Rating: 
Summary: theory more than how to
Review: I've been a working photographer for 13 years so "How To" books are not really on my list. This book is very good in that it is more about the mindset of making good images and less about how to do it. It is in the end a collection of his Outdoor Photography articles. Since that was one of the only reasons I ever bought the magazine I find the book very useful.
Rating: 
Summary: The "Inner Passion" of Galen Rowell
Review: If you're a serious photographer (amateur or pro) and find your interest in shooting lagging occasionally, Rowell's enthusiasm might be contagiousness enough to provide a cure. This man was passionate about photography and went to extraordinary ends to get the shots he visualized. The majority of the book deals with his philosophy of photography and how he accomplished what he did. There's also much excellent technical advice. The book's only shortcoming, from my very personal perspective (take it for what it's worth), is the undercurrent of Rowell's ample ego. Were the personal pronoun "I" deleted from the book, its page count would be reduced considerably. Nonetheless, I still strongly recommend "Inner Game" for the highly passionate and very personal account that it is - an extraordinary photographer's testimonial to a life totally devoted to the art of photography and love of nature. It makes you want to climb a mountain and take pictures!
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Summary: What an aptly named Book!!!
Review: Inner Game is right. Rowell immediately jumps into the mental and psychological aspects of what makes a good photograph. Great exapmples in his essays and pictures of how it is that a photograph "speaks" to the viewer. Even if you have limited technical expertise, the essays and pictures will certainly be enough to motivate you to get your *expletive* together and develop said expertise, get out there, and take breathtaking photographs. He could have always used more pictures and of those he did include not all included technical info on how they were made. Minus one star for that. But all in all, a great book!
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books on photography I have ever purchased
Review: It is quite sad and unfortunet that Galen Rowell and his wife were killed in a plane crash recently. The world has lost a truly visionary photographer. The results that Rowell achieved with 35mm film are truly breathtaking. I paid full price for this book, which is something I don' t do very often. In it, Rowell proves himself a very generous and inspiring person. He shows an uncanny ability to not only make amazing photographs, but to also talk saliently and make cogent statements about them too. He shares with us all his thoughts, stories and techniques for his photography. I'm not sure many other other photographers would be so willing to do so. As a photographer myself, I found it interesting to learn and understand what went through Galen Rowell's mind while making photographs. Oftentimes one sees a photographer's results (his images) yet knows nothing about the journey of work it took to achieve the results. This book fills that gap beautifully. You don't have to be a landscape photographer to enjoy this book. You only have to be interested in photography in general to get something from it. The book is easy to read and the size of it is just about right (ie. not too big and bulky).
Rating:
Summary: I have much to learn.
Review: People that purchased this book thinking they will be instructed on how to insert TAB-A into SLOT-B will be very disappointed. People that purchase a book on electrodynamics to tell them how to change a light-bulb will also be disappointed. Let's be very clear about this: This is not a How-To book. If you're looking for a How-To, there are people lined up around the block to tell you what to do. This is a book about capturing emotion, feeling, and energy in a photograph. Most importantly, this book discusses the need to be able to communicate these feelings and energy to other viewers. Without this, your photograph has failed. This is how to put parts of yourself (not physically) into the images you've captured. This is book that explores more the philosophy of photography than anything else. I've certainly gained a much greater appreciation on what it takes to capture those elements from this book. It's not a be-all-end-all to photographic discussion, but it has made me think. The first part of the text has probably been the most valuable, but each section thereafter ties into elements of the first section in quite interesting ways. This book is not only humbling, (as are most books written by professionals and read by amateurs,) but it is uplifting. It has both inspiring me to start down the path to being a better photographer, and has shown me with frightening clarity how my habits could turn that path into the road to mediocrity. It's sad that Mr. Rowell's voice and shutter have been silenced, but I'm glad to have been introduced to his work and writings.
Rating:
Summary: I have much to learn.
Review: People that purchased this book thinking they will be instructed on how to insert TAB-A into SLOT-B will be very disappointed. People that purchase a book on electrodynamics to tell them how to change a light-bulb will also be disappointed. Let's be very clear about this: This is not a How-To book. If you're looking for a How-To, there are people lined up around the block to tell you what to do. This is a book about capturing emotion, feeling, and energy in a photograph. Most importantly, this book discusses the need to be able to communicate these feelings and energy to other viewers. Without this, your photograph has failed. This is how to put parts of yourself (not physically) into the images you've captured. This is book that explores more the philosophy of photography than anything else. I've certainly gained a much greater appreciation on what it takes to capture those elements from this book. It's not a be-all-end-all to photographic discussion, but it has made me think. The first part of the text has probably been the most valuable, but each section thereafter ties into elements of the first section in quite interesting ways. This book is not only humbling, (as are most books written by professionals and read by amateurs,) but it is uplifting. It has both inspiring me to start down the path to being a better photographer, and has shown me with frightening clarity how my habits could turn that path into the road to mediocrity. It's sad that Mr. Rowell's voice and shutter have been silenced, but I'm glad to have been introduced to his work and writings.
Rating:
Summary: At Last, a Book I've been Looking For!
Review: The advanced photographer is searching for something in a photography book different from the novice's search. The advanced photographer understands exposure, focus perspective and the fundamentals and can tie them together to create a sharp, properly exposed image. What he or she wants to know is how to form a vision of the world that he sees and translate it into what Galen Rowell call's a visionary image. "Galen Rowell's Inner Game of Outdoor Photography" is not a how-to book. There is no progressive review of the fundamentals. Instead it is a collection of Rowell's essays that have appeared in Outdoor Photographer magazine over the years, revised for the book and placed in a sort of order that ties subjects and ideas together, rather then in the random fashion that they appeared in the magazine. The book is divided into four parts. The first discusses photographic visualization; the second a few advanced techniques that the photographer can use; the third Rowell's own travels and the way he transformed his visions into photos;and the last, a collection of miscellaneous thoughts related to photography ranging from digital manipulation to what's really wrong in the Galapagos. It may be that we cannot be taught how to make the leap from snapshot to visionary image. But perhaps the teacher can open up those recesses in our own mind where our creativity lurks. I know that after reading these essays and thinking about them, I've found my own approach to photography has changed for the better. Even though the book swept me away, I have to confess to one complaint. At the top of each essay is a reference to relevant photographs contained elsewhere in the book. Several photos are referenced by more than one article. In their original magazine format, the photos conveniently appeared at the start of the essay. Here you will have to keep flipping back and forth. There probably is no economical way to provide these links, but it does break up the continuity a bit. Although I'm pretty closely aligned with Rowell's political philosopy, which creeps in throughout the essays, especially in the final section, there's still enough appropriately provocative material here from which a photographer with a different philosophy can benefit. Although you may feel driven to devour this volume as quickly as possible once you get a hint of its goals, I think you will keep it on hand, to occasionally dip into an essay or two to stir up your own photographic creativity.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Insight
Review: The best book I have ever purchased and I have read a lot of books. Have read this one four times in the 2 years I've had it and actually found more useful information each time. I think this is due to the fact that it seems you can only unlock in your mind the sense of what Galen is saying once you have taken something, applied it to your photography, seen a dramatic improvement and then gone back to check you haven't missed anything. It is then that the magic occurs and what appeared on first reading to be a simple statement is now laden with meaning not visible before. I expect to learn from these passages for some time to come as my photography evolves. The first half is particularly insightful and ultimately very applicable, despite first appearances.
A true look into a highly creative mind, it is a pleasure and somewhat of a privilege to take this walk with Galen.
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Summary: Need to mine for info
Review: There is plenty of philosophy in this book based on his own experiences. If you're looking purely for a techniques book or how-to or teachings of his techniques, you'd might be disappointed because it's not organized as such although some good techniques and info are in there. You just need to do some information-mining.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Read!
Review: This book ignites the passion of outdoor photography. The way Galen writes makes you think you are next to him on that mountain creating the perfect shot. While he doesn't tell you how to become him, which he shouldn't, he does offer great experince to all those who wish to seek it.
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