Book Description

Natural light portraiture is fast becoming a popular style of photography. Photographers and clients appreciate the understated, low-maintenance shoots and the spontaneous, casual quality of the photos. Featuring images shot on location, in clients' homes, and in the studio, the author teaches how to use the unique qualities of direct sun, window light, porch light, shade, and the light at sunrise and sunset to create flattering, natural-looking portraits. Photographers will learn how to select the right setting, equipment, backdrop, and props, as well as how to control the balance of light between subject and background. Each sample portrait is accompanied by detailed technical information to help photographers achieve the same results in their own work. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Great Resource
I highly recommend this book - I've been looking for a guide/resource like this for years. "Professional Secrets of Natural Light Portrait Photography" is well written, very comprehensive, and supports the written words with excellent photos and diagrams. I'm a serious amateur photographer - both of friends and family and for travel/vacation - and have won a number of awards for my photos. I find that more and more of my shots are of people, even when travelling. This book suggests many well thought out natural light posing and composition techniques - natural light sources, backgrounds, props, metering, even clothing. The book also covers topics such as working with kids and "difficult" situations. Many of the topics apply equally to candid or quick shots. Wish I'd had the book a few years ago.

Nice book, but
This is a very good book for a beginner photographer, however there are some things I would recommend to add and/or improve. Throughout all the book there are very interesting details describing the light sources, shading, and other aspects of natural light photography. However, author keeps repeating the same staff on every page... I.e. posing scheme, lens details, techniques, etc....

I wish to turn 100 or something pages and find something new on each page... Otherwise after you read couple of chapters you meet lots of repetitions... Same thing is told twice or more.

Good Book
Portraits are almost certainly the most common type of amateur or professional photography, and natural light is the only type of light truly available to us all (unless, of course, you live in an asylum, in which case I mean no offense). Why, then, must a beginner's pictures look any worse than those of a seasoned pro? The answer: they don't have to!

Natural light is the first kind of light. All forms of artificial portrait lighting is made to approximate the sun. But shooting good pictures in natural light does not mean that the natural light is any kind of sunlight. There is good and bad light, and there are ways to turn bad light into good light. This book teaches how.

The examples are great. Some are cheesy, some tasteful. All are noticeably professional, and a reader will learn essentially how to get the same results. The book also touches on posing and backgrounds and technical details about exposure. All-in-all, the book is worth the money.

Pretty cover but that's all. Content is fluff.
I buy a lot of books and this is the first that has ever so drastically underwhelmed me. As someone who has made a fairly good income in photography on the side, I wanted to learn more about informal outdoor portraiture (not weddings) in natural light and settings. The cover photograph is quite nice, but unfortunately is the best in the book. The rest are barely mediocre, especially for a photographer who reminds us throughout he text that he's endorsed by Hasselblad University.

In the beginning of this book, he claims it is for both the professional and for the mom who want to take better photos. It is for neither since it doesn't have enough of the basics for the uninitiated, and only talks about medium format focal lengths which the "mom" typically wouldn't be using nor understand the comparison to her 35mm lens focal lengths. (He could have added in parenthesis the equivalent length for 35mm camera), and neither does it cater to the pros desire for technical information by not publishing much data about each shot.

The nitty gritty of why this book is fluff: Photographer Douglas Allen Box continually glosses over pertinent technical information so vaguely that you wonder if you missed a paragraph or a page, while he goes on in depth about posing and clothing choices for your subject. At first thumbing through the pages, you'll see all sorts of 2 dimensional sketches next to some photos - that seems promising - until you actually try to match what is going on in the sketch to what is going on in the photo. They are often turned at odd angles to eachother - and often are actually wrong when you decipher the elements. Not helpful.

He describes a few tools and their use so inadequately he shouldn't bother mentioning them at all. Take these four examples: (1) A translucent light modifier has a page dedicated to it, yet there is no photo of one, nor is there a diagram showing how he placed it, nor a before picture to see what happens if one does not use it. (2) He complains that in one photograph he would have made a better photo with a longer lens that he did not own at the time of that portrait sitting. Well, set up a new one for this book and show us the difference - one with the shorter focal length and one longer - give us a diagram showing the difference in placement and the resultant photo. (3) His LIght Finder cube - in one passage he keeps refering to "the other two sides" but does not explain whether these are the dark sides, or light sides. A full page-and-a-half of vague description that leave one scratching one's head about a tool you really do not need in the first place. (4) He talks about blocking the overhead light when it is not naturally blocked, but never actually shows a diagram of how one might arrange such a set up, what tools and placement etc.

Lastly, when Box talks about adding flash he really ought to add a page or two for the uninitiated that explains why he's simply setting his flash at f8.5 and receiving different results. The accompanying text is exceptionally vague - yet he displays resulting photographs all extremely different from one another. I guess he leaves it up to us to buy another book that explains flash in a more satisfactory manner and then reapply it to his posing techniques of like-dressed people.

All in all, a complete flop unless you are very interested in learning how to pose and dress your subject. I'll be returning this one to Amazon quickly. Don't waste your money and time.

Should be called Sunset Photography
Box is obvoiusly a talented Photograher, but if your looking for ideas on how to make great looking portraits at all times during they day, this is NOT your book. Nearly every one of the outdoor photographs in this book are taken at sunset.

He constantly talks about finding good light, and that's the big trick, but he's obviosly not even very good at it since he can only find good light at sunset. ANY half-rate photographer can find good light at sunset or dusk. If you want a book about taking outdoor shots, get Jeff Smith's "Outdoor and Location Portrait Photography." Smith makes Box looks likes he's a beginner. Nearly every shot in Smith's book is NOT at dusk.

This book is really about posing, and understanding how to make artistic outdoor portraits (at dusk of course). He talks more about group photography and dressing your subjects in like clothing where Smith's book is about individual portraiture.

The photo on the cover is probably the best image Box has ever taken, and there's 2 or 3 other high quality captures as well. Smith's book is littered with high quality shots, and amazingly most of them were taken during mid-day, and he even shows you how he accomplished the task.

Douglass Allen Box's "Natural Light Portrait Photography" is for the amateur who wants to improve their group photography skil outdoors where time is really of no concern. Where your willing to sit around for hours waiting for "perfect" light. ... Read more

Book Description

With this extraordinary handbook, you, too, can frame the stars and have them hanging on your livingroom walls. Astrophotography for the Amateur provides a complete guide to taking pictures of stars, galaxies, the Moon, the Sun, comets, meteors and eclipses, using equipment and materials readily available to the hobbyist. Based on suggestions from readers of the first edition, the new edition has been completely updated and expanded to include new chapters on computer image processing and CCD imaging; expanded advice on choosing cameras and telescopes; completely updated information about films; a much larger bibliography; and hundreds of new photographs (in color and black and white) demonstrating the latest equipment and techniques. Astrophotography for the Amateur has become the standard handbook for all amateur astronomers. This new edition provides an ideal introduction for beginners and a complete handbook for advanced amateurs. It will also appeal to photography enthusiasts who will discover how to take spectacular images with only modest equipment.Michael A. Covington received his Ph.D. at Yale University. He is the author of several books, including Syntactic Theory in the High Middle Ages (Cambridge, 1984).He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and is the Associate Director of the Artificial Intelligence Center at the University of Georgia. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

An excellent resource for both novices and pros
Although photography has been a hobby of mine for years, I recently became interested in astronomy. I bought this book to learn how to combine these two hobbies.

This is an excellent resource. If you're just starting out, this book covers the basics and explains things that even a novice like me can understand. As your skill level advances this book will continue to be an excellent resource. It is filled with detailed technical information on scopes, mounts, lenses, films, techniques and just about anything you need to know on this subject. I agree with other reviewers that the book does not cover CCD photography in depth. CCD hardware/software seems to be changing at such a rapid pace. It would be difficult to write a detailed text on this subject that would not be out of date in a couple of years.

Overall, I rate this book very highly and recommend if for both novices and pros.

Best Overall Astrophotography Book
This second edition is updated and revised. Of all the books I've read on astrophotography this is the best overall. Given that the standard reference work by Provin and Wallace (A Manual of Advanced Celestial Photography) was dated and is out of print this is the closest replacement.

The book covers all topics relevant to astrophotography, including telescope considerations, mounts, camera types and lens, focusing, photographic methods (prime focus, projection, etc.). Topics covered also include photographing meteors, aurora displays, planets and deep space objects. One appendix contains extensive exposure data for various targets like the moon, planets and deep sky objects. Some image processing techniques and algorithms are covered.

Some of the films mentioned in the book are now obsolete but that is an unfortunate consequence of a rapidly changing market. The book is generously illustrated with photos taken by the author and many other noted amateur astronomers.

CCD photography is covered in the book but not in any real depth. That is not a drawback to the book since most of the material on photography (methods, mounts and telescopes) is generally applicable to CCD as well. Readers interested specifically in CCD and not film should consult other texts for more in-depth information.

Overall the author did an excellent job of collecting and organizing information for the beginner to advanced astrophotographer.

Very good reference book for any astrophotographer
Micheal Covington's book covers all aspects of astrophotography starting from objects, from camera selection to films, exposure methods, mounts and drives, guiding of the mount & guiding accuracy/errors, and of course the CCD imaging. I also gives ideas on how to build a simple barn door mount. It does not end at taking exposures. After an exposure is taken we have to convert it into an acceptable quality print or into a computer file. Images can be greatly improved by digital processing. So it also covers image processing ideas. The only point to be noted is that one must look at his website and download the errata. The book has many printing errors, some of which are trivial though. That, of course, must not deter any user. I consider is my best field guide book on this topic. I believe his recent edition has got over these errors - not mine. I bought mine in 1999.

Great Introductory book
This book is a must in doing amateur astrophotography if you are going serious. It has lots of information which is very useful.For example it teach you to calculate the focal ratio using diferent techniques of takig pictures with the telescope, it help you calculate the exposure times in order to photograph the moon or a constelation on a tripod.
It is an excellent source but you have to do calculations(formulas).If you don't like numbers, this book is not for you, but if you do like numbers this book is very useful.

My best book on astrophotography
I've bought a handful of books on the subject, and this one is head and shoulders above the rest. Some of the other books have lots of pretty pictures, and very little information on actually taking photos. I found the instructions easy to follow, and when I had a question, or needed to figure something out, this book always had it. Two big thumbs up! ... Read more

Book Description

Demystify your digital camera and start having fun!

Find out about setting up shots, transferring photos, and making great prints

Don’t let that digital camera sit in its box another minute! This book is much easier to read than the manual. It’ll help you decode the hieroglyphics on the buttons and cables, shoot the photos you want, and then get your pictures out of the camera and into the hands – or computers – of family and friends.

The Dummies Way

• Explanations in plain English
• "Get in, get out" information
• Icons and other navigational aids
• Tear-out cheat sheet
• Top ten lists
• A dash of humor and fun

Book Description

An updated, accessible guide to photography from two leading experts in the field, the National Geographic Photography Field Guide 2nd Edition appeals to both aficionados and amateurs with its encyclopedia coverage of everything from choosing film to virtual photography. Featuring up-to-the-minute information on new film, filters, cameras, lenses, and advances in digital photography as well as step-by-step instruction, this revised guide is an indispensable tool for creating superb pictures.

Professional photographers Peter K. Burian and Robert Caputo reveal every secret and component involved in creating photos, including the basics of composition, color, and light; manipulating film, exposure, and shutter speeds; coping with situations from weather to fast-moving subjects; techniques for shooting architecture, close-ups, portraits, and underwater adventures; plus a new section explaining black and white photography—all in a user-friendly and easy-to-reference format. With exquisite images and useful tips from award-winning professionals, this inspiring and informative volume illustrates the keys to turning everyday situations into vibrant visual moments to cherish forever.

Reviews (82)

Photography beginners's valuable companion....
...this book contains almost every topic (although I never understood why a photography How-to needs to tell me how to load a film, since every camera comes with a manual).
It starts very basic (e.g. aperture vs. exposure time reciprocity), explains films and even covers specific problems (such as shutter speed for depicting falling snown etc.).
It's a book for beginners (although the essays about and from famous photographers and their tips are whorth reading for everyone). After purchasing this book you definetely don't need to look around for any other introduction. It serves well as continuous reference for upcoming questions (e.g. "How long should I expose the moon without blurring it?").
After reading this book (or if you already stepped beyond this stage in photography) you'll only need to look for advanced books. Including inside covers as Greycards is simply clever and very handy.
I rated this book "only" with 4 stars for I was already looking for some advanced advice or "insider tips" as given in John "Shaw's Nature Photography Field Guide".
PS: I puchased its two companions "Landscape" and "People and Portraits" as well. Though both books are nice they only include little that's not already mentioned in this valuable guide!

An excellent resource and worthy investment!
I am new to photography and after browsing through several "how to books", I decided to buy this one. Though smaller than some other "complete" guides out there, this book offers very clear, easy to understand explainations of the inner workings of photography. It packs a lot of information within its pages, and tells you what you want to know, what is involved in taking great pictures. It covers both indoor and outdoor photography, has excellent diagrams, and uses photographs to illustrate techniques. Rather than offer the reader an endless stream of irrelevant data, this book explains the fundamentals of photography and how they can be used to create great photographs. The authors are careful to cover many different camera types, but keep the information relevant for all readers. It should be noted that this book is presented in full colour, unlike a different "complete" guide, which was 90% black and white(you have to be joking!). I highly reccomend this book for anyone looking to learn about photography, or improve on their technique. First class offering, typical of National Geographic caliber.

A Handy Guide for Quick Reference
Probably every photographer, whether amateur or professional, has dreamed of being a photographer for NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC. Robert Caputo, a photographer who has had work published in the magazine, and Peter Burian offer suggestions for taking photographs like those found in the magazine in their book THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHY FIELD GUIDE. Though the book has some information on digital photography, it is intended primarily for film users. It has some basic information about photography basics: camera, film, lenses, composition, film, exposure, flash, etc. The information presented in this section is probably better for review for photographers who know the basics rather than those who are new to using the camera. Perhaps the book's greatest strength would be the suggestions for taking action shots, nature shots, and people shots. Examples of work from highly regarded photographers are used to demonstrate the suggestions offered. The book may not be as complete as other books on the subject, bit its compact size and excellent organization makes it a perfect guide to use in the field when a quick question arises.

Great Pocket Reference!
The authors present a great deal of practical information in a handy, easy to digest form. For a photographer with basic skills and understanding of the roles of aperature and exposure time, this book will open many new doors of creativity. Through the experiences of National Geographic staff photographers, we learn what techniques contribute to successful travel, candid, landscape and other photographic genre.

The book contains useful chapters on equipment, film selection, film formats and digital photography. All around, the Handbook is an indispensable addition to anyone's photography library.

One of my very favorites
This book in concise, well-written, and inspirational. Don't think this is only a book for beginners, though it would be my number one choice as a gift for someone interested in starting a serious approach to photography. It's full of clear explanations of what are often misunderstood concepts (e.g., perspective), useful tips, and, best of all, the wonderfully interesting and inspirational "World of Subjects" section where we learn about some NG photographers. They vary widely in style, subject, and equipment choice, but every one is worth reading about and their tips alone are worth the price of this book.

Highly recommended for both beginners and experienced photographers. This is a book I return to again and again. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Excellent resource for beginners!
Mastering the Basics of Photography truly helps the beginner from start to finish. From describing the different types of cameras, to film, exposure settings, filters and light metering -- it's a well-written guide! This book even has "Self-Assignments" - that way, you can actually put the "theory" into practice. It has great suggestions on how to go about completing each assignment and some additional tips in taking photographs! My only peeve about this book is the fact that there aren't any sample photographs in color; There are loads of photos that the author took (with exposure and other settings recorded) but they were all in black-and-white. And although the book did suggest that the color versions of her photos can be found on her website (provided in the book), it would have been nice to see photos in color (along with the black and white versions) printed on the book itself. I would greatly suggest starting off with this book!

Junk
I've read reviews that this book is perfect for beginners and I'm at a loss to understand why. Things are explained in high, low, fast, slow, and rarely gives an example of what specifically is meant. The writer makes references to things that a beginning photographer, such as myself, might have the vaguest clue about without an explanation, or explanations that aren't very clear. Bracketing is mentioned throughout the book but I'm still understand what the purpose is. I expected clear explanations of the basics - composition, lighting, chosing a shutter speed, and choosing an aperture. The book seems to cover each thing in little bits, then moves on. There's approximately 40 pages (of large text) explaining everything from the different types of cameras, different types of flashes, compostition, lighting, metering, the different ways to meter (as well as the different devices), film, aperture and shutter speeds, and the many sub categories - I excluded all the pages of photographs, and much of the tip boxes since they don't really add much to what's already written on the page. There was more information devoted to the different types of cameras then anything else. I find the book to be almost completely useless. It hardly expands on the manual that came with my camera.

The Best Book of Its Kind!
I like taking pictures and my friends told me I should take a course to consider going professional. Well, I don't have time to take a class, so I bought this book. It makes everything so clear and it is fun! The self-assignments in the book really helped me and everyone says that my pictures have improved since I got this book. I am going to buy a couple more copies to give to other friends who are interested in photography.

this book is unorganized with terrible pics for examples
amit, wedding photog based in Israel, January 21, 2003,
this book is unorganized!
this book is too complicated for a beginner and is very messy. the pictures are terrible and have them posted a page after the explanation on the flash technique. i don't know how this person is a photog. she's far from one, you can see it from her pics. she shoots 60% of her images with a 20mm and 28mm lens using old flashes. the pictures come out terrible, distorted and badly lit pictures. they either are lit too much so you see the foreground blown out and the background dark. most aren't lit properly and all the portrait shots have too much flash in their face and are super distrorted because the use of the wide angle lenses. you can tell she cropped some of the pics that were used with a wide angle lens. she shows usage of 3 vivitar flashes and an umbrella for use in studio work. uh, excuse me..if i have money to buy 3 vivitar flashes i certainly have money for a studio strobe instead. they can even cost less that all of the 3 flashes. all in all this book is very cluttered, and unprofessional. i'd think twice. i'd also like add there's no contact info in her book and on this website. i wouldn't leave contact info if i put out such a book!

Great Beginners book on photography.
I'm an avid photographer and found this book to be about the best for the beginner. The book is written in a laymans language making it easy and most clear to understand the basics of photography. ... Read more

Book Description

Amazon.com

Imagine having 61 widely published photographers from around the world candidly discuss their careers and beliefs while showing you key images from their portfolios. That is the engaging concept of Magnum Stories. From Iran-born Abbas (whose career began with a series about the Vietcong in the 1970s) to Patrick Zachmann (who has documented the lives of Malian immigrants in his native France), each photographer is given ample space to talk about his or her work. Editor Chris Boot accompanies the interviews with a brief explanation of the cultural or political background of each suite of images. The one thing the interviewees have in common is past or current membership in Magnum, a photographers' cooperative founded in 1947 by Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson and David Seymour as a means of breaking free from the editorial tyranny of Life and other photo-based magazines. Boot's introduction deftly summarizes Magnum's history and the practicalities of postwar photography. The presence of vintage "Magnum stories" by such photographers as Erich Hartmann ("Our Daily Bread") and W. Eugene Smith ("Country Doctor") adds a welcome historical dimension. While the founding generation were mostly photo-journalists who organized their images into visual "stories," today's members often pursue topics of personal interest with photographs that do not relate a straightforward narrative. These topics range from outlaw biker gangs in the U.S. (Dennis Stock) to the mountain peoples of Laos, Guatemala and Georgia (John Vink), from the tacky seaside resort of New Brighton in Liverpool, England (Martin Parr) to Siberian prison camps (Carl De Keyzer). With nearly 800 illustrations, this distinctive, square-format book offers a kaleidoscopic survey of the many faces of documentary photography. —-Cathy Curtis ... Read more

Book Description

The photographer's definitive business and legal resource is now completely updated and expanded.In this valuable guide, arts attorney Leonard DuBoff takes you step by step though all the legal aspects of the photography business.Here is expert advice for everything from contracts to trademarks, including government licenses, taxes, censorship, the rights of privacy and publicity, leases and insurance, estate planning, and more.This latest, up-to-the minute edition pays special attention to the legal challenges that have been brought about by digital cameras and the Internet.With the important legal advice found in this guide, you'll save thousands of dollars in attorney fees–and find expert legal assistance when you need it the most. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A basic survey of photographers' rights and obligations
Digital imaging and the Net offer both new markets and legal challenges for photographers: Leonard Duboff's Law In Plain English For Photographers provides a survey of the rights and responsibilities of modern photographers, covering the latest rulings for copyright and trademark law, surveying contract structures and leases, and providing a host of everyday business and legal concerns. An excellent, basic survey of photographers' rights and obligations. ... Read more

Book Description

This all-new edition of BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY has been totally redesigned and updated to encompass the latest photographic techniques, materials, and processes. It includes information on new and improved films and printing papers, automation, digital photography, and monochromatic and hand-colored images, as well as a portfolio section of images by notable contemporary photographers. Offering a uniquely clear, concise, thorough introduction to one of America's most popular avocations, BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY has for nearly 30 years set the standard against which other photographic how-to manuals are measured. It will continue, in this new edition, to be a vital resource for beginning and experienced photographer alike. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Useful
This is an excellent resource for photographic design. In these days of digital photography, people are just clicking away and often don't think about the design of their photos. If you'd like to move from taking snapshots to taking photographs, this will give you the basics of photographic design. You'll learn composition, and how to "see". In other words, you have to develop an eye for the elements of design. This book should be read by students of photography. You'll notice a great improvement iin you photographs after reading this.

Author is holding back
I've read dozens of books on photography and this one has to be the worst one. Why? As a aspiring photographer, I wanted to improve my compositional skill. That's why I bought this book. Bill may be a professional photographer (not a great photographer though IMHO), but he's not a good instructor or writer. This book failed to be an instructional book because details are held back.

For example, he said he learned a great technique by shooting both B&W and color film for the same subject, but he didn't mention at all what technique he learned!!! Why mention it if he's not going to share it? All the technique he talked about in the book are so basic and vague that I get more confused after reading this book. I remembered I learned a lot from John Shaw's and Art Wolfe's books (two of the best and great nature photographers in the world). After reading this book, my mind has become confused. So, I'm going to stop reading it after finishing half of it.

Nice examples, even for a seasoned non-pro shooter
Real nice advice, and easy to read. Some things are a little simple an I knew already, but that is no reason to down grade the book. I picked up plenty of tips and will continue to do so. I don't read it as a book, but I flip through it and read a short chapter on whatever, just a few pages, and think about it. Great reference material. Pictures are good to great but that is not what it is all about,they are examples. Its about learning and bring up the quality to the next level. I am learning to 'see' better and thats what matters. The book works for me!

I wish I didn't buy this book
I briefly browsed the book in local book store. I found a lot of catchy phrases and ordered one from Amazon. Now I really regret that I did. I found that most of the photographs the author used in the book didn't really bear much relationship with the concepts he was trying to convey. It is like his words and images are seperate. Instead, the author was basically trying to self critique, or rather, self appreciate his own images. Maybe I am missing something, but more often I fail to observe the important elements the author was trying to bring my attention to. I have to say, most of the images in the book are quite uninteresting and boring, just like several other reviewers have pointed out. Maybe they are perfect brochure type of images, they just didn't inspire me. When I see some nice photographs, often my reaction is, wow! how did they do it and how can I shoot something like that. I found none of that in this book. I bought quite a few books on photography, this one so far is the only one I am disappointed with.

Good book
THis is a good book if only for the exercises it provides and its intructions on how to evaluate your own work which is especially helpful if you cannot attend photography classes and or workshops. The only thing it lacks is a clear way to interpet your progress after each exercise. ... Read more

Book Description

The Manual of Photography is the standard work for anyone who is serious about photography - professional photographers and lab technicians or managers, as well as students and enthusiastic amateurs who want to become more technically competent. The authors provide comprehensive and accessible coverage of the techniques and technologies of photography.

The Manual has aided many thousands of photographers in their careers. The ninth edition now brings this text into a third century, as the first edition dates from 1890.

Major new updates for the ninth edition include:

Coverage of digital techniques- more emphasis on electronic and hybrid media
Greater coverage of colour measurement, specification and reproduction - illustrated with a new colour plate section

Dealing with the fundamental principles as well as the practices of photography and imaging, the Manual topics ranging from optics to camera types and features, to colour photography and digital image processing and manipulation.

The authors write in a reader-friendly style, using many explanatory illustrations and dividing topics into clear sections.

The authoritative text on virtually every technical aspect of photography and digital imaging
If you are serious about photography you can't afford to be without this book
New colour plate section illustrates the chapters on colour techniques ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Scientific and comprehensive
This book is simply wonderful. It is a detailed and comprehensive treatise on the physical, optical, chemical and otherwise scientific theory behind photography (the authors all have a bevy of these wonderfully quaint British learned society titles, in addition to a hefty list of PhDs and graduate degrees). Also distinctive is that the first edition was published in 1890 and thus it spans three centuries!

That said, the coverage of the latest developments like digital photography is impressive, and this is one of the first photography textbooks that have been updated completely for the coming migration to digital, rather than treating it as an afterthought.

I've been looking for a long time for such a book, that explains the theory without patronizing a scientifically literate reader. For instance, the book explains how ISO ratings are defined for film and for electronic sensors, how depth of field is computed, the diffraction limit on sharpness at small apertures and so on. If you are afraid of equations, this is not the book for you. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An "I can do this " book
I've bought a couple of lighting books that showed rather complex multi-light setups with hairlights,gobos,booms,backgrounds,barndoors yada,yada,yada that left me thinking "hmmmm,I wonder if I can do this??"
This book displays beautifull portraits with simple ambient light, single light, easy soft box etc. setups with clear setup diagrams with the portrait shown. An example, hardly ordinary, was one shot of Tony Blair where the photographer had literaly 180 seconds to setup for the sitting. It made me feel "hey, I CAN do THAT!".
Simple well written for the contemplative novice(me I hope).

BUGMAN840
MY FIRST PORTRAIT LIGHT BOOK, IT IS ONE I'LL KEEP AND LEARN FROM FOR YEARS. I AM NOW STUDYING THIS AREA IN COLLEGE AND IT REALLY HELPS IN CLIMBING THE LEARNING CURVE. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

widen your horizons
Yes, photography is a real art medium and you can take it beyond literal representation and make it more expressive! Make your photography convey how a subject makes you feel rather than what that subject literally is. Andre and Freeman are excellent instructors and this book is wonderful and inspiring. Several different techniques in subjective imagery are presented, including multiple-exposure impressionistic images (with different camera movement techniques for different effects) and the aptly named dreamscapes using photo-montage. The explanations are good, and the techniques are not difficult, although they take practice to master. Don't be discouraged at first, keep experimenting!

For those with a Right Brain
An imaginative and instructive book of images and text. Athough the techniques are written for film, the thrust of the book applies equally to users of digital media.

An Unfulfilled Promise
At first glance, this book might appear to offer photographers a step beyond straight picture-taking as a tool to invoke a response from viewers. Freeman Patterson has always been an important teacher who talks about the role of the photographer, rather than equipment, in creating photographic art. Unfortunately, this book doesn't deliver on its premise or promise.

This book seems to have been made by joining together smaller pieces. There are two short books here under one cover, one called "Photo Impressionism" and the other "the Subjective Image". Then each of these books is made up of relatively unrelated chapters, like the first which discusses the creating of multiple images of the same subject on the same frame of film by making multiple exposures and the second which discusses creating images by sandwiching two or more pieces of film together. That the chapters are unrelated is made obvious by the fact that they are written by each author individually with no collaboration between the authors.

What one learns are a couple of techniques. One involves randomness in the creation of pictures that makes a mockery of the description of photo impressionism as a "depiction...intended to achieve...a vividness or effectiveness...." Ansel Adams' teachings about the role of vision in photography have guided fine photography for many years. Perhaps that has been an error in the conventional wisdom, but most serious photographers would deny any error. Randomness is the antithesis of intention and vision.

Other than that, the book is a collection of trite advice like the fact that exposure and film are important to good photography! A description of an author's trip to Morocco provides little guidance about photo-impressionism, and advice that a "long chin or nose will appear shorter if you lower your camera position" sounds very conventional. What is amazingly lacking in a book released in the 21st century is any reference to the manipulation of images digitally.

However, the photographs in the book are beautiful, and one can see how the authors have tried to speak to our emotions. At the same time many of even the best images appear to be quite conventional in approach.

Photography needs a good book on this subject that can tell serious camera wielders how to "achieve a vividness or effectiveness more by invoking subjective and sensory impressions than by re-creating an objective reality" (to quote the authors' paraphrase of the dictionary). How can one look at a subject and see the potential for its image to be adjusted in a way that will tell the viewer something that could not be said if a mere record was made? This book doesn't tell us that. In fact Patterson's earlier "Photography and the Art of Seeing" does a better job. Someone interested in seeing how one practitioner does this, along with the photographer's thoughts on individual pictures, would probably benefit more by reading Tony Sweet's "Fine Art Nature Photography: Advanced Techniques and the Creative Process"

In summary, nice pictures and weak words. ... Read more

Book Description

Explore the hidden world of pattern, texture and detail, and create stunning images with this comprehensive guide. The emphasis throughout is on techniques that work every time without breaking the bank using larger lenses, teleconverters and connecting rings to take the photographer into the realms of true macro photography. Current advances in camera electronics and digital imaging are also explored. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The Complete Guide to Close Up and MacRo Photography
If one wants to explore and record the beauty of close up objects, this is one anyone should have. Interesting, educational, inspirational and beautiful, this book deserves the praise it is receiving. From the author of Nature's Palette: There's More to See, Michael Impellizzeri.

Amazing macro and micro images
One of the very few books I bought just by looking at the cover (don't you agree the cover is very appealing?) and I'm glad I'm not disappointed (and in hard cover too!), the images are bright and colorful, less focus on flora but it's okay, the techniques are fairly the same.

Much of the technical info can be found in basic photography books but Paul has emphasized certain points for macro work so it can actually double up as one to a certain extent. In fact the chapters are laid out much like a basic photography book.

Simple to understand and yet detailed enough to keep advanced amateurs reading but to really duplicate the efforts one really needs to have the luck and patience. In fact some of the images are micro techniques already.

Unfortunately it did not really enhanced my knowledge on macro (I give 5 stars for the superb presentation and usefulness to a beginner). If you want more technical info on macro like mixing accessories, then read up John Shaw's Closeups in Nature instead. This book is more focused on flora and is also excellent in its own right.

A Wonderful, Excellent Explicit Reference!
If many hold that John Shaw's Closeups in Nature is the Bible, then this is an excellent compendium to it!

I found that this book is pegged at the intermmediate to advanced amateur level. The pictorials are lush and the explanation simple, yet giving reference to the more complicated concepts which was what I was looking for.

The pictures are an inspiration - making me want to go out and put in practice what I have learnt. This is the ultimate test of success in any book. Some excellent examples of this come from Art Wolfe, John Fielding, George Lepp ...

If I were asked to name 2 books that top my list (and I have bought or looked through almost all there is - since this is my passion!) which speak of macro, I would name John Shaw's and this one!

The invaluable information of this book
I had to learn about macro photography for my senior project, and thanks to this book, I got an A on it.

Good advice on every page plus great images
Every page of this book offers good advice and useful tips. While Mr. Davies uses Nikon and Olympus equipment his techniques and suggestions are not brand specific. I could easily identify the equivalent equipment offered by the manufacturer I prefer (Pentax). Before I even finished this book I had tried several of the techniques Mr. Davies demonstrates. I was surprised at how simple taking sharp macro images could be, even using equipment I already had on hand, when following the steps in this book. It is the best specialized photography book I have read in some time. It is now on my reference shelf next to Clive Nichols' Photographing Plants & Gardens. ... Read more

Book Description

The measurement of colour is important in many commercial operations and in various professions. Colour is clearly of major importance in the textile, paint and foodstuff industries, but in addition, it plays significant roles in the lighting, paper, printing, cosmetic, plastics, glass chemical, photographic, television, transport and communication industries. The professions in which colour is important include medicine, art, architecture, entertainment and design. Colour is affected by the type of lighting, by the nature of objects illuminated, and by the properties of the colour vision of observers; the interaction of these features are fully described and explained.

This third edition contains the latest developments in the theory and practice of measuring colour and also has a series of Appendices that provide a review of photometric measures and tables of data necessary for colour computations, and a glossary of terms and full index. Also Recommended: "Beyond Monochrome," "Creative Elements." ... Read more

Book Description

Here is a comprehensive overview, written by a practicing master in the field, on shooting interior photography professionally for artistic, technical, and financial success. Solid information is supported by varied interior photography of the quality seen in advertising, coffee table books, and shelter magazines. Clear, instructive lighting setup diagrams are provided for 30 different lighting techniques. This guide focuses on all the techniques needed to achieve success, including lighting, location, props, styling, using both traditional and digital equipment, and adding people, pets, and action to a shot. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A beautiful, well written book BUT strictly for beginners.
Eric Roth is a terrific interior photographer and this book is perfect for the aspiring interior photographer because Eric gives very good advice in approaching a space visually and preparing it, that said from someone who already has his own style i was a little disappointed because i was hoping to get more technical info regarding lighting but this 150+ plus page book only has around 40 pages devoted to lighting and unfortunately these are principles i already know, the rest are devoted to design throries, tips and tricks and the like.If your looking for a more hardcore lighting and technicalbook, this isn't it. If your interested in starting a career in interior photography, this book is an excellent starting point, if your already an experienced shooter of interiors and are looking for more sophisticated technical skill lessons, stay away, get the Steve Bavister book instead, that gives more technical info.

juicy and informative
It's rare to find someone who is both great at what they do, and great at writing about it, but Eric Roth is both. I am a professional muralist, and in the past I've been frustrated trying to take good pictures of my interior work. I loved Eric's book because he went beyond the technical details (which were clearly and elegantly explained) to show an artist's approach to taking pictures.

Looking at the book, I realized than many of the interior pictures I've clipped from magazines over the years were in fact done by Eric. His work just sings. The light is amazing, the placements inspired. The info on prepping and styling for shots was invaluable. Any one who has ever drooled over a beautiful magazine spread and wondered "how do they do it?" would love this book.

Reading the book, I was tremendously impressed by his professionalism and dedication. It was clear to me that he had carefully thought through every aspect of the work, and was eager to explain away any difficulties. I've seldom learned so much, so painlessly, reading a how-to. In fact, his style was so pleasant it was a real page-turner.

Though I am a novice at photography, I am sure the aspiring professional would find a ton of useful advice as well. My husband, who does professional photo work and 3-D architectural renderings, was enthralled with it and gleaned many useful tips.

Highly recommended for anyone interested in interiors, or photography in general!

Great Reference Guide!
For anyone even remotely interested in producing beautiful photographs of interior spaces and outdoor gardens, this book will not disappoint. It's filled with an abundance of helpful "how to's",but not only with regards to technical information.There is plenty of that to be sure, but throughout the book,the author speaks freely about creative inspiration, and emphasizes and advises on the importance of approaching the subject with a confident and critical eye. In the end, though, it is the photographs that say the most. The photographer is obviously a master of his craft. The images cover a broad range of wildly diverse interiors, beautiful, lush gardens, and colorful, impeccably composed details and still lifes. The lighting in every shot compliments perfectly, and adds as much to the image as the physical elements of the compositions. They are each easily worth more than a thousand words...

Ooo la la
I loved Eric Roth's Interior Photography book.It is brimming with sage advice.The photographs are visual poetry, each stunning image draws you into it's beautiful little world.Eric is truly a master of lighting.The lighting in the interiors is seamless, everything looks as though it has been lighted with the most lovely, natural light.I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in not only shooting interiors but also doing any kind of commerical photography.There is a plethora of valuable information and wisdom in this book. ... Read more

Book Description

A comprehensive how-to/where-to guide to photographing more than 100 sites along the coast of Maine.

From dramatic rocky beaches and austere lighthouses to quiet harbors filled with lobster boats, tourists flock from around the world to photograph Maine's coastline. This book, written by two veteran photographers, tells you exactly where to go and how to go about shooting these "picture-perfect" places.

Directions to each site (including detailed maps), seasonal timing, places to eat and stay, and photographic tips accompany each site location, in addition to appendices featuring the authors' favorite places to photograph and tips on digital photography. Whether you want to capture close-up images of seaside flora and fauna or an old lobster boat to create your own postcard, this book will take you where you need to go. 60 full-colorPhotos, 15 maps, appendices. ... Read more