Book Review: “More Than A Rock: Essay on Art, Creativity, Photography, Nature and Life” by Guy Tal

In the past I’ve reviewed items related to travel, things like the jacket gripper and the travel vest. Today I want to take a look at a book about Photography, or more specifically about creativity. It’s called More Than a Rock by photographer/philosopher Guy Tal.

This is a study in creativity and the meaning of art. The title comes from a quote by noted American photographer, Edward Weston.

This then: to photograph a rock, have it look like a rock, but be more than a rock. Significant representations – not interpretation. – Edward Weston –

Guy Tal strongly emphasizes this distinction in his book of essays. For him there is representational photography and then the same landscape can be photographed creatively. The image is different because the photographer brought something extra to it. And he isn’t talking about technical effects.

For Mr. Tal, creative photography is about seeing differently. When out photographing one recognizes the subject because of a moment of brilliance, a captivation with a landscape, a flower, or simply a bit of rock. He calls this a concept. “Something that stops you in your tracks and whispers in your ear, ‘there’s something here worth photographing.’”

The image then becomes more than a representation. It has called to you; it has what Mr. Tal deems significance. This is the emotion or the story that goes with the beguiling subject. The photographer must then express this significance in visual terms. This is a step toward creativity and art.

There are about sixty or seventy essays in the book, many illustrated with Mr. Tal’s photographs. They all deal with art or photography in some way. Most of the essays are about four pages long and beautifully written. I think Mr. Tal is passionate about creating beautiful things and his writing style is indeed romantic and expressive.

Here’s an example from the essay “Small Joys” in which he writes about a camping trip in Nevada. (Mr. Tal loves the West, by the way)

I woke up to cold darkness about an hour before dawn. The warmth and rich aroma of fresh coffee brewed on my little camp stove eased the chill, and I was on my way again. I waited in semidarkness for the first light, listening to the occasional hoots of a distant owl as darkness faded into deep blue and lavender and a few glorious moments of orange glow before the sun rose above a layer of clouds and the color was gone.

Yes, he talks about the basics of photography, but this is also a book about the man and what it means to say you are an artist.

I enjoyed reading this study of creativity. At times he’s controversial and I admit I have to stop and think about his take on some things. In the long run I think this is a marvelous find for anyone interested in the creative process and in coming to grips with that tension surrounding photographs as to whether they are art or “just a photo.” This is a book that will instruct, and inspire.