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# A Bookstore Excursion
- URL: https://journey.davidknoble.life/a-bookstore-excursion/
- Published: 2026-08-09T13:30:15.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-10T10:42:16.000Z
- Author: David Knoble
- Tags: das Wesentliche

I was at Barnes and Noble yesterday, one of the last brick and mortar bookstores that are still in existence, and I walked over to browse the “Photography” section. If I were honest, it has been a hot minute since I was last in a bookstore, but I remembered how much I enjoy browsing books. The fun of holding one in my hands and flipping through its pages to get a preview of the work.

What struck me, standing in front of the bookcase, was just how small the photography section had become since my last visit. Only one single bookcase, and only the middle shelves at that. I realized that my own personal collection of books on the subject was larger than Barnes and Noble’s.

That did not stop me from tilting my head and reading the author’s names and their accompanying titles. I was drawn to those I recognized - William Eggleston, Alex Webb, Ansel Adams, and a few others. Remarkably few photographers were sitting on those shelves. The obligatory copy of Cartier-Bresson’s “The Decisive Moment” was hidden in a miniature version between two large National Geographic books and another coffee-table work.

I didn’t buy anything even after a minute or two of just standing there dumbfounded. There was really nothing new to add to what I already had. I genuinely felt a little despondent about those books, almost like they were characters left on the shelf in some remake of Toy Story.

![A single grey linen bound book of the early works of Ansel Adams](https://storage.ghost.io/c/28/88/28888718-3151-40e0-92e4-bf1a38db79a2/content/images/2026/08/Journey-EV1-L1000126.jpg)

After meeting Dr. Senf in Tucson, Arizona**,* where the Ansel Adams archive is located, I wanted to read her work - my autographed *copy about the famed photographer.*

### Learning by Looking

I have always learned from others much smarter than I am, and photography is no exception. Much like a bookstore, there is a collective experience spanning decades and sometimes centuries available online to those willing to spend the time researching. In today’s world of quick click results, sometimes slowing down is worth the effort. So early this morning, I sat with my cup of coffee, flipping through some books in my own photography collection, savoring the images on the page. A famous three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist once taught me to look at a photograph and try to decipher why the photographer took that image, from that viewpoint, at that moment. So, I ask myself those questions frequently, not always able to answer but slowing down nonetheless.

### Focusing

In that spirit of slowing down, I’ve spent the last five weeks carefully studying the manuals to various Leica cameras, trying to gain some insights into best practices for the multitudes of menu choices in the EV1\. Sometimes a break is needed to let the brain try and organize things on its own.

![A shelf of manuals for older film Leicas.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/28/88/28888718-3151-40e0-92e4-bf1a38db79a2/content/images/2026/08/Journey-EV1-L1000125.jpg)

A shelf of mostly manuals and technical photography works - *Leica film camera manuals that are no longer delivered as paper copies with new camera bodies.*

I feel really good about the [focus setup on the EV1](https://journey.davidknoble.life/ev1-focusing-finding-the-secret-sauce/) after these past weeks, and I’m confident that most Leica M lenses fit into my personal revelations about Leica’s [*Secret Sauce*](https://journey.davidknoble.life/ev1-focusing-finding-the-secret-sauce/)*.* I've updated my [EV1 Tips](https://journey.davidknoble.life/leica-m-ev1-tips/) to reflect these settings, and as I continue, I’m confident there will be tweaks for specific lenses, use cases, and other image-making factors. Now it’s time to study some images and let my brain process all these new thoughts while I try to improve my eye. The EV1 viewfinder is a simple view into the world, just like the rangefinder on every other Leica M. It operates differently, but like the dwindling section of photography books at Barnes and Noble, just because it is unique does not mean that it isn’t relevant.

I’ve started a few draft journals as more inspirations come to mind. One example is that I’ve determined that the JPEG settings are important in the EV1 even if you only shoot RAW images. Watch for this as I put together some images showing why this is so relevant. Until then, consider using your favorite photographer’s works to help you see more in the world around you.