Photography as Meditation: Tap Into the Source of Your Creativity

by Torsten Andreas Hoffmann

For many people, photography serves as a form of meditation; a way to separate themselves from their stressful lives. In this book, Torsten Andreas Hoffmann explores an approach to artistic photography based on Japanese Zen-Philosophy. Meditation and photography have much in both are based in the present moment, both require complete focus, and both are most successful when the mind is free from distracting thoughts. Hoffman shows how meditation can lead to the source of inspiration.

Hoffman's impressive images of landscapes, cities, people, and nature, as well as his smart image analysis and suggestions about the artistic process, will help you understand this approach to photography without abandoning the principles of design necessary to achieve great images. Photographing busy scenes, especially, requires an inner calm that enables you to have intuition for the right moment and compose a well-balanced image amidst the chaos.

The goal of this book is to develop your photographic expression. It provides enrichment for photographers who believe that only technical mastery produces great images and shows how important it is to engage with your own awareness to act creatively.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction, Art and Photography

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 14, 2014

Reviews

[E2d2 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, but his utter disdain for kichy snapshots was offputting. So, too, was his pseudometaphysics about Zen that tried to be everything while claiming to be only representative. I'm generally skeptical of symbolism, and his descriptions of what his images were symbolic of were unconvincing.

I still think there is value in pairing meditation with photography as a practice. I just wish this book illustrated that better.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

The book is one part discussion on emptying the mind and one part discussion on photography. The author uses examples from his portfolio to illustrate various yoga or zen techniques to achieve the purpose of clarity of vision. If you want to focus on the basics of an image, free of distractions from your own mind, this might be a good read for you. But if you are of a more skeptical mindset, you'll find this to book to be a lot of hooey. As well, note that this is intended for mature, very experienced photographers, not beginner or intermediate. You can't clear your mind if you are trying to figure out settings for aperture or finding a comp.

Contents: Thoughts on photography and meditation; Intriguing ideas about zen philosoophy; Zen is not "light"; The practice of zazen; Mysticism and thoughts about the absence of God; Eastern and western thought; file drawers and direct experience; Anecdote; Is photography a life experienced second hand; Photography as a direct experience; Duality dissolved; Studium and punctum; Impression and expression; What is depth, or the secret of the night; Inner and outer landscapes; The alleged objectivity of photography; Basic moods expressed; Representing beauty without being shallow; Photography as a puzzle; Street photography; Creating special magic; Photography as ink painting; Magic in the detail; Abstractions; What is creativity?; Image design perceived during meditation; Subsequent critical analysis and interpretation; The path to your own style.

The chapters are only a few pages each with 1-2 page spreads of the author's photographs. Most discussions are about how the author uses Buddhist teachings, zen meditation, and yoga to clear his mind to see only the essence of an area and how to photograph it. There are pages of different meditation/zen techniques but nothing really concrete (no pun intended) for a photographer to create a regimen.

A lot of the images felt like they were culled to fit the examples of his discussions rather than the products of the techniques he is eschewing. There are some good photography nuggets in there but mostly it is pretty images and a lot of nebulous discussions.

I find this pretty hard to rate. Quieting the mind is something that most photographers, especially beginner to intermediate, need in order to slow down and get the right shot. The problem here is that this book is for advanced photographers - those that don't need to think through techniques such as setting up the right aperture or framing elements in a composition. So it's a bit of a catch 22 - by the time a photographer has learned to not have to worry about settings, he/she is already advanced enough to have quieted their mind.

I think this might be more of a 'preaching to the choir' target audience, who will all love it. Everyone else will likely hate it.

Reviewed from an ARC.

[Bothayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been into photography for more than ten years now -ever since I was a teenager- and I can say that I was truly moved by this book and the wonderful methods and ideas that not only inspired me to go out and take better photos but also inspired me to revisit my old rather “abandoned” photographs and contemplate them. The photographs which I now know I was in a meditative state while taking them.
Very grateful for having come across this wonderful book 🙏🏼

[mr guy d butterworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hung jury

Not sure if the writer has enough understanding of the subject matter to really make great insights in to the subject,alot of the observations are basic and designed for the beginner ,once you have some understanding am not sure whether the book offers anything new or could lead you to a deeper understanding..

[Ajna Gorss · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://kwerfeldein.de/2018/03/14/tor...

[Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very intelligently written with many interesting fresh angles.

[Bill Rodriguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did get some good tips from this book.

It is an easy / quick read.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

this review was originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 2.5 of 5

This book might better be called 'Zen and the Art of Photography' because it seems to be a book geared more about how to find your zen through the use of photography, rather than 'meditation' in a more general sense.

There is very little writing within the book. Each chapter (twenty-eight of them) is only a page or two long and usually illustrated with the author's photography to help make his points.

Based on the title of the book, I was expecting to learn how to use my (amateur) photography skills to meditate or to find an inner peace. It didn't quite happen that way. The beginning of the book seemed to be more about the meditative qualities of a photograph -- how it affects the viewer -- rather than using the practice of photography as meditation.

The middle portion of the book seemed to be geared more to using meditation to find ways to take better photographs (note the description of the book in Goodreads even includes this sentence: "Hoffman shows how meditation can lead to the source of inspiration" which would be the opposite of what the title declares.

A couple of the chapters (remember, these are very short) discuss the methods of zen and zazen -- a form of meditation that requires emptying of the mind to find an inner peace. I'll be honest ... I was looking to this book to find that inner peace through photography, not by taking lessons in zen.

As we finally get to some tips to finding meditation through photography, author Hoffmann includes one very important note: "The technical aspects of this type of photography should be second nature to you before you attempt this type of photography." That's right, he suggests you should be a fairly accomplished photographer to achieve this (though, to be fair, he does go on to say you might want to work with the automatic functions of the camera to make it easier to "enter a meditative state of mind" -- but if it does make it easier, then why isn't that the focus from the start?)

Some of the photography is very nice and would be interesting to see in a gallery. Some of the photography made no impact on me at all, which was disappointing.

Overall, I was underwhelmed. I think Torsten Andreas Hoffmann has found a way to combine his love of Zen teachings and photography and that it has proved very valuable to him. Unfortunately, he hasn't quite found the right way to share that combination.

Looking for a good book? Photography as Meditation by Torsten Andreas Hoffmann tries to show how to use your creativity to find a peaceful 'zen' but lacks the right focus to get us there.
This book was received free, in electronic form, from the publisher, through Edelweiss, for an honest review.

[Vikas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

Through this book photographer Torsten Andreas Hoffmann has tried to relate photography with meditation. He has tried to show how creativity is linked with meditation and thus how we can improve our photography with the help of zen philosophy.

This book has many wonderful B&W pictures and few color ones too and author has tried to establish link between the picture and your state of mind while clicking it and thus the need to empty your mind so that you can improve as a photographer.

Very nice book though a little slow.

People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put I just love reading and so to that end I have made it my motto to just Keep on Reading. I love to read everything except for Self Help books but even those once in a while. I read almost all the genre but YA, Fantasy, Biographies are the most. My favorite series is, of course, Harry Potter but then there are many more books that I just adore. I have bookcases filled with books which are waiting to be read so can't stay and spend more time in this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.

[Lucie Paris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book you will enjoy whatever you are looking for serenity through awesome pictures or advices to improve your photography skills.

Every entries began with explanations, quotes about the author, the creativity and his way into zen through his camera.
It's light, easy and goes very well with the book.

You can pick it up and reach what you need from this photography journey. Tip for improving your view of beauty, nature, people by opening yourself to what is in front of you or how you want to express it through a pic. The author is like a companion walking with you and helping you to open up.

Great feeling calming effect, I've enjoyed my time spend while turning the pages.

Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...

[Patrick Hanlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upon second reading, I have found this among the better of several books on photography that are available. Hoffmann's emphasis on the creative and meditative aspects are thought-provoking and in opposition to Henri Cartier Bresson's assertion that photography is more impulsive than meditative. Hoffmann makes the case that even HCB's approach with his street photography is more meditative than he might believe. A valuable book for any photographer.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book for any level of photographer. It is nice to read a book that doesn't talk about how to set the camera up and how to "take a good picture" step by step.

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find the link between mindfulness and photography interesting, and it's something I have been thinking about a lot these past couple of years. I especially enjoyed his discussion about street photography in this book. Although it isn't a genre I do much (or at all), his argument that it is in fact the most mindful genre of photography is a compelling one. Typically we think of macro or landscape as more meditative, but since mindfulness and meditation require us to be in the moment, and street photography demands we wait for the right moment, I can see where it is a more mindful type of photography. Macro and landscape require patience, but as the subject does not change, the photographer doesn't necessarily have to remain "in the moment".

Another interest of mine in recent years has been development and evolution of a unique style; his last chapter touches on this, but I found it disappointing.

All in all, an interesting read, and a reminder I need to meditate more. (as in, I need to get into a regular practice).