The Daybooks of Edward Weston was an inspirational book in my teens, and made me want to hit into the wild with a view camera, lunch and the sweet wait for the right light.
It never happened.
I grew older and reread the books and realized what they held was not a call to action, but a call to see. To experience the world around you and all that it was. And then being able to interpret all of that with a still image. The struggles of an artist and the lush life he lived is laid out in an inspirational 2 volume set.
Edward Weston lived and loved with a fervor that is intimated in his brilliant images.
Sadly, this book is out of print.

But we have a pretty good alternative for you this week:

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The Flame of Recognition: Edward Weston published by Aperture, includes an excellent overview of his photography and, thankfully, excerpts from the Daybooks.

Even if you don’t get this from us, you deserve to have a copy for yourself. Whether you are keeping warm inside, or laying by the pool this winter, learn about this artist and the passion he brought to his life and work. Perhaps it will inspire your own creative life.
We can’t quite describe it all but you will never look at a vegetable the same way. No innuendo here, but awe and respect for Edward Weston did with one of his most famous photographs of a pepper. It was #30, I believe.
A platinum print of his work “The Breast” sold for almost $850,000 in 2005, and the highest price paid fro pne of his prints was $1.6 million. USD
He died in 1958, never selling a print for more than $25.

Anyway, here is how you can get a copy of this book in your hands and your head:

1. Check you email inbox and make sure you have the NEWSLETTER from us ([email protected])
2. Delete the body of the email (saving server space)
3. Put the special word into the subject line. you know, the one that was in your weekly NEWSLETTER ( sign up for next weeks here)
4. Make sure you did all of that.
5. Hit reply.

Reply #58 will be sent the book no matter where you live in the world. Seriously. We know that almost 2/3rds of you are off of the continent, thank you very much, and you should know that we want to make sure you are getting the goods, also.

Yeah, we know the giveaway is a little different this week, but a little variety is good.

And when we can get our hands on a copy of the Daybooks, rest assured it will be given away to one of you. We’re keeping our old dog eared copy.
Hmmmm… maybe it’s time for a re-read.