On my quest to reboot my people photography I came across this gem. Ive read many photography books but rarely have to stop and make some notes. I feel this book does a great job of showing Dawoud's work whilst also giving back a lot of knowledge and inspiration.
What ive come away with is more of an understanding of letting people be, giving them space to show themselves. Letting people get lost in their own thoughts as well as letting them be seen how they want to be. Trying to find ways to show what the camera cannot easily capture. Dawouds direction is more with communities, which I don't feel is my aim, but never the less ive been inspired by his portraits.
His images are beutiful and the book gives some insights into his compositions. He simply states on one paragraph how he decides where the image starts and where in the viewfinder it ends and also what to do with the empty space inbetween. It sounds a simple statement but its been phrased in a way that's made something that's been hiding in plain sight to me visible again.
It ends with some advice for all artists, create work that matters, a catalyst for conversation.
