Another great book by Joe McNally, The Moment It Clicks is not limited to talking about techniques but tells more of Joe’s attitude as a photographer. His methods of getting the shot that makes a difference is always new and, need I say it, inspiring.

He discusses his mode of operation, which seems to vary with every photographic assignment, for a series of images. One of the great ones, especially from a non-conventional point of view, is where Joe McNally talks about how he needed to photograph a shot for a story of Asian Americans in Hollywood. He contacted an Asian American Stunt Actress and thought it would be a great idea to shoot her as exactly that, a Stunt Actress. He proposed to her agent to fly both himself (Joe) and the actress by helicopter, over the Hollywood sign and photograph her hanging on her helicopter over the world famous Hollywood sign. Joe’s quote stuck: „Her people said no, she said yes”.

Each editorial photograph or coverphotograph tells a unique and inspiring story. The most important message that bleeds through all of his great work is that you always need to take a fresh perspective, be inventive and be ready. There are several memorable National Geographic shots in the book that he talks about in a very entertaining and anecdotal way.

This is a book that has no trouble serving both as a great coffe-table book as well as an information guide that discusses photographic topics in a clear no nonsense Joe McNally way.

Tags: joe mcnally, photography

Since photography is such an important part for me as a visual designer I can only heartily recommend this book by Joe McNally. The Hot Shoe Diaries: Big Light from Small Flashes shows how you can create great images by not lugging along tons of flash equipment by by bringing a collection of small flash units that can be tucked away in almost every conceivable corner.

McNally’s book is written in a very accessible style that does not bombard you with jargon. It makes you want to rush out and try every photographic technique he discusses.

In a series of real world photographic assignments he explains how he has solved the problem of lighting his subjects with his arsenal of Nikon based small flashes like the Nikon SB 800, the SB 900 and some smaller flashes. For me one of his master shots in this book is undoubtedly the project with the two fishermen at a harbor location where he has stuffed dozens of small flashes into corners and on poles to literally paint this scene with light.

This book, as its name implies, is all about shooting images with the use of flash photography.

Tags: photography, joe mcnally