Foreword

I am in love with photography books. They are the ultimate showcase for a photographer’s words and images, and one of the most powerful and important legacies that we leave behind as image-makers. As a photographer, I am inspired by looking at photography books. As an educator, I learn about photography by reading books on the topic. I have surrounded myself with photography books on every conceivable subject—they are one of my few indulgences.

For six years in the 1980s, I ran a photo bookstore in Maine. Now, as director of Santa Fe Photographic Workshops, I receive photo books on a weekly basis as gifts, for review, to be considered for our campus bookstore, or from photographers who want to teach for us. Given my passion for photography books, I was delighted to receive an advance copy of Glenn Randall’s new book, The Art, Science, and Craft of Great Landscape Photography. Glenn is one of our most popular instructors at the Workshops (and a friend), so I began pouring over his book as soon as it arrived. Immediately I realized that the book posed a pleasant dilemma for me.

Over the years of collecting photography books, I have found that they fall into three categories—books on the technical aspects of the medium, books on the creative and aesthetic side of photography, and books filled with images (monographs). All three categories are well represented in my ever-growing library. Structured person that I am, all of my books are meticulously organized by category and subject matter so I can easily find whatever I am looking for.

All was well in my world of photography books until Glenn’s new book threw me for a loop. The Art, Science, and Craft of Great Landscape Photography is a wonderful collection of Glenn’s stunning landscape images, but it is also brimming with his advice on how to craft stronger images, along with clear explanations of key photo-related topics in geography, atmospheric optics, vision, and psychology. The scientific information is always coupled with tips on how to put that information to practical use in the pursuit of great images. The book also contains Glenn’s musings on the creative and aesthetic sensibilities we need as artistic beings to create compelling statements. So should Glenn’s book go in the monograph category or with the technical manuals? Perhaps it should go into the creative category instead?

I was stumped. Where should I put it? On what shelf and in which category did it belong? I realized that if I didn’t put this beautiful book on the right shelf I might never find it again. A moment of panic ensued, and then I relaxed. The Art, Science, and Craft of Great Landscape Photography falls into all three of my categories, so it ended up on my coffee table where I can find it easily regardless of my photographic mood. Thanks, Glenn, for throwing my world of photography books completely off kilter.

I suggest you read this book because it is beautiful, informative, and inspirational. Let me know if you figure out what category to place it in.

Reid Callanan

Director, Santa Fe Photographic Workshops, January 2015

Indian paintbrush and Peak Two at sunset, Grenadier Range, Weminuche Wilderness, Colorado