Over the last few years, most books on photography emphasized explaining the new breed of cameras and how to master the digital imaging workflow. In The Art of Black and White Photography Torsten Andreas Hoffmann takes a different approach, as he focuses on image composition and image capture, with an emphasis on the creative aspects of black and white photography, rather than on the digital workflow.

After introducing the ground rules of composition, the author illustrates their applications with various photographic genres such as architecture, street photography, portraiture, and surreal photography with his own stunning black and white images. In the second part of the book, Hofmann illustrates the elements of a photographic language , which distinguishes creative photography from random shooting. The final part of the book is dedicated to post-processing techniques, mostly in Photoshop (CS3), emphasizing the functions that are necessary for creating outstanding black and white images.

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Engrossing study of photographic composition - 2008-12-01
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This is a thorough, well crafted study of photographic composition that will interest all serious photographers, whether working in B & W or in color. As another reviewer here points out, Hoffmann's book belongs alongside Harald Mante's The Photograph: Composition & Color Design and Michael Freeman's The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos. Together, these three texts provide serious photographers with a master class in composition. But I stress *serious photographer*: Hoffmann, Freeman, and especially Mante will not be easily accessible to anyone just starting out.

There are four sections in Hoffmann's book. The second and third - "Photographic Genres and Concepts" and "Rules of Composition" - are the meatiest and worth the cost of the book. Hoffmann writes with conviction and seldom minces words. For example, he admonishes the reader to avoid the "clichGÇÜd photograph," which he describes as "a shortened, simplified reproduction of a popular idea or image, "a poor copy, an imitation" that need be neither "profoundly experienced by the photographer or audience" nor "result from original thinking" (p. 31). That's strong stuff.

Hoffmann has an unconventional strategy to help photographers move "from clichGÇÜd photo to personal expression" (p. 33). Eschewing the all-too-common cookbook approach, Hoffmann instead wants photographers to do some actual thinking by answering three questions: "What really interests and fascinates me? In what facets of the exterior world do I most likely find myself? What are my most prominent emotions?" The questions derive from Hoffmann's conviction that personally expressive images have two basic "qualities": They show both "an authentic instant in the exterior world" and "the photographer's inner world of feelings and ideas" (p. 32).

For Hoffmann, then, as also for Freeman and Mante, good photography is intentionally creative, not reactive. He argues that by understanding what attracts them photographically and why, photographers will be much better prepared to seek out and capture original, personally expressive images. I find his ideas here both refreshing and persuasive.

In addition to chapters on mood in black and white photography (an important recurrent theme in Hoffman's book), section 2 provides an extended survey of photographic genres (e.g., street, landscape, architectural, abstract, surreal, portraits, panoramic). The genre chapters feature overviews of the relevant genre's evolution, with references to the work of representative contemporary photographers, all spiced by Hoffmann's observations about the creative possibilities of the various genres. This occasionally dogmatic commentary will discomfit some readers. For example, regarding landscape photography, Hoffmann asserts that "the representation of unspoiled, idyllic scenes in today's world will probably not be satisfactory" and that "In contemporary photography, there are almost no important photographers that take idyllic scenes" (p. 53). Landscape photography has certainly changed during the past fifty years, but Hoffmann's generalizations nonetheless border on the tautological (if no important photographers make images of idyllic scenes, a photographer who does so is unimportant by definition).

The third section of the book discusses various principles by which (paraphrasing Hoffmann) an event can be condensed to a composition (p. 136) by finding the heart of the image. American writers tend to emphasize the "rule of thirds," but Hoffmann prefers to start with the "golden ratio" because it defines "axes of symmetry" along which elements can be arranged. This may be a matter of training or taste, but the golden ratio seems more organically satisfying than does the rule of thirds. From here, Hoffmann goes on to discuss the use of triangles, rhythm, simplicity and contrast, framing, perspective, repetition, and still other compositional techniques.

Sections 2 and 3 are well illustrated with Hoffmann's own work. Smaller images with lines superimposed illustrate the compositional rules being discussed, while larger images provide the basis of discussion. This is an especially helpful teaching device. Hoffmann is sometimes overly laudatory about his photos, many of which are outstanding . . . but not all. He seems to be reaching at times; the principle under discussion does not always seem well represented in the example image. Still, some of Hoffmann's photos are simply stunning and none of this detracts from the composition lessons being taught.

I think this is a book that should be read attentively, and likely more than once. Hoffmann's compositional principles will be challenging to apply in the field. They require us to think a little differently about making photos, about what counts as a good image. But there's nothing wrong with that.

always the same... - 2009-01-24
Reviewer Rating:
Only 40 pages of 260 dedicated to digital darkroom... The rest of the book speaks about basics in photography, such as tools and fundamentals, photographic genres and rules of composition... this kind of information is always present in every book of photography...

so, it's not a good book for those who want to learn on black and white photography, but it's useful for those who are begginers in photography...

Black and White is not dead - it has its advantages over the world of color. - 2008-07-14
Reviewer Rating:
Black and White is not dead - it has its advantages over the world of color. "The Art of Black and White Photography: Techniques for Creating Superb Images in a Digital Workflow" is a complete and comprehensive guide to the craft of taking photos in the style of black and white. Chapters discuss when black and white should be used rather than color, how to avoid the cliches so often associated with black and white, applying new technology to improve an old art, and much more. For anyone enthusiastic about photography, "The Art of Black and White Photography: Techniques for Creating Superb Images in a Digital Workflow" is a must-have.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Well worth owning. - 2008-10-20
Reviewer Rating:
"The Art of Black and White Photography", by Torsten Andreas Hoffman, is the latest Rockynook book that I have read. So far, only one Rockynook title has disappointed me. "The Art of Black and White Photography" was definitely not a disappointment.

Black and white photography has interested me for some time, but I haven't really found the right subjects for it. When I thought I had a good candidate, it turned out to be much better in sepia than b&w. This book went a long way in helping me to understand what subjects woiuld do better in black and white. It also presents a wealth of knowledge about using modern tools (Photoshop CS2 was quoted) to refine images and get the most out of the exposure. The insistence to shoot in RAW was spot on. I learned this the hard way, but if you haven't gone to that exclusively yet, you need to.

While the title of the book implies exclusivity to B& photography, there is still quite a bit of useful information that crosses over to the color world also. Since I plan to keep shooting color and selectively convert to black and white in post processing, I was happy to see this. Every aspect of photography is addressed - landscapes and portraits, motion and still life, day and night exposures, you name it. Extensive sections cover Genres and Concepts as well as Composition Rules. Perhaps most useful to me (and well worth the price of the book) is the last section covering "The Digital Darkroom". I love getting useful Photoshop tips, and this book does not disappoint. Hopefully future editions will also include Lightroom tips.

"The Art of Black and White Photography" is one book that I could not put down once I started reading it, and I cannot wait to apply some of the concepts I learned.

Digital Workflow? - 2009-10-05
Reviewer Rating:
When I read the title "The Art of Black and White Photography: Techniques for Creating Superb Images in a DIGITAL WORKFLOW" - I bought the Book considering this subject - DIGITAL WORKFLOW - today the Digital Tools provide many ways to work with Black & white and the Book dedicated only 40 pages of 260 to talk about digital darkroom...also speaks superficialy about this techniques.

In my viewpoint it's not a good book for those who want to learn on black and white photography in a Digital World, but it's useful for those who are looking for a Composition in Black & white and other subjects.

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