The Moment It Clicks is as hard to define as it is to put down. It isn't a coffee table book, although it certainly has the quality images to be treated as one. It isn't really a how-to do it book, but it is filled with insight and tips that make it must-reading for any photographer on any level.

Joe McNally is an internationally acclaimed photographer. His 30-year career has included assignments in over 50 countries, and his images have graced the covers of Time, Sports Illustrated, and National Geographic. During the 1990s, he was Life Magazine's sole staff photographer.

So what is The Moment It Clicks? It is a book about the 30 years of Joe McNally's photographic career and some of the images he has created. It is about the stories behind the images and the lessons learned from editors and life experiences. It is about the ups and downs of being a photographer from the side of the professional, as well as the side of the family man who has to be away too often. The Moment It Clicks is 272 pages, divided into four chapters.

This is not a book that can really be contained in chapters and chapter names. It is about the story relating to each image, and there are over 100 of them in the book. I will instead try to give the flavor of the book instead. The basic premise is that each story comes with a one-line statement that gets to the point of the image. Then McNally tells the story behind the image. Opposite of the story is the picture that is the centerpiece. Then there is the "how to get this type of shot," where he explains just a little bit about how he did it. Do not get the impression this includes detailed steps; it is a simple overview of the techniques used.

A couple of my favorites (I have to limit this; otherwise there would be 70-80 of my favorites, and it would make this longer than it already is):

"You Gotta Turn on a Dime" is the story about a shoot with musician Fiona Apple. She had just come her successful album, Tidal. She was tired of being photographed as a waif and wanted a more warrior woman image. They did this shoot with her in a suit of armor and it was not going well. She had to get to New Jersey for a show that night, and her manager was getting mad. Finally he said they had to leave now and would have to catch the subway to get there on time. McNally turned to Apple and said, "Get on the subway in the armor?" The shot was made.

"Get a Permit" is about a rooftop shot with a performance artist from New York City who is painted up in a bright gold coloring. Someone called the police, stating there was a jumper in progress. When the police arrived — huffing and puffing after climbing a six-story walkup — they were not happy. Because he had his permit, there was not a lot that they could do, and he got the shot.