Making Documentary Photography is a book for photographers who want to explore the documentary genre.
It’s a ‘how to documentary photography book’ that has been written to help people think, plan and deliver their documentary photography projects.
It is not unusual for people to start their photography journey with Street Photography or Portraits and then want to practice creating visual narratives in a documentary style.
I started my career in film and video creating documentaries on subjects as varied as the police, wildlife conservation, historic building renovations and the day in the life of a Hampshire village.
The transition from the moving image to the still image isn’t as simple as it might seem but I quickly learned that a visual narrative without an audio track offers more freedom and creativity.
This documentary photography book has been writing itself for years. Firstly I’ve had to explain on numerous occasions what documentary photography is (or at least my definition of it), and then how I approach making a documentary project, from having an idea to making it happen. During workshops (which you can find here) it has been clear that photographers want practical advice and that is what I hope the book delivers.
Here’s what others have said:
An insightful and helpful documentary photography book for anyone who wants to pursue a project but doesn’t know how to get started. A great addition to the bookshelf.
I already knew a bit about photography and thought this was going to be just another book explaining the technical aspects (apertures, shutter speeds, ISO, etc). And whist it does that (very clearly) it is so much more. I liked the case studies. They really bring to life what Andrew explains throughout the book and help cement both the techniques and mindset behind some great photographs.For anyone wanting to start out or improve their documentary photography, this compressive book is a great source of inspiration and motivation.
It’s definitely left me with some inspiration to pursue my own personal projects -highly recommended!
I liked the first principles approach and particularly that the project starts well before you pick up the camera.
To buy a copy of Making Documentary Photography from Amazon in the UK click here.
For people in the US you can purchase a copy from Amazon here.
I’m also giving away PDF versions, which can be downloaded in minutes by filling in the form below to receive a secure link and subscribe to future updates.
Andrew Cameron is social documentary photographer with a particular focus on Industrial Photography, Social Impact and Humanitarian stories, and Sustainability Communications (CSR & ESG) Photography. Andrew works with businesses and organisations to create compelling visual stories to support employee communication and stakeholder engagement. Often using Black and White combined with a natural social documentary photography style to create authentic images.
