little to no experience abroad. The book will seem condecending for any pro that has much international experience. Your money would be better spent examing the work of the great photojounrnalists.

This is an excellent book, if you know what to expect. It is probably not for beginners (although I probably qualify as a beginner). It does not teach very much about the science of photography or technical skills. Rather, it inspires you to think like a photographer. It guides you in thinking about photography, about the world, and about the frame. Along the way, it does give some helpful tips. But that's not what the book is about. It is about vision.

The author's passion is for people, places, and culture. You won't learn much about landscapes here, or macro or product photography. In fact, there are plenty of things you won't learn about. But it doesn't really matter. People, places, and culture are just the medium he uses to discuss broader concepts.

The book reads extremely easily, and is enjoyable. It never gets bogged down in jargon because it's speaking to the artist in you.

Not much to say, I don't really review products but this book was great. David really walks you through is thought process and he is very informative. I must read.

If you are a mid-level photographer who knows how to take a technically good image and are now wondering what to photograph and why, this is the book for you. I usually use small sticky notes to mark the especially interesting pages of a book and when I finished my first read of this book there were at least 30 yellow notes sticking out of it. I am now back into the book and finding even more thoughts and ideas I will be referencing again later. I have a shelf of very good "how too" books including most of Joe McNally's and Scott Kelby's books. This one is of that quality plus the author tries to help you take that next step. I highly recommend this book.

David DuChemin, no escribe un libro como cualquier otro, ni repetido, ni un complemeto a algún otro, simplemente este libro es una colección de ideas para construir una composición impecable, con un lenguaje fresco, se siente uno constantemente conversando con el autor, una conversacieon cruda y realista que es lo que uno como fotografo amateur o fotografo profesional esta buscando en un libro de este estilo.

Personalmente el mejor libro de fotografía que he comprado.

Yep. I'm ambivalent about this book. No question that David DuChemin is a very gifted photographer, but this isn't a coffee table book. It's about vision, but what the other reviews don't seem to mention is that his vision is not about photography in North America or the west in general, but Kathmandu, Havana, Cairo and the banks of the Ganges. The advice he gives appears very sound, but approaching somebody in Kathmandu and somebody in Des Moines strike me as quite a different tasks. Most of us are far more limited in creating our vision than the author and I'm sure I'd have enjoyed it and gained much more from it if he had shot more in his hometown of Vancouver.

His vision is beautifully executed, but I'd have liked an indication before I bought this book that it was more about travel photography.

After I have read so many positive reviews of this book, I decided to order it. What struck me is the fact that not many photography books have rating that high at Amazon, and most of them have valid criticism. DuChemin's books seemed like an exception to the trend. I cannot tell you how much my expectorations went up but I was very eager to get it.

Let me first say that I'm new to photography and as many others looking for things that are most valuable to get started and continuously improve, that is- train my eye, search for vision, get inspired whenever I grab my camera and go out. Under these circumstances you have to consider things how much you travel and what you like to photograph. David DuChemin is inspired by visiting new places and meeting new people, he is inspired by sacred houses of worship, new cultures etc. The title itself contains the main theme of the book: journey of photographic vision.

However, after one reads the reviews, one gets the feeling that it does not matter if the book talks so much about travelling, it is all about bringing out your vision. The only question I have how? The book does give you some valuable tips like what accessories you should take with you, how to interact with people from different cultures, should you pay people for photographing them etc. Do these things really help you to bring out your vision?

Moreover, I was not impressed with the photos in the book, but I like examples how light influences the portraits. The lighting tips were the most useful even though they are thrown here and there.

Now my advice for potential buyers and beginners in photography would be omitting this book and buying Photography and the Art of Seeing by Freeman Patterson and The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos by Michael Freeman. The former has very valuable tips that could help to improve your creativity, inspire you and most importantly it's very practical. The latter will show you what to look for in photographs and teach you many valuable things about composition and design.

I found this book extremely helpful and was a great tool in opening my eyes when looking through the frame. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a photography book which is less of a how-to and more of an expression of art. In fact if you don't read this book you will be missing out on some very good insight!

I've bought many photography books over the years but this one tops them all. It's the first "why to" book rather than a "how to" book that I've read. Well worth it. It has connected many of the missing dots for me. It's an easy read and the author does an excellent job of explaining his thoughts of why he photographs his subjects. If you are into photography, buy this book.

I purchased this book with the recommendations of David Hobby and Joe McNally, both of which I admire is style and thought. I opened the book the day before I traveled on a work vacation to the Blackfeet Nation in Montana, near Glacier National Park. Each night I read about 20 pages, being careful to digest each page. I've never been a fan of "how to" books, but a huge fan of "why to" books. This books tickles my fancy. The content alone in the book was worth a workshop value of at least $1000 in my budget, aside from not being able to meet the author is person. I was inspired to shoot a week's worth of photos and posted them here:

[...]

Highlight, re-read, and enjoy this book. I won't be lending it to a friend in the near future, because I want to keep this on my small shelf of books to re-read in the near future!Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision

I have been taking photo's for over 50 years. Today and tomorrow I hope to be making photographs that as Vincent Versace said in David's "Within the Frame" book, will allow me to "create images that change the world of those who view them". Buy this book. There are 241 pages packed with brilliant, priceless suggestions for opening up your mind and eyes to seeing "picture taking" in a whole new way. For example, page 150, "make it about something, so people who see your image feel something", and page 185, become more patient, intentional, passionate about making photographs and push beyond the "shoot-and-run or minute effort". After reading David duChemin's book, I feel better equipped, not just having the best and latest camera technology, but the correct "vision" to shoot photographs like never before. I am a richer photographer today following David's enlightments in this excellent book. I will not regret or bemoan my earlier 50 years of missing opportunities taking pictures, but as he said in the book "just chase new ones" going forward.

This book came at a perfect time for me. I've read tons that were technique oriented from a gear perspective. Within The Frame, while giving the technical details of the shots, is about vision. It's about learning to see better, learning how to find your inner vision, and realize it in photos. This is a book you will read more than once, and like Joe McNally's books, you'll just pick it up and read a section at random, and you'll be inspired every time.

Every page of WITHIN THE FRAME teaches you something new about creating compelling images. It names features your equipment needs. It tells what you need to learn about using your equipment. It tasks you with simple photo-assignments that open your creative inner eyes. And it reminds you the image isn't done 'til you've applied creative editing touches in your computer's "digital darkroom."

NOT JUST ANOTHER MOTIVATIONAL BOOK:
Motivational books usually say everything they have to say in the first 50 pages, then beat you to death with grinding repetition for another 200 pages. This book breaks the mold and goes on giving you new ideas, new creative approaches and new mind-expanding photo-assignments to the very last page.

Author David duChemin's images are on every open pair of pages. They're gorgeous, and poignant, and educational, AND David tells you what makes them that way--Composition tips, isolation with shallow depth of field, how to lead the viewers eye into a scene, intentional motion blur, color treatment, qualities of light, and on and on).

IF YOU HAD TO READ JUST ONE BOOK TO LEARN PHOTO ARTISTRY--THIS IS THAT BOOK.

I like this book, bottom line. It reads like a relaxing discussion with a trusted mentor. I find the insights to be valuable.

This is not a "tell you what to do" book. If you are looking for a book with detailed step-by-step instructions on how to approach a particular subject to create a marketable image, this is not it.

This is a book that challenges you to think what you have not thought before, and to see what you have not seen before. It will open your eyes to see subjects in a whole new light. It will challenge you to embrace the world, photographically, in a whole new way. It will challenge you to elevate your vision to a higher plateau, and to create images with life and meaning.

This is a book for the advanced photographer, the artist, the person who has a deep passion for photography. This is a book that inspires. It inspires you to communicate a message to the world, one photo at a time.

I've got many how-to books on digital photography. I skim through, look at the pictures and maybe read a chapter or two. I started reading David's book and was quickly engrossed and amazed by his communication skills- visual and written. What I found fascinating was the discussion about overall thought process of capturing the "vision" not just taking pictures. I also appreciate the details about each photo to understand the technique. If you want to learn basic how-to then you have other choices. If you want to understand how you can take your skills to the next level then this book will provide both vision and inspiration.

Great book on inspiration and vision. Not so much technical, although the images do include the shooting data, camera, FL etc.

I was not sure what to expect when this book arrived, but 4 pages into it, I could not put it down. FINALLY a book about the thought process rather than 'how-to-take pictures'. So this book is not for beginners, but more for folks who have been shooting a bit and what a new perspective--who want to crawl into a shooters head. Who want to know what's zipping around a photographers noggin' as they work. I read this in 2 days, highlighter pen in hand. Highly recommended.

WITHIN THE FRAME: JOURNEY OF PHOTOGRAPHIC VISION is about finding a photographic vision and cultivating it, offering a personal book packed with inspiring images and offering a photograph's survey of expressing that vision with a camera. From the basics of building a photo essay to directing the viewer through the photographer's choice of images, it's a key to using photos to their best advantage, and comes packed with color photo examples throughout.

So many books on photography a re-written camera manuals. "Within The Frame" is a unique book. It is much more about "what to do with your camera" than "how to use it".

DuChemin spends a bunch of time talking about different situations and how to engage with them to tell a story. There are many great photographs and a solid amount of technical content is included. The real soul of the book, however, is about vision - developing "who you are as a photographer". This is the first book I have found that really does a good job of this.

Thoroughly recommend the book. I have my own copy and I always keep a couple handy to give away as gifts.

I finally broke down and spent the $$$ on this book, and I am so glad I did!
David does what most photographers refuse (or don't know how) to do by giving us reasons WHY rather than HOW. That alone makes the book worth reading, but going through and seeing pictures that he has so masterfully put together are what really make this book stand out. It isn't every day you travel all over the world, though this book allows the reader to do that without leaving the comfort of the hammock or couch. The phenominal pictures and outstanding wording of the book make it a must-have for any photographer's shelf.

Make sure to look out for his upcoming book: "Vision Mongers"

I've been leading nature photo hikes for a year and am tired of shooting the same style, looking for books on art photography. After reading this book, I realized the meaning of photography, not on "of" the image, but on "about" the image, ie, telling the story. Although some of the photos in the book are hard to "get it" without sidebars. This book gets me thinking. I can read no more than 5 pages and have to put it down to fully digest its concept, especially visual leading lines. The book is all about people and places, more of a documentary type. Suprisingly well use of wide angle. An excellent book if you are fully familiar with complete camera setups and basic compositions. When you're ready for the breakthru, this is a book for you.

What more is there to say about a book that's garnered almost universal praise? Not much, except that having just finished this wonderful book, I feel completely invigorated to get out there and shoot again. I feel like David spoke right to me, told me just what I needed to hear and provided me with not only the mental and philosophical tools with which to reapply myself as a photographer but also the inspiration by which I could better understand both myself and what I want and need to do as a photographer.

There is a splash of technical information; really, it's just enough to help understand each presented image, but never an amount that overwhelms--more like an accent color in the overall painting. The images are, as expected, stunning. More than that, though, they are truly illustrative for each point being made, like a cymbal crash in a great rock song.

The stories and anecdotes are poignant; the voicing and tone are respectful, funny and stern where appropriate; and the perspective is invaluable. Beginners and pros alike can get so much out of the book.

I can't possibly recommend this more. It is a fantastic reading experience, and it really has changed my life. Thank you, David.

David duChemin is not only a fine photographer but a gracious and generous teacher as well. While the book does contain many practical tips for making certain kinds of photographs (people, places, culture, faith), this is not a "recipe book" for creating those types of shots or for learning how to use your camera. It is instead a book about creativity, connecting with people and places through the camera lens, and telling stories--in short, a book that encourages the reader to think intentionally about what's going on within the frame (and why you want to shoot it) before pressing the shutter.

David duChemin's passion for what he does and for the people and places he photographs are evident. He loves this, and teachers who love what they do are always the best from whom to learn. Highly recommended.

Besides the fact that the images in this book are stunning, duChemin shares not just his knowledge, but his vision of what it means to be a photographer. He discusses how to develop ones own vision and how it goes hand in hand with becoming successful. This is simply the most valuable photography book I own.

Many, many books have been written about the How in photography. They range from all encompassing to specifics on a certain technique or photographic process. They all have something new and useful to learn. I usually read them in a casual manner, tending to gloss over what I already know and attempting to memorize the new bits that may prove useful someday.

Once in a great while, a photography book comes along that, instead of only teaching the How, first pushes you to seek and understand Why. Within the Frame does just that, and that is why I am taking my time with it. Each day I absorb it bit by bit, meditate on what I've just read, and will keep doing that until I come to the point of internalizing it. I feel it's that important.

I am an avid reader of photography books. I like to read the "how to" books but am tiring of them as it all seems to mush together. I was looking for inspiration when a friend suggested this book in an email. I was close to a book store when I got the message, so I sat and read a bit. Of course I waited till I got home to purchase the book from Amazon! I'm just finishing up the book now and have enjoyed it very much.

This is not a book about technique but rather a book about having vision and what it takes to get to the next level in your photography where your images touch and resonate with people. Getting to this level takes more than technical knowledge (as important as it is) it involves having a vision and being in touch with your feelings about your subject and then knowing what to do to capture that! To this extent, David does a fine job leading the reader to understand how important these things are giving examples with appropriate images to express his ideas.

While most of the book is geared toward the type of photography David does which I'll call Travel/Destination photography the concepts all apply to whichever type you do. David proclaims he is not a Landscape Photographer but still tackles the subject briefly toward the latter part of the book.

Like another reviewer at times I felt some of the ideas were a bit repetitive and rudimentary and may bore the more advanced photographer. That said there are enough gems in the book especially the beginning that make it a worthy purchase for all. A refreshing change of pace for a photography book!

The book is of high quality illustrated with many amazing images and associated stories that inspire and motivate the reader to go out and up their game. Get a copy and enjoy.

I'm a young photographer looking for that deeper meaning that will give my photographs depth, and Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision was just the book. The way David duChemin writes is easy to read while the message is deep. This book is not your typical "here's the photographs I have shot" or "to be a real photographer, you need to travel" kind of book. This book display images of his international travels, however where this book is different from all the others, is how to shoot no matter where you are and to go deep within to shoot an image that displays that depth. It's also not saturated with images; he actually has great information that goes along with the images. This is a book I will read many times to come. I consider myself a better photographer because of this book! I will definitely follow David duChemin's work and future books.

In my den I have a table sitting next to my chair. On the bottom shelf are the books I call 'the inspiration books.' The books of photography, not so much the books about photography. I've read the books about photography. Many of them over the years. To learn. To get ideas about how to perform a specific task or set of tasks to create an image. But it is 'the inspiration books' that I turn to when I'm looking for more than the technical. Looking for my vision.

Withing the frame will not join that shelf of inspiration books. It will go on my desk and I suspect that within a year or so I will be looking to buy another copy. I plan to have this one worn out by then. Falling apart from overuse.

This is one of the best books about the art of photography that I've read in recent history, perhaps ever. Its style is straightforward, written simply, but with great insight and inspiration. It is a cohesive statement of the power of vision in telling a story with a photograph, of sharing a statement of how I view the subject and expressing my experience with the subject. It encourages connection to the subject, of slowing down to experience what is around you and then sharing visually the experience.

This book will serve as inspiration for me for a long time to come. I believe it will influence how I experience the 'inspiration books' and will serve as a guide for reminding me that the photographic journey is as important as the photograph itself.

This book goes beyond the typical photography how to content to helping the reader discover the inner passion that creates meaningful vision, which is individual for everyone but has clearly described common themes to practice. As a professional photographer, I still found much to learn from David's ability to articulate the creative process; to slow down and question what we most want to say with our images.

Even though I've only read the first few chapters and scanned a few more pages for their images so far, I can safely say this is one of the best photography books I've ever laid eyes on. The author/photographer, David duChemin, uses a very simple, lay-person, non-technical approach to deciphering the methods for achieving one's photographic vision. It is NOT a how-to book; rather, it focuses more on the why-to. And, it is a breath of fresh air among the stuffy, thick, over-technical extensions of camera manuals trying to pass as inspiration. On the flip side, it offers a unique, open, and introspective view to the heart and vision of an incredible photographer that one would usually not find in a coffee table photo book. Yet, the images are so powerful, it will undoubtedly find its home at the top of the stack of books on my coffee table... just as soon as my sons are old enough to know not to destroy it. :)

For anyone looking to hone their own vision, or just find a bit of inspiration, I HIGHLY recommend this book!