Download my free book on Making Documentary Photography
One of the great things about being a photographer is the sense of community and the other photographers who are willing to share their experience and expertise, and that is why I am offering a free book on documentary photography, called Making Documentary Photography.
I’ve been telling visual stories for over 25 years but I’m still learning.
I’m not a camera geek and I can’t profess to know everything about Lightroom but I’m passionate about social documentary – documenting events, people and places at a moment in time to tell a story.
Last year I wrote a book, Making Documentary Photography, it’s based on the lessons I’ve learned and the things I would have wanted to know 25 years ago. You can buy a copy from Amazon or I have a few printed copies myself but it’s also a free and can be downloaded from this website.
Who is ‘Making Documentary Photography’ aimed at?
Anyone who wants to improve their visual storytelling or be inspired to pursue a social documentary project but doesn’t know where to start.
Many photographers take to the streets and Street Photography has become incredibly popular in the last 10-15 years; workshops have increased in popularity and Amazon’s first page of books on Street Photography shows the majority have been published in the last ten years.
Anecdotally, people begin to learn about photography through street photography which is accessible and free. However, many tell me that they want to develop their skills and create meaningful projects – not just a series of images.
We see this through the growing number of photographers who now include documentary photography workshops alongside their street photography offer. We can also see that respected learning channels such as Magnum, Leica and Masters of Photography feature more documentary photographers, than street photographers.
When I became interested in documentary photography, nearly twenty years ago, I didn’t have access to any of those resources but I came from a film and video background where I had produced and directed a number of documentaries so I transferred my skills and learnt along the way.
What does Making Documentary Photography cover?
In the book I try to breakdown what I think documentary photography is and how I approach it. Some people will disagree, and that’s OK, because I don’t think there are right or wrong answers, just experience and perspectives.
There are eleven short chapters in this free book on documentary photography that cover:
Chapter 1 – What is Documentary Photography
What it is. How it differs from other genres. Why we document. Famous Documentary Photographers. The Impact of Documentary Photography.
Chapter 2 – Identifying Documentary Projects
Tapping into personal interest. Research. Finding an Angle. Developing Ideas.
Chapter 3 – Using the camera
Basic overview of sensors and film. Controlling light through aperture, shutter speed and ISO.
Chapter 4 – The Kit Bag
What I use and think is important for social documentary photography.
Chapter 5 – Visual Storytelling
How to create narrative structure. Visual narrative. Visual signature.
Chapter 6 – Shooting
What to include when you are shooting and that will create the visual narrative.
Chapter 7 – Editing and Sequencing
Three phases of editing and sequencing images into a visual story.
Chapter 8 – Funding, Publishing and Promotion
Ways to fund projects. Publishing and Self Publishing. Promoting projects through sponsors, media and digital channels.
Chapter 9 – Final Thoughts
Key takeaways relating to ideas, mindset and approach.
Chapter 10 – Assignments
Six assignments with clear instructions and learning outcomes.
Chapter 11- Resources
A list of books and websites that I have found useful over the years.
How to download my free book on documentary photography
If you think Making Documentary Photography is for you then you can download a copy by clicking this link, entering your name and email address and a download link will be sent within minutes.
The book was promoted in the Nexus newsletter by Steve Anchell in September 2024 here
Enjoy and let me know what you think. My email is on the contact page here.
