Fine Art Wedding Photography | Jose Villa’s Book

Everyone says you shouldn’t judge a book by the cover, but I disagree. I think that if someone invests in a good cover photograph & inventive graphic designer… it must mean there’s some good stuff between the pages. If there’s not, at least you have a pretty cover to look at. As a former graphic designer, I appreciate good cover art.

When I heard that Jose Villa was writing a book, I couldn’t wait to buy it. He is an outrageously talented photographer & truly a pioneer in the wedding photography industry. His vision is pure & I personally like that he showcases a lot of beautiful Spanish-influenced imagery. I ordered his book with the same excitement that I order cookbooks. Completely enthusiastic about the photographs, not expecting much from the captions. Unknowingly I assumed that his book, Fine Art Wedding Photography {Jose Villa & Jeff Kent}, was just a collection of his breathtaking images. Which in itself, for me, was worth the small price.

I had it all wrong.
I should have ordered two copies.

One for admiring all the lovely pristine pages filled his wedding artwork.
One for highlighting, underlining, and scribbling notes on every page.
It is an exhaustive field guide, without the exhaustive part. It doesn’t read like your typical photography manual. He writes like a friend explaining their insight of a heartfelt craft. It’s detailed without being boring. It’s technical without being confusing. It’s informative without being arrogant. I couldn’t put it down.

I was so moved by his understanding of how to create a Fine Art Wedding experience for your clients & the way he liberally shared his wisdom. He has challenged me to continue to compose artwork for my couples. I don’t shoot film, but I speak openly with my clients about having a “film mentality.” I can take thousands of images, almost unlimited. However, I choose to shoot less & compose more. I try to photograph from the most compelling angles & tell the story of the moment. No detail is too small. I want genuine emotions to show.

No matter what stage in your professional career, Jose Villa’s book will either educate you or simply inspire you. For me, it did both.

With a very tight wedding photography schedule & two little boys, I don’t have the opportunity to pack up for all the typical photography workshops, WPPI, or mentorships. I have to ration my limited time. I really appreciated this book because it covers so many aspects of wedding photography & I can take my time to absorb it all. Reading his book felt like a one on one, honest conversation where he generously explained the secrets to how he achieves his artisan style of wedding photography.

Believe me, his secrets are worth knowing.

It’s hard to photograph a book written & photographed by the master in your field, so I cheated a little & inserted a cute baby {my eight month old Damian} 😀

You can learn more about Fine Art Wedding Photography here. You can buy Fine Art Wedding Photography here.

 

*Not affiliated in any way with Jose Villa, just really love this book & hope other photographers will find out how awesome it is too! ♥