David duChemin was kind enough to pass me a copy of his new book “Within The Frame”, and it’s one of those books that reminds me how complacent I’ve become with my own photography and how little I know about many key parts of the craft.

That’s not easy to say, but it’s how I’ve felt lately.

Even though David outlines many practical tips, it’s not a “how-to” book, but instead a “why-to” book, aiming to help us find our vision and approach photography with a thoughtful, emotional and playful perspective; but most importantly, it’s about heart. David’s passion for connecting with people beyond the image shines through his blog and book, and his willingness to share his heart and personal feelings about photography is why I’ve read his blog for years.

I’ll point out a couple particular passages in a couple later posts, but I wanted to first focus on a couple examples of how David is building on his ability to connect with people to promote “Within The Frame”:

• A free, downloadable PDF sample of the book.
• A Flickr group inspired by the book, providing another way to bind together a community around the work.
• An interview conducted over Twitter (also, follow David on Twitter at @pixelatedimage.
• And of course, signed copies, giveaways and in-person events in select cities.

Trust me, there are lessons there…