Photography Books for Beginners!

[CourtneyAK]

Looking for a few different titles of great books for beginners! Google has way too many opinions on the matter!
Thanks in advance!
-Courtney

 

[Heitz]

I've found Joe McNally's books to be very helpful, inspiring, and fun. Start with "Sketching Light"

 

[Heitz]

Although, perhaps they are not geared towards the total novice...

 

[TamiAz]

I liked Bryan Peterson's, Understanding Exposure. I found it helpful when I was learning to shoot in manual mode. You Tube has a lot of photography resources..I enjoyed Mark Wallace from Adorama.

 

[480sparky]

Learning To See Creatively by Bryan Peterson
Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson
The Photographer's Eye by Michael Freeman
Take Your Photography To The Next Level by George Barr
The Photograph by Harald Mante

 

[KmH]

Here are a couple:

Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set, Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4
Digital Photography Masterclass
Digital Photography Essentials
Understanding Exposure, 3rd Edition: How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera

Bryan Peterson's Understanding Composition Field Guide: How to See and Photograph Images with Impact
Learning to See Creatively: Design, Color & Composition in Photography (Updated Edition)
Beyond Portraiture: Creative People Photography
The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos
The Photographer's Mind: Creative Thinking for Better Digital Photos
The Photographer's Vision: Understanding and Appreciating Great Photography

On-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Wedding and Portrait Photography
Off-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Photographers

Light Science and Magic. 4th Edition - An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
Light It, Shoot It, Retouch It: Learn Step by Step How to Go from Empty Studio to Finished Image (Voices That Matter)
Photographic Lighting Equipment: A Comprehensive Guide for Digital Photographers
Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Studio Photography
Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Location Photography
Posing for Portrait Photography: A Head-to-Toe Guide for Digital Photographers
Doug Box's Guide to Posing for Portrait Photographers

 

[Derrel]

John Hedgecoe's various instructional books teach you about lighting, and how to actually "approach" various scenarios, based upon understanding how lighting works, and how cameras and lenses are used to create different types of images. His books are pre-digital, so they are not "recipe books" like so much of the crap written today, which will be outdated rather soon. I think learning the fundamentals of photography is much more important than all of the current obsessing over digital-specific nonsense and worrying about creating a decent image later, in software, by various heroic methods of rescuing rubbish with software manipulations.

 

[joshua_]

I am new and have read some books that I have liked. Most of them have already been mentioned.

Best book for me so far was Brian Peterson's 'Understanding Exposure' 3rd Edition

Next best for me was David Busch's 'Digital SLR Photography'.

Another book that I learned a lot from was 'Light Science & Magic' by Fil Hunter, Steven Biver, Paul Fuqua

Last for me, that is worth mentioning was the 4 book set by Scott Kelby. Good information, but I didn't enjoy them as much as the one's I listed above.

 

[EmmaBproductions]

Tom Ang photography. Extremely helpful!

 

[TommyB]

I found this - Not a book but for anyone wanting a good compact camera or some advice on cameras its quite useful probably not the best technically but with the basics its ok

 

[shutterbugjen]

What are you most interested in at this point with your photography? Are you looking to start a business, learn lighting techniques, or just take better photos?

My favorite thing to do is just go to Amazon and type in whatever topic I want a book on and then read the reviews of the best sellers. I have found all of my favorite photography books this way

 

[dbvirago]

Here are a couple:

Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set, Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4
Digital Photography Masterclass
Digital Photography Essentials
Understanding Exposure, 3rd Edition: How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera

Bryan Peterson's Understanding Composition Field Guide: How to See and Photograph Images with Impact
Learning to See Creatively: Design, Color & Composition in Photography (Updated Edition)
Beyond Portraiture: Creative People Photography
The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos
The Photographer's Mind: Creative Thinking for Better Digital Photos
The Photographer's Vision: Understanding and Appreciating Great Photography

On-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Wedding and Portrait Photography
Off-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Photographers

Light Science and Magic. 4th Edition - An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
Light It, Shoot It, Retouch It: Learn Step by Step How to Go from Empty Studio to Finished Image (Voices That Matter)
Photographic Lighting Equipment: A Comprehensive Guide for Digital Photographers
Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Studio Photography
Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Location Photography
Posing for Portrait Photography: A Head-to-Toe Guide for Digital Photographers
Doug Box's Guide to Posing for Portrait Photographers

and then after ​lunch....

 

[CaptainNapalm]

I read Digital Photography by Scot Kelby (all 4 volumes) as my first photography books and found them to be an excellent read. I would recommend them for sure.

 

[LightMatters]

Thanks for this great resource list!

 

[Juga]

I am new and have read some books that I have liked. Most of them have already been mentioned.

Best book for me so far was Brian Peterson's 'Understanding Exposure' 3rd Edition

Next best for me was David Busch's 'Digital SLR Photography'.

Another book that I learned a lot from was 'Light Science & Magic' by Fil Hunter, Steven Biver, Paul Fuqua

Last for me, that is worth mentioning was the 4 book set by Scott Kelby. Good information, but I didn't enjoy them as much as the one's I listed above.

Bryan Peterson has a few books on different aspects of photography. As a NOOB myself, I am currently reading Understanding Compostion Field Guide - How to See and Photograph Images with Impact. Amazing book thus far. He also offers online courses at ppsop.com at fairly reasonable prices. Good look.