Books on Photography

[Juga]

It's not just this thread, it's dragged out regularly. People posting silly lmgtfy links and so on. Search for "lmgtfy" using the much vaunted search function, for instance!

But you are quite right, I did not propose any books.

The Photographer's Eye, Szarkowski
The History of Photography, Newhall

are two classics everyone should own and look at from time to time. They will teach you nothing directly, but will teach you a great deal indirectly.

I understand where you are coming from. I have been on here long enough now to see the common theme and attitude of the forum. Live and let live but it isn't a bad thing to help someone learn a function they previously had no idea about.

 

[shefjr]

I actually did that search. It is used a lot! 3 of the first 8 were mods.
I guess if there are people who respond in that manor and you don't like it you should use the "ignore" feature on the forum. It's the internet and there is no control over those who have done and those who will do. By ignoring people, it will take away the concern of "really really disliking" someones attitude.

 

[nmoody]

They have already been mentioned but I wanted to express how much these ones specifically helped me.

Digital Photography 1,2,3,4 by Scott Kelby - This is great all around photography information that will give you an excellent base and help you figure out what you need to move onto next. They are very easy to read and understand and the humor he adds to the book keeps things interesting.

Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson - Because exposure is so important to understand and is sometimes very hard to grasp at beginning this books is very important. It really helps you know exposure inside and out, not just fundamentally acknowledge the basics while they move onto another topic.

 

[coastalconn]

I always recomend my friends ebook.. digital guide to stunning photography by Tony Northrup.. its like 10 bucks on amazon for tablets and ereaders.. when you buy it, you buy into a community on Facebook and a website.. check it out..

 

[TheFantasticG]

I really really dislike this "you could just search' attitude. You can always "just search", you can always just go to the library. Telling people to just do that is to negate the point of the forum. What are YOU doing here? Are YOU here mainly to berate people for not searching, or what? This is a FORUM. We discuss things. A new thread allows new information to be mentioned, it allows a discussion to occur, it allows nuanced and specific answers to be developed. That's kind of the point. Yes, I know some people think a forum is mainly for swapping in-jokes with imaginary friends, and far be it to prevent you from doing that. It's not the only thing. Go swap some in-jokes, and let other people discuss photography and related topics in this, The Photo Forum. Thanks!

#1 grow a thicker skin. If you cannot do that maybe you need to take a long vacation from the Internet.
#2 relax, stop taking things so seriously. If you cannot do that maybe you need to take a long vacation from the Internet.
#3 some people don't know how to search. Some people aren't aware there is even a search function on forums.
#4 give a man a fish he eats for a day, teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime. Get it?

OP, wouldn't hurt to read a book specifically on your camera as well. I read one on my D90 after I bought and helped me achieve what I wanted to do much easier than if I hadn't. Also, the manual too, but they are really dry and boring... I read my D90 one but it was painful. My d7000 manual I just flipped to the sections that I uses the most.

 

[KmH]

I really really dislike this "you could just search' attitude. You can always "just search", you can always just go to the library. Telling people to just do that is to negate the point of the forum.

Not really. Suggesting a forum search points to the fact that there are layers upon layers of depth to the information available here at TPF.
A boat load of information has been built up over the course of several years, particularly for those topics that appear on a routine basis.

 

[robbins.photo]

#1 grow a thicker skin. If you cannot do that maybe you need to take a long vacation from the Internet.

A vacation.. from the internet. Hmm.. where would I go? I mean I've seen Disney and I'd most likely just end up another statistic if I went someplace like Aruba. Cleavland. That sounds pretty exotic - and they don't have internet there.. hmm..

#2 relax, stop taking things so seriously. If you cannot do that maybe you need to take a long vacation from the Internet.

You know, somebody else suggested I needed a vacation from the internet. This can't be coincidence. I wonder what tickets to a mystical place like Cleavland will cost?

#3 some people don't know how to search. Some people aren't aware there is even a search function on forums.

There's a search feature? The hell you say! Man.. why didn't somebody just mention this before..

#4 give a man a fish he eats for a day, teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime. Get it?

Well, unless he really really hates fish.

 

[amolitor]

I really really dislike this "you could just search' attitude. You can always "just search", you can always just go to the library. Telling people to just do that is to negate the point of the forum.

Not really. Suggesting a forum search points to the fact that there are layers upon layers of depth to the information available here at TPF.
A boat load of information has been built up over the course of several years, particularly for those topics that appear on a routine basis.

Sure, but in my experience it is more often used to dismiss a question than to add depth to the answer.

 

[sashbar]

Hi Everyone.
Since joining, I've learned a ton from this board. (Thank you!). I'm not sure I'm putting this question in the right forum.

I'm looking for suggestions on books about learning more about photography. Any books that have helped you in your journey.

I shoot Nikon (D80), mostly nature and landscapes, very interested in learning how to shoot people better. ...

Barb, read "Chasing the Light" by Ibarionex Perello, it is a simple and honest book on a single subject - the light. Probably, the most important subject in photography.

 

[kchoi]

Digital Photography 1,2,3,4 by Scott Kelby are really great books and other members have already recommended them.
I've also own other books by Scott Kelby, like Shoot it Light it Retouch it, are also excellent learning material.
Another author I recommend is Joe MacNally, Sketching Light: An Illustrated Tour of the Possibilities of Flash, The Moment It Clicks: Photography Secrets from One of the World's Top Shooters and The Hot Shoe Diaries: Big Light from Small Flashes are three books that I really like which are for more advanced photographer. LIFE Guide to Digital Photography: Everything You Need to Shoot Like the Pros is another great one to learn more beginner stuff.

I'd also like to share some of the online resources that I used to learn photography.
Strobist - for learning lighting
Farspiel Photography - for HDR, it including some post process.
K.Choi Photography - My Blog:mrgreen: for learning photography 101

 

[JoeW28]

Okay, to get back to the OP and her question:

Bryan Peterson has been mentioned by a couple of people and let me add Michael Freeman. Both of these guys are prolific authors--they've written a bunch of books on photography that in my experience are practical, instructional, well-illustrated, and positive (meaning you don't read them and conclude "man do I suck" or "I'll never be able to do that"). Check out books by either b/c if you like the writing style by Peterson or Freeman then you'll want to get other books that they've written.

Light Science & Magic is THE premier book about lighting. But before you get it, be clear that it's technical, goes in to tremendous detail and be sure it's a fit for what you are looking for. For using speed lights and producing lovely portraits and editorial work, I love all of Joe McNally's books (plus I like his writing style--he writes like the two of you are having a conversation....complete with his poor jokes and asides). You mentioned wanting to get better on portraits...here are a couple of suggestions: "Karsh: a biography in images" is useful to understand very traditional portraiture (Yosef Karsh specialized in portraits of big name). Steve Sint's "Digital Portrait Photography" is very good. I also like "People Pictures" by Chris Orwig.

Ultimately though, here's the challenge about recommending books on photography--you need to make sure that what it is you're looking for (is it a book of great examples to inspire you? A how-to cookbook? Full of technical data on ISO, lens choice, diagram of the lighting setup? Working with people? Composition? How to "see" possibilities? Creating a style as a photography for this specific genre?). So a book I could love could be a grew book--for my needs (and not your's).

 

[weags77]

I will also recommend Bryan Petersons Understanding Exposure as well as The Art of Photography by Bruce Barnbaum and Digital Landscape Photography: Following in the Footsteps of Ansel Adams by Michael Frye.

These were all fairly "easy" reads and don't really speak with too technical of terms good for beginners as well as intermediates. I often refer back to each of them and they still have much to offer as I become more familiar with photography in general.

 

[leonardoDing]

I'm reading the Understanding Exposure and would like to recommend it.

 

[Hivess]

I will also recommend Bryan Petersons Understanding Exposure as well as The Art of Photography by Bruce Barnbaum and Digital Landscape Photography: Following in the Footsteps of Ansel Adams by Michael Frye.

These were all fairly "easy" reads and don't really speak with too technical of terms good for beginners as well as intermediates. I often refer back to each of them and they still have much to offer as I become more familiar with photography in general.

I agree.. This is a well written and thoughtfully compiled book.

 

[CaptainNapalm]

I've read several books when I was starting out, and for the sake of reading them, I enjoyed them, however most technical information is likely best learned online. This is from my experience. Anyways, I enjoyed "Understanding Exposure" and Scott Kelby's collection as well.