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The Photography Workshop Series
Todd Hido on Landscapes, Interiors, and the Nude
In this book, Todd Hido explores the genres of landscape, interior and nude photography, with emphasis on creating images from a personal perspective and with a sense of intimacy. Through words and photographs, he also offers insight into his own practice and discusses a wide range of creative issues, including mining one's own memory and experience as inspiration; using light, texture and detail for greater impact; exploring the narrative potential activated when sequencing images; and creating powerful stories with emotional weight and beauty.
Gregory Halpern, a student of Todd Hido, provides the introduction.
Gregory Halpern, a student of Todd Hido, provides the introduction.
- GenresPhotographyArtNonfiction
127 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 2014
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187 people want to read
About the author
Todd Hido
26 books9 followersTodd Hido is a San Francisco Bay Area-based artist whose work has been featured in Artforum, The New York Times Magazine, Eyemazing, Wired, Elephant, FOAM, and Vanity Fair. His photographs are in the permanent collections of the Getty, the Whitney Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, New York, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the de Young, the Smithsonian, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and Pier 24 Photography, as well as in many other public and private collections. He has over a dozen published books; his most recent monograph titled Excerpts from Silver Meadows was released in 2013, along with an innovative b-sides box set designed to function as a companion piece to his award-winning monograph in 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
March 28, 2015
A previous reviewer was rather disappointed by this book because of its alleged lack of substance. It's true that the text in this book could be condensed into a mere 20 pages. But what's the point in complaining about that when the material presented is really illuminating, when those reflections, despite their brevity, really get to the heart of the matter? I have just returned from a week-long photo workshop with Anders Petersen, doyen of European street photography. I condensed my learnings into a typescript of five generously spaced pages. And that's plenty enough for me. I am certain that those pearls of wisdom will fuel my photographic quest for years to come. So I don't mind Hido's terseness. To the contrary I welcome it. It saves me time, increases the portability of his insights and makes it easier to look things up.
Hido is rather deadpan about the mechanics of artistic creation. A body of work is an accumulation of many mundane decisions. "You're always in a state of deciding. Each question you encounter can lead you down a particular path. The real question is: What's right for you right now?" This may sound almost like a platitude but that doesn't mean it is less true. Art has a true spiritual significance but it germinates in the microfolds of our daily existence. Being observant to the potential of these moments requires a ruthless commitment in response to a deeply felt passion.
There is much more to learn in this book. One of the key elements that determine a photographer's 'Einstellung' is the distance (s)he wants to work from. Petersen, for example, knows that he wants to be really close to things. Raymond Depardon, on the other hand, keeps a great distance between himself and his subject. Hido has been exploring 'an intimate distance'. One of his tactics is to shoot through the wet windshield of a car: "The viewer is situated close to what's outside, and at the same time, my presence as the photographer inside the car becomes part of the picture. That's my breath fogging up the windows. A landscape could depict vastness or distance, but these elements keep the outside close- personal and intimate.' In his work with models he works in confined spaces - usually shabby motel rooms - but very often he keeps a bed between himself and the model: "This establishes a certain distance and helps place the viewer in the space. Just because you're in a room with somebody who is nude doesn't mean it's an intimate situation. Sometimes, it's awkward, and I let that become part of the picture."
I have always been struggling with the notion of narrative in my personal work. Often I've been giving the advice to relax and let the story emerge. Hido does that too and I found it illuminating to read about his storytelling and editing approach. In a way it's obvious that stories emerge where the narrative halos of individual images intersect. However our reliance on computer screens makes that much harder. We can't do without seeking patterns and frictions in stacks of physically printed images.
And Hido has more interesting insights to share about his craft. Greg Halpern's introduction is very valuable too.
A big plus of this modest tome is that it gives easy and cheap access to Hido's work. Most of his books are out of print and hard to come by. So I'm grateful for having this book with a generous cross-section of his pictures.
My only gripe with the book is its rather prosaic design. I don't like the cover, the choice of font and the way text and images have been laid out. The big, fat page numbers are positively ugly. Pity. Judging by their website portfolio the Swiss designers at Studio Rubic usually produce much better work. Also I would have preferred a hardback.
Hido is rather deadpan about the mechanics of artistic creation. A body of work is an accumulation of many mundane decisions. "You're always in a state of deciding. Each question you encounter can lead you down a particular path. The real question is: What's right for you right now?" This may sound almost like a platitude but that doesn't mean it is less true. Art has a true spiritual significance but it germinates in the microfolds of our daily existence. Being observant to the potential of these moments requires a ruthless commitment in response to a deeply felt passion.
There is much more to learn in this book. One of the key elements that determine a photographer's 'Einstellung' is the distance (s)he wants to work from. Petersen, for example, knows that he wants to be really close to things. Raymond Depardon, on the other hand, keeps a great distance between himself and his subject. Hido has been exploring 'an intimate distance'. One of his tactics is to shoot through the wet windshield of a car: "The viewer is situated close to what's outside, and at the same time, my presence as the photographer inside the car becomes part of the picture. That's my breath fogging up the windows. A landscape could depict vastness or distance, but these elements keep the outside close- personal and intimate.' In his work with models he works in confined spaces - usually shabby motel rooms - but very often he keeps a bed between himself and the model: "This establishes a certain distance and helps place the viewer in the space. Just because you're in a room with somebody who is nude doesn't mean it's an intimate situation. Sometimes, it's awkward, and I let that become part of the picture."
I have always been struggling with the notion of narrative in my personal work. Often I've been giving the advice to relax and let the story emerge. Hido does that too and I found it illuminating to read about his storytelling and editing approach. In a way it's obvious that stories emerge where the narrative halos of individual images intersect. However our reliance on computer screens makes that much harder. We can't do without seeking patterns and frictions in stacks of physically printed images.
And Hido has more interesting insights to share about his craft. Greg Halpern's introduction is very valuable too.
A big plus of this modest tome is that it gives easy and cheap access to Hido's work. Most of his books are out of print and hard to come by. So I'm grateful for having this book with a generous cross-section of his pictures.
My only gripe with the book is its rather prosaic design. I don't like the cover, the choice of font and the way text and images have been laid out. The big, fat page numbers are positively ugly. Pity. Judging by their website portfolio the Swiss designers at Studio Rubic usually produce much better work. Also I would have preferred a hardback.
February 12, 2015
Some fantastic advice for amateur and professional photographers alike. In general Todd Hido reminded the photographer on the importance of artistic and creative autonomy more than anything else: your art is yours from beginning to end, don't forget.
While this is very important, the book was short of examples, exercises, and references. There was poor use of text space throughout the book; a lot of blank space that could've been used for images, or sorely needed supplementary learning. All of the text in this book could've been condensed to 20 pages at most. You'll definitely get more out of an issue of Aperture Magazine.
To call this part of a "workshop series" is stretching the usefulness of this book, and makes me weary of buying another title in this series Aperture tends to hype up so much. I expected so much more and was really excited to dig into Todd Hido's head. Instead, what you get is nothing you wouldn't out of a quick google search of the interviews he's done over the years. I was sorely disappointed; I was really looking forward to this book since it was first announced.
While this is very important, the book was short of examples, exercises, and references. There was poor use of text space throughout the book; a lot of blank space that could've been used for images, or sorely needed supplementary learning. All of the text in this book could've been condensed to 20 pages at most. You'll definitely get more out of an issue of Aperture Magazine.
To call this part of a "workshop series" is stretching the usefulness of this book, and makes me weary of buying another title in this series Aperture tends to hype up so much. I expected so much more and was really excited to dig into Todd Hido's head. Instead, what you get is nothing you wouldn't out of a quick google search of the interviews he's done over the years. I was sorely disappointed; I was really looking forward to this book since it was first announced.
October 24, 2015
i would recommend this book more to students and younger artists. there isn't too much in here that i haven't thought about on my own. his pictures are lovely, and there are definitely some nice insights. and do appreciate that he doesn't get into art jargon; he speaks from a pretty real place.
December 18, 2023
"On Landscapes, Interiors, and the Nude" de Todd Hido no es un libro de fotografía cualquiera. Es una ventana a la mente creativa de un maestro del oficio, una invitación a sumergirte en su proceso y ver el mundo a través de su lente. No solo enseña técnicas, sino que también revela la esencia misma de la fotografía: la búsqueda de significado y conexión en lo cotidiano.
Las fotografías son bellas, sí, pero no de una belleza convencional. Son crudas, a veces melancólicas, siempre profundamente humanas. Te hacen sentir la soledad, el anhelo, la fragilidad de la existencia. Hido no teme explorar las sombras, las imperfecciones, las grietas que revelan la verdad de la vida.
El libro está estructurado como una conversación entre Hido y Gregory Halpern, su antiguo alumno. Esta dinámica crea una lectura rica y personal, donde la teoría se entrelaza con la experiencia. Hido no predica, sino que comparte sus reflexiones, sus dudas, sus descubrimientos. Te sientes parte de un taller íntimo, escuchando a un maestro sabio que te guía por los caminos de la fotografía y la vida.
"On Landscapes, Interiors, and the Nude" es un libro que te conmueve, que te inspira, que te invita a ver el mundo con nuevos ojos. No es solo un manual de fotografía, sino un viaje artístico y emocional que te deja pensando, sintiendo y creando mucho después de cerrar la última página.
Las fotografías son bellas, sí, pero no de una belleza convencional. Son crudas, a veces melancólicas, siempre profundamente humanas. Te hacen sentir la soledad, el anhelo, la fragilidad de la existencia. Hido no teme explorar las sombras, las imperfecciones, las grietas que revelan la verdad de la vida.
El libro está estructurado como una conversación entre Hido y Gregory Halpern, su antiguo alumno. Esta dinámica crea una lectura rica y personal, donde la teoría se entrelaza con la experiencia. Hido no predica, sino que comparte sus reflexiones, sus dudas, sus descubrimientos. Te sientes parte de un taller íntimo, escuchando a un maestro sabio que te guía por los caminos de la fotografía y la vida.
"On Landscapes, Interiors, and the Nude" es un libro que te conmueve, que te inspira, que te invita a ver el mundo con nuevos ojos. No es solo un manual de fotografía, sino un viaje artístico y emocional que te deja pensando, sintiendo y creando mucho después de cerrar la última página.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2021
I took a couple things from this book, but as others have mentioned there isn’t much here. I found most of it to be Hido as the patient and us as the therapist listening to his psyche unfold before us. His work is very much based on emotional trauma he accrued from childhood, but there wasn’t much in way of teaching for a book that’s part of a photography workshop.
He tended to contradict his own advice as well. He’d say he doesnt like to press the shutter for just anything. Then later says to shoot tons of pictures. I found he did this a lot.
He tended to contradict his own advice as well. He’d say he doesnt like to press the shutter for just anything. Then later says to shoot tons of pictures. I found he did this a lot.
July 30, 2019
Todd Hido combines his beautiful imagery with his own thoughts about photography. The two match together like bread and butter. The ideas are simple and without unnecessary details, just like his photographs. You get a real view into Hido's mind as a photographer. Don't expect expect a '10 steps to becoming a photographer' here, he goes much deeper than that.
March 31, 2021
This is a fascinating and quirky look into Hido's creative process with glimpses of his traumatic childhood interspersed throughout.
It's like a photo book memoir by an artist who still isn't sure how much he wants to share with his viewers.
I was struck by Hido's photography before, but after reading this I am even more intrigued. Highly recommend.
It's like a photo book memoir by an artist who still isn't sure how much he wants to share with his viewers.
I was struck by Hido's photography before, but after reading this I am even more intrigued. Highly recommend.
July 1, 2019
A pretty nice, basic guide by Todd Hido. Def humanizes him, brings him down to Earth. Would've loved charts and graphs and more content, it was a thin collection of photos and paragraphs that started some thoughts, I guess.
March 9, 2020
It’s this feeling as if you became friends with the author.
Beautiful poetic book, it’s more than a book about the photography, but at the same time - I’ve never learned so much about the photography.
Beautiful poetic book, it’s more than a book about the photography, but at the same time - I’ve never learned so much about the photography.
January 16, 2022
Really fascinating book where you can compare practical and creative advice up against Todd Hido’s incredible photos
December 17, 2022
Basically, this both a masterclass and a masterpiece.
January 23, 2023
Beautiful photo book, with good insight/advice
December 21, 2024
Inspirant, motivant. Simple et attrayant.
December 22, 2024
Lectura recomendada para los apasionados de la fotografía. Todd Hiddo nos comparte los secretos de su proceso creativo y la evolución de su obra a lo largo de su carrera.
October 8, 2025
There's great advice in here, both on photography and on creating a series for a photobook. But compared with the one other book I've read in this series, by Dawoud Bey, it's a bit fleeting and leaves you wishing for more. The section on his nude portraits is the least convincing and disappointingly the photos have an all too typical male gaze.
February 12, 2021
excellent work on art in general, creativity etc
October 2, 2016
"I think that there's something essential about the impulse to record something; I don't take pictures just to take pictures. There has to be something about a place or a person that I recognize, that I need to record or remember or think about again."
October 21, 2015
I wasn't overly familiar with Hido's work prior to getting the book. I wanted to read the entire Aperture workshop series and began here. It was a good start (see my review of the Alex Webb book for why). A small, light on text, book purporting to be a workshop in a book (it fails on that front) it had a number of beautiful pictures in it and despite itself it delivered more than a slight glimpse into Hido's mind, process and craft.
But more than showing us his mind, or thought process it shared a number of the questions that plague (or motivate) him and drive him to continue making work. He raises issues you need to consider. Issues that may or may not provoke something in you and make you a richer, deeper person, and subsequently a better photographer.
Hido seems the type of photographer I could tolerate to be around--though successful arts photographers literally contradict how life works and as such are hard to relate to.
I'd recommend this book to those who seek feeling, or emotion, or want to use the image to share something profound. It may help stoke the fire. It may give you some solace to know he can make these images and still afford to eat and travel and work. Which in itself is something worth dwelling on.
But more than showing us his mind, or thought process it shared a number of the questions that plague (or motivate) him and drive him to continue making work. He raises issues you need to consider. Issues that may or may not provoke something in you and make you a richer, deeper person, and subsequently a better photographer.
Hido seems the type of photographer I could tolerate to be around--though successful arts photographers literally contradict how life works and as such are hard to relate to.
I'd recommend this book to those who seek feeling, or emotion, or want to use the image to share something profound. It may help stoke the fire. It may give you some solace to know he can make these images and still afford to eat and travel and work. Which in itself is something worth dwelling on.
July 3, 2016
A very pretty book, the design and layout (that is). Kind of psyched it's a series and there are others now to look forward to. Felt like I was having a dinner conversation with Mr. Hido (reading this book). Many will probably fault the text because of this. I think it's neat, that with every shot, it's not an expository essay. Kind of insightful in that sort of off-the-cuff way. Like, Mr. Hido alludes, quite frequently, to what to not do, more so than what specifically to do (I think he saves this for the actual classroom). He tells us that it takes a lot of shit pictures to produce one not-shit picture (something many photographers already say, yes, but it's nice to hear it again, especially the way Mr. Hido says it). And he's no different than anyone else (Mr. Hido). The uncertainty of photography is still there. Mr. Hido may have an eye for these kinds of things, especially at this point in his career, but he says to just go out there and shoot, everyday, as often as possible. Don't focus so much on thinking about the shot. Just take the shot. Take several shots, and then sort through them later to identify the best and go from there. A low-key Master photographer with amazing insight. The pictures too, they're really pretty--in a different way.
June 29, 2016
Photographer Todd takes us through 4 sets of images: house exteriors, landscapes, house interiors and portraits. Each image gets a page of Hido discussing the picture. You can see how his work develops, and there's some really good discussion about process and how ideas develop. Well worth reading and, while brief, the book contains some great insight into his work. Hido's landscapes are breathtaking and have tremendous emotional range. Recommended for those who don't mind scenes of isolation with a sense of alienation (even the portraiture).
April 24, 2015
Inspired me to try shooting night park photos, and all I remembered was Denver's strong wind."You can't look at what's popular at the moment and then simply go and repeat it. That's a recipe for disaster."
April 7, 2016
Amo Todd Hido. Non credo ci sia molto altro da aggiungere.
January 14, 2016
Great series by Aperture. Simple format... great pictures and insightful commentary.
June 23, 2016
Great photographs, flow, and transparent description of process.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews