Dan Winters' imposing 700-page tome Road to Seeing is finally shipping from Amazon, after being breathlessly awaited in numerous corners of the Web. Rather than try to cadge a few sales for myself by linking to it here (that's how we all survive, by linking to products), I'll refer you to Strobist, where David has been covering the book responsibly and well. You ought to order that one through his link, if you're going to*.
Mike
*I am not a good capitalist, when it comes right down to it.
Original contents copyright 2014 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.
(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:
Paul Bass: "Maybe not, but you're my kind of capitalist."
Michael Perini: "A classy and rare gesture to David Hobby's Site. Nice.
"Not sure what happened, but I've had my copy for over a month and it is a very impressive book. Part history of photography and process 'as told by' Mr. Winters, part photographic biography, as well as a biographic sketch of how a style comes to be. All done in typical Dan Winters style—meaning the amount of thought and the amount of work done is imposing, and evident on every page.
"I read the book cover to cover over the course of just a few days. This is very rare for me, and was not my intention, but I couldn't put it down. To say I admire the level of craft that Mr. Winters brings to everything he does would be an understatement. All excuses melt away in the heat of the laser-like focus he brings to his work. He seems to treat every project, big or small with the same respect and intensity. To see that demonstrated over and over is a very valuable part of the book.
"Mr. Winter's work which can be utterly wonderful but for this viewer, not homogeneously so. There is work that I will simply say I don't 'get' (I've never been a personal fan of the famous Laura Dern portrait for example) But for the most part, I feel drawn to his work, I like looking at it and the way he solves the issues of doing commissioned work, and makes it his own.
"It is a book I will re-read in my more usual piecemeal manner and it is a book I have learned from and will continue to learn from. One of those books that you are happy to own. A very impressive work, on his part, and on the parts of his editors and publisher. I wondered more than once while reading, 'how did he get this done?' I'm glad he did."
D B: "I'm curious—do Dan's pictures appeal to you? Are you considering spending Own Money on the book?"
Mike replies: Not really, and no, I've decided against it. Nothing personal, and no judgment implied—we can't all engage with everybody, and DW is just a bit far from my personal taste. (This is the flip side of the "touchstones' point I made recently.)
Actually, Mike, you're a terrible capitalist. But you're a good man, which makes me inclined to link through you whenever I'm making a web purchase of any kind. (Road to Seeing excepted, as you suggest).
Posted by: David Miller | Monday, 10 February 2014 at 12:33 PM
Finally? I got my copy from Amazon three weeks ago. Well worth it.
Posted by: Chuck Albertson | Monday, 10 February 2014 at 01:19 PM
I ordered my copy through your link a couple weeks ago. It arrived last week while I was out of town. The dog sitter made sure to keep the Amazon box out of the rain. I'm about 20 pages in and so far it's pretty good but it's too early for me I form an opinion. I can say it's like no other photo book I own -- this one is experimental. The closest comparison I come up with is David Douglas Duncan's "Photo Nomad". Both are experimental photography memoirs.
Posted by: Dave | Monday, 10 February 2014 at 05:09 PM
Finally shipping? I got my copy from Amazon on December 26. Did they sell out the first batches?
Be that as it may, I'm only halfway through the thing! It's a crazy fat book, 600-some pages, the weight of a cinder block. I found the first, biographical chapters not too interesting, but it picks up quickly after that.
You might also want to pick up "Dan Winter's America" as a companion volume. Many of the images Winters talks about shooting in "Road to Seeing" are presented much larger in "America," and they're worth seeing big as you follow along.
Posted by: Joe Holmes | Monday, 10 February 2014 at 07:25 PM
I'm paging through my copy right now and noticed a problem. Several of the pages are printed twice and placed out of order. If you have a copy look at the Michael Jordan and Him Carrey pages (near page 323). Mine has two of both. Anyone else have the same problem?
Posted by: Dave | Monday, 10 February 2014 at 11:14 PM
Out of stock again as of this writing 4 PM/11 Feb - Adelaide Australia, but taking orders for future delivery. :-)
Posted by: John Driggers | Tuesday, 11 February 2014 at 12:42 AM
Dear Mike,
Well, every little bit helps IMNSHO. I decided "Road to Seeing" belongs on my shelf (whether I find time to read it is another matter), but I went through your affiliate link.
I've now got a nice shortcut for that. I've used it enough that if I just start typing "amazon..." into Firefox's URL bar, the first hit that comes up in the suggestion list is "Amazon via TOP-- http://www.amazon.com/?tag=theonlinephot-20"
Now I don't even have to remember to use your affiliate links when I use Amazon.
pax / Ctein
Posted by: ctein | Tuesday, 11 February 2014 at 01:36 PM
Just ordered mine through Strobist link, and out of stock, with no shipping date confirmed.
Posted by: Manfred | Wednesday, 12 February 2014 at 03:47 AM
Maybe not a successful capitalist, but you are a 'good' capitalist.
Posted by: Jim Couch | Friday, 14 February 2014 at 01:51 AM