Book Review by Zinta
Aistars
Paperback:
146 pages
Publisher:
CreateSpace, 2011
Price:
$19.99
ISBN-10:
1456574485
ISBN-13:
978-1456574482
In the spring of 2005, writes Lorenzo Dominguez, he and his
wife became separated, and he found himself looking for a roof to put over his
head. He eventually found a small room in a Manhattan church sanctuary, and
while living there, going through the introspection that most of us do when
going through traumatic events in our lives, he took up photography.
His hobby soon became much more than just a hobby. Photography
was in itself the vehicle of his life introspection. Through images taken
throughout New York City, mostly at night, Lorenzo gets a new perspective on
life and realizes that many of the lessons of photography apply to life. These
25 lessons begin with "everything is beautiful" and then go on to
incorporate lessons of perseverance, learning to let go, telling the truth,
experimenting, being yourself, striking a balance, and many more.
None of these lessons are earth-shatteringly original or
surprising. Indeed, most if not all are cliché. Still, the way Lorenzo presents
these lessons, and doing so through the lens of camera, does lend them some
originality. His narrative voice is pleasant, even comforting, and his journey
is one with which many can identify. The places he arrives are good ones, even
if he does sometimes practice rather risky behavior to get his shot.
"…I knew only
failures gave in after failing the first time. Too many people just quit after
failing the first try because they immediately lose their self-confidence.
Winners never concede to circumstance, they just keep on trying and continue to
believe in themselves and in their aspirations. And ultimately, they become
whatever it is they believe to be true. For faith in oneself is the first step
toward truth." (Page 92)
What these lessons might look like in photography, however …
well, that's the disappointing part. In my hands was the paperback version of
the book, and in its pages were just a few, small photos, not particularly
sharp in reproduction, none of which particularly corresponded to the text. It
seems that to fully enjoy the author's artistry, the reader is required to
visit various sites online to view his work. That's not particularly
reasonable. As enjoyable as the author's story could be, had it been a real
photo essay would have made a world of difference.
Lorenzo's photographic journey of introspection doesn't
necessarily end up with a neat conclusion, or even a predictable one, but he
does stay true to himself. By end of the slim book, it's been an enjoyable enough
read (and he tells of commercial success as a photographer), albeit missing the
view his lens might have provided.
Lorenzo Dominguez has been called an "Internet
photography sensation" by Time Out New York and is considered a
"Flickr star" by Rob Walker, Consumed columnist, for New York Times
Magazine. His work is represented worldwide by Getty Images.
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