Photography (101 Essential Tips)

Book Description

Covering all facets of photography and video, this practical guide features step-by-step photography and easy-to-understand information on the basics.

Handy guides that use pictures to give readers the information they need, 101 Essential Tips feature comprehensive coverage, beautiful full-color images, and straightforward, practical information on a wide variety of subjects. Every point can be absorbed quickly and easily with 101 authoritative tips that will make anyone an expert in an instant.

Customer Reviews:

boring.......2007-03-19

I gave this book as a stocking stuffer this year. But when I flipped through it, it had only basic information. Nothing exciting or inspirational. boo

Smart Little Book.......2006-10-30

I bought this item together with other photography books and I am very pleased with it. The author, Michael Langford, (yes the same guy who wrote the highly acclaimed Basic Photography) distilled the lessons into 101 easy tips that is a great help for beginners who wanted to get their feet wet immediately.

I would highly recommend this book to any newcomer to photography who is both excited about his camera and cannot be bothered to spend time with more voluminous photography books. This book goes immediately to the heart of the matter: camera background and how to tackle photography subjects.

If I had this book when I was still using my point and shoot, I would have produced more good pictures simply by the fact that I would be able to avoid the common pitfalls and mistakes of beginners (unknown to me then), which this little book teaches.

Altough this is concerned with film photography, I still recommend this even if you have a digital camera because the proven ways of effectively composing a picture are still the same whether you use film or digital. Photography is still about the unique way of seeing things in a whole new light and composing them in the canvas that is your camera's viewfinder so that you would be able to show your audience exactly what you want.

Great tips for the stubborn novice.......2006-02-18

My 15 year old son, who of course is an expert on everything, reluctantly read this compact book and admitted that he learned quite a bit from it. He certainly takes good pictures so we certainly got our moneys worth!

Don't let the small size fake you out!.......2004-07-07

This little book is GREAT! It was one of many books that I bought when I took my first my first round with an SLR. I really got more out of it than several of the more impressive (& expensive) books that I bought! I carried it around in my camera bag forever and referred to it many times. Then when my daughter showed an interest in photography it is the one I picked to get her started. If you are just starting out.. don't sweat the 5 bucks!

great little book.......2003-07-17

I think this little book has a lot if good usefull info in it.I know I learned a lot from it.

Digital Photography Essentials: Point, Shoot, Enhance, Share

Average customer rating:

Anyone can edit photos with this book
Use your digital camera in ways you never thought about

Digital Photography Essentials: Point, Shoot, Enhance, Share
Erica Sadun
Manufacturer: Sybex
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Digital Photography | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Digital Photography | Digital Photography & Video | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

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General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Computer Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
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Digital Photography: 99 Easy Tips To Make You Look Like A Pro!
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ASIN: 0782141773

Book Description

The Perfect Companion for Your Digital Camera
Digital cameras are more than just cameras with electronic chips inside--they've revolutionized how we take pictures and what we do with them. If you're new to digital photography, Digital Photography Essentials offers everything you need to get up to speed fast. You'll find essential information about your camera and equipment, techniques for editing and enhancing your pictures, expert advice on sharing your images with others, and a wealth of digital photography tips, tricks, and project ideas.

A Complete Solution
The companion CD includes all the software you need, including a full version of Adobe PhotoDeluxe 4.1 for Windows (a $49 U.S. value) and a fully functional tryout of Adobe Photoshop Elements for both Windows and Mac. In the book, you'll find step-by-step instructions that show how to repair, enhance, and just have fun with your images. There's nothing more to buy.

Packed with information, software, and the insights of best-selling author Erica Sadun, Digital Photography Essentials is the perfect guide for digital photographers. Topics covered include:
* Composing shots, lighting scenes, and posing subjects
* Managing your digital camera's batteries, memory cards, and more
* Enhancing your images and fixing picture flaws
* Discovering imaginative and creative uses for digital photos
* Sharing photos via e-mail and the World Wide Web
* Making DVDs, picture CDs, and video CD slide shows

Customer Reviews:

Anyone can edit photos with this book.......2003-01-18

Overview.

This book is definitely a book for beginners in the world of digital photography, and is for those with a low-end, point and click type of camera. Not everyone wants, or needs, a top-end expensive complicated camera.

Features.

This soft cover book has 249 pages printed on high quality paper, with clear images and a CDROM containing Adobe PhotoDeluxe 4.1, a full program with no limitations which can be registered.

PhotoDeluxe will enable image enhancement and manipulation and is a very good way to get the most from your snaps. It is a very simplified, but not a simple program, and is a major reason for getting the book.

Along with this program come a variety of time-limited demos that you can use to see if they will make your photography experience better.

Book Description.

Digital Photography Essentials is a book which is aimed at the new user to a new way of photography. It contains a colour section covering all the black and white images scattered throughout the book.

Chapter 1 is taken up with descriptions of how to go about taking the best shots getting the light right, and positioning either yourself or your subject.

Chapter 2 delves into which camera you should get, and more importantly, why. It also explains how and why things work, such as batteries and how to care for them, memory management etc.

Chapter 3 is the section on using the free Adobe PhotoDeluxe program supplied with the book, which you will use for all the exercises in the rest of the book.

The program gives great image enhancement and manipulation abilities to the photographer, so if the image is not quite how you wanted it to look, you can change everything about it.

This program is not complicated, but has many features of high-end photo retouching programs without having to learn industrial strength features that you may never use.

You learn to do things like swapping faces or backgrounds, and, more importantly, how to use layers. This feature allows images to be altered without destroying the original image if your selection does not suit.

Chapter 4 once again delves into the world of photo correction techniques. This is not as daunting as it may sound as PhotoDeluxe can fix things automatically. This leaves you free to dabble with settings once you know what each feature does. Sometimes automatic settings are not quite what you had in mind.

Here you start using filters to add impact, or remove unwanted parts from an image. Learn to remove red-eye, which is often a feature of images taken with a flash.

Chapter 5 teaches you to create panoramas, 3D images, and enlarge your images.

From this point on the book introduces the demo and time-limited plugins and filters, which can be experimented with.

Panoramas are used often, but what is not stressed is that panorama photos need to overlap by at least 25%, or more. This gives a much better chance of lining up features when joining the images. Use a tripod for getting good panorama shots. Tripods can be cheap but they do keep your photos level.

Chapter 6 is all about printing, printers and paper, and presenting your images for someone else to print them for you.

The resolution of an image is important when printing, or sending to the web. Both use opposite ends of the spectrum for their purposes, and you need to know which to use, luckily this is not complicated.

Chapter 7 is about presenting your images on CD and DVD, and on interactive photo albums and slide shows. A lot of this chapter is about different commercial programs for the burning and display of your images.

Chapter 8 is about sharing images over the web, and introduces the ideas of screen size etc, but resolution is also important as monitors only show at 72 dpi.

Chapter 9 introduces a lot of different ideas for using your new digital camera remember photos cost nothing, so there is plenty of scope here.

It is possible to use your digital camera to make a slide show presentation, document your belongings, or the contents of a box, or an accident. You can even photograph documents instead of using a scanner.

Chapter 10 is dedicated to craft ideas that you can create with your camera. The list here is really extensive.

Chapter 11 teaches how to transform images and create new and exciting things that you hadn't considered, check magazines and see how ads are manipulated for inspiration.

Using PhotoDeluxe you can make slide shows and share them with friends. You can even make a colouring book from your photos using the filters in the program, make calendars, or animate images.

Chapter 12 is spent introducing you to third-party programs so you can see what is available.

Bottom Line.

Not a book for an advanced photographer, as it is aimed at the beginner, which it does admirably, like a text book.

The inclusion of Adobe PhotoDeluxe is a compelling reason for purchase, but the book opens up many exciting possibilities that you may not discover by yourself.

The lessons are simple to follow, you don't have to learn new skills. Non computer-literate people can cope with the fun things that they will find to do. This book is like a text book on the use of PhotoDeluxe.

Learn to correct faults in photographs and create something new. All you have to do, as the author stresses, is to take as many photos as you can. It will cost no more and you have more choices to play with later.

Too much emphasis on commercial programs has reduced the rating, but the book is good, and the bundled software is great to start with. You may find you never need to get another program anyway.

Use your digital camera in ways you never thought about.......2002-11-21

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY ESSENTIALS
AUTHOR: Erica Sadun
PUBLISHER: Sybex
REVIEWED BY: Barbara Rhoades

BOOK REVIEW: The CD was the first thing I looked at. It contains 18 programs! WOW! Most are trials but some are shareware and the biggest plus is that PhotoDeluxe from Adobe is FREE! Yes sir! The whole program on the CD - no cost whatsoever and the programs are as follows: PhotoDeluxe, Photo Elements, Funhouse, Flip Album, Thumbs Up, CompUpick Pro, DVD PictureShow, GIF Animator, Genuine Fractuals PrintPro,HotText, Still Motion Creator, PhotoPrinter, PhotoImpact, PhotoVista Link, PaintShop Pro, Orasee Link, Nero Burning ROM, and JPEG Compress.

For the ability to try before you buy any of these programs, except, of course, PhotoDeluxe, this makes the book worth its price. Yet, by using these programs and using the tips and ideas from the book, you can create pictures that are worth a thousand words.

The best place to start is at the beginning and that is exactly what Ms. Sadun has done. Chapter one talks about the best way to get a good picture such as lighting and backgrounds. If you don't know which camera to buy in the first place, the next chapter will give you some good advice. Also, think your camera is only for picture taking? WRONG again. Ever go into the mall only to come out and you can't remember where you parked? Had you had your digital camera alone, you could have taken a picture of the locator markings and all you would need to do is look at the "review pictures" on the camera. Of course we all know the camera can be used for insurance purposes of accidents and the damage done but what about witnesses or even what was said if your camera has a sound-recording feature?

What else is your camera good for? Need stickers or how about a jigsaw puzzle to keep a child busy? Remember "Shrinky Dinks"? This can be used to make charms for a bracelet from photos you have taken. What grandmother wouldn't want one of a monthly recording of their newest grandchild? This list can be endless - just use your imagination.

Now that you have PhotoDeluxe installed on your computer, do you know how to use it? If not, check out Chapter 3 and 4. When a particular photo effect is discussed, there are pictures of before and after of how they should look. Don't forget to get motion into your photos with the Gif Animator.

Book Description

Packed full of color images and easy-to-understand diagrams. The Digital Video Manual is an essential reference for anyone looking to make their first video or to take their production to a new level of expertise.

Average customer rating:

Solid advice for novice and expert alike

An Essential Guide to Bird Photography
Steve Young
Manufacturer: Guild of Master Craftsman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Nature & Wildlife | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Reference | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Equipment | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Cats, Dogs & Animals | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

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Art of Bird Photography: The Complete Guide to Professional Field Techniques (Practial Photography Books)
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Wild Bird Photography: National Audubon Society Guide

ASIN: 1861081936

Book Description

Capture the beauty of birds on film--whether they're in flight, feeding, bathing, or even mating. One of the world's top bird photographers, whose work has appeared in Birdwatch and Outdoor Photography, offers enthusiasts a comprehensive introduction to this exacting but satisfying art. He covers all aspects of shooting, from setting up a hide in your garden to finding rarities. The invaluable advice includes tips on:
* Choosing the right camera, lenses, film, and accessories for the job
* Selecting the best location and approach
* Taking great photos even in difficult situations
* Improving your technique immeasurably.
A "surgery" section demonstrates how to learn from mistakes, trouble shoot, archive your pictures, and submit work to publications. It's the finest photographic handbook of its kind--and a most delightful account of one patient artist's passion for birds and their continuing protection in the wild.

Customer Reviews:

Solid advice for novice and expert alike.......2004-06-08

This book offers some ideas and techniques I hadn't really encountered elsewhere. For instance, Mr. Young suggests and even encourages new bird photographers to spend lots of time photographing common or even tame birds at parks. For most of us who become serious about bird photography, we have come to it as birders, and you know how *they* can get! If not, read The Big Year, and you'll find out. Point being, as birders we seek the unusual, and when we become photographers, we will do the same. Mr. Young elegantly makes his case for the birds in the park, suggesting that learning tricks of exposure, flight shots and all the standards can be learned with a bit less waste of film.

He also gives some good advice for equipment that might be less costly for those of us without the income to support supertelephoto lens habits. I had not heard of the photoadapter setup he shows, but will probably explore this option.

Most of all, he gives excellent advice on all aspects of bird photography; equipment and film selection, location and approaches, and various techniques. I found his liberal use of side by side photos showing the same bird shot with different techniques and approaches to be very helpful. Mr. Young is not afraid to share his mistakes as a teaching tool. He also includes a chapter on archiving, so that one can begin to learn from mistakes made.

All in all, I have gained much from this book and highly recommend it. For me, the one downside is that he is based in the UK, so he is talking about birds and locations there, but this added a bit of fun, as he discusses shooting such rarities as the American robin!

Jim Church's Essential Guide to Composition: A Simplified Approach to Taking Better Underwater Pictures
Average customer rating:

Terrific underwater photos don't just "happen".

Start here and you can't go wrong

TIMELESS TEACHINGS

"Something Here for Everyone"

Another Good Effort from Jim Church

Jim Church's Essential Guide to Composition: A Simplified Approach to Taking Better Underwater Pictures
Jim Church
Manufacturer: Aqua Quest Publications, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Lighting | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Photo Essays | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Reference | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Equipment | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Master Guide for Underwater Digital Photography

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Successful Underwater Photography

ASIN: 1881652181

Book Description

The author shows how to find and choose subjects, position and guide models, and take the pictures.

Customer Reviews:

Terrific underwater photos don't just "happen"........2006-03-19

Jim Church was an astonishing photographer and those that have followed in his footsteps owe much to him. This book is one that I recommend to ALL divers starting off in underwater photography. Have you ever come home with a bunch of shots only to find that none of them really "grab you"?....this boom is for you. Simply and clearly, the text and photo examples show you how to turn an ordinary shot into a "Wow!" shot.

Start here and you can't go wrong.......2002-10-31

This is Jim Church's answer to those who say that you must have a "God given eye" to take great photographs. Jim is above all a teacher. His ability to bring complex ideas down to the level where a novice can comprehend is legendary. His method, rather unique in the world of underwater photography and videography, is not to show you great stuff and say "beat this", but to start with basic principles and work you through until you are automatically seeing the right solution to the situation before you. I would bet that any "name" underwater photographer if asked "where do I start?" would answer "pick up Jim Church's books and read them 3 or 4 times then get in the water.". This book, at less than the cost of 2 rolls of underwater film and developing, should be considered mandatory reading for anyone with a desire to take photographs (or video) underwater.

TIMELESS TEACHINGS.......2002-01-01

When I started in uderwater photography, I was told by a very wise and respected professional, "Composition cannot be taught ... it is not a concept or a method. The photographer is born with an eye for composition and it is an art." To which Jim Church's book has proven that statement to be "Hogwash, INDEED!" Composition may be a gift, but it is a gift that can be honed and trained, just as Jim Church has done with this book. He has given the reader all the tools, tricks and tips to develop that skill into an art. Liberally sprinkled with the Jim Church wit and humour, this book stands up to reading after reading after reading. This book stands alongside his "Guide to the Nikonos" and his "Underwater Video" books as "bibles" for the ardent underwater photographer. As for Jim Church's method of teaching and guidance, I can tell you that nine years ago I was using a disposable underwater camera. I have studied the books and travelled with Jim Church as often as possible and I am now a contributing editor and Photo Pro for an international dive magazine. So, if you ask me if Jim Church's methods work, I would resoundingly answer "YES." If you aks me if this is a book worth buying, I would answer resoundingly "YES!" No matter how many times you read this book and no matter what level of photographer you might be, there is always something new in this book that you can apply in your pursuit of great photos. These concepts of composition are NOT restricted to the ocean floor, either. The methods and concepts explained in this text --- in easy to understand terms --- also apply to land photography. This Essential Guide is exactly that---- ESSENTIAL! I regret that five stars is the highest rank offered for this book. The only thíng wrong with this book ---- it wasn't written sooner! I could have saved a lot of film on badly composed shots!!!!

"Something Here for Everyone".......2001-06-10

People come to photography by many strange and varied routes and my own is as different as the next - though I shall not bore you with that particular story here. Suffice to say that, my first photograph was published in 1974, my first underwater photograph in 1980 and, right at this time, my work has appeared (somewhere) every month since December 1998, I am in the process of completing my fourth book and my photography has even been purchased by National Geographic.

The relevance of all this, however, is that I am largely self-taught and that always leaves me wondering if I am missing some of those basic lessons that would have been explained on the very first day of any professionally run photography course. "Jim Church's Essential Guide to Composition" goes a long way to fill any gaps there might be.

This book has two outstanding qualities; Firstly, it is written by a man who really does know about every aspect of underwater photography. Secondly, and most important of all, however, Jim Church has the power to explain his knowledge in words we can all understand. In so doing he has produced a book for the professional underwater photographer and the amateur diver alike. If you have just bought your first camera and are about to embark on a very expensive trip to try it out, this is your in-flight reading material. Believe me, you will come home with better pictures - I did.

"Jim Church's Essential Guide to Composition" is a 9in x 6in paperback book containing 136 pages, 80 colour photographs and 8 line drawings. Each photograph and drawing serves a purpose and are used to explain each of the many lessons involved with composing underwater pictures and, basically, the difference between taking a good photograph and not. All of which is, of course, supported by the non-technical information imparted in an easy-to-understand style.

The book begins with absolute basics - and what could be more basic than explaining the function of the human eye and then adapting that information in order to provide a better understanding of the function of a camera lens. In short, this is a book about "stepping stones" and each time a relevant point has been explained and demonstrated, the book builds on this knowledge as we step forward onto another stone for even greater knowledge of the subject in hand.

In Summary, this is one of the few books I have ever read which achieves exactly and precisely what it sets out to achieve and is made all the more valuable because the Author is a man who knows his stuff and is able to explain things without getting bogged down in technical jargon.

Five Stars are not enough for this little gem.

Another Good Effort from Jim Church.......2000-09-09

For all UW imaging systems users, this book is less about the technique (which can be found in Jim's books on Nikonos and Video systems), and more about the art of UW photography. Jim again uses the Situations approach, and helps you develop an eye for good pictures. Really useful stuff on working with models.

Essential Wildlife Photography Manual: Successful Digital & Film Techniques for Creative Photography

Average customer rating:

Essential Wildlife Photography Manual: Successful Digital & Film Techniques for Creative Photography
Chris Weston
Manufacturer: Rotovision
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Nature & Wildlife | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Digital Wildlife Photography
African Safari Photography
The Master Guide for Wildlife Photographers
Dynamic Wildlife Photography: Techniques for Creating Captivating Images
Art of Bird Photography: The Complete Guide to Professional Field Techniques (Practial Photography Books)

ASIN: 2880468086

Book Description

Invaluable for amateur and professional wildlife photographers keen to improve their work, with the newest techniques and digital equipment Publishing News, UK

This is an invaluable manual for wildlife photographers keen to improve and update their work with the newest techniques and digital equipment.

The Essential Wildlife Photography Manual takes a spectacular photographic trip, from tropical rainforests to the polar extremes of the globe, revealing the myriad creatures and how to perfectly capture them. Chris Weston covers the basics--including essential information on transporting kit overseas--as well as understanding and photographing the best of wildlife subjects. His down-to-earth, practical approach consolidates a huge amount of technical information into easy-to-read, step-by-step chunks.

Illustrated with world-class photography throughout, The Essential Wildlife Photography Manual boasts practical case studies from top international lights Art Wolfe, Jim Brandenburg, and Paul Harcourt-Davies, who reveal the secrets of their trade. This gives an insight into the world of professional wildlife photography, while there's also essential information on working with biologists, zoologists, and researchers.

The Essential Lighting Manual for Digital and Film Photography
Average customer rating:

a good place to start

The Essential Lighting Manual for Digital and Film Photography
Chris Weston
Manufacturer: Rotovision
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Lighting | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Reference | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | How-to | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 2940361282

Book Description

Light is the primary raw material for photography, and learning to use it creatively is one of the key skills required for better picture taking. The Essential Lighting Manual for Photographers offers a complete guide to mastering the art, empowering the amateur photographer and enabling the professional.

The Essential Lighting Manual for Photographers is organized thematically by types of lighting and lighting technique, with practical and inspirational illustrations from popular subjects such as portrait, landscape, natural history, travel, close-up, architecture, interior and animal photography. Technical information covered includes: methods of metering light and achieving correct exposure, and why reflectors are so important; the use of natural daylight, both indoors and out; the use of artificial light; and creative techniques to push photographic results beyond the realms of 'the snapshot'. The book also contains a detailed but clear guide to studio lighting equipment.

Customer Reviews:

a good place to start.......2004-09-17

I have purchased and read a lot photography books & "The Essential Lighting Manual for Digital and Film Photographers" is definitely one of the better ones. There are plenty of images to reference but not so many that it becomes a picture book of sorts. I really enjoyed the fact that the font size wasn't huge like you find in a lot books of this type. Weston really seems to know his stuff & it shows. If you want to learn more about various types of lighting then this is the place to start.

Jim Church's Essential Guide to Nikonos Systems

Average customer rating:

Correction for URL given in Prior review
It really is essential
Room for a lot of improvement, but still essential
A great book
Excellent Info for Beginner to Intermediate U/W Photogs.

Jim Church's Essential Guide to Nikonos Systems
Jim Church
Manufacturer: Aqua Quest Publications, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Lighting | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Reference | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Equipment | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Photography | Miscellaneous | Sports | Subjects | Books

Jim Church's Essential Guide to Composition: A Simplified Approach to Taking Better Underwater Pictures
Nikonos Handbook
Successful Underwater Photography
The Underwater Photography Handbook
The Underwater Photographer, Third Edition: Digital and Traditional Techniques

ASIN: 1881652041

Book Description

Jim Church, noted pioneer takes you beyond Nikonos V, RS owner's manuals for great underwater photos.

Customer Reviews:

Correction for URL given in Prior review.......2003-12-01

The correct URL for the UW Photo tips is:
http://www.seapix.com/tips.htm
Sorry for any confusion I may have caused.
eyesguy@aol.com

It really is essential.......2003-12-01

Jim Church is the true professor of underwater photography. His book is comprehensive and fairly clear. His approach is almost too analytical at times. I would have liked more photos and text explaining what he did and why and how it worked out, although he did offer quite a number of photo examples. His tips on strobe useage and his "secret guide to strobe exposures" alone are worth the price of the book. For a looser and more intuitive approach, read http://scubadiving.com/photo/instruction/.
this is an addition to, not a replacement for Church's book.
Overall, I would give the book an A- with about half of it worthy of an A+ and the remainder a solid B to B+.
eyesguy@aol.com

Room for a lot of improvement, but still essential.......2001-06-12

My first reaction when opening this book was that it was light on text. Not necessarily bad if it says what it needs to succinctly. Unfortunately, this book didn't do that. Procedures could be explained more clearly, and could be illustrated with more and better figures and photographs. This semi-pro photographer often found himself reading a procedure and saying, "huh?" "Change the f-stop which way?" The advanced photographer will gloss over reading the description of f-stops and shutter speeds while the novice will be left befuddled. The book leans toward giving recipes for a situation rather than trying to teach an understanding of photography.

More explanation and pictures could be given of the equipment and configuration. A new underwater photographer with a camera is overwhelmed by the array of arms and attachments, but there is one paragraph on arms and brackets that basically says, "Get the best," without as much as figure to show how one looks or attaches to the camera. Then you get descriptions such as "attach the strobe arm so it tilts toward the camera body." Tilt in what plane? What does a strobe arm look like?

There are statement and procedures that seem odd to an experienced photographer. It is suggested that manual strobe exposure, which is typically only dependent of distance and f-stop, is also a function of subject brightness. The procedure for using TTL flash starts with looking up the flash distance for a full-power manual flash to set the f-stop. If you're going to do that, you might as well not use TTL (although this method does maximize depth of field, but, of course, this is not explained.) The TTL electronics are then used as little more than a proper exposure indication, and if you don't get a proper exposure with your camera set to the edge of the exposure range, you're to burn more film at another f-stop until it works.

This books focuses on the Nikonos V and the now-discontinued RS. Even though the author considers the IVA to be "a dud," the III and IVA are still viable cameras that a beginner, the audience for this book, is likely to have because of the lower procurement cost. (Currently on eBay, a V with 35mm lens runs about $475 while a IVA with the same lens is about $250.) An appendix on the features, and how operating and maintenance differ for these models, would be very useful. Church has written on these models in previous editions, so it shouldn't be difficult.

So, what is good about this book? The color photographs are very good, but are more of result examples than actually showing the equipment, but are inspirational. The guidelines on positioning strobes and estimating distances is invaluable, as are the maintenance sections. If you bought a used Nikonos without a manual, note that Craig Camera sells the manuals for a IVA for $20 while the book currently retails on-line for less than that. If you're trying to decide between the two, I'd get this book. This book also seems to be considered by many to be the definitive guide to Nikonos photography, and my search shows few, if any, other underwater photography books dedicated to this one line of cameras. So, like the title says, even though I feel that there is a LOT of room for improvement, this book may be, indeed, essential for the Nikonos beginner.

A great book.......2000-09-09

A really good how to book for owners of Nikonos camera systems, with practical tips for Nikonos V and Nikonos RS users, although valuable for all. I really like the way that Jim Church has included Situations - UW photo scenarios and he guides you through his approach.

Excellent Info for Beginner to Intermediate U/W Photogs........2000-07-27

Easy to understand, yet comprehensive info for the beginning to intermediate UW photographers utilizing Nikonos V (slightly less info on the Nikonos RS). Organization by subject matter creates a reference that you can take with you for easy and quick, pre-dive brush-ups. Excellent example photos, charts and diagrams. It goes way beyond all Nikon manuals and publications.

The Essential Underwater Photography Manual: A Guide to Creative Techniques and Essential Equipment

Average customer rating:

The Essential Underwater Photography Manual: A Guide to Creative Techniques and Essential Equipment
Larry Tackett , and Denise Tackett
Manufacturer: Rotovision
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Reference | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Equipment | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

The Underwater Photographer, Third Edition: Digital and Traditional Techniques
Master Guide for Underwater Digital Photography
Adobe Photoshop for Underwater Photographers
Jim Church's Essential Guide to Composition: A Simplified Approach to Taking Better Underwater Pictures
Successful Underwater Photography

ASIN: 2940378223
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Book Description

More and more people discover diving, and the wonders of the undersea world, with every passing summer. Divers are stunned by the beauty they see—but how can they capture it? The Essential Underwater Photography Manual shows and tells them how. In this beautifully illustrated, practical guide, underwater photography gurus Larry and Denise Tackett draw on their years of experience to share everything a diver needs to know to take great photographs of life beneath the sea. Along with information on choosing equipment, the book discusses lighting, composition, and macrophotography, all in simple, straightforward language. With practical exercises, reassuring advice, illuminating anecdotes, and, of course, awe-inspiring photographs, The Essential Underwater Photography Manual is the one book to get before you get wet.

Essential Underwater Photography Manual: A Guide to Creative Techniques and Key Equipment

Average customer rating:

Beautiful ideas for photos
Excellent
The "Ultimate" Underwater Photography...

Essential Underwater Photography Manual: A Guide to Creative Techniques and Key Equipment
Denise Nielsen Tackett , and Larry Tackett
Manufacturer: Rotovision
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Lighting | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Nature & Wildlife | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Equipment | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Master Guide for Underwater Digital Photography
Jim Church's Essential Guide to Composition: A Simplified Approach to Taking Better Underwater Pictures
Adobe Photoshop for Underwater Photographers
The Underwater Photographer, Third Edition: Digital and Traditional Techniques
Digital Imaging for the Underwater Photographer

ASIN: 2880467373

Book Description

"An excellent guide for both novice and experienced underwater photographers."Amateur Photographer magzine, UK

Diving is a popular hobby that attracts more enthusiasts every year, and many divers are keen to record the wonders they see underwater.

In this beautifully illustrated, practical guide, underwater photography gurus Larry and Denise Tackett draw on their years of experience and learning to share everything the snorkeller and diver needs to know to capture the beautiful diversity of life beneath the sea. Underwater includes essential advice on choosing the right equipment, and in straightforward language discusses lighting, creative composition, making the most of a subject and macrophotography, showing how the basic principles of photography change when shooting underwater.

Underwater includes practical exercises, reassuring advice, illuminating anecdote, and, of course, awe-inspiring photographs. Welcomed and acclaimed by both the photography and diving press, this book is perfect for those new to underwater photography, it also offers both inspiration and up-to-date new techniques for the more advanced.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful ideas for photos.......2007-08-25

But this is mostly in Micronesia, Great Barrier and Red Sea, not much in Caribbean, however excellent info and worthwhile for the underwater photographing enthusiast.

Excellent.......2007-05-12

In my opinion this is the best modern book on underwater photography by a long way. It is clearly written, very informative, practical and inspiring. It covers an amazing amount of material in a concise and readable fashion. It is much more clearly written than The Underwater Photographer, Third Edition: Digital and Traditional Techniques and other popular competitors. It's the only photography book I find myself re-reading before I go on a dive trip. Highly recommended for readers with all levels of skill.

The "Ultimate" Underwater Photography..........2005-06-07

As the subject suggests, this book should be titled Ultimate. Essential, yes, but where this book departs from the others on the subject is the chapter on Behavior, describing how to spot the critter's habits and make that part of the shot. Also excellent is the "How to Wow" chapter. Borrowing a page from Larry and Denise's seminars, this chapter explains how to add the "Pizzazz" that separates a good photo from an award winner. All the technical information is right on and very up to date with current digital technology as well as traditional film technics. Every underwater photographer needs this book!

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