A great book for digital photographers - plus it's fun and interesting
359542
As a new Photoshop user, I was looking for a book that would help me understand all the complexities of the program and although I haven't read all the book yet, I've been really happy with it so far and have found it very helpful in explaining things in a clear and concise way, and also in a conversational manner which I like.

As a Photoshop Elements user for many years, I thought transitioning to Photoshop would not be quite the challenge it turned out to be, but there is in fact a giant learning curve involved. I struggled for a while thinking I could figure it out on my own, but finally caved in and began searching for a book to help me. After reading the reviews I chose this one and I'm glad I did. Thanks for a great book!
1710982
As a hobbyist photographer, I take hundreds of family photos of my kids and my wife. This book was instrumental in helping me understand why I continuously got good, but not great, portraits. Danielle is articulate in her explanations of body language, and there are plenty of helpful illustrations that make it easy for readers to understand the content.

The chapter on "Show the Pose" and "Shooting ages and framing" were game changers for me. I applied some of the techniques and very quickly noticed an improved experience in how my subjects interacted with the camera; more natural to say the last. Most importantly, taking family photos became much more fun and I ended up with plenty more usable photos as a result.

The chapters on working with clients are not relevant to me, but I would expect there is lots of good advice available in this book for professional photographers. I would recommend it to Pros and Amateurs alike.
2414657
Thanks to the author Eric who wrote a wonderful book on photography, he amazed me with great photography techniques. This book contains practical information on how to take jaw-dropping portraits of your family and friends. It is very refreshing and different book that fascinates me with turning of each page because it is clearly written and illustrated portrait photography. This is a great surprise for me because by the 7 simple techniques and guidelines I took excellent shots without being a professional. The thing I like most about this book was the chapter on posing tips such as posing without hands and to keep your chin up and I enjoyed it very much. I learned through this book that how I can have fun with my camera and capture amazing shots. I love reading this wonderful book because this book showed me the ways to enhance my passion for photography and to mesmerize everyone with the art of portrait photography.
2519962
This is one of the more interesting photography books I have read during my sixty years doing photography. The four chapters of the book are; The Environmental Portrait, Compositing Techniques, 3D Scanning of Found Objects, and Great Product Photography.  When just considering the topics, one might think this is a real potpourri of subjects.

But this is more than just a book of technique.  The four chapters are autobiographical and reflect his philosophy and approach to developing a better photograph.  In one sense, he allows the reader to "get into his thinking process" and that is important because it allows one to better understand how he has been successful.

He reveals in large part how he has marketed and negotiated his commercial contracts.  I suspect some readers will be less interested in that aspect of his writings.

The book contains significant information on how Photoshop was used to achieve the specific photo discussed in each section.  One soon realizes that a project requires an in-depth knowledge of digital imaging and how to use Photoshop.  The examples are not for the neophyte in digital photography.

For those who are looking for the step-by-step technical aspects off digital imaging the book is accompanied by a CD which has several in-depth sections including tutorials covering specific operations or techniques in Photoshop.  Also there are brief sections on understanding the basics of digital images, your monitor and printing.

This is primarily a book for photographers who wish to advance their capabilities.  For those new to photography and Photoshop, I'd suggest studying the CD material first; then read the book.

Charles Heisterkamp, III, M.D. - Photographer
2219197
I usually don't give books 5 stars because I always feel like there is room for improvement, but I really liked this book. Not only were the photos beautiful or interesting but I loved the fact he took the time to write down the settings and conditions he was in when he took the photos. Even though most if not all the photos are taken with a film camera, he explains the difference or what needs to be done to take the photo with a digital camera. He compares photos on different pages so you get the sense if one element changes, how different the photo can look.
I'm ready to read it again.
4761972
On page 558 of this stunning photo book there is a studio shot taken in 1960 by Bill Sumits of thirty-eight Life photographers, surely the only time in history that so many great photographers have been together in one place and it is amazing to think that the ninety-nine featured in the book were all on the staff of this one publication.

The book is arranged alphabetically and each photographer gets between five and eight images plus their photo and short hundred or so word biography.  Now it's possible to see who took so many images that defined a moment and became classic examples of photojournalism and also to see other examples of their great work. John Loengard's introduction does not say so but I assume all the photos did appear in Life and they cover the years from 1936 (when the title started) to 1997.  The book is well designed with mostly one photo per page (well printed in 175 dpi) and a caption and nicely some photos get longer captions where a photographer reveals some background detail about their images.

There are a lot of news type photos here, especially from the Second World War years but equally as many taken from the photo-essay style work that Life became famous for.  Others show celebrities and ordinary folk going about their lives.  These photos are so good that you have to stop and really take notice of what they are telling you.  I think this wonderful book is a strong visual reminder of how great Life was.

A fascinating book that came out some years ago:&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Great-Photographic-Essays-from-Life/dp/0821207423/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Great Photographic Essays from Life</a>&nbsp;and still available (quite cheaply, too) has twenty-two photo essays reproduced slightly smaller than they originally appeared in the weekly.  I found it fascinating to see how great photos, which I've seen many times in other books over the years, were presented on the page.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.
2597577
Harold Davis had a great idea when he teamed with Wiley to write about different aspects of photography, and this is one of the best results of that collaboration.  Virtually an encyclopedic catalog of ideas for night shots is offered with a plethora of tips on how to take them.  The accompanying photos are a delight to examine.  There are also pertinent charts.  Technical information is accessible, in part due to the glossary in the back of the book.  It's 239 pages  of fun.  Interest is growing in this field of photography, one especially popular night subject being star trails.  Harold covers this and other fascinating types of night photography--with cautions about safety he obviously learned the hard way!
Get your creative juices flowing and buy this book!
3672964
If you are looking to make the jump from Amateur to Pro in digital photography, and you are dead broke, this is the book for you. Written in a style that actually reminds me a lot of my own (the author makes recommendations based on things he knows works, and largely ignores the things that he knows don't, and instead of paragraphs and paragraphs of explanation as to why you should do things a certain way, he tells you how to do and lets logic speak for itself), this is an amazingly in-depth book on the A to Z of digital photos.

The first 13 chapters (116 pages) cover the more physical end of things like selecting a camera, and creating accessories. The other two thirds of the book (236 pages and 23 chapters) is not so much about HOW to use software to accomplish everything from resizing and editing photos to calibrating your screen and editing said photos, as it is about WHY you need to use these software tools and WHERE to find them. In fact, I would say that it's almost a buyer's guide...of free or nearly free software to be found on the Internet.

Can you find all of the information in this book on the Internet? Sure. But when it's organized so well, the information is so well-thought-out, and the scope of things covered is extensive, why bother? This book is a one-stop reference to what you need to do in order to have the tools that you need to be a pro-level digital photographer. It does not teach you to use those tools and that is not its intention.

The only real flaw I can see in this book is that in 5 to 10 years all of the urls and programs referenced will be out of date. If you want to take your digital photography skills to the next level, and don't mind figuring out how to use the tools yourself (and would rather not spend countless hours researching the best photo software in every category) you will find this book absolutely indispensible.
583908
This book is different from other books covering the same Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 (PE10) software in that it is targeted toward photographers who use their digital cameras to capture images AND also use this software to modify and enhance them, or even create something new using fantastic digital tools and techniques.

Because the picture taker is also the picture manipulator on the computer, this book provides many suggestions and tips throughout the chapters on how to take pictures, so that the results can be more easily or even possibly modified later using PE10. This is very important and helpful, because there is often much less image manipulation required if the picture can be planned as much as possible in terms of the desired aperture, shutter speed, focus, lighting, color, and composition.

For example, you want to take pictures of the popular Wallstreet Bull in NYC during the busy daytime hours, but you don't want people in the picture. This is nearly impossible as there are constantly people posing in front of the Bull. PE10 has a new function called Photmerge Scene Cleaner (PSC) which will allow you to remove unwanted subjects from a picture. The book emphasizes however that PSC is only possible if you can take multiple pictures from the EXACT same location AND that the unwanted subjects cannot be stationary in all of the pictures. With this knowledge, you will then be able to take the necessary shots and produce a Bull picture without people in it. It is pointers like this that make this book useful for photographers.

The book is printed in full color and lavishly illustrated with many "Before" and "After" pictures, as well as menu functions and screenshots. Although PE10 is a lot simpler than the full blown Photoshop program, it is nonetheless a richly featured image manipulation software that will require considerable time to understand and master. This book does an excellent job of demonstrating the power of the software and provides knowledge that photographers need to produce the desired effect both in camera and on the computer.
3182087
This is a terrific first book on taking photos with digital cameras. The subtitle is 'A No-Nonsense, Jargon-Free Guide for Beginners,' and that is exactly what this book is. It is very clear, easy to understand, and very well illustrated (in color) with examples to make it easy to get the author's points.
The strength of this book is that it provides an excellent introduction to the fundamentals of photography. After a short section covering hardware and software, the first main section of the book covers photography, with a 2-page spread on each major point. For example, the first one covers lighting. If you don't get lighting right, nothing else matters - and so many people waste time and film shooting in bad light, or mis-using their flash. He goes on to discuss exposure, composition, depth of field, point of view, and many other essentials. Each of these is clearly (if briefly) explained, with excellent illustrations.
The other major section of the book is an exploration of the digital side (both technically and creatively). In a similar fashion to the points on photography, the author walks through key techniques which can be used to manipulate images on a computer.
My strong bias is that people should focus on taking good photographs rather than on technology. It takes too much editing to make a bad shot acceptable, and editing will almost never give you a really great shot if you didn't get the fundamentals right. This book is written by an experienced photographer and writer, and it shows.
A few notes on what this is NOT:
- It's not a guide to buying a digital camera. But research on what to buy is better done using websites, as the offerings change too quickly.
- It's not a detailed guide to how to use any particular software. This book covers the highlights of image editing on a computer, and gives you an idea of what can be done, so you know what to try and look for on your particular software.
Digital Photography may even seem too simple the first time you pick it up, but that is deceptive. If you master what is here, you will be a very good photographer - because the author knows what he's talking about, and how to explain it simply, and has wisely focused on the key points.
If you are already an experienced film photographer and want more detail on the digital side, consider Freeman's Complete Guide to Digital Photography as an alternative to this.
Now is a good time to give this a try, and Bavister's Digital Photography is great if you want to learn about both the digital and the photography elements. It is a good choice for an adult, or a smart teen with that gift of their first camera.
425874
A got this book from a friend and I was positively surprised by the witty humor and the professional photography . I must admit that I cheated several time by reading the answers on the next side , but I got a few of the " pun lines " . I also enjoyed the description of the way the photos where made ...very helpful if you are interested in photography . A perfect book not only to read by yourselves, but also to hand around at a party , makes a nice little party game . Who gets the most photos right ? Can't wait for the next volume .
1567645
This bookset is fantastic in that you can pick up some great photography tricks without having to learn the mathematics behind each exposure.  Kelby includes some great picture examples for each concept he is writing about.  Each "concept" has a page devoted to describing how Kelby got to the picture and some useful tidbits to help you perfect a similar shot.  The book is arranged into chapters that have like themes... wedding shots, portrait photos, landscapes, etc.  What he doesn't cover much is things like what f-stop or ISO are, instead he gives you suggestions on what should work in certain situations, which can be quite handy.  I should also mention that his writing has a humorous slant to it, which keeps the writing lively.  Overall, he provides various tidbits that you may overlook that will help you improve your photography skills.
3795825
As a neophyte in the digital camera world,I was challenged and inspired by the possibilities presented to me by Gregory Georges.  This book provides more information than I ever expected to find in one place, and will be all I need to become a good photog as I go into my retirement years.  I found extremely useful the author's comparisons of digital image editors.  Thank you, Gregory Georges, for writing a "how to" book that is fun to read and clear in its directions.
37790
Even though I've only read the first few chapters and scanned a few more pages for their images so far, I can safely say this is one of the best photography books I've ever laid eyes on. The author/photographer, David duChemin, uses a very simple, lay-person, non-technical approach to deciphering the methods for achieving one's photographic vision. It is NOT a how-to book; rather, it focuses more on the why-to. And, it is a breath of fresh air among the stuffy, thick, over-technical extensions of camera manuals trying to pass as inspiration. On the flip side, it offers a unique, open, and introspective view to the heart and vision of an incredible photographer that one would usually not find in a coffee table photo book. Yet, the images are so powerful, it will undoubtedly find its home at the top of the stack of books on my coffee table... just as soon as my sons are old enough to know not to destroy it. :)

For anyone looking to hone their own vision, or just find a bit of inspiration, I HIGHLY recommend this book!
808230
I read this book during an impromptu photo shoot at a friend's house and thought it was a great tutorial on how to take and edit professional looking photos.  We were just messing around having a little bit of fun, and didn't think much of it, but I was shocked at how well the pictures came out with just a few of the steps learned here! I think this is a really good book and recommend it!
227585
Have you ever taken pictures, only to have them developed and not-so-attractive?  Now, with the advent of the Digital Camera Era, it seems these modern cameras do everything.
This is quite a very interesting little read, showing and explaining to you all the little intricacies of these cameras.
I know myself, as common person who loves to take photos  of nature and animals and also takes photos for our volunteer  fire dept, sometimes my photos are not as good as I thought they would be. I learned a lot just from reading this little book , like how to fix settings for different  areas  of the  photo.
Anyone who likes to take pictures will get a deeper understanding of photo taking without it being so deep in knowledge that you will lose interest in it.
1321197
Sure there are different ways to see things, but as the first book I read about photography, I really enjoy it. Funny, I feel like reading it and have a hard time stopping once I started (enjoying photography very much, in fact; maybe it's not just because of the book). The author presents some useful hints and explores interesting shooting possibilities, although somehow briefly. There are chapters about exposure, light, picking your equipment etc. The photoshop part is also great (and we sure should learn it), although I personally like the action part better... :) If you're looking for a book that contains everything and in a detailed manner, this one is not it; it's nice to read, but superficial, and doesn't bring too much technical (boring?) details, which is good for me as a beginner, in my point of view; you may think otherwise. (There are other books that deal specifically and deeply with light, exposure, composition and all that, with lots of details.) Well, although it will definitely not make you a National Geographic photographer just by reading it, I really think it's a good all-in-one to start with. Five stars for a beginner's book.