New Book Published- The Automobile As Art

The much-anticipated book from Brian Ach and Michelle Enfield is finally here. The Automobile As Art.

A Picasso will never hit 140 miles per hour. You probably wouldn't want to take a buffer to a Rodin. And last but not least, your garage is definitely not the best place for a Monet.

This is the singular uniqueness of Automobiles as Art. Not only can you admire them from afar-the beauty of their lines, the workmanship, the exquisite engineering-but you can also crank up that glorious v12, feel the heat from the manifold, smell the old leather and oil, and take the old boy for a spin, all the while feeling the wind on your face and the rumble of the engine in the seat of your pants. Try that while looking at that Cezanne you just stuck on your wall.

Collector cars have recently started to come into their own as objects of art, with price tags into the 7-figures becoming commonplace. Of course, your "vintage" Pinto won't have quite the same cachet as a 250 GT Spyder California SWB, but hey, all in the eye of the beholder, right?

From events such as the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance to the vintage races at Lime Rock Park, you'll enjoy the beautiful pictures and striking design of this book for years to come. Makes a unique and great Holiday gift!

See a preview of the book or and purchase it at Blurb.com

Portfolio Do's and Dont's!

Portfolios, books, web portfolios aaagh! It can all be very confusing.  Where to start? Well, read on, I have some advice for you.

If you are putting a portfolio together, there are things you have to have for it to make sense.

1. You have to have a "Body of Work." That means that the person looking at your portfolio should know that, for this portfolio, "THIS" is what you do. If you have random pictures of people, food, scenics, and cars, the person may think that you are a decent photographer, but they probably won't know what YOU DO and what they could hire you for.

2. You have to have a Point of View. How do you feel about the work you do? Is it humorous, serious, sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek...? It's YOUR art, so when you are shooting things or putting your book together, make sure their is a viewpoint inherent in the body of work that comes across. This is so the viewer can gain some insight into the work you would do for them if they hire you. 

3. You have to learn how to edit and present your BEST work. If you have 50 shots you think are good enough for your book, You should bring a critical eye to them and narrow them down to your best shots that fulfill the above two points. 10 shots which make up a Body of Work, have a Point of View, and are dead-on GREAT are better than 50 shots with 10 good shots mixed in. Learn how to edit. This is the skill many amateurs and advanced amateurs are lacking.  You must learn how to narrow down those shots and pick the best one-- and you must know WHY it is the best. 

I regularly edit 1,000 shots of my own work A DAY, trust me, you get really quick at it.

The book should have a beginning, middle, and end. Start out with your strongest stuff, and end with your second strongest stuff. 

Most importantly--keep shooting!

www.brianach.com

Please vote for "The Photographer Project," my new book, which is entered in Blurb's Photography Book Now Contest. Click on the ribbon below to vote and read about the book!

Thanks

Brian