Friday, May 4, 2012

Travel Photography: How to Take Striking Photography (Insight Guides)

Travel Photography: How to Take Striking Photography (Insight Guides) Review



The book starts with an inspiring introduction followed by a history from the first cameras to the digital future. The technical side is taken up with separate chapters on Light, Composition and the Camera before the main section of the book, The Journey, examines different areas of travel photography from Mountains and Deserts to Cityscapes and Festivals, with a close-up look at some personal experiences of contributors as well as special features ranging from Underwater Photography to Extreme Destinations. In the final section there is detailed guidance on storage and archiving of digital images, digital enhancement, viewing and printing, sharing and selling.


Wednesday, May 2, 2012

David Busch's Nikon D90 Guide to Digital SLR Photography

David Busch's Nikon D90 Guide to Digital SLR Photography Review



Welcome to the D90, Nikon's newest full-featured--yet compact and affordable--digital SLR camera. David Busch's Nikon D90 Guide to Digital SLR Photography shows you how to maximize your camera's robust feature set, blazing fast automatic focus, the real-time preview system Live View, HDTV movie-making capabilities, and the Retouch mode that allows you to edit your picture in the camera, to take outstanding photos. You'll learn how, when, and, most importantly, why to use each of the cool features and functions of your camera to take eye-popping photographs. Introductory chapters will help you get comfortable with the basics of your camera before you dive right into exploring creative ways to apply the Nikon D90's exposure modes, focus controls, and electronic flash options. You'll also find loads of helpful information and tips on choosing lenses, flash units, and software products to use with your new camera. Beautiful, full-color images illustrate where the essential buttons and dials are, so you'll quickly learn how to use your Nikon D90, and use it like a pro!


Thursday, April 26, 2012

How to Photograph Underwater (How To Photograph Series)

How to Photograph Underwater (How To Photograph Series) Review



How to Photograph Underwater (How To Photograph Series) Feature

  • BOOK, HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH UNDERWATER,
BOOK, HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH UNDERWATER,


Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Photographing Nature: A photo workshop from Brooks Institute's top nature photography instructor

Photographing Nature: A photo workshop from Brooks Institute's top nature photography instructor Review



25 years of nature photography instruction in one gorgeous, full-color, hands-on course

Anyone can photograph nature—just step outside and you’re on location. But becoming a good nature photographer takes expert training. In Photographing Nature, Ralph Clevenger, whose images have appeared in such publications as Nature’s Best and National Geographic, shares the techniques he’s been personally using and teaching to aspiring photographers for the last 25 years in his popular nature photography course at the elite Brooks Institute.

In this stunning, four-color course-in-a-book, each chapter opens with a spectacular photo spread from the natural world that Clevenger uses to illustrate themes and techniques essential to mastering nature photography. Just as he does in his classroom at Brooks, Clevenger explains how each photo was captured, the tools and techniques used, and typical problems related to capturing such a photo, along with solutions. Chapters also include sample Q&A sessions as well as assignments you can try yourself.

By the time you’ve worked through all of the techniques in this beautiful, yet informative book, you’ll not only photograph the world differently, you’ll see it differently as well. With a foreword by George Lepp, one of North America’s best-known contemporary outdoor and nature photographers.


Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Photography For Dummies, Second Edition

Photography For Dummies, Second Edition Review



Your personal photographs have a worth that can’t be measured in dollars and cents. They’re likely the one thing you would grab on the way out of a burning house – an irreplaceable record of the life you lead, of friends and family, and of the occasions with which you mark passing years.

The funny thing is, most people aren’t entirely happy with their photographs. And that's where Photography For Dummies comes in. You don't need a fancy camera with multiple, removable lenses to get good pictures. The problem is, nearly every book on photography assumes that you're using one. But this book assumes that you're using a point-and-shoot camera for all your pictures. In fact, this may be the most complete guide available for taking pictures with a modern point-and-shoot camera.

This revised edition of Photography For Dummies helps you choose film (much simpler than you’d think), load film into the camera (no big sweat), and understand how to hold the camera (yes, there are right and wrong ways). You'll also discover tips about dealing with your photofinisher – a far more important factor in getting good results than most people realize, especially in the digital age. What's more, you'll gain insight into

  • Working with your camera, and how different settings make your camera do different things
  • Understanding the importance of light in a photograph, and applying design strategies that make your subjects stand out
  • Getting shots that both flatter people and capture their personalities
  • Shooting landscapes, and the special considerations of travel photography
  • Taking pictures filmlessly, and the pleasures and pitfalls of digital photography
  • Troubleshooting your camera, and discovering what do try if it won't shoot

Today’s point-and-shoot cameras are remarkably reliable devices. So why aren’t your pictures better? The main secret to better photographs is knowing what to shoot, when to shoot it, and how to shoot it. You need Photography For Dummies, because it lets you in on this secret.


Monday, April 23, 2012

The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3

The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3 Review



Scott Kelby, author of The Digital Photography Book, volume 1 (the world’s best-selling digital photography book of all time), is back with a follow-up to his volume 2 smash best seller, with an entirely new book that picks up right where he left off. It’s even more of that “Ah ha—so that’s how they do it,” straight-to-the-point, skip-the-techno-jargon stuff you can really use today to make your shots even better.

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

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

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


Sunday, April 22, 2012

Underwater Eden: 365 Days

Underwater Eden: 365 Days Review



With a focus on coral reefs, Underwater Eden illuminates the fantastic colors, array of textures, and countless bizarre shapes and forms of undersea life.

Beneath the surface of the world’s most exotic seas and oceans—from the Red Sea and the coast of Costa Rica to the Great Barrier Reef and Palau Islands—lie spectacularly diverse ecosystems that only a privileged few have had the opportunity to view up close and in person. Jeffrey Rotman has spent more than thirty years diving in these waters to capture their breathtaking beauty and the stunning richness and variety of the creatures that inhabit them. .

The book’s extended captions are written by Rotman and contain scientific facts and trivia interspersed with personal anecdotes and insights gained from decades of observation. Underwater Eden grants readers 365 days of unprecedented access into a strange and captivating world.


Friday, April 20, 2012

My Underwater Photo Journey

My Underwater Photo Journey Review



Cathy's underwater photo journey extends from the Caribbean to the South Pacific, from the surface to 150 feet deep. This delightful book is the first time she has shown us so many of her lovely photographs; they show her sense of whimsy and art, yet are balanced by her education in marine biology. This is a brand new book, published in November 2004. It includes one FREE black & white 8 x 10 photo, AND a special online photo lesson for each of the photos in the book.


Monday, April 16, 2012

Underwater Photography for Compact Camera Users

Underwater Photography for Compact Camera Users Review



Be inspired to take the underwater photographs you have always dreamed of using a compact camera

'Book of the Year'Diver Magazine

Designed to help the beginner and the more advanced digital compact camera users, Underwater Photography for Compact Camera Users promises to inspire both snorkelers and divers to achieve fabulous underwater photographs.

Crammed with fantastic tips and photographs to illustrate the techniques, it delivers the expert advice without confusing the beginner or patronising the advanced user.

Included in Underwater Photography for Compact Camera Users:

  • Choosing and caring for your camera underwater
  • Understanding the settings on your camera
  • Using accessories
  • Underwater composition
  • Lighting your subject underwater
  • Natural light photography
  • Downloading and sorting your images
  • A special 'guest gallery' to inspire and show you how to capture the photographs you have always dreamed of


Thursday, April 5, 2012

Light and Lens, Second Edition: Photography in the Digital Age

Light and Lens, Second Edition: Photography in the Digital Age Review



Light & Lens: Photography in the Digital Age is a groundbreaking introductory book that clearly and concisely provides the instruction and building blocks necessary to create thought-provoking digitally based photographs. It is an adventurous idea book that features numerous classroom-tested assignments and exercises from leading photographic educators to encourage you to critically explore and make images from the photographers' eye, an aesthetic point of view.

Acquire a basic foundation for digital photography. Light and Lens covers the fundamental concepts of image-making; how to use today's digital technology to create compelling images; and how to output and preserve images in the digital world.
Explore the history, theory and methods of digital image-making. Light and Lens translates the enduring aesthetics of art photography into the digital realm. You'll view, capture and think about images from a new perspective.
Increase your ability to analyze, discuss and write about your own work and the images of others.
Learn with exercises and assignments by leading digital educators. Innovative techniques will train your eye to make the strongest visual statement.
Solve visual problems and overcome image challenges. Whether you use a digital SLR or a point-and-shoot camera, you'll get new strategies to master composition, design and light.
View the full range of the digital terrain with stunning images and commentary by over 190 international artists.

Robert Hirsch is a renowned photographer, educator, historian and writer. His book credits include Photographic Possibilities: The Expressive Use of Ideas, Materials and Processes; Exploring Color Photography: From the Darkroom to the Digital Studio; and Seizing the Light: A History of Photography. He has had many one-person shows and curated numerous exhibitions. Hirsch has also conducted many workshops and interviewed eminent photographers of our time. The former executive director of CEPA Gallery, he is now the director of Light Research in Buffalo, New York, and on the Visual Studies faculty of University of Buffalo/The State University of New York.

* Written by one of the top fine art authors of today, this book connects with the reader to peel away the layers to think deeply about photography * Exercises and assignments by leading digital educator are priceless; they send photographers on a personal journey that will end with a strong visual statement. * Inspirational imagery on every page-with a balanced mix of contemporary and historical work that teaches the photographer with real-art visuals

 


Tuesday, April 3, 2012

The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss

The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss Review



On dry land, most organisms are confined to the surface, or at most to altitudes of a hundred meters—the height of the tallest trees. In the oceans, though, living space has both vertical and horizontal dimensions: with an average depth of 3800 meters, the oceans offer 99% of the space on Earth where life can develop. And the deep sea, which has been immersed in total darkness since the dawn of time, occupies 85% of ocean space, forming the planet’s largest habitat.  Yet these depths abound with mystery. The deep sea is mostly uncharted—only about 5 percent of the seafloor has been mapped with any reasonable degree of detail—and we know very little about the creatures that call it home. Current estimates about the number of species yet to be found vary between ten and thirty million.  The deep sea no longer has anything to prove; it is without doubt Earth’s largest reservoir of life.

Combining the latest scientific discoveries with astonishing color imagery, The Deep takes readers on a voyage into the darkest realms of the ocean. Revealing nature’s oddest and most mesmerizing creatures in crystalline detail, The Deep features more than two hundred color photographs of terrifying sea monsters, living fossils, and ethereal bioluminescent creatures, some photographed here for the very first time. Accompanying these breathtaking photographs are contributions from some of the world’s most respected researchers that examine the biology of deep-sea organisms, the ecology of deep-sea habitats, and the history of deep-sea exploration.

An unforgettable visual and scientific tour of the teeming abyss, The Deep celebrates the incredible diversity of life on Earth and will captivate anyone intrigued by the unseen—and unimaginable—creatures of the deep sea. 

(20070310)


Monday, April 2, 2012

Tony Northrup's DSLR Book: How to Create Stunning Digital Photography

Tony Northrup's DSLR Book: How to Create Stunning Digital Photography Review



This ultimate comprehensive photography book is revolutionary in four ways:

  1. FREE VIDEO TRAINING. Integrated into the book's content, the author shows you exactly how he took the photos. The print book includes links you can type into your web browser. If you buy the eBook and your eReader can play video (such as the Kindle app on an iPhone/iPad/Android, or the Kindle Fire), clicking the links when you have an Internet connection will load the video directly within your eReader.
  2. NEVER OUTDATED. This book is regularly updated with new content (including additional videos) that eBook owners receive for free. As new photography trends emerge and new camera equipment and lenses are released, you'll see them described in both the print and eBooks immediately. 
  3. 350+ HIGH RESOLUTION, ORIGINAL PICTURES. Detailed example pictures demonstrate both good and bad technique, all taken by the author himself in nine different countries. Most photo books use stock photography taken by other photographers. On the eBook, zoom into the pictures by double-tapping your screen (on a Kindle Fire) or pinching-and-pulling your fingers apart (on an iPad/iPhone/Android).
  4. HANDS-ON PRACTICES. Complete the practices at the end of every chapter to get the real world experience you need.
In this book, Tony Northrup (award-winning author of more than 30 how-to books and a professional portrait, wildlife, and landscape photographer) teaches you both the art and science of creating stunning pictures. First, you will master these basic concepts:
  • Composition
  • Exposure
  • Shutter speed
  • Aperture
  • Depth-of-field
  • ISO
  • Natural light
  • Flash
  • Posing
  • Troubleshooting bad pictures
  • Using raw files
  • Studio lighting
  • Night photography
  • HDR
  • Macro/close-up photography
Then, you will learn the pro's secrets for photographing these subjects:
  • People (candid, casual, formal, and underwater portraits)
  • Weddings
  • Pets
  • Wildlife (mammals, birds, insects, fish, and more)
  • Landscapes
  • Cityscapes
  • Sunrises and sunsets
  • Flowers
  • Forests, waterfalls, and rivers
  • Fireworks
  • Stars
When pictures don't turn out the way you hoped, you can refer to Chapter 5 for tips on solving common problems.

UPDATE HISTORY:
  • 12/11/2011: Initial release.
  • 1/10/2011: Expanded section on baby portraits (including video).
  • 1/18/2012: Added links to integrated videos covering aperture and depth-of-field, light painting, HDR, and macro.
  • 2/14/2012: Fixed minor reader-submitted errata.


Sunday, April 1, 2012

Beneath Cold Seas: The Underwater Wilderness of the Pacific Northwest

Beneath Cold Seas: The Underwater Wilderness of the Pacific Northwest Review



"David Hall shoots with the inquiring and exacting eye of a scientist yet the soul and vision of an artist, combining the two to produce uniquely beautiful underwater images that educate as much as they inspire." -Christopher Newbert, author of Within a Rainbowed Sea

In Beneath Cold Seas, author and photographer David Hall takes us into the underwater world of the Pacific Coast from California to Alaska, home to the most diverse and spectacular marine life of any temperate or cold-water ecosystem on the planet. From the tiny, candy-stripe shrimp, giant Pacific octopus, ghost-like hooded nudibranchs, and migrating sockeye salmon to the world's largest sea lions, Hall's stunning photographs and lively text reveal many fascinating species interrelationships and rarely observed animal behaviors. An innovative approach to over/underwater photography places the marine life of the Pacific Northwest in familiar context with hauntingly beautiful images that will surprise even experienced divers and delight the rest of us. An introduction by Sarika Cullis-Suzuki focuses on the conservation issues facing this rich yet vulnerable ecosystem.

David Hall is an award-winning photographer and photojournalist with an international reputation whose work has been published in magazines such as National Geographic, Smithsonian, Natural History, Time, BBC Wildlife, Geo, and Terre Sauvage. He is the co-author of ten children's books in Scholastic's Undersea Encounters series and co-author of the scientific paper describing the famous "psychedelic frogfish," for which he received an award from the International Institute for Species Exploration.


Saturday, March 31, 2012

Digital Photography For Dummies

Digital Photography For Dummies Review



A new edition gets you in the picture for learning digital photography

Whether you have a point-and-shoot or digital SLR camera, this new edition of the full-color bestseller is packed with tips, advice, and insight that you won't find in your camera manual. Digital photography guru Julie Adair King presents you with new and extensively updated information on topics that is written for fledgling photographers in a fun and friendly style. You'll explore tips for finding the gear that best suits your needs, using built-in tools, working with focus and exposure, and shooting like a pro.

However, if you've already got an archives full of photos, then this guide shows you how to upload, edit, manage, and share your images. Advice for prolonging battery life, an honest look at the pros and cons of digital SLR, and a helpful glossary are all aimed at making your experience with digital photography picture perfect!

  • Shows you how to set up your camera for basic shooting and use automatic mode, common scene modes, and all the camera's features
  • Explains how to edit your images and fix common problems like dim lighting or red-eye
  • Highlights ways to print photos at home or through a service and then posting online to social sites or send to a cell phone
  • Helps you manage depth of field, exposure, and white balance

Digital Photography For Dummies, 7th Edition provides you with rich, full-color examples throughout to help your digital pictures say more than a thousand words!


Friday, March 30, 2012

The Basic Book of Digital Photography: How to Shoot, Enhance, and Share Your Digital Pictures

The Basic Book of Digital Photography: How to Shoot, Enhance, and Share Your Digital Pictures Review



The ultimate, up-to-the-minute digital photography handbook-from the authors of the bestselling Basic Book of Photography.

The Basic Book of Digital Photography is the definitive guide to the expansive world of digital photography from two of the field's most established authorities. The Grimms' classic guide, The Basic Book of Photography, has sold over 400,000 copies since the first edition was published in 1974. Now they are steering photographers through the new era of digital imaging.

This comprehensive handbook covers how to compose the best shots with cameras from point-and-shoot to the increasingly popular SLR (single lens reflex) models-and even cell phone cameras- and takes readers through the steps to improve, display, and preserve their images. The guide includes over 400 photos and illustrations, an extensive glossary and addresses everything from choosing a digital camera to storing files and printing photos. An indispensable accessory for amateur shutterbugs or dedicated professionals, this is the one handbook no digital photographer will want to do without.




Wednesday, March 28, 2012

The NEW Joy of Digital Photography (Lark Photography Book)

The NEW Joy of Digital Photography (Lark Photography Book) Review



The original was a huge seller-and now this new and thoroughly up-to-date edition covers all the latest technological advances, plus interviews with professionals that reveal how taking, editing, and sharing pictures have become more fun and exciting than ever.
Easy-to-grasp explanations of technique, introductions to exciting new imaging technology, fun diagrams, spectacular pictures, and the author's creative, inspirational approach will distinguish The NEW Joy of Digital Photography from any other digital photo how-to book.

INCLUDES:
o Wi-fi technologies that have spawned a frenzy of image sharing
o The quantum leap in digital sensor and RAW file technology
o Up-to-the-minute advice on digital vision, digital tools, common problems and solutions
o Travel and landscape photography; portraiture; sports photography
o Post-production, including seeing, sharing, and storing digital images
o The latest in desktop printing and the digital darkroom
o A Photoshop primer
o And much, much more!


Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Ocean: Photographs from the World's Greatest Underwater Photographers

Ocean: Photographs from the World's Greatest Underwater Photographers Review



This collection of great marine photography by famous underwater photographers includes works by Scott Frier, chief expedition photograper for the Cousteau Society, and Flip Nicklin, the "premier whale photographer in the world". 225 photos.