This is a review for the photography book The Real Deal Field Notes From The Life Of A Working Photographer written by Joe McNally.
I purchased David a camera awhile back for Fathers Day which is just sitting in the closet collecting dust. With Charlie homeschooling I’ve been thinking about singing Charlie up for a Photography course. Which I thought Charlie might fuss about.
Instead I’ve been collecting different Photography books to use a Coffee Table Decorations. I’ve seen Charlie thumbing through the books and researching stuff he finds online inside the books. As it gets closer to the Holidays I’m going to let Charlie know I’m looking for a photographer for the blog.
Praying this will motivate both Charlie and David into taking a class together bringing them closer together. To help my cause along in our Homeschool Reading Class were studying Joe McNally and reading The Real Deal Field Notes From The Life Of A Working Photographer inside your Reading Class as well as using the photos inside our Art Class.
As I was thumbing through the book this morning I found a section called “Learning the ABC”s” with a lot of tips we can use not only in our lives but my business and Charlie’s classroom when we attend Field Trips and Holiday Events.
About:
Photographer and best-selling author Joe McNally shares stories and lessons from a life in photography.
When Joe McNally moved to New York City in 1976, his first job was at the Daily News as a copyboy, “the wretched dog of the newsroom.” He was earning the lowest pay grade possible and living in a cheap hotel in Manhattan. Life was not glamorous. But with a fierce drive, an eye for a picture, and a willingness to take (almost) any assignment that came his way, Joe stepped out onto the always precarious tightrope of the freelance photographer―and never looked back. Fast forward 40 years, and his work has included assignments and stories for National Geographic, Time, LIFE, Sports Illustrated, and more. He has traveled for assignments to nearly 70 Countries and received dozens of awards for his photography.
In The Real Deal, Joe tells us how it all started, and candidly shares stories, lessons, and insights he has collected along the way. This is not a dedicated how-to book about “where to put the light,” though there is certainly instructional information to be gleaned here. This is also not a navel-gazing look back at “the good old days,” because those never really existed anyway. Instead, The Real Deal is simply a collection of candid “field notes”―some short, some quite long―gathered over time that, together, become an intimate look behind the scenes at a photographer who has pretty much seen and done it all.
Though the photography industry bears little resemblance to the industry just 10 years ago (much less 40 years ago), what it really takes to become a successful photographer―the character traits, the fundamental lessons, the ability to adapt, and then adapt again―remains the same. Joe writes about everything from the crucial ability to know how to use (and make!) window light to the importance of creating long-term relationships built on trust; from lessons learned after a day in the field to the need to follow your imagination wherever it takes you; from the “random” and “lucky” moments that propel one’s career to the wonders and pitfalls of today’s camera technology. For every mention of f-stops and shutter speeds, there is equal discussion about the importance of access, the occasional moment of hubris, and the idea of becoming iconic.
Before Joefaceboo was a celebrated and award-winning photographer, before he was a well-respected educator and author of multiple bestselling books, he was just…Joe, hustling every day, from one assignment to the next, piecing together a portfolio, a skill set, a reputation, a career. He imagined a life―and then took pictures of it. Here are a few frames.
About Joe McNally
Joe McNally is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning photographer whose prolific career includes assignments in nearly 70 Countries. McNally is known world-wide as not only one of the top, technically excellent photographers of his generation, but his charming demeanor, confidence and humor make him a sought-after choice from CEO’s to celebrities to commercial and magazine clients alike.
He is among the rare breed of photographer who has bridged the world between photojournalism and advertising, amassing an impressive commercial and advertising client list including FedEx, Sony, ESPN, Adidas, Land’s End, General Electric, Epson, MetLife, USAA, New York Stock Exchange, Lehman Brothers, PNC Bank, and the Beijing Cultural Commission. ;
McNally is equally comfortable climbing buildings or lighting a telescope to capturing quiet, sensitive subject matter with confidence in medical surroundings. He has shot numerous cover stories and highly complex features for the National Geographic, LIFE, and Sports Illustrated, where his research skills and unmatched preparedness were highly valued.
McNally won the first Alfred Eisenstaedt Award for Journalistic Impact for a LIFE coverage titled, “The Panorama of War.” He has been honored numerous times by Communication Arts, PDN, Graphis, American Photo, POY, and The World Press Photo Foundation. He has also adapted to the Internet driven media world, and was recently named as one of the “Top 5 Most Socially Influential Photographers” by Eye-Fi and one of the “Top 20 Influential Photographers” by www.featuredphotog.com, in addition to winning “2015 Photographer of the Year” by PMDA. McNally’s combined social media following numbers about a million to date and his popularity continues to grow as he pursues directing and a variety of film projects.
Home is a quiet town in Connecticut which he shares with his wife, and Sammy the Cat, where he remains enthusiastic about the next assignment. He is a Nikon and Capture One Ambassador.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
