The Creative Photographer Paperback – June 7, 2011

"The Creative Photographer" by Catherine Anderson is a refreshing departure from many of the books on mixed media art and art journaling. Many of us can't draw a stick figure and shudder when we are confronted with the inevitable list of art supplies needed to accomplish some technique or other. Keeping an art journal intrigues us, yet we feel frustrated with all these books espousing the same old mantras for us to get out the old art supplies, ephemera,etc., and just get moving. Really? We stare at a blank page and still don't know where to begin. Or we do and the result looks anything but "creative." Well, relief is at hand. This book has a completely different approach. We can pick up a digital camera or even our cell phone camera and just start shooting our day, our routines, our habits, our secret rituals, beautiful sunsets, flowers, street shots, our kids...whatever strikes our fancy. This sense of freedom to create photographically is so incredibly refreshing. Five or ten or twenty or more shots later, we have artfully and honestly captured our lives and our journey is well underway, hopefully sans the fear and paralysis the other books purport to cure us of. That blank page neurosis could be history. With the sound of a shutter click, we've taken a giant step in seeing ourselves and our world differently and more fully in a way that all those art supplies could never do for many of us. Anderson's book is to be savored by the beginning to the experienced photographer and the author leaves no one behind. The instructions within are clear and easy to understand; the ideas and artwork are inspirational. What a relief to know that there are techniques and projects that we can all learn and utilize in our photographic creations with satisfying results.Before I conclude this review, note that the author works her magic in Adobe Photoshop Elements, the easiest to use and least expensive of Adobe's photographic suite of products. However, the functions in PE that she instructs us to use are pretty basic and can be found in several of the free on-line photo programs like GIMP as well as less expensive options by Corel Paintshop Pro X, for example.

This book is almost a visual course in "beginner's mind." It promises months of creative discovery and delight. Interspersed with useful hints, insightful quotes, like Carita Kent's, "Art does not come from thinking but from responding," and encouragement in specific `explorations' to rediscover the world around you through photography, "The Creative Photographer" is both reflective and instructive. And if, like me, you have been afraid of venturing into photoshop, Catherine Anderson will coax you into trying by using the beautiful simplicity of the images on every page, teamed up with her easy to follow instructions.Some of the recommended `explorations' give an idea of the book's content: an alphabet box, a natural sculpture, a word banner, a visual idea journal, random acts of photography, seeing like Leonardo da Vinci, photographs as collage elements, secret vision box, collecting colors, mirroring the world (a different slant on reflections) are all creative ideas that the author combines skillfully with practical instructions.Just by its simple but evocative images, this book has encouraged me to take my camera out on an "Artist's Date" to capture what the casual eye easily misses. Examples in the book are: dried petals in an open book, old pearly buttons forming the letters CALM, resting on an embroidered sheet, a single autumn leaf lying on a cracked pavement, a handful of scrabble tiles, the peeling paint on an outside door with a rusted handle, a row of supermarket trolleys viewed from an unusual angle.An observation from the author herself sums up the book; "I create simply for the joy of doing it." No matter how skilled - or unskilled - you are at photography, how simple or how elaborate your camera is, Catherine Anderson inspires you to go out and use it to record life in an entirely new way.

I bought this book on a whim and am very glad I did. If you are an amature photographer working to develop your skills, this book will be a great help. The author is trying to get you to look differently at the world around; to take the ordinary and turn it into photographic art.Many photography books give suggestions to increase the quality of your work. However when you delve deeper, you find that you have to outlay some serious money to achieve their results. Many of this authors suggestions are very budget friendly which are appreciated by any struggling, starving artist.I would say that a major theme of this book is the Self Assignment. She gives exercises to build your body of work and it does not require anything other than your camera and exploration of the world you live. Also her alternative printing techniques are cost effect and the products are easily obtained.I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to just expand their vision and get into a daily or weekly habit of building their photographic skills.

Building photography and image enhancing skills

Great book, fast delivery, perfect condition!

This book is advertised as being helpful for both beginning and advanced photographers. I bought the book for an experienced photographer. He did not find it helpful and gave it back to me. I then gave it to a beginning photographer. He didn't find it useful either. It does not have a lot of practical advice or give specific ways to take better photos.

Sometimes you just get bogged down with lack of ideas, this book gets you fired back up. Given me a new lease of life for my photography. So many ideas to get you thinking, great book to have.

One of the best. Made me want to try everything the author suggested which right now is impossible but I shall keep lots of the ideas in my head as I go round taking photographs. Clear writing and a personal excitement from the author for the media involved really makes for enthusiasm on my part.

This is a great book full of ideas for the jaded creative photographer. If you are stuck as I was this will give you renewed inspiration to carry on with your love of photography and photoshop

Lots of ideas for those long winter evenings on front of the screen!

really interesting book