For the Love of Books

Where would we be without our wealth of books? On our shelves, our night stands, our coffee tables. Reading to ourselves, to our children, or being read to. Words, illustrations, pictures. Covers, sleeves, pages. Oh, our beloved books!

Ever since our very first Shutter Sisters book has been out, we've seen it on bookstore shelves, being busted out of Amazon boxes, displayed in your homes. There have been encouraging words, rave reviews, and giveaways. We cannot thank you enough for all of your support!

With all this good stuff to report, we've decided to create a little home pagefor all the links that are around the blogosphere. Have your shared your thoughts on Expressive Photography on your blog or somewhere else around the wonderfully wide web?  Please share it with us on our new Expressive Photography page here at Shutter Sisters. And if you've got a shot of the book to share, we've got a new place for those too! It's called Book Sightings and it's just for pictures of the book. All you have to do is add your images into our Flickr Pool tagged "Expressive Photography" (with the quotes) and we'll be featuring your sightings! What better way to celebrate?

And because we are focusing on the love of books of all kinds, our generous sponsor this month Focal Press has offered a number of their stellar titles to YOU for a book love giveaway day today.

All you have to do is share a comment on this post between now and Sunday 11/27 at midnight EST to be entered to win one of these photography titles from Focal Press:

Expressive Photography: A Shutter Sister Guide to Shooting from the Heart (wink wink)

The Elements of Photographyby Angela Faris Belt

Plastic Cameras: Toying with Creativity by Michelle Bates

Lensbaby: Bending Your Perspectiveby Corey Hiltz

The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos by Michael Freeman

Books! Books! And more books! 5 books means 5 winners! YAY! So, this post begs the question: what are your favorite books? Do tell the story!

Comments

[Tracy Anne Little]

What a fabulous opportunity to win 5 amazing books! My favourite kinds of books these, I love to learn and feed my need to have knowledge on this fabulous art of Photography. The book I own on Photography is Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson it was recommended to me as a beginner.

[Kristy Jo]

Freeman Patterson - Garden. Beautiful photos. I would love to win a book!

[Jeannine]

I am addicted to the In Death series by JD Robb - love crime-drama series. I have a few photography related books and I am always looking for new ones. This is a great list to choose from. Thanks

[Cynthia]

I love books. I would really love to win one.

[chris]

I love all types of books, but have a special shelf just for my photography books!

[sarai]

Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott continues to be one of my favorites--but I love anything that creates a visual inspiration--whether that's through pictures or words.

[blue elephant photography]

how very cool! the books are very interesting :)

[Pamela Sweet]

What a fabulous giveaway! Any one of those books would make the best Christmas present!! I'm a book-a-holic and find it hard to say a favorite but The Lord of the Rings and Chocolate are near or at the top of my list. I just started experimenting in photography this spring and hope to capture magic, which is what I find most appealing in my favorite books!

Thank you for your generosity and good luck to all

[Jamie Solorio]

Wow! What an awesome giveaway! I love books! Especially ones with pictures!!!! I have Shutter Sisters Expressive Photography on my wish list this year for Christams, but all these other books look great also! Hopefully that "Randon Number Generator" decides to pick this entry today! If it does I will be crazy stoked! Thanks for the chance!!!!

[Angela Giles Klocke]

What an awesome giveaway. I would love to win! Expressive Photography is currently on my Wish List. :D

My favorite photo books right now? Well, I am waiting on some via mail, so I don't know yet. I do have John Fielder's book on landscape photography. Excellent!

[beth]

I just bought Expressive Photography for a friend for Christmas. The images inside are stunning and inspirational, I would love a copy to keep for myself. As for good fictional reads, I'd recommend Katherine Weber's "Objects in the Mirror."

[Shalet]

I've not yet seen Expressive Photography. Would love to win a copy! Thanks for the opportunity!

[sarah]

I'm fairly new to photography, and I guess this sounds contrived but my favourite book on the subject is nature. I find I am learning so much just by looking at the light, the colours, the compositions of the wild.

[Marla]

Of course I'd choose the SS book!

[jenn]

I haven't seriously studied photography since college and I've been wanting the new shutter sisters book, it's on my christmas wish list.. these other titles also sound excellent!!!

[Meghan]

LOVE books. Number one thing I own (even though it makes moving such a pain!!). One of my faves is East of Eden.

[Mrs. McFadden]

I don't have any photography books, my favorite book of all time is The Nanny Diaries.

[Kristen]

Your books tops my list of faces this year!

[Kristen]

Faves...darn auto correct!

[Christian]

Enter me! I love book... new and old:
http://www.modobjectathome.com/2010/09/old-books.html

[Gwynnie B]

My fav book at the moment is Shutter Sisters! Love it!! I just love books. Period.

[krista]

I would love to read Expressive Photography. Its on my wish list!

[Laura]

I love books!! I would love to win this giveaway. I'd love to read all five of those books.

[Shawna]

Would LOVE to win the Shutter Sisters book!

I don't know what my favourite book of all time would be, but I did love the whole Dragonriders of Pern series and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Re-reading it is like slipping into my favourite jeans.

[Jess]

I've been reading Expressive Photography and LOVE it. It is full of useful information and inspiration. I would really be excited to win any one of these titles. I enjoy reading anything and everything about Photography. My favorite novel...kind of an older one...is Where the Heart Is. It's a great little book and what I would consider to be the root of my interest in picture taking.

[Karen]

Expressive Photography just arrived and I can't wait to sit down with it. I'm also getting ready to delve into Peterson's Close-up Photography.

[AnnGeeDee]

I'm reading a book that's titled "150 Photography Projects to Boost Your Creativity" or a least something like that. Unfortunately, I left the book in the room where my 2 yr old is napping so I can't tell you for sure!

[Kathy]

I *LOVE* books. Being able to hold a book in your hand, smell the pages, the images. Love them. I'm slowly getting into purchasing photography books and don't have a favorite yet!

[Sarah B.]

I'm looking for a new book to read and anyone of those would be awesome!

[Amy D]

I love photography books. One of my favorites is "How to Photograph Just About Anything". I also love "From My Side, Being A Child".

[mARSAILLE]

I read the Clan of the Cave Bear series OVER and over! Dont ask me why- maybe it is just a good escape.

[Samantha]

I just picked up Expressive Photography & it's such a great book! The others sound wonderful as well. I'll definitely check them out!

As for my favourite book... that is so hard! There are so many wonderful books out there, but I tend to enjoy real life travel stories the most. That's my favourite catagory of book.

[Martha]

I don't have any photography books at all. I just took a class through our local fine arts center and have fallen in love with photography. My favorite book is whatever I'm currently reading which right now is Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper. Good luck to everyone!

[Wendy]

I'd love to win one of these books. Thanks!

[Stacy]

Wow, what a fantastic giveaway. I would be thrilled with any of the books. Thank you for the opportunity!

[Bethany G]

I'd have to say my favorite books are still children's picture books. I can't get over the art, the stories, the happy tales, the lessons learned. I'm still rooted where I started. But I love a good novel too!

[Erin Armstrong]

I don't have any photography books either! But I grab a copy of every photography magazine I can!
My favorite book is The Little Prince!

[denise S.]

I have your book and the Lensbaby book. I love them both and if I won either of them I would pass them onto a friend. I would keep myself any of the others if won.

[Heather M.]

The book that changed photography for me was Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure - it is still a favorite.

[Leslie]

Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino - it's not photography-related at all, but it's still genius. :)

[Chitra Sharma]

I would love to win these books...especially now...I just got myself a cool camera from Black Friday sale....This might help me start my photography on a right foot.

[Ashlee Lauren Photography]

Books rock. :) And I'm loving this website. Definitely going to put it in my google reader! :)

[damiec]

Oh, I couldn't possibly choose a favorite book, but Let The Great World Spin is the best thing I've read recently.
I take pictures of my books all the time . . . here's one of my favorites.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22487105@N06/4369513346/
and I'll be sure to take a picture of Expressive Photography for your group if I win.

[Danyelle]

I'd love a copy of those titles. I am still learning how to use my dslr and could use hel.

[Beth]

Totally coincidental, but my Day 26 (today!) of Gratitude was BOOKS!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14632491@N07/5209474463/

“No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting.” (Lady Mary Wortley Montagu)

My favorite book of all time is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It's a fable about a young boy's journey for the secrets of the universe, and it is truly, truly magical.

[cynthia]

Expressive Photography is on my Christmas wish list ... I'm hoping that the hubby will get my very direct hints that I want it. I love, LOVE photography books but don't have the titles you've listed. My most recent purchases are "Days With My Father" by Philip Toledano and "Photo Op: 52 Inspirational Projects For the Adventurous Image-Maker" by Kenvin Meredith.

[Chelsea C]

I absolutely love the book, I am not quite done with it, I am really taking my time and savoring every page, word, thought and photo. You all did such a wonderful job. In between cooking Thanksgiving dinner, taking pictures of all the festivities, and time with family, I was sneaking peaks at the Dining section, gaining further inspiration for my shots of the day!!

[TracyBzz]

I have two editions of Brian Peterson's Understanding Exposure. Other than that I just read on the onternet for photo how-to. I do love "picture books". My favourite is John Marriott's Wildlife of the Canadian Rockies.

[jill conyers]

I love and have read repeatedly Understanding Exposure. Now, I'm reading your Expressive Photography and it's another of a few that I will read and refer to again and again. Winning any of the books would be a great addition to my library but I'm particularly interested in The Photographer's Eye.

[Anthony]

I'm from the other side (yup, a guy), and was just window shopping on this website. I hope nobody minds that I came in for a closer look; it was just too interesting to stay out. I only recently discovered this website, and find the perspective and creativity of the photos and discussions here very refreshing and intriguing. My point of creative view as a dad/photographer is certainly different from what I've seen here, and that makes it so much more interesting to see such work from a different perspective. I was touched by many of the photographs and comments posted on this site; many of them show the emotional involvement of the photographers with their subjects, which is most often a taboo for many male photographers. Thanks for sharing! I'm looking forward to reviewing some of your publications, including Expressive Photography in our local bookstore. I believe that more men should try shooting from the heart (boy, is that an understatement!)