BEST BOOKS FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

[mula]

Whats the best books available today about these subjects?
1. basic photography
2. advanced photography
3. studio lighting
4. photoshop cs3 for photographers

I know that theres a lot of books at market, but most of them are old and just reprinted, with no new stuffs about digital photos and new techniques.

 

[Overread]

Well here are a few:

1) Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson
a very good book and often refrenced as a good place to start reading.

2) The Digital Photography book vols 1 and 2 by Scott Kelby
a pair of books that give simple info and tips on doing photography with a specific focus on digital. Note that the first book (not read the second, but its similar in theme) is not indepth and won't nessessarily explain all the details, but will give you good pointers to how to shoot - good place ot start

3) Langford's Basic Photography: The guide for serious photographers 8th edition

4) Langford's Advanced Photography 7th edition
Both of these are good books for people wishing to further their skills and understandings in photography

 

[Yahoozy]

ill add The Photography Bible by Daniel Lezano
great for beginning tips and interesting information and techniques

 

[MDesigner]

What about books that focus more on the creative (composition, etc.) as opposed to the technical? Any suggestions?

 

[Dweller]

What about books that focus more on the creative (composition, etc.) as opposed to the technical? Any suggestions?

I just picked up "How to see creatively" by the same guy who wrote Understanding Exposure. I have not made it through much of it yet but I already like what I am seeing, and I loved his other book. It always comes up in threads like this, and for good reason.

 

[Overread]

Best way to get ideas about creativity is to look at the works of others - look at top photographers in the fields you are intersted in and see how they capture photos = that will give you some passive ideas and won't bore you with technical laws and details (ps all creative laws can be broken provided that you know what you are doing)

pps - you know what you are doing when the shot comes out right

 

[Dweller]

I hear that a lot Overread, but that does not work for everyone.

I have looked at thousands of photos over the last few years as I learn photography, trying to determine "why it works" and still struggle with composition. Sometimes learning things like rule of 3rds, golden ratio, leading lines etc can help you start to understand what MAKES a composition. After all you need to learn how to walk before you can see someone running and say "hey, I can do that too!"

 

[Chiller]

The only photography book I own is.
The New Manual of Photography, by John Hedgecoe. Has everything, even photoshop tips:thumbup::thumbup:

 

[Mav]

There's some books and a bunch of great links to check out in the FAQ thread linked in my sig.

 

[christopher walrath]

I gotta throw my two cents in here.

Ansel Adams Basic Photography Series has a lot of photography information. A lot relates to film but I would say that these books have a lot of pertinent technical information on the nuts and bolts of photography, the hows and whys of exposure.

The most informative for an advanced photographer would be 'The Negative'. Exposure, The Zone System, lighting, filters, light and color.

'The Camera' covers gear. 'The Print' has to do with film printing. But there is info on dodging and burning and other film based PS effects.

 

[silversprej]

Concerning Photoshop, I've got about 10 photoshopbooks, and the unthreatend no.1 is Katrin Eismann ("Masking and composing" and "Retuch and restoration"). I don't really like Kellbys Superficial style - I want to understand things in dept. Katrin Explains everyting really clearly, and it's an absolute treasure for everyone who wants to expand their PS-knowledge.

Concerning photography, I really do like the classical Ansel Adams "The camera". It's analouge - yeah, but the major funktions described are still the same.

 

[icassell]

I really like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Photographers...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215455610&sr=8-1

and this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Exposure-Ligh...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215455761&sr=1-1

I would also suggest haunting the photography section of your bookstore or library and looking at as many images as possible (picture books rather than techie books). You can learn gobs by seeing how others have done it.

 

[Ptyler22]

I don't know if you will be shooting cars or not but I have How to Photograph Cars and it gives you the "behind the scenes" look at how certain pictures are taken and it would probably help with lots of other subjects as well. I think it's worth it. Good luck

 

[claned]

I just picked up "How to see creatively" by the same guy who wrote Understanding Exposure. I have not made it through much of it yet but I already like what I am seeing, and I loved his other book. It always comes up in threads like this, and for good reason.

Did you special order, or was this on the shelf somewhere? I think I want this book next.

 

[Dweller]

Did you special order, or was this on the shelf somewhere? I think I want this book next.

I picked it up from one of the used dealers on Amazon. I got great service but don't want to spam, so PM me if you would like a link to her store.