Reference Books

Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition)

Bryan Peterson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 478 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Finally I get it! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I understood what shutter speed, aperature and ISO did but I never grasped how the three worked together until I got just a few pages into this book. Just that alone was worth the money for me - he explained it so simply! I have read other books and articles but they only talked about what settings they used not how the settings worked together.

We recently took a trip to New York City and although I didn't take a tripod I got some great photos both day and night. Not professional quality yet but the best I have ever taken and more importantly, out of 500+ shots I only took a couple on auto mode!

Great book!

Editorial Review:

More than 100 vivid, graphic comparison pictures illustrate every point in this classic and can help any photographer maximize the creative impact of his or her exposure decisions. Peterson stresses the importance of metering the subject for a starting exposure and then explains how to use various exposure meters and different kinds of lighting. The book contains lessons on each element of the triangle and how it relates to the other two in terms of depth of field, freezing and blurring action, and shooting in low light or at night. A section on special techniques explores such options as deliberate under-and over-exposures, how to produce double exposures, bracketing, shooting the moon, and the use of filters. Understanding Exposure demonstrates that there are always creative choices about how to expose a picture - and that the decision is up to the photographer, not the camera.

The Moment It Clicks: Photography secrets from one of the world's top shooters (Voices That Matter)

Joe McNally

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 140 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

THE FIRST BOOK WITH ONE FOOT ON THE COFFEE TABLE, AND ONE FOOT IN THE
CLASSROOM
Joe McNally, one of the world’s top pro digital photographers, whose celebrated work has graced the pages of Sports Illustrated, Time, and National Geographic (to name a few), breaks new ground by doing something no photography book has ever done—blending the rich, stunning images and elegant layout of a coffee-table book with the invaluable training, no-nonsense insights, and photography secrets usually found only in those rare, best-of-breed educational books.

When Joe’s not on assignment for the biggest-name magazines and Fortune 500 clients, he’s in the classroom teaching location lighting, environmental portraiture, and how to “get the shot” at workshops around the world. These on-location workshops are usually reserved for a handful of photographers each year, but now you can learn the same techniques that Joe shares in his seminars and lectures in a book that brings Joe’s sessions to life.

What makes the book so unique is the “triangle of learning” where (1) Joe distills the concept down to one brief sentence. It usually starts with something like, “An editor at National Geographic once told me…” and then he shares one of those hard-earned tricks of the trade that you only get from spending a lifetime behind the lens. Then, (2) on the facing page is one of Joe’s brilliant images that perfectly illustrates the technique (you’ll recognize many of his photos from magazine covers). And (3) you get the inside story of how that shot was taken, including which equipment he used (lens, f/stop, lighting, accessories, etc.), along with the challenges that type of project brings, and how to set up a shot like that of your own.

This book also gives you something more. It inspires. It challenges. It informs. But perhaps most importantly, it will help you understand photography and the art of making great photos at a level you never thought possible. This book is packed with those “Ah ha!” moments—those clever insights that make it all come together for you. It brings you that wonderful moment when it suddenly all makes sense—that “moment it clicks.”

Understanding Shutter Speed: Creative Action and Low-Light Photography Beyond 1/125 Second

Bryan Peterson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 33 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Visually stunning, practical and easy to grasp. 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I look through a lot of photography "how-to" books when I'm in Barnes and Noble or Borders and this one caught my eye. It is visually stunning, full of beautiful images, shot by the author himself.

Panning, zooming, low light, filters, "implying motion", shooting slow and deliberately blurry images...you will read about a wealth of choices that can help a photographer grow creatively. Peterson shows how blur can be just valid a choice as sharp in making an astounding photo.

There are some fun experiments in this book, such as creating "rain" with a sprinkler, and attaching a camera to a shopping cart to capture a child rolling through a grocery store aisle. The inventiveness found in the book makes it fun.

I would definitely recommend this book to both beginners and more advanced photographers.

Editorial Review:

The first book in the Understanding Photography series, Understanding Exposure, was a runaway best-seller, with more than 250,000 copies sold. Now author Bryan Peterson brings his signature style to another important photography topic: shutter speed. With clear, jargon-free explanations of terms and techniques, plus compelling "before-and-after" photos that pair a mediocre image (created using the wrong shutter speed) with a great image (created using the right shutter speed), this is the definitive practical guide to mastering an often-confusing subject. Topics include freezing and implying motion, panning, zooming, exposure, Bogen Super Clamps, and rendering motion effects with Photoshop, all with helpful guidance for both digital and film formats. Great for beginners and serious amateurs, Understanding Shutter Speed is the definitive handy guide to mastering shutter speed for superb results.

Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting

Fil Hunter, Paul Fuqua

List Price: $51.95 By: Focal Press Amazon Marketplace: 15 new & used starting at $31.80

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 98 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

This highly respected text, now in paperback, has been thoroughly updated and revised. It introduces a logical theory of photographic lighting --- one that teaches beginning photographers to predict results before setting up lights. This is not primarily a how-to book with only set examples for photographers to follow. Rather, Light: Science and Magic provides the reader with a comprehensive theory of the nature and principles of light to allow individual photographers to use lighting to express their own creativity. Numerous photographs and illustrations provide clear examples of the theories delineated within the text, while sidebars highlight special lighting questions.

Although styles of photographic lighting continue to change, Light: Science and Magic does not go out of fashion because it is not based on style; rather it is based on the behavior of light. These principles will not change until fundamental physics does.

*Now in paperback
*Highly respected text on lighting theory covering the principles, applications, and equipment for informed lighting decisions
*Sidebars highlight special lighting questions

Mastering the Nikon D300

Darrell Young

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

Editorial Review:

Mastering the Nikon D300 by Nikonian Darrell Young provides a wealth of information and professional insights for owners of this powerful new camera. Each chapter explores the features and capabilities of the D300 in detail, surpassing basic user manuals by providing step-by-step menu setting adjustments coupled with illustrations and logical explanations for each option. Darrell Young's writing style allows the reader to follow directions in a friendly and informative manner, as if a friend dropped in to share his experienced knowledge without "talking down" to you, explaining the how and the why. The learning experience for D300 beginners (and refresher information for professionals) goes beyond the camera itself. When camera features and options expand to additional Nikon equipment (such as with the use of optional Speedlights) Darrell adds the necessary information. Young's frequent references to user manuals provided by Nikon (complete with specific page references) allow the reader to easily navigate past the "confusion factor" that often comes with new equipment.

Mastering the Nikon D300 is the inaugural title kicking off the Nikonians Press imprint "the exciting, new joint venture between Nikonians and Rocky Nook.

iPhoto '08: The Missing Manual

David Pogue, Derrick Story

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Apple has taken iPhoto 08 to a whole new level. Now, in addition to handling upwards of 250,000 images, the program lets you easily categorize and navigate through those photos with a feature called "Events." Plus, new editing tools let you copy and paste adjustments between photos. Books and calendars have been improved, too, as has the program's ability to publish pictures on the Web. Apple makes it all sound easy: drag this, click that, and you're done. But you can still get lost, especially if you're a newcomer. iPhoto '08: The Missing Manual explains how to take advantage of all these powerful tools and new features without confusion or frustration. Bestselling authors David Pogue and Derrick Story give you a witty, objective, and clear-cut explanation of how things work, with plenty of undocumented tips and tricks for mastering the new iPhoto. Four sections help you import, organize, edit, share, and even take your photos: Digital Photography: The Missing Manual offers a course in picture-taking and digital cameras -- how to buy and use your digital camera, how to compose brilliant photos in various situations (sports, portraits, nighttime shots, even kid photography), and how to get the most out of batteries and memory cards. iPhoto Basics covers the fundamentals of getting your photos into iPhoto, organizing and filing them, searching and editing them. Meet Your Public teaches you all about slideshows, making or ordering prints, creating books, calendars and greeting cards, and sharing photos on web sites or by email. iPhoto Stunts explains how to turn photos into screen savers or desktop pictures, using plug-ins, managing Photo Libraries, and even getting photos to and fromcamera phones and Palm organizers. You also learn how to build a personal web site built with iWeb, and much more in this comprehensive guide. It's the top-selling iPhoto book for good reason.

David Busch's Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/450D Guide to Digital SLR Photography

David D. Busch

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Very helpful supplement to the manual 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

As one reviewer put it, this is a glorified manual - but that is the strength of this book, and I recommend it highly to beginners, intermediate users and anyone who is "manual challenged." The book goes beyond the manual, however, in discussing lighting, for example, lenses, maintenance, and updating the firmware. None of this additional material is going to do anything for a professional or an advanced amateur, but will be very helpful to all us lesser photographers.

A new Canon XSi user, I wanted to change a camera setting on several occasions, could not find the instructions in the manual or locate the menu item or button, but promptly got the help I needed in this book. I don't go anyhwere without it.

Editorial Review:

As the new owner of a Digital Rebel XSi/450 you are serious about photography and want to take professional-looking photographs. You also want to quickly and easily discover how, when, and why to use the most important features of your cutting-edge camera. "Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/450 Guide to Digital SLR Photography" provides you with a concise guide to the essential functions and features of the Digital Rebel XSi/450, teaching you how to select the best autofocus mode, shutter speed, f/stop, or flash capability to take perfect pictures of any kind under any conditions. Brimming with full-color images and examples, this book will help photographers of any level enhance their digital photography skills and techniques. You will also learn how to edit and enhance your photographs, as well as troubleshooting tips to maintain the condition of your Digital Rebel XSi/450 and its accessories.

2009 Photographer's Market

Editors of Writers Digest Books

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Life is better when you have a direction to go in 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I got this book for my daughter who is a natural when it comes to photography. It is a hobby she just seems to have an "eye" for. It came to my address and I took a look at the book just to make sure it was what i thought it was and was 'right' for her. It got ME excited, and I havent taken pictures in years though my eyes and mind never stop thinking about what a great picture some of the things I see around me might make. I cannot claim whether or not this book is ALL inclusive, but it was very clear that it was pretty darn close enough. I think any one can have a great talent, but like a person dropped in the middle of a large lake....it is so much better when you have a direction to go in. Why swim in circles? Take the pictures you want but know at the same time what you might DO with them and where you might sell them. You'll be able to enjoy a hobby fully and at the same time possibly make or supplement a lifestyle or living.
good luck to all the photographers out there
mm

Editorial Review:

With 1,500 market listings, 2009 Photographer’s Market is the essential resource for freelance photographers looking to market their work. No other book contains as many market listings for magazines, book publishers and stock agencies all over the world. Easy to use with clearly marked sections and four indexes, this accessible guide also helps photographers narrow down the markets that interest them. Plus, articles about successful photographers and how they built their businesses shows readers how to succeed in an ever-evolving industry. Up-to-date information on technology and market trends arms readers with the facts they need to establish themselves as working photographers.

The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/450D Companion

Ben Long

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Through a series of easy-to-follow lessons, The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/D450 Companion gives you a complete class on digital photography, tailored specifically for people who use this camera. This is not a typical camera guide: rather than just showing you what all the buttons do, this unique book teaches you how to use various Digital Rebel features to make great photographs.

With The Canon Digital Rebel XSi Companion in your camera bag, you have the perfect field reference for taking stunning pictures of any occasion or place, any time. You get valuable creative tips and technical advice for capturing professional-looking images of people, landscapes, action shots, close-ups, night shots, and more.

• Get to know the Digital Rebel XSi and how it works
• Take creative control and go beyond automatic settings
• Learn the basic rules of composition
• Know when to let the camera work for you
• Photograph fast-moving objects, and learn to capture decisive moments
• Discover ways to use a flash indoors and outdoors
• Learn the advantages of different lenses, and the best time to use them
• Understand the options for shooting RAW, and whether it's right for you

There are plenty of photography books, but only this companion guide teaches you how to take high-quality digital photos using the camera model you own. Professional photographer Ben Long includes plenty of full-color examples to show you what's possible once you graduate from snapshots and focus on the pictures you've always wanted to take.

Learning to See Creatively: Design, Color & Composition in Photography (Updated Edition)

Bryan Peterson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 103 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Well worth the Read 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

A very good book of instruction and fabulous examples are given of creative picture taking.

Changed my shooting 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Bryan Peterson's book is excellent for beginners like myself. He walks you through basic prinicples of design and composition with many excellent examples. Most importantly he walks you through his thought process. Each picture has information about how he shot it and often why he shot it that way. The book also includes several useful excercises to help you develop your eye. Although it could be argued that the book doesn't cover all topics and is not as thorough as other books, it accompishes its purpose which is to get beginning photographers to see the world around them differently. This book rapidly improved my shots because the examples and principles are so clear. Now I am ready to move on to more complex and complete books. I highly recommend this book to get started.

Editorial Review:

Almost everyone can "see" in the conventional sense, but developing photographic vision takes practice. This work helps photographers visualize their work, and the world, in a whole new light. This revised and rewritten guide takes a radical approach to creativity. It explains how it is not some gift only for a few, but actually a skill that can be learned and applied. Using inventive photographs from his own portfolio, the author deconstructs creativity for photographers. He details the basic techniques that went into not only taking a particular photo, but also provides insights on how to improve upon it, so helping readers avoid the visual pitfalls that can lead to dull photographs. This edition features informaton on digital photography and digital imaging software, as well as a section on colour as a design element.