Guild Resources

Vision is Better II: Free The Mind, Free the Camera. Again.

This massive eBook is a collection of 44 of the most recent essays about the photographic life and craft from David duChemin’s wildly popular PixelatedImage Blog. His insights on the how and why of photography, visual story telling, and life-lessons learned along the way make for a compelling and inspiring eBook that will captivate you from beginning to end.

Craft & Vision: 11 Ways You Can Improve Your Photography

This eBook is jam-packed with 11 articles that will help photographers of all levels improve what they do. And yes, it’s free. Craft & Vision is a collection of hands-on, practical articles written by the following photographers (David duChemin, Piet Van den Eynde, Andrew S. Gibson, Nicole S. Young, Alexandre Buisse, Stuart Sipahigil, Eli Reinholdtsen and Michael Frye).

Beyond Thirds: A Photographer’s Introduction to Creative Composition

This captivating and inspiring eBook is about taking composition past the so-called rules. It’s a thoughtful, practical book about the way we build our photographs within the constraint of the frame. Andrew S. Gibson moves past the traditional discussion of thirds by showing how a more holistic approach can turn a conventional rule into a powerful tool. The ebook explores important subjects like the creative use of balance and focal points, insights into how to shape a subject, and using aspect ratio to establish an ideal foundation for making photographs, and so much more!

Making Light II: Advanced Use of Off-Camera Flash

MAKING LIGHT II takes an in-depth look at how to get the most from your off-camera flashes. Piet takes you beyond sync speed and softboxes and gets into the details on working with multiple flashes, modifiers, and triggering systems for both Canon and Nikon.

The Inspired Eye III: Notes on Creativity for Photographers

Calibrate your Creativity. The Inspired Eye, Volume 3, is about the creative process behind our photography. Technical proficiency is highly over-rated; if you can make a good exposure, and focus the camera, the rest is about your choices, your own creative decisions in making a photograph. Improving your photography happens when you improve the way you approach your own unique creative process.

Making Light: An Introduction to Off-Camera Flash

MAKING LIGHT is all about producing beautiful photographs with your off-camera flash. These practical techniques are specific to one remote flash so you can forget about all the fuss of using tons of equipment. Learn how to fill in harsh shadows, balance ambient light, rescue fading evening light, or substitute for a complete lack of light.

Andes: The Print & The Process Series

Using both film and digital capture, Gibson captures the natural and majestic beauty of places like Machu Picchu; as well as, the rich culture and struggles of the Incas and their mountain lifestyle in a raw and intimate journey that is as much about photography as it is about adventure.

Your Creative Mix: Growing Your Photography Business Through Creativity & Collaboration

Your Creative Mix takes an in-depth look at the value of growing your passion for art, honing your creative skills, and finding new ways to connect and share with likeminded people as a way to grow your photography business. This eBook bridges the gap between creativity and commerce.

A Deeper Frame: Creating Deeper Photographs & More Engaging Experiences

A DEEPER FRAME is an introduction to the discussion about re-introducing the illusion, or perception, of depth that is removed when the camera flattens the three-dimensional world into two. This eBook will help you understand principles that artists have understood for centuries, but that seldom get discussed in popular photography with more than passing mention.

(micro)STOCK: From Passion to Paycheck

This is a jam-packed guide to producing, managing, and marketing your photographs for digital distribution on the micro-stock market. There is a lot more to stock photography than uploading a bunch of pictures and hoping for the best.

Extreme Perspectives

If photographing in the outdoors appeals to you at all, this book is a must. If beautiful images of unbelievably inaccessible places inspire you, this book is a must for you too. I’ve long said there is no one discipline in photography that can’t be learned from, and the same is true here.  This exciting ebook takes you through some of Alexandre’s expeditions and gives you access to the gear and the vision he used when shooting in these breathtaking remote locations. And, in a way reminiscent of The Print & Process Series,  Alexandre describes the behind-the-scenes action while making a selection of his photographs. The travel and harsh conditions are only just the beginning! When creating truly unique and inspiring images there’s nothing quite like living the dream one day at a time, one adventure at a time.

The Power of Black & White In Adobe Lightroom & Beyond

The Power of Black & White In Adobe Lightroom & Beyond, A Masterclass, by Piet Van den Eynde. This is a huge book. It’s 100 spreads. This book is full of incredible teaching and will take you some time to chew through it, but by the time you’re done you’ll know more about great black and white conversions – and not the egghead stuff that uses numbers and secret-handshakes in photoshop – than you ever thought you’d know. And for $5 you aren’t going to get this kind of value anywhere else.

Photographically Speaking: A Deeper Look at Creating Better Images

Photographically Speaking is the fourth in a the Vision Trilogy.  Where Within The Frame was about the role of vision in our work, Photographically Speaking is about the way we express that vision. This is a book about how we express ourselves through the language of the photograph.  Photographers, too, have a language. It is awareness and use of that language that allows us to move on from merely having vision to being able to express it. That language is unique to us alone, though not unconnected to the language employed by painters and graphic artists. What we share is the frame and the constraint of two-dimensionality.  The better we know the language, the greater our expression. It is in this sense that this book is called Photographically Speaking.

The Evocative Image: A Photographer’s Guide to Capturing Mood

The Evocative Image is an inspiring introduction to the processes and techniques specific to making photographs that express what we feel. With great examples, creative exercises, and insightful comments Gibson offers up his unique perspective on how he injects mood and atmosphere into his photographs. Where our hope for a photograph is to communicate more than just information, but to create impact and an emotional response, an understanding of some of the tools to create mood is essential. This ebook discusses interpretation, golden hour, blue hour, low light, wide apertures, long lenses, and other technical considerations that have an aesthetic effect on the mood of the photograph.  By taking our creative input into consideration we’ll be better prepared to capture the extraordinary in the ordinary; we’ll be “making” photographs instead of simply “taking” photos.

Close To Home: Finding Great Photographs in Your Own Backyard

Close To Home, Finding Great Photographs in Your Own Backyard, an inspiring ebook by Stuart Sipahigil, is about finding the extraordinary in what we’ve come to see as mundane.This ebook provides photographers of all levels with the tools and encouragement you need to get you out of the ruts into which we we all fall.

The Vision-Driven Photographer: Notes on Discovering & Refining Your Vision

The Vision Driven Photographer, Notes on Discovering & Refining Your Vision is an engaging and inspiring ebook focused on helping photographers of all levels make stronger photographs by identifying or re-discovering their photographic vision. By clarifying the things you want to say you’re better able to wield the tool of your expression – your camera – to create photographs that say what you want to say, and move others. Working through these insights and the accompanying creative exercises will help you uncover or re-discover your vision, first personally, then photographically.

Light and Land Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom

Light and Land is written specifically for landscape photographers who want to clarify their own unique vision. Michael walks you through the development of five different images, discussing the hows and whys of each one. With equal parts inspiration and instruction Michael goes step-by-step through the aesthetic judgments behind each decision, and unpacks the secrets to bringing out the full potential of landscape photographs in the digital darkroom. He details his simple, powerful, Lightroom workflow, but the principles apply to any software, including Aperture or Photoshop. Author of Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters, Michael knows his stuff about inspired landscapes and the post-processing techniques that make his vision a reality.

Journey Through Java

I’m proud to announce the latest Craft & Vision eBook by Mitchell Kanashkevich: Journey Through Java. By exploring the idea of photographing in iconic/famous places Mitchell delves into the heart of what it takes to find your own voice and story. He’ll unpack the processes behind his creative decisions and he doesn’t shy away from practical topics; such as natural lighting, off-camera flash in a softbox, and choosing the right angles. Mitchell doesn’t stop there. He goes beyond surface-level impressions and shares his insights into how to create deep and meaningful photographs.

Iceland, A Monograph The Print & The Process Series

ICELAND, A Monograph – The Print & The Process is the latest eBook by David duChemin. The Print & The Process series is the perfect format to show David’s photographic vision and creative process behind his recent trip to one of the world’s most stunning places. Moved by the incredible landscapes, the vastness of the open spaces, and the extreme weather, David created photographs that first and foremost inspired him.This eBook is larger than usual – a full 65 spreads of photographs and insights that will inspire as you develop your own craft. This is easily one of the books about which we are the proudest!

Andrew Gibson’s The Magic of Black & White, Part III

Andrew S. Gibson’s Magic of Black & White series has been one of the most well-received series we’ve produced. Andrew continues his clear teaching about Black & White in the third of the series which we’re launching today. The Magic of Black & White – Part III, Nine Photos, takes us through nine of his gorgeous black & white images with the goal of teaching more advanced techniques to give your images more subtlety and power. Clearly taught in Photoshop, and 5 of the lessons in Photoshop Elements, Andrew takes us through Toning, Split Toning, Exposure Blending, Textures, and the creation of Diptyches and Triptyches, all without losing sight of the idea that our work should be driven by intent with the goal of creating photographs that honour the Artist’s need for expression and the Geek’s need for excellence of craft. And all that without getting mired down – the examples and the illustrations Andrew provides compliment his clear teaching style and make this book a pleasure to read.

Chasing Reflections: The Print & The Process Series

Chasing Reflections is the third in our new series The Print & The Process. Eli Reinholdtsen is a creative Norwegian photographer who, through her unique and skillful approach to reflections, captures moments and juxtapositions that create unforgettable photographs. Reinholdtsen shows you a cross-section of her recent work and digs deep to share tangible ways to scout, setup, and shoot complex and magical photographs that push the envelope of visual storytelling.

SAFARI, A Monograph:  The Print & The Process Series

This eBook offers an honest discussion about the issues connected to the creation of duChemin’s SAFARI monograph, including the gear used, the techniques employed, and the lessons learned. It’s a 62-page PDF eBook that will provide you with inspiration amidst the details of the Why and the How. This is not so much about how to photograph your first safari, though you’ll learn that too; it’s a look at the lessons learned, and re-learned, by a photographer who is now 25 years into his craft. Also included are the Adobe Lightroom settings used for Serengeti Chocolate, the duo-tone look in which much of his SAFARI monograph has been styled, and a downloadable Lightroom Preset.

VISION IN MOTION, A Photographer’s Introduction to Digital Video

Trever Meier - VISION IN MOTION is an introduction to digital video for stills photographers. Written by Trevor Meier, both a professional stills photographer and film-maker, this eBook discusses the core issues of motion storytelling.

No doubt about it, video is an entirely different medium than stills photography. It’s a different language spoken with different technology and created with different processes. For digital still photographers there is often a great deal of cross-over, but without some help things can easily get lost in translation. Join Trevor as he takes you through the core issues and sets you on the right path to beginning to put your vision in motion.

VENICE, A Monograph - The Print & The Process Series

David duChemin - VENICE, A Monograph is the first in The Print & Process series, a series created to give the photograph a place to stand on its own within a small body of work (The Print) followed by a discussion of the creation of those images (The Process). It’s a more intimate look into the process of creation and another attempt by our Craft & Vision team to create books that pair inspiration with solid photographic teaching.

VENICE, A Monograph is a collection of over 30 photographs created along themes of loneliness and solitude over a 5-day period in Venice in May 2010, and followed by a discussion of the Why and the How behind the images. 47pages long, and in PDF format, this first installment of The Print & The Process series is laid out in landscape format to make viewing equally good on the iPad as well as desktop and laptop computers

Vision Is Better

David duChemin - Over the past 5 years David duChemin has been writing about the photographic life on the Pixelated Image blog. VISION IS BETTER is a compilation of the 50 most popular articles covering a range of topics, all of which share one common theme – the photographic life and craft.
Becoming a better photographer is not only a matter of learning which buttons to press and in which direction to point your camera. It’s a matter of knowing why to do those things, where to look for inspiration, how to handle the distractions, and how to avoid getting sucked in by the lesser concerns. it is 100% Pixelated Image Blog. If you like David’s writing and want more of it, in a great-looking offline format, this is a killer deal.

Below The Horizon, Understanding Light at the Edges of Day

Dave Delnea - BELOW THE HORIZON was written by a photographer whose commercial work includes some of the finest resort properties in the world. Dave Delnea’s ability to see and capture the mood present in light at the edges of day have garnered him some exceptional clients and produced some amazing images. His secret is no secret at all; simply to understand and capture the light that is uniquely present when the sun is below the horizon and other photographers have put their cameras away.

Editor’s Note: I am really excited about this book, not because it’s full of secrets, it really isn’t, but because it was reading the rough drafts for this book that inspired me on a recent trip to Kenya to shoot images I am more excited about than I have been in a long time. The inspiration to go out and shoot in the exceptional edge of day light has re-ignited an excitement I’d lost in the busyness of being a working photographer. Highly recommended! (David duChemin, Vancouver 2010)

Growing The VisionMonger, 10 Things a Manager Can Teach You About Running & Growing Your Business

Corwin Hiebert is David duChemin’s secret weapon these days. A powerhouse of practical advice and know-how, he’s been managing David’s nuts and bolts so well we asked him to put some of it in writing. It’s not sexy stuff, it’s down and dirty day-to-day make-yer-business run better kind of stuff.

Whether your running a studio business or looking down the pipe at becoming a working photographer, it pays to learn management details not from a photographer, but from an accomplished manager who really gets it.

The Inspired Eye II, Notes on Creativity for Photographers, Vol.II

David duChemin - The follow-up to the popular The Inspired Eye, Vol I, Volume 2 picks up where the first book left off and continues to explore the creative process for photographers. While less sexy than a new lens, understanding and working with your creative process is the core of what we do and will make your images more uniquely expressive. This is where vision begins.

Volume 2 includes an interview about the creative process with Chris Orwig, author of Visual Poetry. All illustrations are from David’s own work chasing his muse, with film for the first time in 10 years.

The Inspired Eye, Notes on Creativity for Photographers, Vol.I

David duChemin - Understanding and nurturing our creativity is the first step in breaking out of our ruts. The Inspired Eye, Vol.I, is the first of a two-part discussion about the nature of inspiration and the creative process as it relates to photographers. A vital creative life and an understanding of how our own process work is the greatest asset a photographer can have and precedes any of our work with the camera or in the digital darkroom.

Chasing The Look - 10 Ways To Improve The Aesthetics of Your Photographs

David duChemin - CHASING THE LOOK is about making intentional choices about the use of our gear and the settings on our cameras based on their aesthetic effect. It begins to answer the question we all ask at some point while looking at the images of others – “How come my photographs don’t look like that?”  While part of that question is answered simply, that we all have different vision and therefore different images, part of it must also be that we are not paying enough attention to the look each decision brings to the final image. Chasing The Look walks you through those elements and encourages you to begin thinking aesthetically and not merely technically.

Drawing The Eye Creating Stronger Images Through Visual Mass

David duChemin - Drawing The Eye is about understanding and using the ways in which the eye reads a photograph in order to create more powerful images, and it’ll change the way you look at your craft. Broken into 4 parts, Drawing The Eye looks at this concept of visual mass, or visual pull, in concept, in camera, in post-processing, and then through creative exercises related to each of these sections.

Don’t let the egghead title fool you, this is not academia; it’s a real-world discussion about making images that are more powerful because they’re made with a fuller understanding of where the eye moves in an image, and how that understanding can change the way you shoot and process your images.

The Magic of Black & White, Part One – Vision

Andrew S. Gibson - Black and white photographs are a different medium than colour and require an ability to see in monochrome. Becoming aware of the differences between black and white and colour images, in both how they are seen and what makes a great black and white image, is the first step to capturing images that will work powerfully in monochrome.

The Magic of Black & White, Part Two - Craft

Part Two of Andrew S. Gibson’s, The Magic of Black and White series is about the craft of converting the captured image into black & white in the digital darkroom. Part One looked at the process of seeing and   capturing in monochrome, Part Two looks at the tools needed to turn a   colour digital negative into a spectacular-looking black & white image using the software of the digital darkroom, specifically Adobe Photoshop.

TEN - Ten Ways To Improve Your Craft Without Buying Gear.

TEN was David duChemin’s first eBook and still the most popular by a landslide. The premise is simple, if photographers could cut through the noise and work on their craft without being bombarded with the need to buy more gear, and the newest and shiniest, we’d become better at our craft and create more compelling images. TEN is exactly what it says it is, an exploration of ten techniques and ideas that can improve any photographer’s work.

TEN MORE - Ten More Ways To Improve Your Craft Without Buying Gear.

TEN MORE is the follow-up to TEN and picks up where TEN left off. The question it addresses is still the same - how can I improve my photography without spending a pile of cash on big lenses and the latest must-have widget? This is a short-course in taking your photography and can be read as a companion book to TEN, or on it’s own. All ten

Photographically Speaking: A Deeper Look at Creating Better Images (Voices That Matter)

Photographically Speaking is, conceptually, a follow-up to the bestselling Within the Frame. In Within the Frame, David duChemin tackled the essential need for passion and vision in photography, and discussed the tools photographers have at their disposal. But, while photographers have increasingly become adept at discussing technology and technique--and there is, indeed, acknowledgment of the need for passion and vision--there's a startling silence when it comes to discussing photographs themselves. "I like it" or "Great shot!" may be a heartfelt compliment, but it doesn't help anyone understand why that image connects and communicates so well with the viewer.

Vision & Voice: Refining Your Vision in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

David duChemin, author of the bestselling Within the Frame, believes there are three images that go into making a photographer's final image: the one she envisions, the one she shoots, and the one she develops.

VisionMongers: Making a Life and a Living in Photography

For those who want to make the transition into the world of vocational photography—staying true to your craft and vision, while fusing that craft with commerce VisionMongers is a great place to begin your journey.

Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision

Within the Frame is a personal book full of real-world wisdom and incredible images, author David duChemin (of pixelatedimage.com) shows you both the how and the why of finding, chasing, and expressing your vision with a camera to your eye.