Best Photography Reference
Understanding Exposure has taught generations of photographers how to shoot the images they want by demystifying the complex concepts of exposure in photography. BRYAN PETERSON is a professional photographer, internationally known instructor, best-selling author, and founder of The Bryan Peterson School of Photography at www.bpsop.com.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Buy this book first."
"Since it was first published, Understanding Exposure has provided a friendly, easy, and accessible way for everyone to learn to use their cameras to create beautiful images. I've been in the photography business for almost two decades and this book has always been my first recommendation (more than any classes or any other book) when pressed for help with cameras. It's for a very good reason that the book has been so successful over the last decade - Peterson makes it easy to put away the camera manual and get the most important basics down to start taking consistently good images."
"I picked up my first camera and this book at the same time."
"This book completely revamped my passion for photography and improved my photos tremendously."
"I bought this latest version for my daughter, the only real difference is the last chapter deals with flash usage."
"If you are used to your camera's Auto-something feature, forget about it, because this will really change the way you will set up exposures, leveraging your creativity."
"Easy read and very informative without being overly wordy."
"It had been 30 years since I picked up a DSLR and this book was perfect to refresh memory and get me going again."
Images taken by master photographers – including Henri Cartier- Bresson, Sebastião Salgado, Fay Godwin, and Martin Parr – serve to illustrate points and encourage readers to try out new ideas. " Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs goes beyond typical technical jargon.and should you master.composition, exposure, light, lenses, and seeing you will indeed be making great photographs." " Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs is the perfect quick reference for photographers to toss in their camera bag for a bit of inspiration and reminder of the basics."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Read this if you want to take great photographs walks you through the fundamentals of composition, exposure, light, lenses and the all-important art of seeing without drowning you in technobabble”. There is a brief description of the main (and basic) elements of photography such as aperture, shutter speed and ISO along with many photographs that illustrate these concepts well. The book also discusses well some of the major factors behind composition such as framing (i.e., rule of thirds), symmetry and flow of lines and curves across pictures. In about an hour or so of reading that audience can learn more than any other book (this reviewer has seen) for that same time frame. For example, on the art of seeing this reviewer would recommend also reading Bryan Peterson’s “Learning to See Creatively: Design, Color and Composition in Photography”."
"Fantastic, concise book."
"This is a great and easy guide for improving your photo skills."
"This an easy read with tons of usable info!"
"Henry Carroll provides copious amounts of photographs to explain concepts on photography."
"The author says no complex charts or industry jargon, but the one page with a chart, the aperture and shutter speed page (which can be seen in the page preview here online) is the strongest page in the whole book."
In BetterPhoto Basics, Jim Miotke, founder of the popular online photography school BetterPhoto.com, shares tips and tricks to improve your photos right away, no matter what camera you’re using. No matter what your level of experience, you’ll be amazed how easy it is to start taking photos like the pros. JIM MIOTKE is a professional photographer and an online photo course instructor with BetterPhoto.com, a resource for photographers that he founded and runs.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I first bought another guide for my granddaughter at her mother's recommendation."
"Just as advertised."
"Things like fireworks, lightning, and those cool shots of water where the water is all blurry - this book has it all."
"Very helpful for amateur photographers."
"I found the book gave me the level of information I required about the basics, accompanied by excellent advice, sample photos and photography tips."
"The only reason I did four stars instead of five is because there is a lot of drawn out information (in my opinion)."
"Great and easy read."
Best Photography Handbooks & Manuals
The newest edition of The Backyard Astronomer's Guide includes the latest data and answers the questions most often asked by home astronomers, from beginners to experienced stargazers. Telescopes for Recreational Astronomy features assessments of a wide range of new telescopes, from models for beginners to those for veteran astronomy enthusiasts, with special emphasis on computerized telescopes and how they work. [Review of earlier edition:] Excellent introductory text ... completely revised... it is lushly illustrated in color throughout. [Review of earlier edition:] If an amateur astronomer could afford one book, this would be the one to get ... one of the most attractive practical astronomy works ever produced. [Review of earlier edition:] Lively, accessible style; is comprehensive; and is lavishly illustrated with hundreds of photographs, diagrams, and charts... highly recommended for any library. [Review of earlier edition:] Few books capture the spirit of the hobby so well -- the pleasures and the pitfalls of the equipment you might need, and the simple joy of watching the universe go by. I recommend this book for anyone who is contemplating buying a telescope, has one but does not quite know how to use it, or wants to learn more about accessories and fun activities to supplement his or her stargazing. If you teach observational astronomy, run a public observatory, or conduct community stargazing classes, put this magazine down and order it right now ... [Review of earlier edition:] This book is an indispensable tool for any serious naturalist who wants to understand and experience the full expanse of the world and universe around us. I fondly remember haunting my favorite bookstore as a college student in the early 1990s, ogling the big, full-color astronomy texts, when I happened upon The Backyard Astronomer's Guide. Now in its third edition, Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer have completely rewritten large sections to keep in lockstep with the evolving trends. Immediately from the first chapter the authors' fluid writing style draws you in, casually introducing you to the pursuit of the night sky. As in previous editions, the flow comfortably builds with each page, easing you into progressively challenging subjects without missing a step. The text builds though each successive chapter, describing today's plethora of binoculars, telescopes, mounts, eyepieces, and other accessories. Complementing the informative text are hundreds of colour photographs and illustrations as well as a 20-page, full-colour atlas of the Milky Way that includes 10 charts.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great addition to my library."
"If you have, or are interested in getting, a quality telescope this book is great."
"I Love looking at the Star's and This book help me to know which Star's I'm looking at, Name them."
"We are new to star gazing using a telescope and I wanted a book that would help us learn more about space and what we were seeing. If I were going to buy a telescope, I might start by purchasing this book prior to purchasing a telescope."
"I just love this book."
"Not quite as captivating as the original Nightwatch, but a good publication nonetheless."
"I am a beginner in astronomy as a hobby so I have looked at all the resources I thought I needed like internet sites and forums, reviews and the like. The Backyard Astronomer's Guide is the best investment a beginner in the hobby could make it should be your very first purchase even before any equipment."
"This book will serve as a reference guide for I am constantly returning to the pages to learn more exciting information about this fascinating subject of astronomy."
Best Photography Equipment
Understanding Exposure has taught generations of photographers how to shoot the images they want by demystifying the complex concepts of exposure in photography. BRYAN PETERSON is a professional photographer, internationally known instructor, best-selling author, and founder of The Bryan Peterson School of Photography at www.bpsop.com.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Buy this book first."
"Since it was first published, Understanding Exposure has provided a friendly, easy, and accessible way for everyone to learn to use their cameras to create beautiful images. I've been in the photography business for almost two decades and this book has always been my first recommendation (more than any classes or any other book) when pressed for help with cameras. It's for a very good reason that the book has been so successful over the last decade - Peterson makes it easy to put away the camera manual and get the most important basics down to start taking consistently good images."
"He talks around it for the whole book like it's some magical thing but I had to go to Wikipedia to get an understanding of the what the triangle is and how to use it in a practical way. Try searching Wikipedia for "Exposure Value" or "Law of Reciprocity" under the "Science of Photography"."
"I picked up my first camera and this book at the same time."
"This book completely revamped my passion for photography and improved my photos tremendously."
"I bought this latest version for my daughter, the only real difference is the last chapter deals with flash usage."
"If you are used to your camera's Auto-something feature, forget about it, because this will really change the way you will set up exposures, leveraging your creativity."
"Easy read and very informative without being overly wordy."
Best Photography Lighting
It provides invaluable information on how to light the most difficult subjects, such as surfaces, metal, glass, liquids, extremes (black-on-black and white-on-white), and portraits. All new chapter titled "Setting Up Your New Studio" A re-vamped and expanded chapter 8 now titled "Making Portraits" New appendix of reliable photo gear sources Over 100 new photographs and informational sidebars Updated information about advances in flash equipment, LED panels and fluorescent lights. has over twenty years of experience as a commercial photographer specializing in portraits, still life, photomontage, and digital manipulation. He has been honored with awards from Communication Arts, Graphis, HOW Magazine, and Adobe, who have also included his work on a Photoshop 'extras' disc to inspire other photographers. Paul has written and produced educational and training material in a variety of fields including law, public safety, history, science, and the environment.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The book is a bit technical and I will need to read it again... slowly... so that I can digest everything. But the level of detail is a good thing and totally worth the effort if you truly want to understand lighting for photography. It covers photographing different types of subjects... reflective, clear, black, white, etc. In addition to explaining the science of why you need to light a certain type of subject a certain way to produce a certain result, it includes photos to illustrate these points. PROS: - Detailed explanations that help you understand the science of lighting."
"I am a self-taught photographer wanting to learn more about how to craft studio light."
"There are a few minor errors when the authors push their understanding of physics a bit too far, but those do not detract significantly from the overall excellence of the book."
"This book is fabulous!!"
"This is a no nonsense, no girlie picture, book about the concepts of lighting."
"If you have to read just one book about lighting in your life, this is it - it's all you're ever going to need, seriously."
"My studio lighting teacher required this for her class and when I found the first chapter was a good walk through with the physics of light, I knew it was no ordinary photography book."
"Excellent technical resource."
Best Color Photography
Completely revised and updated throughout, Bryan Peterson's classic guide to creativity helps photographers visualize their work, and the world, in a whole new light by developing their photographic vision. His trademark use of color and strong, graphic composition have garnered him many photographic awards, including the Art Director Club's Gold Award and honors from Communication Arts and Print magazines.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"When i was reading the book it all seemed so basic and I thought I wasted my money, but after reading the book, and applying each lesson individually when taking pictures I can confidently say the book helped me grow as a photographer!"
"Interesting read, strong writing and great examples."
"The book prompted me to view things and people differently."
"I have all of Bryan Peterson's books."
"I am reading it through the second time now."
"This book has opened my thinking to different ways of composing, and in general really helped me to see the bigger picture while shooting."
"Concepts are easy to follow."
"Very informative."
Best Flash Photography
NEW: Updated November 2017 to include the Nikon D850 and Sony a7R III! With access to over 20 HOURS of online video, this book helps you choose the best equipment for your budget and style of photography. In this book, award-winning author and photographer Tony Northrup explains explains what all your camera, flash, lens, and tripod features do, as well as which are worth paying for and which you can simply skip. Tony provides information specific to your style of photography, whether you're a casual photographer or you're serious about portraits, landscapes, sports, wildlife, weddings, or even macro. For the casual reader, Tony provides quick recommendations to allow you to get the best gear for your budget, without spending days researching. If you love camera gear, you'll be able to dive into 200 pages of detailed information covering Nikon, Canon, Sony, Micro Four-Thirds, Olympus, Samsung, Leica, Fujifilm, Pentax, Tamron, Sigma, Yongnuo, Godox, and many other manufacturers. You can learn more about Tony by liking his Facebook photography page at http://www.facebook.com/NorthrupPhotography, following him on Twitter (@TonyNorthrup), viewing his photography portfolio at www.northrupphotography.com, or emailing him at tony@northrup.org.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book was last revised in 2016, and while newer equipment is not featured, it is still up to date enough to be useful."
"I believe in 2016 and 2017 a lot of gears hit the market as well, I believe Tony should update the book with the latest gears available."
"I was going to buy a flash unit that was 8x more expensive than the one I actually bought because of the recommendation this book made."
"He provides a fair and seemingly unbiased approach with plenty of great insight into the inevitable "Canon versus Nikon" debate, as well as every other major manufacturer's products. Tony provides extensive hyperlinks throughout the text to both Amazon's offers on certain products, and to the manufacturer's site or other retailers for additional product information. The Manfroto carbon tripod Manfrotto MK293C4-A0RC2 4 Section Carbon Tripod Kit with Quick Release Ball Head (Black)_item just replaced the more expensive Gitzo on my got-to-have list."
"This book is an excellent start for gear recommendations, although each version is outdated very quick, as anyone can imagine."
"This book is comprehensive enough to get anyone started in the current world of creative photography, as it exends beyond point and shoot vacation and memory recording."
"I have their other books as well, which I highly recommend to everyone who is trying to learn photography ( and no they don't pay me to write this review,lol)."
"Definitely buy this book before you buy a DSLR camera."
Best Darkroom & Photo Processing
Since Lightroom 1.0 first launched, Scott’s Kelby’s The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers has been the world’s #1 bestselling Lightroom book (it has been translated into a dozen different languages), and in this latest version for Lightroom 6, Scott uses his same award-winning, step-by-step, plain-English style and layout to make learning Lightroom easy and fun. This is where Scott dramatically answers his #1 most-asked Lightroom question, which is: “Exactly what order am I supposed to do things in, and where does Photoshop fit in?” You’ll see Scott’s entire start-to-finish Lightroom 6 workflow and learn how to incorporate it into your own workflow. Scott is a photographer, designer, and award-winning author of more than 60 books, including Photoshop for Lightroom Users, Professional Portrait Retouching Techniques for Photographers Using Photoshop, Light It, Shoot It, Retouch It: Learn Step by Step How to Go from Empty Studio to Finished Image, The Adobe Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers, and The Digital Photography Book, parts 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5. His books have been translated into dozens of different languages, including Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Korean, Polish, Taiwanese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Arabic, Swedish, Turkish, Hebrew, and Portuguese, among others, and he is a recipient of the prestigious ASP International Award, presented annually by the American Society of Photographers for “…contributions in a special or significant way to the ideals of Professional Photography as an art and a science.”.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For example, tonality is one of the key steps in post processing images and the author provides enough detail so that you will not only be able to follow his instructions for dealing with the sample images, but also to understand how the process works. For long-time users of Lightroom, there are a few new functions, and Lightroom is so user friendly that the operation of some of the new functions, like panoramas and HDR, will be intuitive and not require explanation, so that those long-time users might think they don't need this kind of introduction. Experienced users may also find something they didn't know in this book."
"Here's the summary if you're in a hurry: Pros: -Easy to read but very good and detailed information. -Well laid out and organized. -Word searching in the digital version makes finding things a breeze. -A full photo shoot (for the cover of the book) is laid out and described, including the Photoshop editing. It is laid out in the order of things you would encounter if you were a first time user new to the program and to organizing your images. It works for me and I would especially recommend his books to beginners as they have a lot of information in small chunks. The beginning is dedicated to good organizational practices which I partially followed from the last edition. I used to be very casual about my hard drives and use them for a lot of stuff and lost pictures several times. There are a LOT of small tips, which makes reading through the book worthwhile even for those who have used Lightroom before. I found this book full of good ideas and techniques easily explained."
"Lightroom is primarily for professionals who make a lot of photos per day like the author Scott Kelby."
"Very good book for someone who switched from another program to Lightroom 6."
"I cannot find any reference for Window diagrams and this is disappointing as the little blue pull down boxes shown throughout Chapter One do not exist on Windows LR and this would be too confusing to my students."
Best Digital Photo & Video Editing
Since Lightroom 1.0 first launched, Scott’s Kelby’s The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers has been the world’s #1 bestselling Lightroom book (it has been translated into a dozen different languages), and in this latest version for Lightroom 6, Scott uses his same award-winning, step-by-step, plain-English style and layout to make learning Lightroom easy and fun. This is where Scott dramatically answers his #1 most-asked Lightroom question, which is: “Exactly what order am I supposed to do things in, and where does Photoshop fit in?” You’ll see Scott’s entire start-to-finish Lightroom 6 workflow and learn how to incorporate it into your own workflow. Scott is a photographer, designer, and award-winning author of more than 60 books, including Photoshop for Lightroom Users, Professional Portrait Retouching Techniques for Photographers Using Photoshop, Light It, Shoot It, Retouch It: Learn Step by Step How to Go from Empty Studio to Finished Image, The Adobe Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers, and The Digital Photography Book, parts 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5. His books have been translated into dozens of different languages, including Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Korean, Polish, Taiwanese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Arabic, Swedish, Turkish, Hebrew, and Portuguese, among others, and he is a recipient of the prestigious ASP International Award, presented annually by the American Society of Photographers for “…contributions in a special or significant way to the ideals of Professional Photography as an art and a science.”.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For example, tonality is one of the key steps in post processing images and the author provides enough detail so that you will not only be able to follow his instructions for dealing with the sample images, but also to understand how the process works. For long-time users of Lightroom, there are a few new functions, and Lightroom is so user friendly that the operation of some of the new functions, like panoramas and HDR, will be intuitive and not require explanation, so that those long-time users might think they don't need this kind of introduction. Experienced users may also find something they didn't know in this book."
"Here's the summary if you're in a hurry: Pros: -Easy to read but very good and detailed information. -Well laid out and organized. -Word searching in the digital version makes finding things a breeze. -A full photo shoot (for the cover of the book) is laid out and described, including the Photoshop editing. It is laid out in the order of things you would encounter if you were a first time user new to the program and to organizing your images. It works for me and I would especially recommend his books to beginners as they have a lot of information in small chunks. The beginning is dedicated to good organizational practices which I partially followed from the last edition. I used to be very casual about my hard drives and use them for a lot of stuff and lost pictures several times. There are a LOT of small tips, which makes reading through the book worthwhile even for those who have used Lightroom before. I found this book full of good ideas and techniques easily explained."
"Lightroom is primarily for professionals who make a lot of photos per day like the author Scott Kelby."
"Very good book for someone who switched from another program to Lightroom 6."
"I cannot find any reference for Window diagrams and this is disappointing as the little blue pull down boxes shown throughout Chapter One do not exist on Windows LR and this would be too confusing to my students."