Visually Speaking: Mastering Photography as a Visual Language

Great book very helpful

I follow Ted Forbes on YouTube and he always has an unusual perspective on his craft. very enjoyable book, both as a read and to dip into.

Ted Forbes is a reliable tutor with a big YouTube following. He is helpful on the art of photography as well as kit, which is secondary or irrelevant to the taking of good pictures, as he affirms. He proves that with pages of great pictures taken with cheap plastic cameras.

The book was only delivered this morning so any comments are just first impressions. The layout and structure are both very good and the parts I have read are also highly informative with great photography to demonstrate the concepts being discussed. The book is well printed and the images are crisply printed. However, the paper seems a little thin for the amount of ink it has to carry, which has resulted in some slight buckling on a couple of pages, as if the pager has been stored in a area which is damp. Also the book I feel should be case bound (Hardback) so the pages would lie flatter when open as the double page spread photos loose some elements as they disappear into the gutter. I am aware that would have driven the price higher, but feel a book of this quality would benefit from using heavier paper and being case bound rather than a paperback. Over all a book well worth reading and is great value here in the UK.

Having read more books on photography than I should, Ted Forbes book was a breath of fresh air! It’s succinct and honest advice is enlightening, avoiding lengthy technical explanations in favour of the more important artistic aspects of this medium. I had to take time after each chapter to absorb the implications of his offerings and consider how it apples to my own work, thought provoking. Thanks Ted

If you've seen Ted's YouTube videos you'll know his style and this is true for his book. Unlike some art photography books his is quite readable. There's plenty of excellent images and sound advice mixed with his own autobiographical thoughts. Well worth picking this one up.

What a great book and very thoughtful ideas expressed clearly by Ted Forbes in this book, thoroughly reccommended.

Probably the first photography book I’ve read from cover to cover instead of just looking at the pictures. That said the NetGalley app split a lot of pictures over 2 pages so didn’t quite work. This book touches on most of the technicalities in a way I’ve never understood before but now feel a lot more confident about. However it also pushes you to find your own speciality. Look for your inspiration but put your own stamp on it. Well worth a read. Thanks to NetGalley.co.uk and the publishers for this ARC.

most books go about technical aspects of photography: tools and techniques This book goes about the art and communication aspects of Photography. What makes a picture a good picture. What think process can help. It is in understandable book

“Photography is a visual language –a universal and very powerful language.” I have many Photography books on my shelves, as my camera was for a very long time my only way to express myself, but Visually Speaking is not like any of these. If you are looking for a “technical manual” this is clearly not the right book. This one is more about finding your voice, and if it talks about the ways you can do it, it’s always related to how to communicate an idea, and not in scientific or setting point of views. I truly enjoyed that decision, and I wish more “how-to-books” were built this way –no matter the Art into consideration. The focus here is the emotion, the idea the photograph wants to express, the sense of the image. It’s not about technique, it’s about meaning. I also loved the pictures (from the author, but also from other photographs) the author chose as examples. They were a guide to think about, but also gorgeous –the quality of the paper being a great help too. That book came to me when I needed it the most as it mentions the “writer block for photographers”. That’s the first time I’ve heard about it, but that’s also something I’m experiencing very much for a couple of years. Reading it, reading the whole book, gave me a new motivation to take my camera. For that, I’m grateful.

Superb book. Beautiful printed

Well written, clear concepts, well illustrated to reinforce the ideas discussed. If you wish to improve your photography, this is a great place to start.

I’ve been a fan of Tex Forbes since 2014, and he never fails to impress. The book is compact yet powerful, like carrying a piece of classic Forbes energy in your hand. It balances elegance with practicality, and the visual presentation makes every idea feel sharp and timeless. A must have!