DSLRUsers.com

Hi everyone,

I would say I'm leaning towards being an intermediate DSLR user and I am going to buy a D300 when it comes out. I got given a voucher for Borders and was thinking of buying a photography book, or maybe 2!!

I know all the SLR basics, but was just wondering if anyone had any advice on any good photography books that will help me to expand my skills.

Thanks!
Jeff

Here's a couple of suggestions

Bryan Peterson "Understanding Exposure"
John Shaw "Nature Photography Field Guide"
Fil Hunter "Light:Science and Magic" (If you are interested in artifical lighting of subjects)
A subscription to National Geographic

And of course there are the Ansel Adams books (which I must confess I haven't read)

Bryan Peterson "Understanding Exposure"
John Shaw "Nature Photography Field Guide"

Couldn't agree more. 'Understanding Exposure' is exceptionally good. Very easy to understand and has some good examples.

I'd also recommend Adobe Photoshop for Photographers by Martin Evening if you plan to be using Photoshop a bit for your PP.

Some of the 'How To WOW in Photoshop' books are good too.

Mountain Light by Galen Rowell, a classic if you are into outdoors and adventure.

I'm currently reading Galen Rowell's Inner Game of Outdoor Photography. It is also a great book.

Cheers,

André

stubbsy wrote:I'd also recommend Adobe Photoshop for Photographers by Martin Evening if you plan to be using Photoshop a bit for your PP.

I have that manual and its all double dutch to me

I like Scott Kelby's books on digital photography and post-processing.

He is interesting and easy to follow, and is the #1 writer on digital subjects today:

http://www.scottkelby.com/books.html

It's pretty easy to ge hold of his books at your local library or bookshop, and Amazon will sell them & transport them to your door for a bit less than buying them here.

stubbsy wrote:I'd also recommend Adobe Photoshop for Photographers by Martin Evening if you plan to be using Photoshop a bit for your PP.

Great book...but for someone dipping their toes into PS for the first time I'd recommend Scott Kelby's "The Photoshop xxxx Book for Digital Photographers". I'm not a fan of Scott's cheesy writing style but his step by step guide to getting the best out of your photos is pretty painless, and a stepping stone to more comprehensive books like Evening's.

<edit>

Trevor beat me too it

Slow typing...glass of wine mid post...

<end edit>

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm definitely looking at getting some of the more 'practical' books, so i'll see what they've got tomorrow. I have a degree in multimedia so I have a reasonably good understanding of Photoshop, so i'll def have a look at Adobe Photoshop for Photographers (I'm pretty sure I've seen that title in the store before but have never looked inside!).

I've been buying a lot more photography mags as well lately, I particularly like 'Digital SLR Photography' from the UK. What are everyone else's favourites??

Chimp is the photography magazine I read most.

I second the comments re Kelby's "PS XXX for Digital Photographers" (Is a Digital Photographer someone who shoots hand models??? ) and "Light Science & Magic" (Hunter, F., et al.) Informative books that are easy to read.

My favourate mags are "Better Photography" (Aust) and "Black & White Photography" (UK). The problem I find with a lot of mags is they they spend too much time reviewing new gear as opposed to discussing photographic techniques or profiling photographers, etc.

I find I get more value out of good books that showcase the photography of some of the masters. Anything by Eugene Smith, Sebaston Salgado, Cartier-Bresson, August Sander, David Seymour (Chim) or any of the Magnum photographers. These books I go back to time and time again and I never tire of them. Technique and processing you can get from the forums and the internet and of course, experimentation and experience.

Scott Kelby thirded. This one.

I read a good book from Peter Harper a few years back. Cant remember the title, but it was nature photography based.

cricketfan wrote:I like Scott Kelby's books on digital photography

great book, very dumbed down, doesnt go in to the depth that say Bryan Peterson does in Understanding Exposure but its still very informative and does go through quite alot of shooting situations.

there is a book called 'light, science and magic' or something similiar that i have heard good things about.

has anybody here read it?

... Obsolete ...

shockadelica- wrote:there is a book called 'light, science and magic' or something similiar that i have heard good things about.

has anybody here read it?

Yes, I have it and it is an excellent resource for anyone interested in artificial light and how to control it. However, it is fairly technical, and these days I think that you can get more-easily digested assistance with light from The Strobist's web pages.

Light, Science and Magic - Third Edition. About $65 at Dymocks - wait 3 weeks.

Or, buy online from Amazon at US$40 (about A$45), plus shipping, and have it in a few days!

I find that if you buy 2 or more books from Amazon, the landed cost here (especially at the current exchange rate) is cheaper than buying locally. And usually quicker for photographic books, as the local stores do not keep large inventories of them.

I would support local businesses if they didn't try to rip us off so much.

VK4CP wrote:Scott Kelby's "The Photoshop CS2 Book for Digital Photographers".
An excellent reference manual that details numerous practical and advanced techniques that can be used everyday.

This book is easy to follow with step by step guides, and has great illustrations and screenshots. The writing style is casual and very readable.
It's a book you can (should?) pick up and go cover to cover a couple of time a year, just to refresh.

Couldn't agree more Adam, with you and Trevor. I've got six of Kelby's photoshop books (plus his iPod book) and subscribe to his Photoshop TV podcasts. Extremely informative and entertaining.

I managed to pick up a book from our local library sale of obsolete books, called Exploring Photography, by Bryn Campbell. I'm not sure when it was published, but it was purchased by the library in 1979.
It is a treasure, full of brilliant images, by outstanding photographers, such as Bill Brandt, Constantine Manos and many others, all before the days of digital.

Bob