Photographer : Robin Perry

if I was given the opportunity to attend a photo workshop with any photographer in the history of the art it would be Robin Perry. I heard about him years and years ago from a photo book I was reading , so long ago I can’t even remember who’s book it was . because of whomever it was I brought Mr. Perry’s book , “Creative Professional Photography “ It was one of the first photography books I ever owned. His honest, straight forward, no nonsense, in your face, shotgun to the head style of teaching really appealed to me. I believe we would have got along famously.

after reading hundreds of photo books I don’t think there is much that would be new to me and I’m more likely to buy a book now to have it autographed by the artist then to read the material within. and yes I’m an autograph hound. baseballs, basketballs, bats, boxing gloves, bubble gum cards, footballs and photography books. Cooperstown’s baseball HOF will think they hit the Mother Lode when I die.

Back on Point: even with his direct approach to teaching and telling it like it is one will soon realize that he also had a heart of gold, atuned to everyone and everything around him. the chapter, “The Quality of Being Principled “is the most important work on photography I have ever read. this chapter should be mandatory reading for every student of the arts, regardless of one’s choosen discipline.

I have come to the point where photography books are more about studying the photos then reading the text. and if I’m lucky , getting the author's autograph.every year or so I come back and read this one chapter to feel like home.