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Tao of Photography: Seeing Beyond Seeing
This provocative, visually stunning volume draws upon Taoist teachings to explore the creative and spiritual dimensions of the art of photography. Excerpts from the Taoist classic the Chuang-tzu and the writings of Western aesthetes are complemented by over 60 photographs from the work of such canonical photographers as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Alfred Stieglitz, and Dorothea Lange. Lucid instructional text and enlightening exercises assure that photographers of all levels will be able to incorporate the lessons of the Tao into their own work.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 9, 2021
به ميان بى نهايت گام بردار و آن را خانه ى خود كن!
"چوانگ تسه"
"تائوى عكاسى" تركيبى است از عكس هاى سياه و سفيد و قطعاتى از متن تائوى كهنِ چوانگ تسه (و البته توضيحات نويسندگان كتاب)، كه نه تنها راهنماى الهام بخشى براى هنر عكاسى، كه در وهله اول راهنمايى است براى هنر زيستن.
ايده كتاب اين است كه تمرين مراقبه با حضور ذهن و عكاسى آگاهانه آنقدر شبيه هستند كه مى توانند همراه يا حتى جايگزين هم باشند، طورى كه بعضى از روانشناسان و معلمان معنوى عكاسى را به عنوان وسيله آموزشى به كار مى گيرند تا آگاهى محدود نشده ى شخص را جدا از مقاصد حرفه اى عكاسى آشكار كنند.
مثلا جرمى هيوارد (مدير آموزش بين المللى شامبالا) مى گويد: "وقتى عكاسى مى كنيد، درست پيش از فشردن دكمه شاتر، ذهن شما خالى و باز است، فقط و فقط مى بينيد، بدون كلمات".
هنرى كارتيه برسون هم شرح مى دهد كه زندگى سيال است و گاهى تصاوير ناپديد مى شوند و ديگر هيچ كارى از دست تان برنمى آيد. نمى توانيد به كسى بگوييد "آه، لطفا دوباره همان طور بخند يا دوباره همان ژست را بگير"، زندگى يك بار است، براى هميشه. عكاسى مى تواند به شخص انگيزه بدهد، حتى او را مجبور كند كه به شدت آگاه و هوشيار بماند و پيوسته در حال توجه كردن باشد.
نتيجه اينكه همانطور كه "ذن" مى خواهد شما را در حالت زندگى در اكنون و هوشيار نسبت به اتفاقات، با ذهنى خالى از پيش فرض ها قرار دهد تا از ادراك سطحى رها شويد و به درك عميق از هستى برسيد عكاسى دقيقا راه حل رسيدن به اين حالت است.
جان شاو مى گويد: "با ديدن كوچكترين قطره شبنم، مى توانيد در جذبه كمال باقى بمانيد".
"چوانگ تسه"
"تائوى عكاسى" تركيبى است از عكس هاى سياه و سفيد و قطعاتى از متن تائوى كهنِ چوانگ تسه (و البته توضيحات نويسندگان كتاب)، كه نه تنها راهنماى الهام بخشى براى هنر عكاسى، كه در وهله اول راهنمايى است براى هنر زيستن.
ايده كتاب اين است كه تمرين مراقبه با حضور ذهن و عكاسى آگاهانه آنقدر شبيه هستند كه مى توانند همراه يا حتى جايگزين هم باشند، طورى كه بعضى از روانشناسان و معلمان معنوى عكاسى را به عنوان وسيله آموزشى به كار مى گيرند تا آگاهى محدود نشده ى شخص را جدا از مقاصد حرفه اى عكاسى آشكار كنند.
مثلا جرمى هيوارد (مدير آموزش بين المللى شامبالا) مى گويد: "وقتى عكاسى مى كنيد، درست پيش از فشردن دكمه شاتر، ذهن شما خالى و باز است، فقط و فقط مى بينيد، بدون كلمات".
هنرى كارتيه برسون هم شرح مى دهد كه زندگى سيال است و گاهى تصاوير ناپديد مى شوند و ديگر هيچ كارى از دست تان برنمى آيد. نمى توانيد به كسى بگوييد "آه، لطفا دوباره همان طور بخند يا دوباره همان ژست را بگير"، زندگى يك بار است، براى هميشه. عكاسى مى تواند به شخص انگيزه بدهد، حتى او را مجبور كند كه به شدت آگاه و هوشيار بماند و پيوسته در حال توجه كردن باشد.
نتيجه اينكه همانطور كه "ذن" مى خواهد شما را در حالت زندگى در اكنون و هوشيار نسبت به اتفاقات، با ذهنى خالى از پيش فرض ها قرار دهد تا از ادراك سطحى رها شويد و به درك عميق از هستى برسيد عكاسى دقيقا راه حل رسيدن به اين حالت است.
جان شاو مى گويد: "با ديدن كوچكترين قطره شبنم، مى توانيد در جذبه كمال باقى بمانيد".
May 12, 2020
خواندن این کتاب باعث شد اعتقادم به عکاسی به عنوان یک هنر راسختر شود؛ طوری که فکر میکنم شاید حقیقیترین نوع هنر باشد، اگر بپذیریم که هنر مسیریست برای برداشتن حجاب نفس هنرمند. شاید هیچ هنری به اندازه عکاسی به هنرمند این اجازه را نمیدهد که از میان برخیزد و بیخویشی را، بیایدهبودن را و شفافیت محض را تجربه کند.
خوندن این کتاب باعث شد تا بیشتر و بهتر از قبل از عکس گرفتن و عکس دیدن لذت ببرم.
خوندن این کتاب باعث شد تا بیشتر و بهتر از قبل از عکس گرفتن و عکس دیدن لذت ببرم.
August 27, 2017
The book applies a series of Taoist meditations (e.g., non-attachment; freedom from self; spontaneity; seeing beyond seeing; wandering without a goal; mindlessness; awaking the boundless, transpersonal universe) to photography. Drawing mainly from the writings of Chuang-tzu, Gross also quotes freely from Taoist popularizers Suzuki and Watts, and Daniel Goleman. He also quotes from well-known photographers whose photos Gross sees as embodying Taoist principles (whatever they might have thought). As Gross would have it, Taoist photography needs to construct, not represent. It needs to overcome barriers to seeing (e.g., conformity, discipleship, wanting to be famous, categorization, and “intolerance of ambiguity”). “Taoist camerawork” builds upon technical skills (“little understanding”) and reaches for “unconstricted awareness” (“Great Understanding”).
Early on, Gross took typical pictures until he saw that a picture of a door had won first prize in a photography contest that moved him to begin “to pay closer attention to the ordinary.” In a way, the various meditative reflections in his book could be reduced to this one, simple observation.
While many of the photographs in the book (Cartier-Bresson, Adams, and others) used to illustrate his points were good, I didn’t find Gross’s own pictures, content-wise, interesting.
Early on, Gross took typical pictures until he saw that a picture of a door had won first prize in a photography contest that moved him to begin “to pay closer attention to the ordinary.” In a way, the various meditative reflections in his book could be reduced to this one, simple observation.
While many of the photographs in the book (Cartier-Bresson, Adams, and others) used to illustrate his points were good, I didn’t find Gross’s own pictures, content-wise, interesting.
December 27, 2019
The Tao of Photography is a book that tries to link Taoist philosophy and photographic artistry. The authors want to link creativity in photography with using Taoist philosophy to free awareness of the world around you. The book uses quotes from Taoist philosophers to illustrate how to open your mind to the creative opportunities around you. Instead of the usual formal techniques of photography, the authors discuss the barriers of your own thinking puts in the way of our awareness of our life and our photography. It is an interesting book and makes one think about being open to the world around us so we can experience all that we possibly can. You don't need to know much about Tao. The authors provide a basic background. And although the subject was about photography, these explanations can apply to any art form. It's a book I would recommend to anyone looking to improve their creativity.
July 22, 2016
I chose this book because of a post I read, while surfing for something about psychology and photography. (Don't ask me why, I now, don't remember). But I am glad, I did. It is good book, and probably deserves more than the three stars I have given it.
The Tao of Photography: Seeing Beyond Seeing is a book that may get easily misinterpreted as a book about photography technique. It does talk of camera work, method, and techniques. But it is not a book that teaches you photography. At all; if you ask me. The book provides a context to being a photographer in a Taoistic framework, if you will. The book is replete with references and quotes from famous photographers who have found the zen-like state as they took their photographs.
It is essentially a philosophy book, in the context of photography. And an important one, I would think, as more and more of photographic work becomes slave to micro and meta definition. While understanding the science and the technology of photograph is important (and the book makes a small case for it), photographers have an urgent need to get out of the rut of classification and belonging - as more and more photographs start looking the same, there are few that pierce your heart and ooze out emotion, the way they should. Of course, with so many photographs being clicked in the world - finding such photos has become very difficult indeed. But if you do understand this philosophy and are able to import it in your 'act of photography', you may find your self discovering things about your art - especially, if you feel stagnated in your work.
The book itself has a very interesting and varying showcase of work from some of the greats, which makes it an interesting read as visual context to the words is woven well. Some of the sections are repetitive - and I have now resigned to this form of writing by most contemporary writers of the non-fiction genre. It seems that constant reminders of the theme of the book is the new template and technique of the modern non-fiction.
If you would like to understand the mind and state of a good photographer, this is a very good book. If you expect tips and techniques to take good photographs, this is not a very good book. If you are willing to keep an open mind and be with the book and yourself, you might discover some interesting secrets about the art you love so much.
The Tao of Photography: Seeing Beyond Seeing is a book that may get easily misinterpreted as a book about photography technique. It does talk of camera work, method, and techniques. But it is not a book that teaches you photography. At all; if you ask me. The book provides a context to being a photographer in a Taoistic framework, if you will. The book is replete with references and quotes from famous photographers who have found the zen-like state as they took their photographs.
It is essentially a philosophy book, in the context of photography. And an important one, I would think, as more and more of photographic work becomes slave to micro and meta definition. While understanding the science and the technology of photograph is important (and the book makes a small case for it), photographers have an urgent need to get out of the rut of classification and belonging - as more and more photographs start looking the same, there are few that pierce your heart and ooze out emotion, the way they should. Of course, with so many photographs being clicked in the world - finding such photos has become very difficult indeed. But if you do understand this philosophy and are able to import it in your 'act of photography', you may find your self discovering things about your art - especially, if you feel stagnated in your work.
The book itself has a very interesting and varying showcase of work from some of the greats, which makes it an interesting read as visual context to the words is woven well. Some of the sections are repetitive - and I have now resigned to this form of writing by most contemporary writers of the non-fiction genre. It seems that constant reminders of the theme of the book is the new template and technique of the modern non-fiction.
If you would like to understand the mind and state of a good photographer, this is a very good book. If you expect tips and techniques to take good photographs, this is not a very good book. If you are willing to keep an open mind and be with the book and yourself, you might discover some interesting secrets about the art you love so much.
October 13, 2011
like a good tea it gets better with more consumption over frequent intervals interspersed with thought.
this book is intended for its readers to spend time on the side thinking deeply about perception and the world around us.
The insights gained come as much from the perspectives shared by the likes of Salgado and Bresson as they do from your own intuitions.
It is a delightful read and a splendid interaction when you see its influence in each evolving frame that you capture ever after.
HINT: get an old mechanical film camera and slow down the process to the pace of writing poetry by hand and you will get this books message!
I wouldn't call it great literature by any means, and I cant consider it a functioning text book or manual for thinking and being, however as an interactive psychological tool to unlocking new thought processes and seeing under an emotive and connected context presented with prime examples and glimpses into the minds of great photographers it is something of brilliance.
Thank you Mr Gross.
I would have liked to have seen some poetic references and works included rather than mentioned loosely but this is Taoism as it relates to photography. I just see the opportunity to relate a good deal more to Taoism with photography in the foreground.
this book is intended for its readers to spend time on the side thinking deeply about perception and the world around us.
The insights gained come as much from the perspectives shared by the likes of Salgado and Bresson as they do from your own intuitions.
It is a delightful read and a splendid interaction when you see its influence in each evolving frame that you capture ever after.
HINT: get an old mechanical film camera and slow down the process to the pace of writing poetry by hand and you will get this books message!
I wouldn't call it great literature by any means, and I cant consider it a functioning text book or manual for thinking and being, however as an interactive psychological tool to unlocking new thought processes and seeing under an emotive and connected context presented with prime examples and glimpses into the minds of great photographers it is something of brilliance.
Thank you Mr Gross.
I would have liked to have seen some poetic references and works included rather than mentioned loosely but this is Taoism as it relates to photography. I just see the opportunity to relate a good deal more to Taoism with photography in the foreground.
August 10, 2014
The first section on Taoism and the Chuang-tau is wordy, boring and a stretch. Much of the content was said better and far more briefly by Stephen Shore in "The Nature of Photographs." The rest of this book is comprised largely of quotes from other photographers and artists. Hey, a collection of wisdom from the masters is great. Just don't market your book as something other than it is. The best part about this book is the photos selected to appear in it. They are strong samples of the great photographers.
July 30, 2018
Gorgeous photos and thoughtful commentary help envision conscious camera work as mindfulness.
September 6, 2019
Inspiring
April 20, 2025
در سراسر زندگیم هیچوقت چیزی را دنبال نکردم. فقط اجازه دادم چیزها مرا دنبال کنند ... سپس رخ نشان دهند.
August 5, 2009
This book is very light on actual techniques that can be used to unconstrict awareness and that's a little disappointing. But as a photography book the images are interesting and the comparison between Tao/mindfulness and the process of creating art is VERY cool.
It still doesn't change the fact that I'm a little disappointed with the books stated mission but, honestly, I've never read any book on Tao/Zen/Buddhism that gave me a step-by-step manual to follow so that I can free myself. Regardless, it's nice to know that there is a link, no matter the strength, between learning "the way" and photography.
It still doesn't change the fact that I'm a little disappointed with the books stated mission but, honestly, I've never read any book on Tao/Zen/Buddhism that gave me a step-by-step manual to follow so that I can free myself. Regardless, it's nice to know that there is a link, no matter the strength, between learning "the way" and photography.
March 7, 2012
What a great read, this is the book that every photographer from the hobbyist to the advanced enthusiast/professional should read. It will give you if anything, the guidelines to break free from the confines of rules that sometimes hinder our ability to see past or through the obvious. So if you fancy yourself as a bit of a break the rules kind of photographer, then read it you'll never be the same.
July 24, 2014
The best book I've read about making photographs. It uses Chuang Tzu's early Taoist texts as the starting point for examining how to make photographs and how to live. It includes images by the author and a who's who of twentieth-century photography: Henri Cartier Bresson, Edward Weston, Ansel Adams, etc.
September 12, 2009
I loved most of the pictures, but it didn't really inspire me or tell me how to be a better photographer really. And some of the pictures really were upheld in the eyes of the beholder because I didn't think some of them were that great.
May 8, 2012
I have read and re-read passages. Scribbled notes in margins and highlighted passages. This book speaks to the soul and binds thought with general technique. I loved this and know I'll refer to it time and again.
March 24, 2013
The photography was very inspiring. The content was great too. This has naturally been my approach to photography and art in general (I am not a very technical person) but it was good to read about this approach from a Taoist perspective.
February 3, 2014
This is one of my favorite photography books. I love the black and white photos and the quotes from famous photographers. The text is loosely built around aspects of the Chuang-Tzu. Highly recommended in your development of "Great Understanding" of photography and art in general.
August 12, 2015
It really is that simple and that hard.
It should be obvious that there is a profound connection between Zen and Photography. You just have to let it go and it will come. Read this little book with an open mind and it could change your life and your photography. If you let it.
It should be obvious that there is a profound connection between Zen and Photography. You just have to let it go and it will come. Read this little book with an open mind and it could change your life and your photography. If you let it.
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January 7, 2024This is a book on mindfulness that uses photography as a medium for practicing it. The theories are general and can be applied to every endeavor. I enjoyed the Maslow references, which gave scientific underpinning to the application of mindfulness to art and sport.
November 29, 2015
This is a helpful guide to seeing the world differently. It's interspersed throughout with insights from the Chuang Tzu and with quotes and photographs from famous photographers.
February 12, 2008
Fantastic spiritual information whether you enjoy photography or not. Wonderful book! Great photos!
February 26, 2008
Letting photographs find you instead of looking for them...this was an excellent read!
July 2, 2008
Got this from the library on a whim and will be purchasing it for my own collection. Wonderful concept of photography and seeing more than just the subject.
September 7, 2008
Beautifully printed and it helped me rethink some of my own work.
October 26, 2008
Good, not great. The pictures are strong, but not enough of them. The tao musings are just okay.
November 10, 2009
Great photos and wonderful insight into Eastern philosophy not just the philosophy of photography, but the philosophy of living.
December 12, 2011
Wonderful!!! Gross made complex issues very simple to understand.
April 9, 2011
Stunning book with track-stopping photos from some of the world's most celebrated photogs, plus very interesting philosophy-meets-photography text. Loved.
July 9, 2011
I keep this one on the shelf on my office when I need to center myself or need some good quotes. Sometimes I need a good "reset" button.
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August 12, 2011This explores the deeper reasons for practicing photography...and includes many beautiful photos. "Leap into the boundless and make it your home!" :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews