Sunday, April 29, 2012

The Photographer's Vision: Understanding and Appreciating Great Photography

The Photographer's Vision: Understanding and Appreciating Great Photography Review

The Photographer's Vision: Understanding and Appreciating Great Photography

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In The Photographer's Eye, Michael Freeman showed what a photographer needs to do in the instant before the shutter is released. In the sequel, The Photographer's Mind, he explained the way that professional photographers think a picture through before taking it. Both of these international best-sellers featured Michael's own photography: stunning landscapes, revealing portraits, and fascinating street photography. Now, in The Photographer's Vision, he examines the work of photography's greats, explaining how to look at a photo - and how to learn from looking at it.

- Michael Freeman is the author of the global bestseller, The Photographer's Eye. Now published in sixteen languages, The Photographer's Eye continues to speak to photographers everywhere. Reaching 100,000 copies in print in the US alone, and 300,000+ worldwide, it shows how anyone can develop the ability to see and shoot great digital photographs.

- Features work from some of the most distinguished names in photography's history: Nick Knight, Frederick Henry Evans, Frans Lanting, Tim Page, Wolfgang Tillmans, Nan Goldin, Paul Outerbridge, Walker Evans, Cindy Sherman, Elliott Erwitt, Trent Parke, Jeff Wall, Paul Strand, Romano Cagnoni, Horst Faas, James Casebere and many more.

- Provides visually stunning photos as well as intellectually authoritative narrative.


Saturday, April 28, 2012

The Best of Family Portrait Photography: Professional Techniques and Images

The Best of Family Portrait Photography: Professional Techniques and Images Review

The Best of Family Portrait Photography: Professional Techniques and Images

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Artwork from 30 of the industry's top photographers is used to highlight both clear-cut shooting strategies and colorful, cutting-edge approaches to family portraiture in this handbook intended for idea gathering and inspiration. Advice on focal length, perspective, and maximizing the potential of digital equipment highlights the technical aspects of family portraiture while group posing strategies demonstrate how best to flatter each subject and convey a sense of family unity. A lengthy discussion of lighting—the backbone of portraiture—and the manipulation of shadows and highlights instructs photographers on how to create mood and interest in a variety of lighting scenarios, both indoors and out. Specifics on adjusting body lines, colors, and shapes, working with young children, and creating a comfortable atmosphere ensure that the photographer captures the unique personality of each family with dynamic and attractive images.


Thursday, April 26, 2012

Speedliter's Handbook: Learning to Craft Light with Canon Speedlites

Speedliter's Handbook: Learning to Craft Light with Canon Speedlites Review

Speedliter's Handbook: Learning to Craft Light with Canon Speedlites

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Speedliter's Handbook: Learning to Craft Light with Canon Speedlites Feature

  • Speedliter's Handbook Table of Contents:
  • 1 The Nature Of Light
  • 2 The Speedlite Family
  • 3 Speedlite Control
  • 4 Exposure Exposed
Getting your Canon Speedlite to produce the light you need can be a real challenge. For those new to flash photography—or for anyone who has previously given up out of frustration—Speedliter’s Handbook is a revelation. Photographer Syl Arena takes you on a journey that begins with an exploration of light and color, moves through a comprehensive discussion of the Canon Speedlite family and all of the accessories and equipment available to the Speedliter, then settles down to crafting great light in one photo shoot after another. Whether you want to create a classical portrait, shoot an event, or simply add a little fill light to a product shot, Speedliter’s Handbook shows you how.

A fantastic in-depth resource illustrated with over 500 images, Speedliter’s Handbook covers:
  • how to see the various characteristics and properties of light itself, as well as the differences between how your camera sees versus how you see
  • all the buttons and dials of the entire Canon Speedlite family
  • the basics of on-camera flash…and the necessity of getting your flash off the camera
  • how to beautifully balance flash with the existing ambient light
  • all the equipment necessary for great Speedlite shots
  • how to get amazing shots with just one Speedlite
  • how and when to use E-TTL versus manual flash
  • the use of color gels to balance color, as well as create dramatic effects
  • how to tame the sun—or any really bright light—with hi-speed sync
  • and much, much more
Whether you’re shooting portraits, events, or sports, Speedliter’s Handbook is an essential resource that teaches you how to craft the light you need for any type of shot you want.


Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Night and Low-Light Photography Photo Workshop

Night and Low-Light Photography Photo Workshop Review

Night and Low-Light Photography Photo Workshop

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Finally! A resource that sheds light on the unique challenges of night and low-light photography

With their unique sets of challenges, night and low-light photography are often touted as some of the most difficult and frustrating genres of digital photography. This much-needed guide demystifies any murky topics provides you with all the information you need to know from choosing the right gear and camera settings to how to best edit your photos in post-production. Renowned photographer Alan Hess shares techniques and indispensable tips that he has garnered from years of experience.

Helpful projects and full-color stunning photos in each chapter serve to educate and inspire, while assignments at the end of every chapter encourage you to practice your skills and upload your photos to a website so you can share and receive critiques.

  • Details best practices for taking portraits, landscapes, and action shots in night or low light
  • Features specific coverage of concert photography and low-light event photography
  • Answers the most frequent questions that photographers face while tackling this challenging technique

Packed with invaluable advice and instruction, Night and Low-Light Photography Photo Workshop doesn?t leave you in the dark.


Sunday, April 22, 2012

David Busch's Sony Alpha NEX-7 Guide to Digital Photography

David Busch's Sony Alpha NEX-7 Guide to Digital Photography Review

David Busch's Sony Alpha NEX-7 Guide to Digital Photography

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David Busch's Sony Alpha NEX-7 Guide to Digital Photography  is a comprehensive guidebook for getting the best results with your NEX-7. This exciting and long-anticipated camera, the high-end model in the Sony compact mirrorless camera line, includes an ultra-high-resolution 24MP sensor, a 2.4-million dot electronic viewfinder, pro HD movie-making capabilities (with a built-in stereo microphone), and more. It's a remarkable camera, and with David Busch as your friendly mentor, you'll always be in full creative control, whether you're shooting on the job, as an advanced hobbyist, or are just out for fun. With clear how-to steps and full-color illustrations, David Busch's Sony Alpha NEX-7 Guide to Digital Photography covers all the features of this capable camera in depth, from taking your first photos through advanced details of setup, exposure, lenses, lighting, and more, and relates each feature to specific photographic techniques and situations. Start building your knowledge, creativity, and confidence with the Alpha NEX-7 today.


Friday, April 20, 2012

The Camera (Ansel Adams Photography, Book 1)

The Camera (Ansel Adams Photography, Book 1) Review

The Camera (Ansel Adams Photography, Book 1)

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This is an atrractively priced photography classic made accessible to a wider, new audience. It covers everything from "seeing" the finished photo in advance, to lens choices. It is illustrated with many of Ansel Adams most famous images.


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

The Photographer's Mind: Creative Thinking for Better Digital Photos

The Photographer's Mind: Creative Thinking for Better Digital Photos Review

The Photographer's Mind: Creative Thinking for Better Digital Photos

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The source of any photograph is not the camera or even the scene viewed through the viewfinder--it is the mind of the photographer: this is where an image is created before it is committed to a memory card or film. In The Photographer's Mind, the follow-up to the international bestseller, The Photographer's Eye, photographer and author Michael Freeman unravels the mystery behind the creation of a photograph.

The nature of photography demands that the viewer constantly be intrigued and surprised by new imagery and different interpretations, more so than in any other art form. The aim of this book is to answer what makes a photograph great, and to explore the ways that top photographers achieve this goal time and time again.

As you delve deeper into this subject, The Photographer's Mind will provide you with invaluable knowledge on avoiding cliché, the cyclical nature of fashion, style and mannerism, light, and even how to handle the unexpected.

Michael Freeman is the author of the global bestseller, The Photographer's Eye. Now published in sixteen languages, The Photographer's Eye continues to speak to photographers everywhere. Reaching 100,000 copies in print in the US alone, and 300,000+ worldwide, it shows how anyone can develop the ability to see and shoot great digital photographs.

  • Written by the author of The Photographer's Eye.
  • Provides you with invaluable knowledge on avoiding cliché, the cyclical nature of fashion, style and mannerism, light and even how to handle the unexpected.
  • Contains over 400 breathtaking images from real photographic assignments, with schematic illustrations of how and why the images work.


Monday, April 16, 2012

The Digital Photography Book, Part 4

The Digital Photography Book, Part 4 Review

The Digital Photography Book, Part 4

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Scott Kelby, author of The Digital Photography Book (the best-selling digital photography book of all time), is back with another follow-up to his smash best-seller, with an entirely new book that picks up right where volume 3 left off. It's even more of that "Ah ha, so that' s how they do it," straight-to-the-point, skip-the-techno-jargon stuff people can really use today, and that made volume 1 the world's best-selling book on digital photography.

This book truly has a brilliant premise, and here's how Scott describes it: "If you and I were out on a shoot and you asked me, 'Hey Scott, I want the light for this portrait to look really soft and flattering. How far back should I put this softbox?' I wouldn't give you a lecture about lighting ratios, or flash modifiers. In real life, I'd just turn to you and say, 'Move it in as close to your subject as you possibly can, without it actually showing up in the shot.' Well, that's what this book is all about: you and I out shooting where I answer questions, give you advice, and share the secrets I've learned, just like I would with a friend--without all the technical explanations and techie photo speak."

Each page covers a single concept on how to make your photography better. Every time you turn the page, you'll learn another pro setting, tool, or trick to transform your work from snapshots into gallery prints. If you're tired of taking shots that look "okay," and if you're tired of looking in photography magazines and thinking, "Why don't my shots look like that?" then this is the book for you.

This isn't a book of theory, full of confusing jargon and detailed concepts. This is a book on which button to push, which setting to use, and when to use it. With another 200 of the most closely guarded photographic "tricks of the trade," this book gets you shooting dramatically better-looking, sharper, more colorful, more professional-looking photos every time.


Saturday, April 14, 2012

Fashion Photography: A Complete Guide to the Tools and Techniques of the Trade

Fashion Photography: A Complete Guide to the Tools and Techniques of the Trade Review

Fashion Photography: A Complete Guide to the Tools and Techniques of the Trade

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Fashion photography is glamorous. Fashion photography is hot. Fashion photography pays well! Now is the time to get into fashion photography, and there’s no better way to learn all the tricks and tips of this trade than Fashion Photography. Insider Bruce Smith explores every aspect of fashion photography, from high-end couture and beauty for both editorial and commercial clients, to runway, swimwear, lingerie, and more, with full information on how to break into the business. Topics include equipment, styling, backgrounds, hair and makeup, locations, lighting, production and directing, Photoshop, prepping images, marketing, and much, much more. Interviews with Nigel Barker, Dirk Franke, Barry Lategan, and other top names give insight into succeeding in the field. Fast-track your career with Fashion Photography!


Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set, Volumes 1, 2, and 3

Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set, Volumes 1, 2, and 3 Review

Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set, Volumes 1, 2, and 3

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This attractive boxed set includes:
The Digital Photography Book (ISBN 0-321-47404-X)
The Digital Photography Book, Volume 2 (ISBN 0-321-52476-4)
The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3 (ISBN 0-321-61765-7)

Scott Kelby, the man who changed the "digital darkroom" forever with his groundbreaking, #1 bestselling, award-winning book The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers, shows which button to push, which setting to use, when to use them, and hundreds of the most closely guarded photographic "tricks of the trade" to get budding photographers shooting dramatically better-looking, sharper, more colorful, more professional-looking photos with their digital camera every time they press the shutter button.

Scott tackles the most important side of digital photography--how to take pro-quality shots using the same tricks today's top digital pros use (and it's easier than you'd think). Each chapter is packed with plain English tips on using flash, shooting close up photography, travel photography, shooting people, and even how to build a studio from scratch, where he demystifies the process so anyone can start taking pro-quality portraits today! Plus, he's got full chapters on his most requested topics, including loads of tips for landscape photographers, wedding photographers, and there's an entire chapter devoted to sharing some of the pro's secrets for making your photos look more professional, no matter what you're shooting.


Monday, April 9, 2012

Exposure Photo Workshop: Develop Your Digital Photography Talent

Exposure Photo Workshop: Develop Your Digital Photography Talent Review

Exposure Photo Workshop: Develop Your Digital Photography Talent

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Named One of Shutterbug Magazines Top Digital Imaging Books of 2008!

Capturing an image and getting the right exposure is critical and Jeff Wignall recognizes exposure as the secret for creating an image that captures a vision and shares it with the world. When you apply his techniques with patience, experimentation, and a focus on the outcome, you will begin creating images that reveal not only what you saw, but how you felt when you saw it. In fact according to Shutterbug magazine Exposure Photo Workshop “may be the best book yet written about exposure.” By learning to work with natural light as well as when to use flash you will confidently capture action, night scenes, rainbows, sunsets, and reflections like never before. With stunning images, Jeff Wignall shows you how to perfectly expose pictures in even the most challenging existing light conditions, including poor weather, using a flash, and even a section guiding you through using multiple wireless flash units. You can upload your own images to Photoworkshop.com and get feedback from other photographers.

Wignall starts by explaining the fundamentals of exposure and why it’s important. This leads into learning the basics of exposure controls. By the end of chapter 2, you will know how to control the exposure on your point-and-shoot or digital SLR camera. Chapter 3 walks readers through measuring light using just about any light meter and Chapter 4 delves into lens apertures and depth of field. The focus moves to shutter speed and subject motion. After Chapter 6, you’ll have the knowledge and confidence to turn off your camera’s automatic settings and take manual control. Wignall then examines natural light exposures, discussing the intricacies of light quality, light direction, and time of day. As you approach more advanced exposure options, you’ll need the troubleshooting advice provided in Chapter 8, covering difficult situations such as metering challenges, handling contrast, and creating dramatic silhouettes. With more advanced techniques mastered, you can then approach night and low-light conditions and then examine special considerations such as the weather and natural phenomena. The book finishes strong with a comprehensive look at all things flash photography.