The Very Next Book You Should Get

You’ve heard me mention legendary assignment photographer Joe McNally here in the book, and Joe has come out with a book that I truly believe is the most important photography book to come out in many years. It’s called The Moment It Clicks: Photography Secrets from One of the World’s Top Shooters (from New Riders), and what makes the book so unique is Joe’s three-pronged “triangle of learning” where (1) Joe distills the concept down to one brief sentence (it usually starts with something along the lines of, “An editor at National Geographic once told me...” and then he shares one of those hard-earned tricks of the trade that you only get from spending a lifetime behind the lens). Then, (2) on the facing page is one of Joe’s brilliant images that perfectly illustrates the technique (you’ll recognize many of his photos from the covers of your favorite magazines), and (3) you get the inside story of how that shot was taken, including which equipment he used (lens, f-stop, lighting and accessories, etc.) and how to set up a shot like that of your own. There’s just never been a book like it. The photography is so captivating, you could buy it just for the amazing images (think, coffee-table book), but his insights on equipment, technique, and the fascinating backstory behind the shot let the book totally stand on its own as a photographic education tool. This book combines those elements as it inspires, challenges, and informs, but perhaps most importantly, it will help you understand photography and the art of making great photos at a level you never thought possible. I worked as an editor on the book, and I have to tell you—it blew me away. It will blow you away, too!