About The Book
25 Lessons I've Learned
about Photography Life!

Praise
Amazon Reviews
Letters from Readers
Book Reviews
Other Testimonials

About The Artist & Author
Lorenzo (Domínguez) Artist Bio
Photography CV
Writing CV
Author Central on Amazon
goodreads author profile
facebook.com/lorenzo.dominguez



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Book Excerpts
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& Chapter Titles

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The Inspiration!
25 Lessons I've Learned
(About Photography)

Sample Photos
Slideshow of the 25
photos featured in the book!

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#1 Photo Essay
on Amazon.com for 2010 & 2011!

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$9.99 on Amazon.com

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Blurb

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4.0 out of 5 stars
Libro snello ma con molti spunti di analisi interessanti
(The book is slender, but with many interesting points)
24 gennaio 2013
i 'vo et lego (Italy)

È il primo e-book che acquisto anche per provare il meccanismo e ne sono soddisfatto. Il libro risulta interessante e spinge ad abbinare la passione della fotografia, street photo soprattutto, a riflessioni interiori che le concomitanze della vita hanno causato sull'autore. Bella lettura!

(English translation)
This is the first e-book I purchased to try out my new device (reader) and I am satisfied. The book is interesting and professes a combination of passion for photography, street photography above all, and the resulting inner reflections that life and art inspired in the author. It is a good read!

5.0 out of 5 stars
Very good book
January 15, 2013
Debra Howard "texasdaisey" (Texas)

This book helped me to see photography in a different way. I carry my camera much more now. This is a great book.

4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting read
January 7, 2013
Martin (UK)

I was cheap and went for the cheaper option, as I am stupid I also didn't think about the photographs which didn't come with the text only version. Anyway, the read is good and gives some good advice, think it would be better to get a version with pictures however.

5.0 out of 5 stars
photography
December 7, 2012
connie ohlin

should appeal to those who don't explore their passions and interests to the fullest.....a true story about how unhappiness and boredom can destroy all aspects of life....even families....loved the stories about efforts to do the best work...

4.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable read
December 2, 2012
Derek Cummings (UK)

I found this an enjoyable read. And it certainly does give food for thought. It follows the photographers photographers in different situations and explains why. Enjoy.

5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT READ!
November 29, 2012
Speedy

This is about more than photography. After career burnout, and the loss of his marriage the author finds himself while walking the streets of NYC doing street photography. It is more about life than it is about photography. Definitely a work to read at leisure when you have time to reflect.

4.0 out of 5 stars
good lessons
November 27, 2012
Gordon T. Bassett "bluepikeminnow" (Burnaby, B.C. Canada)

He writes well and I have found this book not only informative but also entertaining. Worth the time whether you are a photographer or not.

5.0 out of 5 stars
LESSONS LEARNED!!!
November 23, 2012
COSMIC TRAVELER

The scene: New York City. The goal: finding oneself afresh after a marital separation. The method: pursuing excellence in photography. This book is an unambiguous and insightful look at the education one individual received as he allowed life to bubble up afresh from its deep source and redefine itself. Dominguez takes common sense dictums for getting along in life (Believe in Yourself; Go It Alone; Learn to Let Go) and shows his readers what they can mean and how they can be interpreted and acted upon in order to forge a path toward goal-achievement and self-discovery.

When he and his wife began a trial separation, Dominguez found himself alone and ashamed and completely without a structural purpose in his daily life. A move from the suburbs into the city and a chance discovery of flickr.com gave him a creative outlet for his long stifled creativity and his abundance of time. `25 Lessons' captures the story of his quest and reminds us all afresh, of the attitude and actions it takes to be a fulfilled and productive entity, as we forge our way through our time in this world.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Great little book
November 4, 2012
And Smith (UK)

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book, I generally read fiction/science fiction/fantasy book but I love photography and felt drawn to it. What I got was how Lorenzo straightened his life out with the help of a camera. He was given the opportunity, without ties, to go out and do what many of us only dream of doing and that is to record the world around him. It made him a better person and also hopefully, inspired his children in his absence.

The book is also sprinkled with inspirational quotes which we all should take on board. Although on a Kindle, you can go further and view Lorenzo's collection on Flickr (I am now a contact of his and love browsing through his street photos). You will hopefully pick up hints and tips that he collected on his journey, for example, three or more photos of the same subject, one after the other, it tells a story more than a single image could. A tip I have in the back of my mind now when shooting.

I heartedly recommend this book to anyone interested in street photography and photography in general. Join Lorenzo on his journey. You will come away and think "nice guy!"

5.0 out of 5 stars
You know I loved this book when....
October 17, 2012
J. Whitehurst (California, USA)

I bought the paper copy after getting a free copy on my kindle. Lorenzo's story and observations were beautiful and inspiring!

5.0 out of 5 stars
An Insightful Book
September 5, 2012
Dad of Divas, TOP 1000 REVIEWER (Georgia, USA)

This book did an amazing job at taking the photography experiences of one man and translating these experiences and making the tangible for photographers and non-photographers alike. I loved the 25 lessons that the author presents and how practical they were. The author did a great job at incorporating down-to-earth examples of real people and real situations which make the book a fun and engaging read that will draw you in from the beginning (at least it did for me). Outside of this, the book shares some very valuable things with people who are looking for the self-help advice that this book provides. Not being a person that seems to need this, never-the-less it is important that this book has pearls of wisdom for all who read this book!

5.0 out of 5 stars
The book that changed my life
August 28, 2012
Kipp Poe Speicher (Canton, Ohio)

This is it my friends, one of those books that has totally changed my life into a whirlwind of Love, Life, and Art. I bought the book on a whim for only .99 cents what the heck, then started reading and living the words i read.

For years I have searched for what was my true form of communication was I have played in digital video, writing, and never really good at just talking. After being just 10% through the book I was on Amazon buying my first digital camera Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS 12.1 MP Digital Camera (Black) within a few days I was out capturing the world as I see it.

This book is about finding the artist inside yourself, it is about finding what really matters in your life. Cherish creativity, family, inspiration, and our ability to touch each others lives and enrich with words, and images.

If you are an artist, poet, or just a human stepping up to the starting line of your chance at this human race this book is for you. Grab the book and grab your camera share the love you see through your eyes. Make a memory and find the beauty in everything.

Shoot On

Kipp Poe (Founder of Pulp Life)

5.0 out of 5 stars
fotografare la vita, vivere di fotografia (photographing life, living through photography,)
12 giugno 2012 (June 12, 2012)
Leonarda Vanicelli (Italy)

Può sembrare uno dei soliti manuali, è molto di più, sono pagine di riflessioni su cosa è la fotografia, su cosa è la vita, su quali sono le migliori qualità dell'essere umano e come si possono ritrovare dentro di sè.

L'autore l'ha fatto con la fotografia quidni è il libro ideale per un fogtogafo, ma tutii ne possono trarre spunti per una riflessione sul dove siamo, dove vogliamo andare e come vogliamo andarci.

Grazie Lorenzo!

(English translation)
It may seem like one of those manuals, but it is much more; with many pages of reflections on what is photography, what life is, and what are the best qualities of the human being that can be found within.

Although the author was inspired by his photography to write the ideal book for photographers, anyone can be inspired by his reflections on where we are, where we want to go and how we want to get there.

Thanks Lorenzo!

5.0 out of 5 stars
A new outlook on Photography
April 29, 2012
Frank

25 Lessons was a mind opener for me. I have been sitting on the fence about my photography,and your book has reminded me why I love photography.

I enjoyed reading about your journey and how photography help. My fear was I would lose the enjoyment of it. I remembered why I love photography and everything that happens before and after the shutter clicks.

Thanks again for sharing and look foward enjoying your work

4.0 out of 5 stars
Una lezione di stile (A Lesson in Style)
17 aprile 2012
Gadanx (Torino, Italy)

Un libro che tratta di fotografia, ma è anche molto autobiografico e pervaso di grande umanità e ci fa capire come, anche attraverso un sempile hobby, si possa interagire in modo intenso e costruttivo con la realtà sociale che ci circonda.

(English translation)
Although this book is about photography, it is also autobiographical and possesses a great humanity; making us understand how, through a simple hobby, one can interact intensively and constructively with the social reality that surrounds us.

3.0 out of 5 stars
Ogni scatto è una storia (Every shot has a story)
15 aprile 2012
Riccardo049

Ci sono dei libri che per caso incontriamo lungo la strada e lasciano il segno, belli o brutti che siano, al di la dei tecnicismi. Questo è uno di quelli. Non è un capolavoro però ha un pregio importante, quello di parlare di qualcosa che l'autore conosce bene: passione per la fotografia, scrittura e la propria vita personale. Talvolta scade un po' in quella modalità molto americana di dare consigli pseudo-spirituali su come si deve stare al mondo, tuttavia, in generale è una lettura molto piacevole e a tratti particolarmente coinvolgente. L'impressione, almeno iniziale, è che di fotografia se ne parli poco, ed in effetti tecnicamente non dice niente di nuovo, in realtà personalmente credo che parli profondamente di quello che è una delle essenze di questa arte, ovvero la capacità di raccontare una storia. Al di la delle impostazioni di scatto, delle regole di composizione, delle mille possibilità offerte dalla post-produzione, quello che rende un fotografo un artista è la capacità di comunicare ciò che ha dentro con un'immagine, un istante reso eterno e condiviso con chi ha voglia di osservare. In questo caso l'autore aggiunge un tocco in più a questa esperienza, un testo scritto che si snoda in 25 "lezioni" di vita/fotografia, in cui il lettore è accompagnato attraverso un processo che può fornire molti spunti interessanti.

(English translation)
There are those books which you happen to meet along the way and they leave their mark, good or bad they are, regardless of the imperfections. This is one of those.

It's not a masterpiece, however, it still has merit, because it talks about something that the author knows well: passion for photography, writing and personal life.

Although it written in a very American way of "pseudo-spiritual giving advice on how you should be in the world," generally it is a very enjoyable read and at times very exciting.

The impression, at least initially, is that if you talk a little about photography, and in fact technically does not say anything new, in fact I personally think that speaks profoundly about what is the essence of this art, or the ability to tell a history.

Beyond the shooting settings, rules of composition, of a thousand opportunities of the post-production, what makes a photographer an artist is the ability to communicate what was within an image, a moment immortalized and shared with who wants to watch. In this case, the author adds an extra dimension to this experience, a written text that unfolds in 25 "lessons" of life / photography, in which the reader is taken through a process that can provide some interesting points.

5.0 out of 5 stars
So inspiring for an aspiring photographer
February 18, 2012
Liz

Picked up this book just for fun, thinking it could be interesting. I'm so glad I did! As an aspiring photographer, 25 Lessons has given me inspiration and motivation to really go for my goals. Thank you Lorenzo for your helpful hints, tips and tricks.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring!
17 febbraio 2012
Paris74

Consiglio vivamente questo libro a tutte le persone che vogliomo trarne ispirazione per migliorare il loro modo di porsi verso la fotografia, ma sopratutto verso la vita.

Scritto in modo semplice e diretto. Ho tratto molto ispirazione e positivita.

Molto belle le sue fotografie di street photography! Da comprare assolutamente.

(English translation)
I highly recommend this book to those who wish not only to be inspired to improve their practice of photography, but also the way they live their life.

It is written in a simple and direct manner. I have derived much inspiration and optimism from the book.

Not to mention, all the very beautiful photos of his street photography!

You should definitely buy it!

5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book to read
February 3, 2012
Enrique Gonzalez

I usually don't read much due to time restrains, but saw the title of this book and the price and decided to give it a try. Even though I had little time I couldn't put it down.

It helps you appreciate life and as a photographer I can see how we can turn anything in life into a situation where we can record that split second through a still image and make the best out of any moment of our life no matter how hard it gets sometimes.

I really appreciate this book and I think Lorenzo is a great artist and writer, a true inspiration to all not just photographers.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspirational
January 11, 2012
Nell

I just finished reading your book and it was breath taking. It's as if you placed all the words I've been wanting to say throughout my life time.You really inspired me to look further into my own life and what I've always craved for. Every inspirational. Motivates you to reach out and accomplish your true spritural goals.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Helpful doses of inspiration when you need it
9 Jan 2012
Dutch

This is a book I read leading up to my first wedding shoot. Feeling a little nervous and apprehensive I sat down and started to read.

I am so glad I did. The book is formatted in easily digestible sections which allows you to pick this book up and quickly get a dose of inspiration when you need it. The author tells his tale through the medium of photography and even if you have only a passing interest in the subject you can still appreciate the story; one of life, love and loss along with enjoying Lorenzo's talented eye as he transports us through New York City.

As a photographer, the insight this book provided has proved invaluable. It is nice to read a book that doesn't bog you down with negativity and suggestions which are unrealistic for those of us who don't have a fortune of time and money.

The bottom line: Take pictures you enjoy, enjoy the pictures you take and most importantly, enjoy life.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Give the Gift of Inspiration
December 11, 2011
Steven Shalowitz (New York, NY)

I absolutely couldn't put down Lorenzo Dominguez's "25 Lessons I've Learned About Life". As a photographer, the book was more than instructive in ways to approach my my craft. But what truly grabbed me was the inspirational story which Lorenzo wove through the piece and which jumps out and grabs you at each turn of the page. "25 Lessons" is richly written from the heart of a true Renaissance man who lived through a difficult time, had the courage to share his story with his readers, and to come out of the experience that much stronger. So, as we wind down the year and gear up for another, why not give something lasting to a colleague, family member or friend? Why not consider the gift of inspiration that is: "25 Lessons I've Learned About Life".

5.0 out of 5 stars
A real gem
November 21, 2011
JMinSF (San Francisco, CA)

Lorenzo's "25 Lessons..." is a gem of a book: Part autobiography, part self-help treatise and partly an inspirational essay intended specifically for aspiring photographers, he manages to speak clearly and in a heartfelt way about the trials and joys of self-expression, with or without a camera in hand. The book itself is a beautiful manifestation of the philosophy of life he aspires to: seize the day, go for broke, be yourself, Lorenzo tells us, and with this book he DOES it. His primary message and his folksy and easy conversational style fit right in with the business model of this book (Lorenzo has chosen to make it available very, very cheaply here on Amazon so everyone with any interest in reading it can get a copy without thinking twice), and I swear that his occasional misspellings and malapropisms could be intentional, a way of saying "the important thing is to get it out and to say it and not to worry excessively about other people's ideas of what does and what does not constitute great art". I loved this book, made pages of notes to myself as I read it the first time over the course of a week or so, and then one rainy day I read it again all the way through in one sitting.

Delightful. It costs 99 cents. You owe it to yourself. Get a copy.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Feeding the Creative Soul
November 5, 2011
Laurie Keefe

This book is about an inspirational creative journey through a challenging life change for the author. He invited us into his emotionally torn world to illustrate that it is possible to reconnect with a repressed creative passion and in that reconnection remember some life lessons. He retreated to photography, the lost passion of his youth, after a separation from his wife. He picked up a camera once again and found creativity that helped him at a time of loss and disappointment. As he fed his creative soul photographing the city at night, every night, he began to heal and new doors opened.

Exploring and seeing the city each night through his viewfinder seemed to bring him peace. He immersed himself in seeing and capturing scenes of his city with a different point of view. Sometimes he became so focused on his quest that he found himself in unsafe areas. He climbed and straddled fences and stood in the street among cabs to capture a unique point of view. He demonstrated that if we are willing to give ourselves over to our creative passion, we may see everyday things in a different way, including ourselves.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Photography is Life
August 30, 2011
Alexander Freeman (UK)

I found the book very inspirational; it has made me question my life and what I want out of it. The writing and photography are both truly exceptional.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Best $1 I have ever spent
August 22, 2011
Bruce Larweth "597 Pipefitter" (Chicago)

Certainly he is...like Lorenzo says in this wonderful read..."a writer first." This may be why I personally, as someone who "gets it" technically, was in dire need of a book like this.

This was what was so sorely needed in my personal file cabinet as I have been let down by my last couple photo books.

This book was written to INSPIRE, not [just to teach you how to] adjust your camera settings.

I am not but 4 or 5 chapters in, I felt the need to review this item. I wish to thank the author for his insight, the fact he IS a writer/artist/photographer makes this book a must read for anyone looking for a "tomb of inspiration," because this is it.

I gladly would have said it was the best $10 I ever spent, had Amazon not offered it for this amazing price. I believe that even the best artist, from all avenues, would benefit from this fine work, especially photographers, whether they are amateurs or seasoned pros.

AT THIS PRICE, THIS EBOOK IS A NO-BRAINER

5.0 out of 5 stars
Not how to photograph, but how to be a photographer
August 7, 2011
Dr. Daniel Carlin (Hadera, Israel)

Of the over 100 books on my kindle, this is the one I cherish and identify with the most. It is also the one I will search for a hard cover copy to keep near me on my desk.

I took up photography around a year ago as a way to cope with my MS (Multiple Sclerosis), which became progressive. [To learn photography] I did the usual surfing between many great and not-so-great web sites, did a course in an exclusive school and I read a number of books on the subject. I did learn how to photograph.

However, what Lorenzo gave me was the soul my craft was lacking. Lorenzo doesn't teach technique, but he conveys wholeheartedly what the essence of photography is, he addresses what it means to be a photographer.

In the process he shares his philosophy of life with us. He is very well read and knowledgeable and it is a treat to read the passages and quotes with which he enriches his book. Indeed, he seems to be the perfect partner for an intellectual conversation over coffee.

It was easy for me identify with Lorenzo and how he coped with the turmoil in his life, as my own has been immersed in turmoil.

I am a father of three girls and an Orthopaedic surgeon with many years of intensive training in endurance athletics. My life was turned upside-down when my marriage began to unravel and I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (which turned into a constantly progressive type). Thus, the way I coped with my circumstances and my outlook on life parallel those of the author's. There were many times when I thought I was reading my biography.

This book is a must for photographers of all levels, amateurs, enthusiasts and beyond. It shines a light on what is forgotten while we delve into technique.

This book is also a must for anybody dealing with personal crisis of any sort.

In sum, Lorenzo is inspiring and one hell of a good photographer.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Simple things photgraphers forget
June 14, 2011
José Manuel Cobos Rentería (Japan)

I am an avid reader about everything that has to do with photography: techniques, color theory, grayscales, lens design, light performance, flashguns, sensors... etc..etc.; many of the same things that as most of us who are passionate about photography read in order to learn a little more each day about this art that we love.

Thus, since I bought this book without reading reviews first, I was pleasantly surprised to find out this is a book that is more about the photographer than the techniques of photography itself: the man behind an image, the feelings that guided him to do things his own way, kids, a wife, divorce, God.... It reminds us that using fancy equipment and thick theory books are just one method of learning about this beautiful way of life.

It also reminded me that it's all about you and your desire to create photography that makes us enjoy a camera.

The book's worth the read, even if it just because it offers a unique perspective, simple to understand and straight from the heart.

José Rentería

5.0 out of 5 stars
Carpe Diem
June 13, 2011
Victor Habbick (Scotland, UK)

In your life, you may come across a book that makes you stop and question where you are going. This is one such book. Having recently reached the grand age of 50, and like many others before me, it came as a shock to realise that so many years had drifted by. Reflecting on past achievements and lost opportunities was becoming a daily obsession and I was dearly in need of enlightenment. Call it serendipity, but along comes Lorenzo's book, "25 Lessons I've Learned About Photography... Life".

At first I thought I was about to be presented with yet another manual on photography, well meaning as they are, most are so devoid of any emotional connection to photography. They fulfil little more than any camera manual does. Not so with this one.

Lorenzo takes you on a journey where his passion for photography grows with every click of the camera, everything and everyone that is captured through his lens becomes another page in his mission to bring emotion and clarity to his, at times difficult, life.

Like the Manhattan streets that he would so frequently travel down, Lorenzo displays before you, the light, the shadow, the confrontations that would eventually guide him on his path to his own photographic nirvana. It's a journey that many of us have travelled regardless of our own personal living environment or conditions, but never has it been so well transcribed into words.

Within these pages you will not find an abundance of his photographic work either, this book is not an ego induced compilation, this book goes far beyond its subject matter, or dare I say, Lorenzo himself. It's a volume on the love of the medium of photography in all its forms. It displays an uncanny insight into the human psyche, what we want out of life, and how photography can help us attain it.

Inspiration can come from anywhere and often arrives from the most unlikely of places. It is what we choose to do with it that ultimately counts. If there is anything that photography can teach us is that anyone can do it. Digital photography has opened up the medium to everyone. If like Lorenzo, we open our eyes to what is around us, prepare to learn our craft, we too, in time, will see the light. Photography is timeless, life is not, Carpe Diem.

5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful find,
23 May, 2011
P. Hutcheson (Waleska, GA United States)

When I first bought this inspirational book I only wanted a something to test my new Kindle. What I found was much more than that. While my situation is different from the authors life has also thrown me a curve ball. It is very easy for me to sit at home and feel sorry for myself. But when I start to feel that way I dip into this wonderful book and go out shooting. As a measure of how important this book is to me I recently got an iPad and it is one of the first books I moved to it.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring
4 May, 2011
Katy Dadswell (London, UK)

I really enjoyed this book. It's not a long read but I would say it's just about right. It's an interesting mix of memoir and practical guide. It doesn't go much into the technicalities of photography; it's more about finding the joy in taking pictures than about how to calculate the right f-stop. The author uses his personal experiences to illustrate his "25 Lessons" that can be applied to life. as well as photography. After reading it, I went out the next day and took a load of pictures- thanks Lorenzo!

Finally, I read this on my iPhone using the Kindle app, and on that, the pictures are in full colour and come after each chapter.

5.0 out of 5 stars
good buy
19 April 2011
Maria (UK)

Quite a nice brief book, handy for picking bits of wisdom at different times on the go. Quite inspiring -shame the pics in Kindle are only B/W, but you can see the colour ones on Flickr- . The book has prompted me to get out and about with my camera a bit more often... Good investment in my opinion

5.0 out of 5 stars
How to be inspired
16 March, 2011
SJ Sellers "Smintie Fresh" (New York City)

Let's face it - there are hundreds of books out there that will instruct you on how to use your camera, adjust your exposure, and frame the shot. How is this book better than those? It makes me want to actually USE my camera. And even better than that ---- it makes me want to live my life more fully! This book shares one photographers personal growth journey as both a photographer and a student of life and takes us along. The writing is engaging and accessible and fills your heart up. It is a quick read that will stay with you for a long time.

5.0 out of 5 stars
25 lessons: photography and.. life
January 27, 2011
A. Amboldi (Legnano (Milano) - Italy)

A book where I have found a true life, a great City (NYC), the essence of photography and a series of practical advices about art of taking images and finding the way to the wisdom of a man.

I'have enjoyed this book on my Kindle and I've read it very... voraciously :-)

I'm waiting for further 25 lessons|

Thanks Lorenzo!

(and excuse me for my little English)

5.0 out of 5 stars
A Photography Manual with Soul
November 20, 2010
By Phyllis Johnson "words at play" (Virginia)

Photographer Lorenzo Dominguez has the uncanny ability to find beauty in his surroundings. Also gifted in the use of words, his book, 25 Lessons I've Learned (about photography), (blurb.com) is much more than the typical tech manual on photography. It's more like a roadmap for using your heart, soul and senses to capture images through the lens of a camera.

When a change in life events had him soul searching, Lorenzo took to the streets of New York with his camera, photographing every night using his digital "point-and-shoot" cameras. He was mesmerized by the color and movement of the city and feels that "pictures see what we do not see." His mantra is that the craft is liberating and everything possesses its own beauty. He stresses the allure of black and white images because they emphasize form. Inspired by paintings of the masters, they train his eye for the use of color in photos.

"25 Lessons I've Learned (about photography) rekindles passion in photographers and photojournalists. Reading Lorenzo's advice can spark and stir the Muse to grand proportions. He offers strong advice to always have your camera ready to shoot. He also advises shutterbugs to employ their imagination and see the world with child-like eyes. One main ingredient he specifically looks for in his subjects is attitude. This is apparent in many of his photos. The choice of backgrounds is as important as the people in them. Read his book and you will fall in love not only with photography but also in the area in which you live, regardless of its socioeconomic standing.

Serving as a mentor, Lorenzo covers the importance of persevering, staying calm and seizing the moment. Any successful person can confirm this. His eye for the unusual, results in extraordinary shots worthy of emulation. From contrast to optical illusion, he inspires others to lighten up and think outside of the box.

Photographing the Big Apple, a city with "aesthetic milk and honey," he found that it offered him endless wells of inspiration. An honest and often candid view of life is what he peddles on Flickr, a photo sharing site, and elsewhere. His desire is to help others do the same. He challenges fellow photographers to "make something out of nothing." It's a thought that sounds Seinfeld-like in sentiment. Perhaps there's a kinship with the show about nothing; he likewise emphasizes the importance of employing humor in the craft.

25 Lessons Learned (in Photography) will fire you up to dust off your camera and hit the street running. You will gain a fresh perspective on seeing things you've never noticed before or previously took for granted. Not only is his book valuable for writers and photographers, but anyone who needs a fresh outlook on life.

Phyllis Johnson- photojournalist and author of Being Frank with Anne & Hot and Bothered By It

5.0 out of 5 stars
November 18, 2010
By Innovation Man

I absolutely loved this book! The author presents his real life stories about photography and life in 25 fun and engaging ways. His lessons learned on the streets of NYC are inspirational and motivating. As a perennial student of innovation, I found many of his 25 lessons to be metaphors for creative thinking. The author's candor is refreshing and the book a must for anyone who wants to see photography and life in a fresh new light.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring and heartfelt
October 27, 2010
By Susan

This review is from: 25 Lessons I've Learned about Photography...Life (Kindle Edition)

Heartfelt and sincere, Lorenzo's writing literally reaches from the pages to energize your soul. You need not be a photographer to benefit from his enthusiasm for life. This book is a must read for those who find themselves going through the motions without truly enjoying and appreciating the magic of the universe around them.

4.0 out of 5 stars
Compassion and Depth
October 3, 2010
By Slider "Peace, Slider" (NYC)

A book of uncommon compassion and depth as seen through the lens of this New York City resident. One doesn't commonly equate compassion with New Yorkers but Mr. Dominguez offers up his unique vision of lessons learned from a totally different perspective, one that many people will find heartfelt and endearing.

4.0 out of 5 stars
Art Total, or how the imagery of the word illustrates that of the world
September 30, 2010
By Sandrine T

Anyone who has been treated to Lorenzo's writing knows what a creative shakeup ensues in the reader. 25 Lessons combines Lorenzo's unique gift for verbal expression with the eye of a lover and ever-discoverer of New York City, arguably the best beat a photographer can cast his eyes upon. Lorenzo's writing is an invitation to the creator in each of us: poetic and gritty like the city it describes, exotic at times, explosive when warranted, and always original, it titillates the imagination, re-energizes the lost soul, and fuels a desire for emulation. Between the pen and the lens, Lorenzo has paid a great homage to a city which more than any other embodies LIFE in all its vibrant and surprising dimensions.

5.0 out of 5 stars
An instrument of healing and self reflection
September 30, 2010
By MikeRotkowitzMD

As an oncologist, my primary job is not only to add days to people's lives, it is to add life to people's days. Lorenzo's book has provided me with a great instrument through which I can further become the counselor, healer and confidant my patient's demand.

It has reignited in me the passion, warmth and compassion which are sequential for me on a daily basis to be the best physician and person I can be and I've encouraged all of my patients and families to share in his masterpiece as laughter, love, and imagination are the ultimate weapons against grief and despair.

Secondary to Lorenzo's great influence in my life, I continue to use his writings and photography as a means to inspire my patient's to express their deep inner emotions as a way to reflect on their understanding of disease and in developing goals of therapy. I recommend his book to all.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Great artist, great book
September 29, 2010
By Christina

While this would be plenty interesting if it were only about photography, 25 Lessons is about so much more. Lorenzo's journey and experiences are truly inspiring, and the photographs really capture the essence of life in New York--a real feat. This book is full of love, faith, hope, and courage. Perfect for passing on to friends.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Lens on Life,
December 21, 2009
By Beth A. Jannery "Beth Jannery, Writer" (Washington, DC)

Your Kindle will never be the same. No wonder 25 Lessons I've Learned About Life is a best-selling book. I first saw Lorenzo's work several years ago in New York and I've watched his artistic genius grow. You'll read his book, view his photography and you'll feel like you have a new best friend. His work has shifted my perception about life to include a passion for stories told through the lens of his masterful eye. Engage with his work to see life through a new perspective.

The Catcher in the Rye generation now has a new book to call their favorite, finally!

Forget learning about being in the power of now--forget reading about stopping to appreciate life--forget studying how to see the special moments--this book is the experience, it is the moment.

After reading 25 Lessons you can no longer settle for your status quo. Lorenzo! steals the night, capturing all he sees, teaching us through photography what he experiences as he goes through a metamorphosis from the inside out.

If you yourself don't drastically change after reading, aren't purely inspired, then start on page one again, because you weren't listening. Take it all in and begin on your own journey of self-discovery.

Beth Jannery, Author of Simple Grace: Living a Meaningful Life --

4.0 out of 5 stars
A Matter of Perspective
November 14, 2010
By Phillip Kay (Sydney)

This review is from: 25 Lessons I've Learned about Photography...Life (Kindle Edition)

Where you are makes a difference to what you see. New York photographer Lorenzo Dominguez found himself in a difficult position when his marriage failed. He, like many, had painted himself into a corner by accepting the values of others: the usual, wife, children, house in suburbia, mortgage, corporate job, respectability, doing the right thing. Everything was right. Everything was false.

Lorenzo's family had broken up, leaving him desperate and grieving. Somehow he broke free of self obsession. He sensed that many others shared his plight, if not his position. Armed only with a camera, Lorenzo took to the streets. The photographs he took were focused with the love he could not express to his wife any longer.

A twirl of the f-stop, a step to one side that moves the frame: the picture in the lens changes. Lorenzo went on a search for the beauty he had seen in his wife and children. He found there was not just a focus and a f-stop. There was an angle of beauty.

Because his photography was part of his healing process, Lorenzo learnt to see photography as a metaphor. If what you see causes you pain, you can move, adopt another viewpoint, another perspective. Happiness is mobility, flexibility. There is a perspective for everyone where what they see brings contentment and fulfillment. They just have to keep moving until they find it. There is a point of view we can all seek out. From it we can view the beauty inherent in all things. No need to resent the ugliness and sterility we see around us. Move!

Lorenzo formulated 25 lessons. Based on his adventures roaming the city taking photographs, they are techniques and tips about taking better photographs. They are also techniques and tips for leading a better life. The book is a compendium of what Lorenzo has learned. The book succeeds though because it is uniformly genuine. Based firmly on his life experience, Lorenzo is personal and unaffected throughout. He avoids playing the sage, though his book is generous with quotations and references from writers and sages he admires.

A photographer deals in light. Like a river, light is always changing. Like a river, a person is always changing. Just like a river, when we cease to change, we start to stagnate. Lorenzo's book is an autobiography. It begins with the drama of his marriage breakup, continues with his 'therapy' of photography and the wisdom he derived from this practice, and ends with the story of his early life. Unavoidably, the first section is more engaging, because tragedy is more involving. What Lorenzo calls lessons are wisdom he has distilled from his own life, and the reception this part is given by readers depends very much on their willingness to learn, and their willingness to match experience with Lorenzo.

The book I read ended with a selection of 37 photographs (though the text referred to photos in context eg "to the right" etc.) These are predominantly of people waiting in the streets of New York. Each picture tells a story, and the viewer can have a lot of fun decoding and telling each story. There are stories about illusions, fantasies, loneliness, poverty, celebration. The comparison with Cartier-Bresson is apt, however extraordinary that claim may seem.

The book goes a long way towards explaining why two people can photograph the same scene and end up with two very different photographs.

PRAISE FOR 25 LESSONS

I bought this book without reading reviews first, so I was pleasantly surprised to find out this is a book that is more about the photographer than the techniques of photography: the man behind an image, the feelings that guided him to do things his own way, kids, a wife, divorce, God.... It reminds us that using fancy equipment and thick theory books are just one method of learning about this beautiful way of life. It also reminded me that it's all about you and your desire to create photography that makes us enjoy a camera. The book's worth the read, even if it just because it offers a unique perspective, simple to understand and straight from the heart.	I happened to buy 6 kindle e-books at Amazon.com and your book, 25 lessons,, so far is my best read for the week. Not only is it inspirational, but coming from a writer and photographer who experienced real life difficulties whilst using photography as tools to inspire ...one's own sensibilities, while narrating your story in a lighthearted and sincere manner - is somewhat rare these days. I'm not sure if I could find another read as good as this. Thank you. I am on Chapter 11 of your book, but admittedly I am hesitant to finish reading it so soon. If only there were other books like it.	In your life, you may come across a book that makes you stop and question where you are going. This is one such book. At first I thought I was about to be presented with yet another technical manual on photography, well meaning as they are, most are so devoid of any emotional connection to photography... Not so with this one. Lorenzo takes you on a journey where his passion for photography grows with every click of the camera, everything and everyone that is captured through his lens becomes another page in his mission to bring emotion and clarity to his, at times difficult, life,.	Lorenzo is a master. His body of work is some of the very best in the medium today. His street work follows in the tradition of Paul Strand, Cartier-Bresson, Garry Winogrand and Larry Friedlander. 25 Lessons should be a must for anyone who raises a camera to their eye. The lessons are well thought out, deceptively simple and easy to grasp, as well as applicable to all phases of the photographic art. In sum, the book is as seminal a piece of writing on the art of photography as Ansel's dissertation on the zone system. I found it to be reenergizing, perceptive and extremely useful.
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