Book Description
This full-color book is designed to tap the exploding market in serious digital photography with over 250 pages of new and beautiful photos, essential photography how-to information and no-fail formulas for getting great digital pictures with the newly announced Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi/400D. It goes above and beyond competitive digital SLR books with step-by-step techniques that cover exposure, composition, and professional shooting tips on perspective, impact, and more. Charlotte K. Lowrie, author of two previous Digital Field Guides (see below), is an acclaimed photographer who was managing editor of editorial content for MSN Photos and now writes online instructional content for Canon.
Charlotte K. Lowrie (Woodinville, WA) is a freelance editorial and stock photographer and an award-winning writer. Her work has appeared in Popular Photography & Imaging and PHOTOgraphic magazines, and she is the author of the bestselling Canon EOS Digital Rebel Digital Field Guide as well as Adobe Camera Raw Studio Skills, the Canon EOS 30D Digital Field Guide, and Teach Yourself Visually Digital Photography, Second Edition, all from Wiley. Charlotte also teaches photography classes through BetterPhoto.com.
Customer Reviews:
Not quite what I was looking for.......2007-09-29
I bought this book with the intention of learning more about my Rebel DSLR. I am pretty disappointed with this title.
The first issue I have with this book is the photos are entirely uninspiring. Next, everything you need to know to get started is available in the Rebel manual, which I have read and just paid for again apparently.
If you've never taken a decent photo before in your life, if you've never used an SLR of any type, if you've need a very rudimentary understanding of the histogram, apertures and shutter speeds, or if you've managed to lose your Rebel XTi Manual from Canon, you might want to pick up this title.
Otherwise I don't think there is anything offered here you can't obtain with experimentation and experience.
Great field guide.......2007-09-24
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi/400D Digital Field Guide
This is an easy-to-read "how to" for Digital Rebel XTi users. Ms. Lowry is easy to understand and concise throughout this book, and I find that I turn to it quite often when shooting in different settings than I am used to.
If you're unfamiliar with your Canon XTi/400D, this really is the book to have!
A great book for a beginning digital photographer.......2007-09-21
This book is well written, especially for a beginning photographer such as myself. Well stated review of the photographic essentials, lots of good recommendations concerning lenses, styles, settings, and a fairly complete list of all of the "knobs" that are available in the Digital Rebel. The last chapter has a lot of great examples and experiments that are fun to attempt. After reading this book, I keep it in my camera bag for reference, and have been having a lot of fun shooting volleyball and football games for my kids, as well as trying my hand at some more "artistic" styles of photography and having some mild successes after only having the camera for 3 weeks. Spent one evening with a half full glass of wine, and a lamp, shooting low light shots, and trying all of the applicable "knobs". Very informative, and gave me lots of good ideas for utilizing the camera's capabilities.
Very good Easy to understand Book.......2007-09-21
This book is very easy to read and the writer speaks in plan english language. I have only read a couple of chapters but I found all of the instructions easy to follow. There are some photography projects in the later chapters that help you to understand more about how the camera functions and how you can get some great pictures from the Rebel XTI.
Little more than a rehashed manual.......2007-09-02
I found this guide to be far too basic to be useful. Important topics are glossed over and they are covered in a sequence that will help a new user adapt to taking pictures. A more robust treatment of the cameras features or differences from point and shoot models would have been much more helpful. This is a book to buy used or get from the library.
Book Description
For serious amateur photographers who already shoot perfectly focused, accurately exposed images but want to be more creative with a camera, here's the book to consult. More than seventy techniques, both popular and less-familiar approaches, are covered in detail, including advanced exposure, bounced flash and candlelight, infrared, multiple images, soft-focus effects, unusual vantage points, zooming, and other carefully chosen ways to enhance photographs. The A-Z format make sit easy for readers to find a specific technique, and each one is explained in jargon-free language. Top Tips for each technique help readers achieve superb results, even on the first attempt.
Customer Reviews:
Basic.......2007-10-04
Very basic book, mostly for those who are absolute beginners in photography or for point-and-shooters that are upgrading to SLR.
Great Book for Users.......2007-09-27
I purchased this book after reading reviews and having people suggest this literature to me. I have to say that the author makes it very straightforward, concise and comfortable to read. For a amateur photographer, this book is a gem and I highly suggest reading it just to familiarize yourself with the basic conceps of exposure and how you apply it to both digital and film photography.
If You Can Only Afford One Photography Book, THIS IS THE ONE!!!.......2007-09-26
I purchased this book over a year ago and have since bought several more copies to give to my friends that are into photography. It is by far one of the best books out there for teaching ANYONE about correct exposures!! It's a very easy read, I have read it through at least three times, and this guy knows his stuff. There are so many beautiful full page color photos to demonstrate what he is talking about and he gives his settings for all the shots. If you are just starting out in photography, or have been into it for a while, I feel EVERYONE can learn something from this book. After reading this book, obtaining a 'proper exposure' in-camera clicked for me. I gained a thorough understanding of shutter speed, ISO, aperature/f-stop, light, composition, depth of field and many more very important aspects of photography, everything made sense, opened up new creative doors for me. I still don't always achieve the perfect exposure, but I do have complete control over my camera and settings, the whys and how-to-fors. If you can only afford ONE book, this is the one. I rarely do book reviews, but this one deserves it! I submitted some of my own photos above, using various techniques in photography, all learned from this book.
A must have.......2007-09-26
No question, this is an excellent book. I am a intermediate level photographer, it is filled with great tips. Stop reading this and buy the book!
That is what I wanted! All-in-one book for amateurs who want to master photography - both digital and film.......2007-09-21
Well, I never expected to write a review, but I did because this book is what I was looking for. I've been using camera for decades now, but I was mainly point-and-shoot photographer. Yes, everybody liked my pictures but I really did not know how to be consistent in the results. So I got myself a new Nikon D80 and undertook to learn how to take pictures with full control over the process. I browsed through Amazon in search of "become a concious photographer book for dummies" and I ended up buying this book and Ansel Adams's "Camera".
This book has everything you need to move from amateur to prosumer photographer. It expalains what is exposure and light and how you can control it. It gives you hints on metering and some basic special techniques. What is very important is that it gives you plenty of color pictures with short stories on how they were taken and data on exposure parameters so you can check how they impact the final result.
So get this one if you would like to buy one book which would allow you to undersatnd how to take beautiful and creative pictures! I guess that when you finally get it and read it you will be hungry for more information. But then you can get books on specific subjects - here - you have all the basics that you need.
Product Description
MAGIC LANTERN GUIDES: NIKON D80, Simon Stafford, A Lark Photography Book Simon Stafford's photographs have been used widely in newspapers, books, calendars, and magazines. Completely self-taught, he has built up a wealth of experience over the past twenty years with both film and digital cameras. Throughout his photographic career he has used the Nikon system extensively, and is now the Technical Editor to the Nikon Owners' Club International's Nikon Owner magazine. The new, mid-priced Nikon D80 replaces the Nikon D70s/D70 which was the subject of the best-selling Magic Lantern Guide ever! This model features a 10 megapixelsensor, up-sized 2.5" LCD monitor, and 4.5 fps capability.
Customer Reviews:
Nikon d80 Guide.......2007-10-03
This book is worth the price. I looked at a number of guides for the D80 and found this to be the best for me. More info than is contained in user manual. Easy to understand, contents set up easy for uses.
WOW!.......2007-09-13
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Nikon D80 is in there! This book definitely helps you learn about all the advantages of using your dslr. If you own any camera, get the accompanying book and you will improve your shots dramatically!
Magic Lantern Guides: Nikon D80.......2007-08-01
Good, clearly written & understandable manual for the Nikon D80 Digital SLR camera body. I was very disatisfied with the manual provided by the manufacturer,(Nikon). Internet manuals are too laced with author's personal opinions & bias's. The Magic Lantern Guide is presented in a manner that genuinely helps the reader master the multiple settings required to sucessfully use this camera body. A digital SLR has many more adjustments for the user to master than does the equivalent film camera making fairly frequent referral to an understandable reference mandatory. This Guide definitely fills that need.
Great info.......2007-07-24
This book has a lot of extra info from the user manual. The book gives a lot of depth to all of many features of this camera and also gives some interesting back stories.
The author does not like auto features at all, but I found that the auto features work rather good on this camera. But he goes into the manual setting in great detail.
The index is rather poor but it is laid out so that you can find stuff okay.
I learned three or four solid things from the book so it was worth it.
Thorough and clear, but not creatively helpful.......2007-07-21
While I strongly disagree with those who so vehemently criticize Nikon's D80 manual (I actually think it is quite well written and very helpful, and refer to it often), I do think that this Magic Lantern guide is a must for D80 owners.
By the time I had finished my first reading of this book, I had a thorough and in-depth understanding of the workings of my Nikon D80 camera. The suggesions which accompany many of the sections were somewhat helpful, but nothing to write home (or even to Mr. Stafford) about.
Other than the many and annoying "typos" and poor editing (commented on by others, as well), the main shortcomings of this book (in order of importance) are: 1.) it provides little or no creative information about using the D80 or improving your photography with this camera generally (although, to be fair, that is not the reason I bought the book in the first place); 2.) there are not nearly enough illustrative pictures, and none are in color (which I understand is a printing cost-saving measure); and 3.) the index is much to meager - it could have been twice as long.
Still, I highly recommend this book to D80 owners (whether, like me, you have previously used a film or digital SLR, or you are completely new to SLR and/or digital photography). This is a valuable tool in learning your D80 and in making it more than just a "point and shoot" camera.
Book Description
Digital photography has arrived once and for all. No longer do photographers have to be defensive because they prefer digital. Thanks to new technologies, digital cameras at all ends of the price spectrum can rival their film counterparts. If you have shifted from traditional to digital photography, and need to know what's different about shooting digital, this is the book for you. Now in its third edition, this bestseller has been fine-tuned and updated to provide you with the most current information on today's cameras that you'll find anywhere. Whether you're new to photography, or new to digital photography, you'll learn how to take the best possible shots. Even though your camera may pack an image sensor instead of film, taking good pictures still involves understanding apertures, shutter speeds, and metering techniques, as well as a few other issues that film shooters don't face. Fortunately, digital cameras also provide some unique tools to help you get the shot right the first time. Covering everything from the inner workings of your camera to the subtle intricacies of your image editing software, the book is divided into four sections. The first section provides a basic technical foundation that will prepare you for the rest of the book. It details the basics of how digital cameras work and gives you a quick photography primer. The second part explores everything you need to know to make an informed decision about which camera, computer, and software is right for you. In section three, you'll progress to the nitty gritty of shooting, including metering, choosing the right exposure, using histograms, flash photography, and much more. In the final section, you'll learn about digital editing and correction techniques, along with the various methods for outputting your images (print and electronic). If you're new to photography, you'll learn the basic theory that photographers have studied for decades, as well as the latest tools and techniques mad
Customer Reviews:
Excellent reference book.......2007-10-03
Good presentation of basic facts of digital photography. Especially valueable I found the chapters that explained how cameras and digital cameras in particular work and what should be taken into account when selecting your camera.
More advanced topics like editing images with your computer are also covered in an easy to follow fashion. Even though you might not do an awful lot of editing it's good to know where to find the guidance.
This book is most suitable for someone who is not very experienced in photography but reasonably technically oriented and wants to create better quality images taking the best out of his or her camera.
I'm told it's "just what [he] wanted".......2007-09-26
I got this for my friend's birthday. He is fast becoming a very skilled digital photographer and is ready to hone his technical capabilities. I selected this book entirely on others' recommendations. The feedback from my friend is very positive, and I expect to see his work in print any day now! :-)
I love this book!.......2007-05-13
I found this book extremely helpful, having just purchased a digital SLR. It is easy to read and very informative. I would recommend this book for someone that does not know a lot about digital SLR, but is familiar with a film SLR.
Very informative book........2007-04-01
This book answered all the questions my wife and I had about photography. It was easy to understand for a beginner and it goes into intermediate/advanced topics.
good for beginners.........2007-03-09
i took it for my photography class. I love it!! it's good for beginners, too..
Book Description
Whether you own a Digital SLR camera or are thinking of buying one, with this guide, you’ll give it your best shot! It has info to help you choose the right camera and accessories, and then use them right. Digital SLR Cameras & Photography For Dummies covers the hardware, the software, and the techniques you need to take top-notch digital photos with your dSLR. This guide will get you clicking with information on:
- The advantages of a dSLR camera: more control over what portions of your images are in sharp focus; a more accurate viewfinder; lower levels of the annoying grain effect called noise; ability to capture the most fleeting action; more control over depth-of-field; ability to review your image immediately, upload the photo to your computer, make adjustments, and print a full-color print in minutes
- Choosing the accessories that will take your dSLR to the next level, depending on the type of photography you do and your current and future needs
- Megapixels, and matching pixels to print sizes and printers
- The components of a dSLR: lens; viewing system, aperture, shutter, light-sensitive component; medium for storing the captured image
- Accessorizing your dSLR with memory cards, filter add-ons (infrared, polarizers, neutral density, and special effects), electronic flash, tripods, and more
Once you get your hands on a dSLR camera (literally), this reference helps you use its features and controls to take great pictures. Complete with more than 300 color photos, lots of tables, and clear, step-by-step instructions for various situations, subjects, and calculations, Digital SLR Cameras & Photography For Dummies helps you refine your techniques with info on:
- Getting the exposure right with the histogram, the metering system, or Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or Manual Exposure modes
- Achieving the right focus with manual focus or autofocus
- The scoop on lenses—prime, zoom, and special—and using them appropriately and creatively
- How to use interchangeable lenses, set up speedy continuous-shooting burst modes, apply selective focus, and shoot under the lowest light levels
- Special features of dSLR to reduce noise, cancel camera shake, do time-lapse photography, and shoot infrared photos
- Working with the RAW format, JPEG, or both
- Taking action, flash, or sequence photos or freezing the action
- Composition basics, including the Rule of Thirds, tips for shooting portraits or group photos, and more
- Using image editors to fix-up your photos (with cropping, tonal adjustments, color correction, spot removal, sharpening/blurring, and more), with step-by-step instructions for using Photoshop
- Compositing images
- Choosing your printer and evaluating your output options
With Digital SLR Cameras & Photography For Dummies, you won’t only get the how-to for various types of shots, you’ll see the results with great color photos. In no time, you’ll be taking great photos of your own.
Download Description
Walks readers through the hardware, software, and techniques needed to take top-quality digital photos with a digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera Offering more coverage than any other book on the shelf, this full-color guide presents a fun and friendly approach to understanding how an SLR works and how to operate the various controls Covers choosing the right equipment for specific needs, working with lenses, selecting the right format and composition for a shot, editing images using Photoshop, and maximizing print quality More than 300 example photos taken by professional art photographers offer inspiration for first-time or inexperienced SLR users
Customer Reviews:
Easy Read.......2007-08-29
Easy book to read. Good to read for short blurbs or sit and read chapter after chapter. It is detailed and show lots of examples.
Satisfied .......2007-08-23
This book is perfect for beginner photographers that are making the leap from a point-and-click camera to a DSLR. The author provided clear and concise explanations that helped me understand how my camera functions and he also provided basic photography concepts. The author came across as modest and added a tad of humor, which made for an enjoyable reading experience. I definitely recommend this book as well as thoroughly reading through your owner's manual and you should be taking great pictures in no time!
Great beginner book that covers the most of the digital photography world.......2007-06-15
This book is good for those who don't know much about the digital photography world, such as flash cards, the digital sensors, etc. It also covers how to choose a DSLR camera and the accessories for it. The book also gives you a good beginners primer on how to take pictures. It covers all aspects but a bit shallow. If you're thinking about getting a DSLR and are also brand new to photography in general, this is the book you want. If you already know how to take pictures well and are moving from a film SLR to a digital, you can learn the digital nuances online. No need to buy the book. For just taking pictures, I learned a lot more from Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson.
Digital SLR.......2007-04-19
This book has a lot of information about the basics about Digital SLR cameras. The only compaint is that I got frustrated with the many "see page __" - I don't like to keep jumping around in a book.
A really good book is "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson - it's taught me the most about how to take a good picture.
excellent book.......2007-04-02
Excellent reading for those who had not contact with digital or slr photography (as myself) maybe a little bit boring for those who have (not me) because it describes basic and deep fact about cameras and photography step by step
Product Description
It's great, and it's Nikon's most talked about camera introduction in years! The D200 is the long-awaited successor to the bestselling D100, and so it's almost guaranteed to have an instant following from pros and advanced amateurs worldwide. And along with the camera, those eager photographers will want Magic Lantern to help them learn the ins-and-outs of this exciting piece of equipment. A robust body houses Nikon's latest CMOS DX digital image sensor, high speed crop technology, 3D Matrix II Color Metering and NEF (RAW) image processing technology, and much more: all of which are fully, beautifully covered in this invaluable manual. 5 X 7 1/2. b/w illus. throughout
Customer Reviews:
Black & White.......2007-07-28
The Magic Lantern D200 guide is merely a slightly expanded version of the factory manual, it's barely bigger in size and B/W. The "bonus" quick reference card is very basic - as a D200 user you're unlikely to get any use out of the quick reference card unless you have difficulty remembering what ISO, WB, Mode etc. stand for.
The second D200 guide I've got is the Digital Field Guide. It is the better guide out of the two, but not by much. Unfortunately neither guide is very good at telling you how to get the best out of your camera.
The "should have been the manual" guide book.......2007-07-15
Despite its grayness cover and photos, this book is clear, straight forward
and very comprehensive manual. This book is the manual that should have been
included in the kit instead what's included today.
OK!.......2007-07-06
It was slow but was recieved on time. Book binding came loose but book still great.
A systematic approach to D200.......2007-06-09
Hello Fellow Enthusiasts !
I ordered it before ordering for D200, the reason is to understand the features of D200 before i get my hands on the real machine.
This guide is beautifully laid out, glossy papers and very expressive with sequence of chapters very thoughtfully designed.
Since I haven't seen the similar product offering by other publishers so can't comment on others or compare. But definitely it's worth reading and understanding the camera. if you are new like me to SLR and that too D200 then don't think twice and simply order it.
Good Luck
Vaibhav Mittal - India
Magic Lantern guide for Nikon D200.......2007-06-08
This is a concise, easy to read guide for the Nikon D200. It is easier to understand than the manual that comes with the camera. My only criticism, if any, is that the index is not as comprehensive as it could be.
Book Description
Use every amazing option your Nikon CLS offers
Light is the essence of photography. The Nikon Creative Lighting System lets you create the same lighting patterns with a portable, detached, wireless system that professionals achieve using cumbersome and expensive studio equipment. This practical guide is like having an expert at your elbow. It's packed with information about the CLS as well as tips, tricks, and recommendations for lighting a dozen different shooting situations. Take it on every shoot and get the most from your CLS.
* Know all about the features and functions of the SB-800 and SB-600
* Get insider tips for creating flawless portrait lighting and staging the best poses
* Set up masters and remotes, flash modes, channels, and groups
* Choose equipment for a wireless studio
* Use the ideal exposure and Speedlight system settings for shooting events, nature, sports, groups, portraits, or products
Visit our Web site at www.wiley.com/compbooks
Customer Reviews:
Good resources book.......2007-08-07
Good for beginner and amature photographer. Clean and easy to understand guide book for Nikon's creative lighting system. (Flashes) This is a book for those who wants to know how to use their Nikon flash fast, without going through your boring manual. (I think it is better to read the manual first) Many good tips. Worth the money!
Best Nikon CLS book on the market.......2007-07-05
After just finishing this book I wanted to let other photographers know how great it is. The book begins with explaining the actual flash and what all of those dials and switches do. That section also covers the settings for each mode. Then once you have an understanding of how the hardware works you move into the basics of photography which consists of studio lighting and strobes. This section was particularly valuable to me because the Nikon system meshes with this kind of setup so well.
Only halfway through the book at this point and already learning a ton of very good information. The next chapter is wireless lighting which might be a little beyond the normal photographer, but something you should look in to. A basic basement or guest room can be made in to a great photo studio. You will of course quickly learn this flash isn't only for indoor because it can also be used for some pretty interesting outdoor shots. One of which is extreme sports and events.
Overall I was very pleased with this book and highly recommend you go pick up a copy of your own.
Full of Information.......2007-05-18
I felt the book gave plenty of information on CLS. Sure you have to know a bit to grasp what you are being told here, but one can assume that anyone owning a couple of SB800 already has some knowledge of lighting.
For me it filled in serious gaps in the information Nikon gave in it's manual and we are now able to coordinate four 800 units. The Lumedynes are now in the box for backup and nothing more.
As I often say the great thing in my 40 year in the art and business of photography is that as I have gotten older, the equipment has gotten lighter and faster not to mention controlable.
Nikon D200 Creative Lighting Field Guide.......2007-05-06
This a good but not top notch introduction to Nikon flash photograhy and Nikon products.
I found it a bit thin, and probably not very useful once one had become familiar with the Nikon products.
I am not convinced that once i have gone through it I would keep returning in the future.
Padded and superficial.......2007-03-29
I wish I had noticed the earlier reviews of this book before wasting my money and time reading it. The author lays out the CLS flashgun basics more clearly than do the Nikon manuals, but then passes on into generalities, dwells at length on portraiture in a very superficial way (with pretty poor examples to boot), and further pads with unneccessary side issues. There are also factual errors.
Book Description
Can you find your digital photographs when you need them, or do you spend more time rifling through your hard drive and file cabinets than you'd like? Do you have a system for assigning and tracking content data on your photos? If you make a living as a photographer, do your images bear your copyright and contact information, or do they circulate in the marketplace unprotected?
As professional photographer and author Peter Krogh sees it, "your DAM system is fundamental to the way your images are known, both to you and to everyone else." DAM, or Digital Asset Management, in the world of digital photography refers to every part of the process that follows the taking of the picture, through final output and permanent storage. Anyone who shoots, scans or stores digital photographs, is practicing some form of digital asset management. Unfortunately, most of us don't yet know how to manage our files (and our time) very systematically, or efficiently.
In The DAM Book: Digital Asset Management for Photographers, Krogh brings clarity to the often overwhelming task of managing digital photographs, with a solid plan and practical advice for fellow photographers on how to file, find, protect and re-use photographs. Following a thorough overview of the DAM system and de-mystifications of metadata and digital archiving, Krogh focuses on best practices for digital photographers using Adobe Photoshop CS2. He explains how to use Adobe Bridge, the new CS2 navigational software that replaces the File Browser introduced in Photoshop 7, with full details on integrating Bridge, Camera Raw and Digital Asset Management software.
Compellingly presented in four-color format, The DAM Book: Digital Asset Management for Photographers brings Krogh's award-winning creative approach to a subject that could have been technically intimidating. Instead, Krogh's twenty years of experience and instructive visual storytelling make this material not only accessible, but compulsory reading for serious digital photographers.
Customer Reviews:
Organization!.......2007-08-31
This is a good book. It is very helpful in determining how to organize photographs. It also is a give a good review of Bridge. It would be nice for the book to be up dated to cover CS3.
An Excellent Overview.......2007-03-31
I found this book to be an excellent resource to help you to understand how all the pieces fit together.
Indespensable Reference for management & storage of digital photos............2007-03-18
As a novice in the area of digital asset management, I found this book to be extremely helpful.....well written and full of great suggestions on how best to manage your photos. Highly recommended.......a true five-star guide.
HIghly Recommended.......2007-03-08
Helps you learn how to deal with all the digital photography photos that amass on your hard drive. Do you save them as JPEG , RAW, both? What about DNG? How do you tag, and archive these files? Why would I do it this way? It's important to know when your files reach into the thousands!! Do you want to lose your data or save it as an inferior file? I hope this book gets updated yearly.
Once good, now seriously outdated and needlessly complex.......2007-03-02
The DAM Book was probably much needed when it was first published - its publication coincided with a realization by many professional and serious amateur photographers that handling the quickly growing digital photo collections required a sound organizing approach and dedicated software tools. The book aptly points out that dealing with digital image workflow and the resulting file archives is in many significant ways different than dealing with film-based archives. Based on this initial premise, the book offers recommendations on how to organize digital photo studio workflow and filing / archive system.
Alas, the author chose to tie VERY CLOSELY his mostly sensible conceptual framework (i.e., HOW to organize) with very specific software and hardware. Often, more general advice is difficult or impossible to separate from his step-by-step, software-specific recipes. So, unless you use exactly the same software and hardware configuration as the author, much, if not most of this information will be of little use.
Since the book was first published, new, DAM- and photographic workflow-oriented software has become available (Adobe CS3, including the new Bridge is now in public beta nearing its release; and Apple Aperture 1.5 and Adobe PS Ligtroom 1.0 are the new, more workflow-focused tools), and more up-to-date (although dispersed) discussion of problems in question can be found in numerous articles on the web. This makes large portions of the book obsolete, as new tools enable different workflows that may be better suited to many photographers' preferences.
The book has other issues.
First, the author LOVES using technical jargon. While technical vocabulary is appropriate in discussing technical issues, creating new terms and elaborate taxonomies for everything is an overkill. The author's misguided argument for using "controlled vocabularies" (a common term, which he uses in his own, very peculiar way - p. 47) is a good case in point. As Eric Abrahamson (Columbia Business School) aptly points out in his excellent book "A Perfect Mess," organizing is always good in principle, but OVER ORGANIZING by creating systems more complex than it is necessary to get the job done, comes at a very steep price in time and resources needed to maintain the system. Enough said.
Secondly, since this is a workflow book (not a coffee-table book), the full color print is totally unnecessary, and the price point is consequently too high. This should have been one of those $9.95 O'Reilly quick-guide booklets. Most photos reproduced in the book are simply decorative, or used as examples for things that are obvious (e.g. an example of a "group shot" - duh!; or a photo of wine barrels in a cellar as a metaphor for file storage system). Photos are not interesting on their own merit; screen captures and simple diagrams would be just as effective in greyscale.
In summary, you may want to flip through the pages of the book at a local library or bookstore - what's really useful and noteworthy here, can be easily grasped in less than 15 minutes; otherwise, your money may be better spent on a good book focused on the actual software tools YOU are committed to using.
Book Description
Video Shooter is a guide to both the mechanics of the video camera and the craft of shooting. Written by a veteran in the industry and utilizing an engaging, conversational style (including illustrative anecdotes from the author's many years of experience), the book takes the reader beyond "button pushing" to teach the complete range of skills required to capture compelling images. Topics include equipment selection, camera setup and operation, shooting techniques, and working with lighting and audio. Although the techniques illustrated in Video Shooter are appropriate for users of a wide range of camera models, the book focuses on the most popular 3-CCD DV and HDV cameras. A chapter on issues and techniques relating to DVD output makes the book especially suitable for industrial, educational, and government video producers. The book also features a companion DVD with tutorials, footage demonstrating storytelling techniques, and technical matter such as a comparison of various filters.
Written by a veteran in the industry, Video Shooter is a guide to both the mechanics of the video camera and the craft of shooting.
Customer Reviews:
Listen to the wisdom of great experience.......2007-08-13
Video production is a complex and expensive process. Barry's book takes the mystery out of the craft and SAVES YOU MONEY by telling you just what you need...and what you don't. I loved his wonderful, meaningful stories and personal shooting experiences mixed within his narrative of the craft and its myriad toys, gadgets and gear, all laid out clearly for the reader's benefit. Those willing to take the plunge into this artform will find this book an indispensable companion. A gifted shooter giving us all the clues we need to tell real and compelling stories of our own, available at a glance...awesome. It's like having a DP angel on your shoulder. You will find other reference books out there, but none are so beautifully laid out, comprehensive or complete as this one. Buy it. Read it. You'll be glad you did.
A Must Have Item.......2007-08-12
For a video shooter this is a "must have book". Impaired vision is corrected with appropriate eye glasses, impaired video-knowledge with Video Shooter...
Fast shipping, affordable price. Thank you.
Lots of Real-World Insights.......2007-06-26
Although I'll never reach the level of shooter that Barry is, this is a great book for learning about the issues a real-world shooter faces. Lots of examples and stories, photos, and musings on equipment. This is probably the best of the many books I have on learning to shoot.
Excellent intermediate info -- glad I read it as a beginner.......2007-06-23
I'm a neophyte to videography, and although this book went a tad over my head at times, and was certainly more than I needed as an amateur who wants to make quality videos for personal use, I greatly appreciated the comprehensive introduction to this complex art form. Because of this book, I've jumped into my new hobby with more respect and appreciation for what's involved in a quality production. I did pick up some great tips that even a beginner can use, and probably more useful, I understand the point of hiring a professional. Now that I'm a MUCH more savvy consumer of video services I will know how to judge the quality of their work.
A book about hardware.......2007-06-16
The subtitle of this book is Storytelling with DV, HD, and HDV Cameras. What I saw, when I read that, was the word Storytelling. I thought it would be a book about how to tell a story with images and sound to get across a "message". I should have read further along the sentence. This book is not about storytelling. It's about DV, HD, and HDV Cameras and their supporting equipment. The book is aimed at amateur videographers who have aspirations of turning professional and think that professional equipment will make that happen. And who have a 5 or 6 figure bank account. There are equipment recommendations on all sorts of things that make a professional shoot. All of the equipment ranges from slightly expensive to horrifically expensive. Of course this tight focus on the latest equipment means that the book will soon be out of date. If you need some equipment, have a healthy bank account, and want to buy now, this book is a good choice. If you want to learn how to tell a story with video, keep looking.
Product Description
Michael Guncheon is a contributing editor for PC Photo magazine and is author of "Helpline," one of the magazine's oldest and most popular columns. He has also written for Digital PhotoPro and Outdoor Photographer magazines. His resume includes a long list of professional assignments in video and film editing, which includes commercials, music videos, and documentaries. He has taught technical seminars and is a member of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. This replacement for the ever-popular Rebel XT is destined like its forerunner to become one of the top-selling amateur category digital SLR cameras. Written by the author of the Magic Lantern Guide: Digital Rebel XT, this information-packed volume covers every feature! This Magic Lantern Guide has the answer to all their questions, because it explains in detail how to use all the wonderful enhancements: its ability to save large and fine resolution images direct to the CompactFlash Card, its user-selectable metering; and its single plate, high sensitivity, high resolution color CMOS imaging sensor technology, and the XTi's special feature
Customer Reviews:
Half a bargain.......2007-08-27
Good content but all pictures are black and white! What's the point for a photo book? Not as interesting and to the same level of the book written by C.Lowrie.
Best guide out there.......2007-07-03
Magic Lantern guides are all very good, but this one is better than most. I had a Canon XT and upgraded to an XTi (the next, slightly newer model). I also had the XT lantern guide so was hesitant to get the XTi version, thinking it might be a rehash.
While there were a few overlapping paragraphs, almost all of the content is entirely new and is specific to the XTi. There are things I can do with that camera that I didn't know existed. There are tips and tricks that make relatively complex tasks easier. I very highly recommend getting this book if you have the XTi. You'll be glad you did.
Magic Lantern Guides.......2007-06-28
I have two other Canon bodies and have Magice Lantern Guides for both of them. They are invaluable. The Guides go further than those provided by the manufacturers in explaining how the camera works and the various functions.
'The' Guide for Cannon EOS400D.......2007-06-03
Many years ago I purchased a 'Magic Lantern' guide for my then state-of-the-art Cannon EOS 35mm film camera, and was impressed. Hoping for the same sort of book-partner for my first digital camera - the Cannon EOS400D - I purchased the new 'Magic Lantern' guide, and was not disappointed...all the camera functions are explained in easy and simple language, from the basic right through to the advanced. I had the Cannon EOS400D, read the instruction manual - and still wondered what all the functions did ... this book answered all (yes, all) my questions.
great companion guide.......2007-05-30
this is a good book to reference when learning your new camera. Would have liked color pictures as examples to explain different things tho.
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General
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Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens (Black)
Canon Wireless Remote Control RC1 for Digital Rebel
Canon NB-2LH Rechargeable Battery Pack for Digital Rebel XT/XTi, PowerShot S30/40/45/50/60/70/80, G7 & G9 Digital Cameras
Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition)
SanDisk 2GB ULTRA II CompactFlash Card (SDCFH-2048-AC11, Retail Package)
Photoshop CS3 Workflow: The Digital Photographer's Guide (Tim Grey Guides)
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Workflow: The Digital Photographer's Guide (Tim Grey Guides)
