Joe McNally

Making its way around the photo-blogosphere (I heard about it from Jason Anderson at Canon Blogger who heard about it from David Hobby at Strobist) is a terrific [email protected] video of Joe McNally giving one of the presentations on which his current book is based.

Joe McNally

I have to admit I don't like watching video. Video just means I have to turn the music off, which I find almost physically uncomfortable; I work at my desk, of course, but what I'm really doing here—what keeps me chained to the leg of the desk—is music. I can do without it for 22 minutes a day to watch Jon Stewart (although sometimes—mea culpa—I skip the author interview), but that's about my limit. Voluntarily turning off the music for an hour and ten minutes is like going without a sufficient amount of air for that long. I'd much rather read something than have to sit still for the same information to go by on a video.

The Joe McNally video, however, was worth turning off the jazz. It's one of those "windows into the world of photography" that you find every so often (another is "At Close Range," about Joel Sartore). It's a great talk, even if most of McNally's laugh lines don't get laughs from the Google wonks. (The lines are still very funny. I laughed a number of times when the non-virtual audience didn't.) There's a whole lot of insight here—earned insight. Lots to look at, lots to think about. Worth giving up your air for an hour.

It's eloquent when he asks his audience things like, "Anybody remember Ozzie Smith?" and the response is silence. Right there is one of the problems of being an assignment location photographer—news doesn't stay news. (Nobody ever forgot Ozzie Smith who ever saw him.)

Here's the book. It's called The Moment It Clicks: Photography secrets from one of the world's top shooters (New Riders Press, 2008). The video version makes you sit in an audience, but it's a lot cheaper.

Some photo enthusiasts like the tech stuff; they want to know every detail of how pictures were made, as if the tech stuff is either the secret or the point. (Not.) Me, I like to look at pictures. The Moment It Clicks splits the difference; call it a guided tour of a thirty-year career in photography and you're not far off. Hardcore techies won't find every nut and bolt. But there's more than nuts and bolts to living a life as a top-dawg pj—and a whole lot more to the pictures, really.

Is there anybody out there who wouldn't a) learn something from, and b) enjoy the hell out of this book? I'm not seeing it.

Anybody read it? I'd love to hear what you think.

I remember so many of these pictures.

_______________________

Mike  (Thanks to Jason)

Featured Comment by Gerry Morgan: "The day this book arrived, I started dipping into it late at night, always planning to just read another couple of pages and then put it down. I finally got to bed at 2 a.m. having read it from cover to cover but in completely chaotic order. Since then, I've dipped into it so often that I've effectively read it through at least once again. It strikes a wonderful balance between being an instructional manual, a collection of photos, and a great read. I started watching the YouTube video but turned it off after ten minutes because it was all taken from the book. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I like being able to access this type of material randomly and the book is perfect for that."

Featured Comment by Stan Banos: "Interesting to see how he managed to integrate  his commercial assignments with his personal interests, relate how he took time off to shoot the 9/11 portraits and then have to reestablish his commercial cred—only to have someone ask if he shot any 'personal work.' "

Featured Comment by Scott Jones: "Even my wife who is not a photographer read this book almost cover to cover. She loved the stories and distinctions and creativity displayed. Great read...."

Featured Comment by Stephen: "One of the best books (of any kind) I've read in a while. It's also probably the only book I've ever read that's really inspired me in my photography, especially to pick up and do some personal projects. I was wondering if or when it'd come up on TOP...."

Comments

[David Wilcox]

Nemmine the site. I've turned it off until I'm back from ten or twelve weeks in the Rockies.
I don't know how you do it with the music. If I listen to music I can't do anything else at the same time. I love music, and have played for a living, but it drives everything else out. One trick pony? DW

[Jason]

And only a minimal response to any knowledge of Reggie Miller - feeling my age as well!

[Nikki]

I just got this book two days ago after reading so many wonderful reviews. I am in awe of the photos on each page and the stories are fantastic. Like you said, he does not go into blow by blow details of how each photo was done, but he gives you just enough. It is very inspirational to read the stories of one of the greats and I highly recommend it.

[Charles Dunton]

I've had the book for a month or so now. It's an excellent book to pick up when you've only got a few minutes. I keep it by my chair for just that reason. I haven't found it to be too techie. It's more what I would call back story and lessons learned. Well written. I'm glad I bought it, although I will admit, the price was enough to cause me to put it back the first time.

Charlie

[David Bennett]

Great, Mike.

I'm on 25 minutes and enjoying it - time for bed - watch it tomorrow,

[Geoff Wittig]

I just read it today. I must have picked it up off the shelf at my favorite big-box bookstore four or five times, then put it back down because I already own way too many books. I finally succumbed to the droll wit evident on several pages and bought it. I spent most of the afternoon plowing through it with delight.

Many of us photo hobbyists are addicted to the gadgets, or the beauty of the image. For working pros, it's all about getting that compelling image, on time and under budget, so the art director or D.O.P. will remember your name (in a good way) and call you again sometime. McNally's book is a very funny over-the-shoulder look at what it's really like. Lots of stress, lots of bubble-gum and bailing wire improvisation, and a constant need to push the limits on ingenuity and chutzpah. Oh, and the pictures are consistently excellent.
Guess I won't quit my day job.

[Gordon Buck]

The book is a great read. It did seem odd and obvious that the Googlers didn't catch some of the humor. Now I'm making a second pass through the book. Highly recommended.

[Marshall]

Joe's book and presentation both give a strong sense of personality. (I saw him present to a large group of photographers last year - a similar-themed presentation.) For me, this book is the first book I've found this inspirational since I read Galen Rowell's "Mountain Light" a trillion years ago.

Some of the impact of the book comes from it being full of memorable pictures as you allude to. For people who haven't seen the pictures before, they still have impact because Joe's had such great access to people like Trump and to places like the NASA underwater lab. He's also so clearly facile with the tools of the trade and so capable of explaining effectively how he uses them.

But what makes the book is the human aspect. Joe's dedication to engaging with his subjects and his willingness to involve himself comes through in all the chapters, not just the story-telling at the end. I think that engagement is what gives him this number of funny stories, too.

[Joe]

I can safely recommend McNally's book, since it passes my two-pass test: I read it once through and enjoyed it tremendously. Then I read the whole thing start to finish a second time and got even more out of it.

[Travis Campbell]

I loved this video. Six months ago, I'd never really paid attention to the name of the photographer who took a photo. Seeing Joe's work and reading from his book have made me change that stance and I'm (slowly) learning who's who.

[Antonio Dias]

Nice find! interesting and entertaining. I had the impression that the audience at G was quite green in all things photography, but it does not mean they aren't interested. I suspect though that these "millennium" guys think they know it all because they love gadgets and as such they think they know it all... few, apparently, are willing to put the real effort to learn and try, and try again.

[Aaron Mahler]

Hello!

Joe is a fantastic guy and graciously gave us a great interview on episode #20 of This Week in Photography. The audio is here: http://www.pixelcorps.tv/twip020 and the show notes with some transcription are here: http://twipphoto.com/index.php/archives/282

Enjoy!
- Aaron Mahler
Producer, This Week in Photography

[Grega]

I am the same. I don't listen to music when I work. I work when I listen to music (at least the part of work that I have to do at home--I'm a high school teacher).

I first stumbled on McNally's book at Strobist and I am currently waiting for it to ship from amazon. I am a regular visitor of McNally's blog since the beginning. There is a tremendous amount of information wrapped in humour; I love it. He knows how to tell a story.

The video (which I stumbled upon on Strobist too) is golden, worth every minute of it. The guy is so relaxed, yet motivating, smart and funny (I think that you don't hear the folks laugh because Joe is using a mic and they are not).

I also laughed out loudly when watching his video "da grip." The one with David H. in the desert is worth seeing too. If anyone want(s?) to check it out:

--Da grip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDsx3-FWfwk

--Nigel the monstrous cat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_s8I1DCokgw

--In the desert with D.H.:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90mlK8ktV68

[Julian Lynch]

I bought 'The Moment it Clicks' by Joe McNally as soon as David Hobby (Mr. Strobist) recommended it! It's well laid out, a page of text per photo, which is great, so many times I have expected that much information on photos and only gotten ISO/Shutter Speed/Film/Aperture information. He tells a good story, puts you right there with him, and made me realise that this type of work is very possible (for me anyway)even if it means tough work! So thumbs up!

[Tom Dibble]

Great talk. One minor nit: a backlit miniblind background is hard to look at for very long! Google! What happened to the yellow room you usually use?

In any case, to my surprise it ceased bothering me about five minutes in. The content is to credit for this.

[eric mac]

Ordered this on a whim yesterday morning thru Amazon as I was having a crappy day already. I pressed the wrong button and didn't get the free shipping either. I found out Amazon has a fulfillment center in Munster Indiana, so it shipped via courier to Chicago. It was on my desk at 4:30 the same day for my reading pleasure last night. (No I am not a shill for Amazon.)I am a quarter of the way through it and can see that it will be a book I will be coming back to. One of those great books you can pick up at any point and learn something new.

Keep on truckin Joe.

Eric