After waiting for what felt like ages, I finally got my copy of Alexandre Buisse’s first published work Remote Exposure, a book on photography up high. The blurb promises a guide towards a better understanding of what is important in mountain photography, something I recently became interested in.
Normally speaking, technical books do not fall under what I consider page-turners, yet I managed to finish Remote Exposure in one sitting, taking notes as I went along and making bystanders awe at the one hundred beautiful pictures that were selected to spice up the text even more.
Remote Exposure starts out with what it is not, a smart move as this way, expectations can be managed correctly. The book is, in essence, a very detailed and expansive description of Buisse’s workflow, spiked with anecdotes and important reminders. Through a lighthearted but to-the-point approach, the author shares his mistakes to keep you from making the same.
Buisse explains things in a way that is easy and enjoyable to follow along with but the most basic understanding of SLR photography. Excelling in cutting filler and keeping only that which is essential to the topic at hand, I found Remote Exposure to be a particularly enjoyable and interesting read.
The topics in the book range from choosing the right equipment to actually shooting pictures, from creating strong compositions to a selection of tips and tricks specific to the disciplines of camping, hiking, climbing and mountaineering. Finally, the author rounds the whole off with some advanced techniques such as panoramic shots and high dynamic range imagery.
In conclusion I think that if you are truly serious about mountain photography, you ought to get yourself a copy of Remote Exposure
I wish I could say that there’s something I did not like with Remote Exposure, but even the part where Buisse suggests to take your climber off-belay comes with the obligatory warning.