BOOKS & MORE
While trying to sell my first book, Shadow Catching
in the American Southwest, I sent a synopsis to London based publisher
Aurum Press. They had no place for such a title in their lists,
however. Instead, they gave me a commission to write a book for their
new Workshop Series. The result was From
Seeing to Showing, published also simultaneously in New York
by Amphoto as Elements
of Black & white Photography - both titles were well reviewed
in photo-magazines all over the world, and on numerous websites. There was little reaction to the book
in my old homeland. Here are some of my favorites:
- FROM AL WEBER:
"George, not since David Vestal did his 'craft' series, have I seen
such good stuff. I'm very happy for you and you should be proud. Amphoto (Aurum Press) did a good job too. The reproductions are just right."
- FROM DANIEL TAYLOR:
"I recently bought your book 'From Seeing to Showing; the making of
twenty images', and was not able to put it down until the last page. Lovely images, with wonderful artistry,"
- FROM ‘ANONYMOUS’ IN Amazon BOOKS.
"Einfach toll - in George E. Todds Kontaktabzügen schnüffeln.
Didaktisches mal gar nicht so trocken. Und außer übers Fotografieren
und Printen einiges zu lernen - man frischt gleich sein Englisch auf.
Keine Angst - es liest sich trotzdem locker und gut. Endlich mal ein
Theorie-Buch das ich auch nach einem langen Tag noch lesen kann, ohne
das mir in der 10. Zeile die Augen zufallen. Todd ist einfach charmant
in seiner bescheidenen Art....."
Naturally, with my foot literally in the publisher’s door, I dropped ‘Opus
3’ Colorful Encounters on the editor’s desk, and by 2003
it was too on sale in London and New York-again produced in cooperation
with Amphoto. I had, however, to live with their choice of title, Elements
of Color Photography which
the American publisher naturally saw as a follow up to the black
and white book - they specialize in ‘how to books’. In retrospect,
it was not a fitting title for a book that was more an anthology of Travels with a Camera.
Happily reviewers saw Elements of Color Photography favorably too:
- FROM THE EDITOR OF Visual Art
"Were this book larger, I would imagine it could be classed as a
coffee table book – lots of photographs to while away the time.
Whilst it certainly contains a range of excellent photographs and they
are many and varied,
the attraction for me is the accompanying words. No stuffy text
and details, nor exposures, f-stops, film stock and speeds, but nice
chatty information
about the location and why George was there. It reads almost as though he were sitting chatting to you.
Certainly a book I’d be delighted to receive in my Christmas stocking.
Meanwhile, Shadow Catching in the American Southwest is still looking for a publisher.
With 128 pages and over 90 full plate photographs, this is a book for lovers of black and white photography and photo-safaris’ in America’s “Four Corners”. It takes a brief look at some not so-well-known natural wonders, describes a few Wild West’s oddities and introduces some prominent historical figures and artists associated with the Southwest.
OWN PUBLICATIONS
(With poems by George E. Todd)
- Traces: 25 American Southwest Images
- Jottings: Selected Black &White Images
