Equipment Books - Page 6

Nikon Creative Lighting System Digital Field Guide

J. Dennis Thomas

Amazon Price: $13.59 List Price: $19.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Wiley Amazon Marketplace: 54 new & used starting at $9.50

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Use every amazing option your Nikon CLS offers

Light is the essence of photography. The Nikon Creative Lighting System lets you create the same lighting patterns with a portable, detached, wireless system that professionals achieve using cumbersome and expensive studio equipment. This practical guide is like having an expert at your elbow. It's packed with information about the CLS as well as tips, tricks, and recommendations for lighting a dozen different shooting situations. Take it on every shoot and get the most from your CLS.
* Know all about the features and functions of the SB-800 and SB-600
* Get insider tips for creating flawless portrait lighting and staging the best poses
* Set up masters and remotes, flash modes, channels, and groups
* Choose equipment for a wireless studio
* Use the ideal exposure and Speedlight system settings for shooting events, nature, sports, groups, portraits, or products

Visit our Web site at www.wiley.com/compbooks

Photoshop CS3 Essential Skills (Photography Essential Skills)

Mark Galer; Philip Andrews

Amazon Price: $24.39 List Price: $36.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Focal Press Amazon Marketplace: 50 new & used starting at $8.98

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Brimming with beautiful pictures, this successful book guides you through a project-based, progressive curriculum so that you can build all the essential skills to enhance photographs creatively and professionally with Photoshop CS3. If you are an aspiring professional, enthusiastic amateur photographer, or a student learning photography, digital imaging, art and design, or design graphics, you'll be amazed at the stunning results you can achieve!

New! DVD is included FREE. Additional learning materials include * full-resolution, royalty-free images to download for trying-out your new techniques * over 8 hours of QuickTime movie tutorials to support the practical projects * Presets from layer styles to curves, shapes, and gradients * indispensable RAW files for editing practice

And don't miss the companion website with updates, practice material, and more at www.photoshopessentialskills.com!

"The perfect companion guide for Photoshop users of multiple levels."
Photoshop Creative Magazine

"This book provides excellent coverage of Photoshop as a digital darkroom tool, as well as covering a truly amazing amount of background information. It is very readable and is truly a gem."
Mark Lewis, Director, Mount Saint Mary College, USA

The Essential Skills Photography Series from Focal Press uniquely offers a structured learning experience for photographers of all ages, with both the underlying theory and loads of invaluable 'how to' and real-life practice projects - all from the most talented photography practitioners/educators in the world.

Each subject includes:

* learning objectives for each section - for class use or self-study
* color images of student and teacher/author work
* activities to check learning outcomes
* assignments to put theories into creative practice
* full glossary of terms

Other titles in the series:
Studio Photography: Essential Skills by John Child, Photographic Lighting: Essential Skills by John Child and Mark Galer and Digital Photography in Available Light by Mark Galer.

*An affordable resource that distills the complexity of Photoshop CS3 to the essentials
* Retouch photographs, create makeovers, produce sophisticated montages, and create special effects with clear, step-by-step projects
* Practice with activities that show the 'why', along with the 'how-to'
* Follow a structured learning approach to gain fundamental skills...and more

Composition Photo Workshop

Blue Fier

Amazon Price: $19.79 List Price: $29.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Wiley Amazon Marketplace: 26 new & used starting at $16.03

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Very good . 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

A very good book for the serious novice and realy fun to read. Books on Photography are essential for the beginer.I found most of them have at least one or two new things to teach. They can't replace the classroom but for the money they are a great deal. Don't expect to become a great photog just because of a book. You will always find something that you can try to put to practice. Highly recomended. Practice practice practice and Have Fun.

Three GREAT reasons to buy this book! 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 11 people found this review helpful.

I was quite impressed with this book. I've been very actively taking digital photos for 4 years now and am reaching for the intermediate level of proficiency. The first reason I would recommend this book is that it went far beyond the "Rule of Thirds" and leading lines on into color, framing, lighting, placement, etc., etc. There's a wealth of good information and ideas supported by beautifully composed photo examples. Secondly,staying in keeping with the "Workshop" portion of the book's title, at the end of every chapter is an assignment the reader can embark on to REALLY learn what he/she has just read. The assignments are highly creative and fun. And finally, taking this learning experience yet one step further, the reader is directed to send the results of the assignments to a website where other readers are sharing as well. A great deal can be learned from looking at their submissions and reading reviews. I also discovered other links in this website that take you into a very exciting world of sharing and learning more about digital photography. This book is a keeper!

Editorial Review:

The hands-on instruction that digital photographers need to compose great shots

Introducing readers to the basic elements of design, this full-color guide shows photographers step by step how to frame great compositions before they take the shot. Instructions, advice, examples, and assignments cover all types of photography.

Portrait and Candid Photography: Photo Workshop

Erin Manning

Amazon Price: $19.79 List Price: $29.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Wiley Amazon Marketplace: 47 new & used starting at $15.12

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

For the serious hobbyist 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I found this book (And the entire Photo workshop series) to be very helpful especially to beginning and intermediate level photography hobbyists.

It assumes no previous knowledge of photography, and explains such things as f-stop and how things interact to affect exposure without being overly technical.

Each chapter ends with a "Lesson" or exercise to emphasize the subject of that chapter. And being able to combine the book with the website (Free membership) to upload your lessons for group critique (Sometimes including from the author) is a good way to improve you photo skills.

Note that though this is part of a series of books, there is no sequence in reading them. For that reason, there is a degree of overlap in each book.

That said, you really need to be using a SLR type camera to be able to have the control of the camera that many of the exercises require. A point-and-shoot may not allow it.

But for the serious hobbyist, I would say this book (and series) is worth the money and time.

Editorial Review:

The secret to taking great “people pictures” is to observe your subjects, connect with them, and use your camera to its best advantage. Here’s how to work with lighting, location, angle, composition, physical characteristics, environment, and countless other variables, including the unique challenges of photographing babies, group activities, and action. Learn to capture facial expressions, tell a story with a series of candids, add interest to large-group shots, and more. Apply these techniques and watch your subjects come to life.

Working the Light: A Photography Masterclass (Light & Land series)

Eddie Ephraums, Joe Cornish, Charlie Waite, David Ward

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Aurum Press Amazon Marketplace: 30 new & used starting at $13.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great Photos 3 out of 5 stars.
3 of 13 people found this review helpful.

Yes an outstanding slection of photos - just wish I'd been there. Those photos only prove to have your camera ready where ever you go and get those award winning results.

Editorial Review:

Charlie Waite, Joe Cornish, and David Ward are among Britain’s best known and most respected landscape photographers. In Working the Light, they join forces to present a unique masterclass combining stunning imagery, inspiring commentary, and practical advice. Working the Light is divided into three sections—Wilderness, Inhabited, and Inner-landscapes—and, alongside a portfolio of their latest work, each writes knowledgeably and insightfully about the genre for which they are known. It is an invaluable compendium of collective wisdom and experience for aspiring and experienced photographers. Charlie Waite’s previous books include The Making of Landscape Photographs; Joe Cornish is the author of Light and the Art of Landscape Photography; David Ward’s most recent book is Landscape Within.

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/450D For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

Julie Adair King

Amazon Price: $19.79 List Price: $29.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: For Dummies Amazon Marketplace: 31 new & used starting at $17.27

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Editorial Review:

If you’re as excited as we are about the Rebel XSi/450D, you probably can’t wait to start shooting. Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/450D For Dummies will show you how to make every shot count! Even if you’re new to digital SLR cameras or are unfamiliar with general photography terms and techniques, this handy guide will show you how to feel comfortable with the controls and start taking beautiful photographs.

Don’t worry if you’ve never heard the words aperture, white balance, or ISO. You’ll soon be switching easily between automatic and manual modes, managing exposure, and using the all-important Quality setting! You’ll learn everything about the lenses, from how to choose the ones you need to how to handle them. You’ll finally know how to push just the right buttons to achieve the results that you desire. In a snap, you will find out how to unleash your creativity by manipulating exposure and lighting. You will find out how to:

• Control picture quality
• Adjust resolution for image quality and size
• Shoot in automatic and manual modes
• Review photos using Playback Mode and the histogram, delete unwanted photos, and protect valuable photos from accidental deletion
• Manipulate exposure, color, focus, and lighting
• Download, organize, archive, print, and share photos with family and friends

Complete with lists of ten fast photo-editing tricks and ten special-purpose features to explore on a rainy day, Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/450D For Dummies is your one-stop guide to setting up, working with, and making the most of your new Canon digital SLR camera.

Beneath The Roses

Amazon Price: $37.80 List Price: $60.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Abrams Amazon Marketplace: 28 new & used starting at $33.81

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Best known for his elaborately choreographed, large-scale photographs, Gregory Crewdson is one of the most exciting and important artists working today. The images that comprise Crewdson’s new series, “Beneath the Roses,” take place in the homes, streets, and forests of unnamed small towns. The photographs portray emotionally charged moments of seemingly ordinary individuals caught in ambiguous and often disquieting circumstances. Both epic in scale and intimate in scope, these visually breathtaking photographs blur the distinctions between cinema and photography, reality and fantasy, what has happened and what is to come.

Beneath the Roses features an essay by acclaimed fiction writer Russell Banks, as well as many never-before-seen photographs, including production stills, lighting charts, sketches, and architectural plans, that serve as a window into Crewdson’s working process. The book is published to coincide with exhibitions in New York, London, and Los Angeles.

American Farmer: The Heart of Our Country

Katrina Fried

Amazon Price: $31.50 List Price: $50.00 Not yet published By: Welcome Books

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Editorial Review:

When photographer Paul Mobley set out to capture the soul of America's farming communities, he discovered a culture defined by tradition, integrity, and hard work, and comprised of the most authentic and generous individuals he's ever encountered. Traveling across the country from Tennessee to Montana, Mobley and his camera were welcomed into the homes of over one hundred farming families, who graciously shared their personal histories along with the fruits of their labor. To spend time with them was to turn back the clock--to an era when there were no locks on doors, no urban sprawl, and no virtue more prized than common decency. Children still move across the street and not across the state when they grow up, and parents move back in with their children whern they grow old. Story after story, visit after visit, Mobley slowly came to know the independent farmer's spirit both from behind the lens and over the dinner table.

The result is a stunning series of portraits and direct quotes that collectively chronicle the life of the American farmer. Each image offers an unvarnished and intimate look inside the hardships and joys of a quickly disappearing lifestyle--one that once defined our national identity and now struggles just to keep a foothold. And even as encroaching cities threaten their livelihoods, these men and women continue to find sustenance in the same basic human values they were raised with. American Farmer is an inspirational reminder of what it means to live with simplicity and contentment, in a world that is driven by excess. This vivid portfolio is accompanied by anecdotes and memories in the farmer's own words that are both a testament to their enduring hospitatlity and a moving glimpse into their daily routines and family histories. But what you will read first, and foremost, are their faces. From Bruce Crump, a citrus farmer in Florida; to Patsy Fribley, a stockyard dealer from Montana; to Thurston Wilber, a Maine lobsterman, Mobley's intense and beautiful portraits capture the furrows of fields lining their brows, the crevices of drought creasing the corners of their mouths, and the grains of truth in their squinted eyes.

35 states included: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming

Canon EOS 40D Digital Field Guide

Charlotte K. Lowrie

Amazon Price: $13.59 List Price: $19.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Wiley Publishers - Model: W0470260449 Amazon Marketplace: 53 new & used starting at $10.69

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Learn about the 40D and support Christianity... 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 6 people found this review helpful.

I purchased Charlotte K.L.'s Canon Digital Rebel XTi field guide book and learned a lot about the XTi, which was why I went for her 40D book.

I must say I felt extremely uncomfortable with the Christian references - while some may consider the religious captions irrelevant, it still bothered me. I am not a religious person (nor am I an atheist). I found the religious references pointless and irritating.

Page 210 of her "40D Field Guide Book" (caption to the photo):
"The images in figures 9.10, 9.11 and 9.12 were shot for a cover and liner for a Christian music CD featuring Jessie Butterworth and the Overlake Christian Church worship team. The goal was to capture the spirit and energy of the concert for the cover and illustrate the concert experience with images for the liner. This is an establishing shot of the overall concert stage with vocalists and musicians. Exposure: ISO 400, f/2.8, 1/20 sec., using an EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM lens."

While I understand Christianity is a major part of our world's religion, to me, 3 mere religious related captions in a 300 something page technical book, is aggressive.

Editorial Review:

In the Canon EOS 40D, speed and reliability meet superior image quality and affordability. And the more you know about your camera, the better your images will be. So don't wait another minute. Learn how to work with color spaces and white balance, use Live View, set up the 40D for your shooting style, set and evaluate exposure, and more. Get helpful tips and advice that you can use every time in this handy guide that goes wherever you take pictures.

Barely Working

Adam Raphael

Amazon Price: $26.37 List Price: $39.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: powerHouse Books Amazon Marketplace: 29 new & used starting at $25.05

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The Painterly Photographer 5 out of 5 stars.
160 of 165 people found this review helpful.

Adam Raphael becomes more painterly with every new portfolio of photographs he presents. Beginning with the almost shy 2001 FRIENDS, his photographic portraits of young men whose trust in the artist is obvious, makes the images gentle and casual and very honest. In his 2004 FRIENDS AND BROTHERS, the relationship between the single model and the model grouped, Raphael played with space and suggested poses that never appeared forced but began to offer some commentary between the fresh, young and naturally beautiful young men and the artist. In short, Raphael pushed his space to create not only celebratory images of young men at their zenith of physical development, but he also suggested interplay or dramatic statement. In his 2007 portfolio ROOM SERVICE that drama became more polished as his beautiful men in rooms that echoed histories and stories allowed the viewer to go beyond the initial thought of simply finding vital, naturally handsome youths, to create fantasies. And without pushing the edge of full nudity Raphael found the exotic and, yes, erotic communication between his subject and his audience.

In observing the model at rest, at play, and in repose in the elegant surroundings that suggested a proscenium stage, Adam Raphael developed those skills of telling stories with the camera, and in this newest and in many ways most successful portfolio, BARELY WORKING, his ability to find the visceral humor, the moments of stress and relaxation, and the interaction between the props of the working man and the model that result in paintings that just happen to be made of film, is polished and exemplary. Whether focusing on the grease smears of the boiler room men or the geometrics of the yards of contractors, Raphael finds echoes in his sets that serve as complementary designs with the bare-chested, muscle men of his choosing. These lads continue to follow Raphael's keen eye for the naturally beautiful men, at times observed at work and at times at play, and more often at times with direct eye communication with the artist. But now the composition of each photograph is more sophisticated, flesh tones are excitingly balanced as choices of settings, and color objects create a harmony that while not pulling focus as technique, successfully result in enhancing the chiseled beauty of the models.

Some may wonder why Adam Raphael avoids frontal nudity when the audience is apparently now prepared for that historically prejudiced stance. Perhaps one reason is that Raphael is able, by maintaining elements of garments that enhance the physiques of his very choice models, to communicate more sensual images by taking the viewer just far enough to make the imagination engage. And it is that step, that decision, that engagement, that keeps his art fresh, vital, eternally youthful, and now, painterly beautiful! Grady Harp, September 08

Editorial Review:

Adam Raphael, photographer of the widely praised Room Service, offers a delicious collection of young men in his newest book, Barely Working. Once again documenting a racially diverse group of the finest faces and bodies, Raphael has captured his models in various working situations including auto repair, car washing, landscaping, and other similar settings. Of course, work soon gives way to play, and the unique combination of laughter, competition, and youthful energy converge to create a sensual tension that can only be made by a photographer who has the skill and talent to work closely with his models without ever overshadowing or crowding them. "In Barely Working," says Reed Massengill, "pipe wrenches and earth-moving equipment are handled with grace and ease by Raphael’s young men, who practically throb with visceral friendliness and ‘aw shucks’ charm while possessing a humanity that makes them irresistibly appealing."