Beginning this review reminds me of the last photography book I reviewed several years ago. Actually a book along the same lines as David duChemin’s Making A Life And Living In Photography. But the two books seem vastly different in my opinion. The other book being Dane Sander’s Fast Track Photographer. So in as much as I may compare them here they really are two different animals and should be viewed as such.

Right off the bat I will tell you that I liked David’s book better, and that is just a “grab me off the shelf” thought. David’s book is full of gorgeous imagery. Hey, I am a guy I like pictures. Dane’s book is much more business-like in its approach. Not that one approach is better than the other. One just appeals to me more than another and that is me, not necessarily you. After all, the books are about growing your business, not how to take pictures. In David’s book however many, if not most, of the pictures are not his own. They are the imagery of other talented individuals whose “business-bio” is showcased in the pages of the book.

I will draw an analogy here on the books. I love analogies because they break things down into a simple form for me to better encapsulate my meandering thoughts. So here we go… They both are like cookbooks. The VISIONMONGERS book is more about the ingredients of the recipe. Whereas Fast Track is more about the pots, pans and utensils you need to make the meal. Make sense? David’s book is more about who you need to be, where Dane’s seems more about what you need to do. They both cover the what you need to do aspect but David’s seems to dig deeper and roam around inside of who we are. I feel it better recognizes the individualism we all have. It gives my mind more room to wander around in regarding how to make this business work and takes into consideration who I am and what has brought me to the point I am right now.

I enjoyed reading the short “business-bios” on the individuals covered in David’s book. There is no “one size fits all” way to make it in this business. That is something that really comes through in David’s book. Not that there is not a path laid out, there is, it just feels a little wider and more friendlier than the path laid out in Dane’s book.

I found David’s book very encouraging. I am nothing if not persistent. I have such a hard time giving up on anything that it has cost me much at times to maintain that persistence. I am wiser these days but my tenacity remains. David encouraged me through his writings to not give up. He inspired me to be more creative in my approach to business, and got across the weighty importance of relationships (forming and maintaining).

My intention was not to pit one book against the other. Like I said these seem to be two different animals and I recommend them both wholeheartedly. They both are on my bookshelf and they should be on yours too. As individualized as each of our paths will be in making it (or not) in this business, so are the books written about this subject… as well as the reviews of the books. In these days os everyone having a camera and everyone taking pictures and many many people competing in this business the more knowledge you have on the business aspect of photography the better off you are.

My next goal is to stretch myself out of the photography book realm and buy a non-photography book related to marketing as quite frankly my marketing skills are weak (insert anemic) to say the least. Any recommendations?