I would never recommend a book that I haven't read, and this one I thoroughly enjoyed. The Tao of Photography ( Gross, Shapiro ) is a hybrid of a text and coffee table book including lots of full page images as examples as well as exercises to develop one's photo-chi. The authors reference the work of several famous photographers but place a lot of emphasis on Henri Cartier Bresson. All the examples and discussion are based on the black and white process, but the concepts can easily be extrapolated to a color format.
Photography is actually a great way to practice mindfulness. It is in all truth an art form based on how to look at things. This book does a good job of convincing the reader to break down guidelines for what makes a 'good' subject, or even a 'good' photograph. There is almost no discussion of the technical aspects of cameras, but instead an emphasis on process and composition.
Being someone who has studied photography up and down, I can say that this book provided a refreshing new way to think. It helps put motivation and sense of purpose back at the forefront of shooting.
Available at Amazon. And you can get it used for under $10.
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