In My Mind's Eye : Seeing in Black and White

Rating:
Summary: Design Is Not A Subject
Review: In the nicest possible way, it is difficult to argue with successful published photographers who lead classes to exotic destinations, but let me try. Into every camera, besides film or flash card, is loaded the aesthetics of the medium. Each release of the shutter a photographer tests their knowledge of it and against what they see "In Their Minds Eye." The first part of seeing with "The Mind's Eye" is choosing a subject to photograph and then coaxing design to help organize the image. Mr. Waite's travel snapshots of the world fall below this threshold. The SUBJECT takes a back seat to DESIGN. A few of the images, like the terra cotta face with water pipe at the mouth, page 101, is not worth film, paper or ink. Many of Mr. Waite's images are bad forgeries of SUBJECTS other photographers' have done with greater care and ability. Mr. Waite's travels took him to America and his subject was the jaws of an earth mover and rock. If he could have spent a few of his travel days moving through the "Grand Circle" in the Southwestern Landscape of America, he would not of included so many cliché photographs of Tuscany. When I buy a book, what I am thinking about is to revisit it, and feel the same way about the photographer's efforts as when I purchased it. For Mr. Waite's book "In My Mind's Eye, Seeing In Black & White", this purchase was returned for the lack of the latter. Craig Carlson, Chula Vista, California, [e-mail].