Customer Reviews (1)

Historical and Graphic Interest
This was a snappy, innovative look at how photography and graphic design could converge in the context of specific techniques and projects. Some of the techniques seem quaint in the light of current digital graphic standards. Optical overlays? Film?
But the designs are fresh and interesting: Jenkins had a lively insight and the look at the constraints of a graphic world that's gone is humbling. ... Read more

Product Description
Most photographic concepts - proper use of equipment, principles of composition, how to manipulate perspective - are actually better explained in pictures than in words. Step By Step Photography Workshop will capitalize on this truth by allowing images to carry the majority of the instructional burden, assisted by explanatory captions and as little supporting text as possible. Author and acclaimed photographer Adam Jones has furthermore shot the majority of the images specifically for this book, rather than merely dipping into his stock archive. The book will appeal to the serious amateur photographer, but its format will also draw photographers above and below that audience. By showing what doesn't work and how it can be fixed through a series of steps, the reader can pick up concepts with a minimal amount of reading and remember them when it's most important - on the shoot. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Company rating only
I purchased this book as a gift for Christmas so I don't know anything about the product itself, but the company I purchased from was prompt and honest.

Simply superb for a DSLR newbie
This book is very similar to the very popular book "Understanding Exposure", yet I like it more because it provides more examples and techniques in my view. If you are advancing from point-and-shoot to SLR or DSLR camera, or simply want to learn about photography, that's the book for you!

Taking Your Photography to the Next Level
This is a book that will definitely help you take your photography to the next level. I found the book to be rewarding on three levels:

1)Step-by-step guidance on the key aspects of photography
a)From a concise discussion of what equipment to purchase and how to carry it, through excellent illustrations on composition, landscapes, and nature and wildlife
b)Discussion of straight forward techniques that will immediately improve your pictures:e.g. correct fill flash settings that result in removing shadows while adding sparkle in the eyes of the subject (human or animal)
2)Expanding creativity
a)Translating lines and shapes into an image
b)Using exposure to affect moods
c)Shooting with a telephoto lens to isolate and create an image
3)Viewing gallery illustrations
a)Over 50 techniques are illustrated and visually demonstrate the results of taking photography to the next level
b)Each picture is captioned with critical statistics:lens used, f stop, film, etc

This book was easily worth the $18.00 I paid.Adam, thanks for a great book!!

... Read more

Product Description
InPhotoshop CS3 Creative Photographic Techniques, professional photographer Chris Orwig goes beyond the basics, exploring the use of Photoshop to create beautiful and inspiring images. From first viewing a scene to preparing photos for expert output, Chris takes photographers through the whole process of creating great pictures. He also covers understanding color, making color corrections, working with special effects and filters, and much more. Exercise files accompany the tutorials.

Topics Include:

• Creating compelling images
• Enhancing and correcting color
• Applying cross-processing effects
• Exploring focus, infrared, and solarizing
• Adding light
• Actualizing vision with motion, color, and tone
• Seeing photographically
• Adding authenticity with film grain
• Adding borders and edge effects
• Blending layers to create visual impact
• Adding shadows and tints
• Combining multiple exposures
• Correcting perspective
• Recording custom actions and batch processing
• Printing considerations and expert tips

Product Description
Photographic Possibilities, Third Edition is a marvelously updated resource of innovative and traditional photographic processes that imagemakers have come to trust and depend on to enhance their technical knowledge, create astonishing pictures, and raise their visual consciousness.

This concise and reliable handbook provides professional and advanced photography students with practical pathways of utilizing diverse photographic methods to produce engaging, expressive pictures from an informed aesthetic and conceptual position.

This update, in full color for this first time, offers new links between analog and digital photography by featuring clear, up-to-date, step-by-step instructions on topics ranging from making ambrotypes and digital negatives to pre-picturemaking activities that utilize a thinking system to visually realize what is in your mind's eye in an effective and safe manner.

This edition vividly showcases the thought-provoking work of over 140 international artists including Peter Beard, Dan Burkholder, Carl Chiarenza, Michael Kenna, Dinh Q. Lê, Joe Mills, Andrea Modica, Bea Nettles, France Scully and Mark Osterman, Robert & Shana ParkeHarrison, Holly Roberts, Martha Rosler, Mike and Doug Starn, John Sexton, Brian Taylor, Jerry Uelsmann, and Joel Peter Witkin as well as other major and emerging talents. Image captions explain how each artist technically realized their vision and concept.

All technical information and resources have been refreshed to provide the latest data for acquiring the products needed for these processes. Above all, this comprehensive reference provides field-proven know-how, encouragement, inspiration, and a profuse compendium of promising photo-based explorations one can discover and pursue.

* Two new chapters bridging digital and analog photography, including a discussion of digital negatives.
* Explains key techniques of Photogram, Cyanotype, Photo Weaving, Gum Prints, and more.
* Completely revised to include updated resources and the newest information on where to find products or how to replace discontinued products.
* Includes breathtaking photographs displaying how artists can apply different approaches with insight and aesthetic concern
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great Ideas
This book is full of great alternative photographic ideas from film and darkroom to digital. It also covers plenty of photographic history. Great book, it'll be keeping me busy for a long time to come. :)

Great resource for "alternative processes"
I teach alternative processes and was looking for a smaller, and cheaper, version of Christopher James "The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes". While I love James' book, the cost has always made it a difficult choice to require my students to purchase, I would rather they had a bit more money for supplies to actually use some of the processes described in the book instead of just reading about them. This is where "Photographic Possibilities" comes to the rescue. Hirsch does a good job of summarizing photographic history as it relates to the use of processes in the first chapter of the book, and he keeps it interesting so even the shortest attention spans should be captivated. The rest of the book includes valuable information on classic B/W film and paper processes (face it, these are now alternative processes too), as well as discussing many of the more popular hand-coated processes like Cyanotype and Platinum/Palladium. The chapter on digital negatives is a good primer for a beginner to use, but like any textbook that includes current software and hardware, it is doomed to be out of date soon by no fault of Hirsch. The most valuable part of this textbook in my opinion is the chapter on how to actually incorporate the various processes and concepts into a work-flow that makes the best use of your materials and processes. I recommend this to any photographer wanting to expand their image making vocabulary, and instructors of alternative photography.

A Must-Have Book on Alternative Processes
Robert Hirsch's Photographic Possibilities, Third Edition, is absolutely fantastic and takes its place as the frontrunner among texts concerned with experimental photography. This new book is wonderfully updated with current information and most importantly; it's a visual and creative feast. The turn of each page is a delight for the eyes, as well as incredible inspiration for trying new techniques, exploring, playing, and taking chances with clear and precise guidance from an expert and venerable writer(See Hirsch's other books: Light and Lens: Photography in the Digital Age--the benchmark of excellence in the new hybrid world of traditional and digital imaging; Seizing the Light: A Social History of Photography- the standard of excellence in the history of photography; and Exploring Color Photography: From the Darkroom to the Digital Studio- the standout book in its field as well).

Photographic Possibilities is the most beautifully illustrated text on experimental photography available today, profusely filled with numerous wonderful images and examples of the many techniques presented in clear chapters; from elegant, antique 19th century contact printing methods like platinum and gum printing, to 21st century step-by-sep procedures using computers and inkjet printers for experimental purposes and creating enlarged negatives. The publisher obviously spent the significant funds required for reproducing every photograph in its required color and spot varnishing each image, producing a truly stunning book of beautiful pictures.

Beyond the inspiring illustrations, another strength of Photographic Possibilities is the quality of the writing. Hirsch has proven his skills in research over many years, regarding practically every facet of photography's technique, aesthetic, and history. This latest edition, vastly updated, is the compilation of all this knowledge, as well as extensive interviews with artists and experts around the world sharing their discoveries with a highly accomplished, respected fellow artist and author. No other text on this subject can match Photographic Possibilities for the clarity of its text, its concise writing, or the beauty of the reproductions.

In the spirit of disclosure, Robert Hirsch has kindly included some of my artwork in this book, but as a university professor who has taught alternative processes in colleges and workshops for over 30 years, I would rave about this innovative book anyway! Photographic Possibilities is the clearest, most inspiring, most concisely written, and most beautifully illustrated book in the field, and is a valuable resource for everyone.All photographers, ranging from enthusiasts to deadly serious fine art professionals will have enough information, and most importantly, enough inspiration to last a long lifetime- if you wear gloves.

Excellent Resource
Hirsch does a great job of covering the ins and outs of alternative photography. This book is a great resource for doing everything from acrylic lifts to palladium/platinum printing to high speed developing times.

Great, great, thorough book. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

Great information
This book is nice. It goes over some of the basics and also some more advanced stuff.I've been doing photography for a year but now I'm getting some weddings into the mix so it was a nice way to look at photography from that angle -- and it covered some basics that I we tend to forget about sometimes.

Save your money, don't buy this book.
I started my business as a wedding photographer last year, and I bought this book hoping it would give constructive tips. I have heard some good things about Bill Hurter's wedding books so I thought this was a good choice. I finished reading it in a couple hours and I felt cheated. I found this book to be more about general photography than really focusing on wedding photography. There is a lot of information on the types of lenses available on the market and how to use basic camera functions. Furthermore, half of the book is common sense (for example: "Have Backup Equipment", "Dress for Success", "Compliment the Couple" and "Learn Everyone's Names") and the other half is various lighting techniques that would be used in-studio (example: "Using Background Light", "Add Kicker Lights", "Use Umbrellas"). Personally, I will not be purchasing any other Bill Hurter books, and I'll look for other more enriching and educational books instead.

ehhhh....
This book had a lot of common scene kind of "tips" I was expecting something a little different. If your brand new to wedding photography then I think it would be helpful. But if you have some experience then I would skip it.

100 techniques for professional wedding photographers
Just droping a note to let you know i have enjoyed reading this book and is filled with usefull and interesting techniques.
I recomend it fully.

Great book!
I've been doing wedding photography for 3 years.This book has a lot of suggestions I was already familiar with, but also has lots of ideas that are very helpful.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone getting started in wedding photography. ... Read more

Product Description
In the Digital Masters series, New Riders takes pride in being an innovator in graphics publishing by sharing with the reader a passion for the science and for the art of computer graphics.Bert Monroy: Photorealistic & Illustrator celebrates the reunion of art and science, along with individual artistic accomplishment.This book provides a forum for the master at the highest level to speak directly with his peers and followers about how he crafts his creations, and about why he makes the artistic and technique decisions that help develop his work.Bert Monroy conveys a personal seminar-based approach that is unique to his own techniques and talents.The body of this book reflects the areas of technical expertise and artistic exploration that are important to Bert and his audience.Amazon.com Review
Bert Monroy: Photorealistic Techniques with Photoshop & Illustrator offers unique insight into how a master of the craft uses his tools. Monroy's techniques, culled from 20 years of digital image-making, demonstrate the breadth of 3-D photorealistic results that can be achieved using 2-D illustrative tools.

This oversize paperback features useful techniques from real-world projects. In many cases, we get to see the progress of an image, starting with the most basic elements: the lunch napkin thumbnail sketch. From there, it progresses into a more refined image created in Illustrator (which Monroy uses mostly for sketching layouts). After client approval, Monroy takes the Illustrator image into Photoshop for finishing.

Chapters focus on various visual elements: perspective, lighting, textures, reflections, and so on. The richness of the chapter on achieving realistic shadows in Photoshop comes second only to the chapter on painting trees and foliage. If you happen to be a user of 3-D software, you'll also find great ways to create texture maps for 3-D models.

The book doesn't have a companion CD-ROM with project files or texture samples--or a searchable electronic version of the book--but the idea is to learn to do it yourself, not just watch over the shoulder of someone else.

The toolbox of any artist is usually filled with countless devices that are both general and specific in nature, but invariably there are only two or three that are constantly used--the staples of the craft, the tools of the trade. In Bert Monroy: Photorealistic Techniques with Photoshop & Illustrator, we learn how two of these tools in the hands of a master can be used to create exciting and slick images. It's an inspiring book for beginners, and an educational one for advanced users. --Mike Caputo ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Bert Monroy: Photorealistic Tecniques with photoshop and illustrator
As an Artist, i have had deep respect for Bert monroys craft for some years.....only recently have i traded brushes for a stylus, and having come upon Revision3 and Berts video's...i was compelled to buy this book....i am not disappointed in any degree....having only a few months of illustrator ( self-teaching) i can't begin to describe the asset this book will become as i plug through......Thanks Bert......great book, and for the awesome art you create,.......

One of the best
Although the versions of Photoshop and Illustrator he discusses are much older than what's currently available, this book remains the best for tutorials on creating photorealistic drawings in both programs. I am in awe of his skills!

Avoid this book
Truly, truly awful book. Mr. Monroy should be ashamed. If you know the first thing about art or photoshop you do not need this book.I sincerely regretted buying it .

Photoshop Studio with Bert Monroy is latest edition of this
This is a truly great book but Monroy has made a new book called "Photoshop Studio with Bert Monroy" which is essentially an updated version of this book. I bet it would be a better buy.

Also useful for making 3D Surface Maps...
I picked this book up, looking on how to make more realistic, complex surface maps for my 3D models in LightWave. Should have bought this book when it first came out. Can't imagine were I would be if I had back in January 2000...

This is the first book that I've purchased that's helped me out in less then a week. By just sitting around the house and looking at a few pages, reading the text that goes with the images and I'm actually learn something. After reading the chapter on Metal and wood, then sat down I did a few things, and I have now awesome results.

Bert Monroy and company teaches you how to use tools in ways I couldn't imagine before. Sure, you're going to think to yourself- "I could have thought of that"... much like I did. But fact is, you didn't. He did and he put it in a book. Many books are too vague and get bogged down in theory. Other books are far too simplistic and do a good job of insulting the reader's intelligence. This book is the Goldilocks of PhotoShop How-To books... it's just right. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (16)

Really Bad
Sorry, I was hoping to find a constructive or gentle way to title my review. However, I just can't. The photography in this book is bad (frequently bad light, bad subjects, horrible backgrounds) and the posing of the subjects is frequently laughable for what is supposed to be a 'good' pose. Plus, the organization of the book is terrible. For what is supposed to be an educational book, these shortcomings take it from sub-average to unacceptable. What a waste of money - I bought the book in a hurry in a camera shop. Never again. FLUUUUSH - that's the sound the toilet made with my $35USD.

DO NOT buy this book.

Amherst would be so much stronger a house if their titles were CONSISTENT - some books are good, but so much garbage. Can't trust 'em, may as well not pay for it. Find a good website or blog and learn it for free.

posing techniques, Norman Phillips
I like this book alot. I keep going back to it. It's about posing your subjects and not about using the camera to take the pictures or shooting in exotic locations. It gives lots of good series of examples with young people. That's where the money is at in Weddings. Lots of hands,feet, body, and head posing examples. It's good to see both examples and instructive explanations. Also has side by side examples of two subjectsright/wrong. Also sitting, standing, groups, brides. I'd say it's a "technical" book that I appreciate. Too manyWedding books are just a lot of wedding photos without much "how to" and are useless. This one really helps! Imade my assistant read it! 122 pages of good solid info if you take the timeto study and assimilate it into your ingrained routine. It's as good as Jeff Smith's "Posing for Portrait Photography" book and that's a great book.

Excellent learning tool
An excellent choice for those looking to improve their posing skills.The guidelines for doing so are well explained and easy to understand.Norman Phillips is thorough in covering a variety of posing situations which include specific body parts, groups, and wedding portraiture to name a few.Differences incurred between posing men and women are also featured.Many diagrams and illustrations along with good supporting information make this book an excellent learning tool.

Mike
Decent book, but may be a little too simplistic for the advanced photographer. I found some good ideas, but was looking for a little more direction on difficult people to pose, etc.

Outdated photography, Decent text
First things first -- the photography in this book is HEINOUS!The wardrobe, the poses, the lighting, the overall quality of the images led me to believe that this was published in the early 90's, when in fact it was published very recently.I even saw the classic "Napoleon Dynamite" pose amongst its pages.
So I figured this photographer would have nothing to teach me, given I (and every other photographer I know) was producing photographs of far greater quality the first day we picked up a camera Freshman year of college.But the text is actually quite enlightening, giving you some handy advice for flattering your clients' figures that is really indispensable.Since I currently am doing production photography (5 minutes per set to do creative shots for an entire family), I need a lot of fast, easy poses to place people in, or at least basic rules to avoid costly mistakes, and this delivered.
You won't find a book of poses, or a book of good photography, but you will find an education in how to come up with your own poses. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (31)

A good overview
This book was definitely a good overview into the techniques of posing, but it could have been a little more in depth as far as locations (indoor/outdoor) and the use of furniture affect a model's posture.

Some take aways but not worth the read
After a couple flips on the pages, I found it with little information next to nothing. Very disappointing...

Posing techniques review
This was just another run of the mill book that had some pretty good pictures but it did not inspire me nor did it give me the details of the behind the scenes lighting set up or details of the camera settings.The pictures were nice but if you are looking for some meat, it is not in this book.JMHO

Sloppy writing and misleading title
The title of this book suggests it is very specific and, indeed, two of it's six chapters are about posing techniques. The rest of it, though, is a mishmash of very general tips ("make a fake-portfolio of magazine images you like" or some variation of it is repeated over and over again) and useless definitions (there is an entire chapter defining what fashion, or glamour, or commercial photography is - someone buying a book as specific as the title suggests does not need this).

Even in the useful parts, the book suffers from lack of structure and many of the examples contradict the guidelines presented on the text. It really seems this book was made in a hurry, and the end result is a big disappointment. I gave it two stars because there is, indeed, good information lost in the confusion, but it really should have much more.

Great start for amateurs
This is the only book on this topic I've found that offers specific, constructive techniques. Rather than just diagrams of where the model was and what lights were used, this actually talks about hand placement, body positioning, etc. ... Read more

Product Description
Effective image design, a key ingredient in successful photographs, is a skill that any serious photographer must learn and master. In Photographic Composition, award-winning photographers Tom Grill and Mark Scanlon demonstrate a modern, clear, and easily understandable approach to composing great photographs. Combining straightforward text with instructive yet compelling images, they succeed in making composition not only learnable but enjoyable. This book can help all photographers gain more control over the design and productionof their pictures. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Dated
Being more than 20 years old, this book is dated. However, since it is on composition you would not go wrong buying it. Still I would recommend that you buy some of the other books.

I just bought my first DSLR camera. I bought ten photography books on amazon. I'm evaluating these books from the perspective of a semi-advanced amateur. (On things I've learnt is that book by the same author tends to be very similar. So make sure you vary your authors when buying more than one book. Rather than saying this author is good, let me buy more from him/her.)

Baffling
I have never understood why this, of any book purporting to instruct on composition/design, has remained in print for so long when several other books of actual merit have been out of print for so long.Other than the most elementary presentations on composing, the books with any meat in them have until 2007 been available only on the used market.

Thankfully, though, there are some top notch books available currently in print.Michael Freeman's "The Photographer's Eye," Harald Mante's "The Photograph," and Torsten A. Hoffmann's book.

This book is incomplete, rather misleading, out of date, boring to look at and to read.Take a pass.

Great for beginners, but that's about all
It's OK, but nothing really special. While I would have found something like this very useful six years ago when I was forced into professional photography working as a reporter at a small newspaper (grab a notebook and a camera was the mantra for anyone leaving the office), the concepts are a little too basic for me now. There is some interesting information about dynamic shapes and the emotions they evoke, and the emotions of color, so it's not a total loss. But unless you're new to photography, don't expect anything earth-shaking here.

First half excellent, second half vague
The first half of the book is a systematic approach to the composition of photographs. It describes `Photographic' and `Graphic' elements: for example, depth of field is a photographic element of the composition, while the placement of a silhouette within the image frame is a graphic element of the composition. I enjoyed reading this material, which really helped me think about what makes a photograph `work' and what makes other photographs `not work'. As some other reviewers have said, this is a really useful aide-memoire about the possibilities for control over the final photograph.

Then the book turns to the aesthetics of composition. What makes one picture communicate a calm and restful feeling, while another hits you right between the eyes? Good question. Unfortunately the book offers some rather vapid generalisations that reminded me of art school lingo. The book says: "a circle or smooth line conveys a feeling of calm, gentle rest." Oh really? I immediately think of a hangman's noose, or a coiled serpent ready to strike. Sorry, but generalisations about the emotional response of humans to an image are just nonsense. Different individuals will react differently to a photograph. Of course, in an art school, everyone has been tutored to believe that curved lines are always calm, etc, and to recognise these conventions when viewing a work of art. So if you are making photographs for assessment in an art school, by all means, follow the precepts of Grill and Scanlon. However in the outside world, not all viewers of all photographs will interpret curved lines as calm and restful. The aesthetics in this book seem rather too dogmatic, over-generalised and perhaps a little pretentious.

The book is worth reading, and certainly thought-provoking, but I think it's a little overrated.

A boring book
Got this book by the recommendation of Ken Rockwell on his website.

Though the book provides somewhat useful information, I'm disappointed about it because:
1. It's very boring. It's more like a text book. In my opinion, a book about an inspirational subject like photography should be inspiring to read.(compared to Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson, for instance)
2. Most of the illustrations are ugly. I don't know if the author just threw the pictures in it to make the points or I just can't understand the greatness of those pictures. But in my opinion, they are ugly. Therefore, I can hardly picture myself following the points the author's making because I don't want my photos to look like the ones illustrated in the book. ... Read more

Product Description
An essential resource for understanding how photography works and how to solve the many problems photographers face when learning this trade.It deals with the fundamental principles upon which the photographic process is based and presents the principles in a practical manner.

The new edition of this classic text has been updated to include a new chapter on Digital Imaging.This important addition covers, in depth, everything photographers need to know in order to be completely up-to-date on the digital aspects of photography.This book is heavily illustrated with helpful photographs and line drawings, and also includes a special color insert.Since Basic Photographic Materials and Processes deals with the capturing, recording, and reproduction of visual images, the principles discussed have direct applications to graphic arts printing, graphic design, computer graphics and electronic imaging.



Learn about converting analog to digital- bits to gray levels, brightness resolution, and spatial resolution

Covers image processing basics- concepts, filters, color spaces

Up-to-date information on storage of Digital Images- magnetic, optical, electrical, CD Media, and Digital Printing ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Read this and you will be one of the few that fully understands light and photography
OK nearly fully understands photography. This book goes far beyond the "for dummies" overview of the medium. It even goes far beyond the "Beyond Basic Photgraphy" books I've read. This book, along with Ansel Adams' The Negative are the best instruction you can receive on the technical aspects of photography, digital or film. It does include chapters on film and chemicals which are becoming less and less popular though still useful for some. But it also describes light, light measurement, focal plane vs. leaf shutter operation- you'll understand why an SLR has a high flash sync speed limit of 1/250" while point and shoots as well as Hasselblads can sync flash with any shutter speed. You'll understand lens optical performance terms. You'll fully understand film characteristic curves (now dynamic range characteristics of digital sensors). Worth the money. (Note this review is based on the first edition which was hardcover.)

A good text book
This isn't an Idiot's guide to photography. It is a well written book on the physical and chemical phenomena around picture tacking, an eye opener on quirky peculiarities of the media for photographers (more scientifically minded people may feel it just brushes the surface of many subjects). It is a good read, but as with text books, if you're not well awake, you'll have to go through a topic several times!

Most of the emphasis is on film, with a last chapter added on to cover digital. I reckon even strictly digital shooters may profit from reading it.

A good book with a lot of details
All the technical details of photography have been covered. The review questions at the end of the each chapter are helpful too. I feel one can surely save a lot of film after reading this book. And there are quite a few b&w photogrpahs which are quite interesting.

The admirable book
The book "Basic Photographic Materials and Processes" is separated on 16 chapters.Very useful chapters for everybody, both for beginners and professionals are chapters: 1) Light and Photometry, 4) Photographic Sensitometry, 5) Photography Optics (there is an instruction how to build the pinhole camera with exact calculation a diameter for different pinhole cameras and how make the lens testing), 8) Black and white Photographic Developments (with a paragraph about anti-foggants, special black-and-white process), 10) Tone Reproduction (Objective tone-reproduction curves for motion pictures, transparency etc., Luminance values of an outdoor scene, Flare factor, The making of negative, The making of Positive, the equations for average gradient for different quadrants of tone-reproduction diagram, ......), 11) Micro Image Evaluation (with much examples og graininess of films of different producers), 13) Filters with their influencies on different sort of films, 14) Color, 15) Color Reproduction and 16) Digital photography. This book is very useful and its content is very comprehensive one. I photograph since 1960 and I admire Mr. Anselm Adams, that is to say I very, very recommend this book for one, who has serious interest about photography and different cameras with their optics. The book has many pictures, useful tables and diagrams. (Rene Novak, studio ER67, ...)

Comprehensive school-book
This is a rather comprehensive introduction to the theory of photography from the Rochester Institute of Technology.Rochester (NY) is of course where the headquarters of the Eastman Kodak Company is located...

Note the word "theory" above.That the volume contains an appendix on the calculation of basic logarithms should give you a clue to the nature of this book.

This is a book about the physical properties of light, the chemical properties of photographic papers and film, and so on.It is not a book about composition and "beauty".

Photography is an art and also a craft.You would buy this book to become a better craftsman.

After a boring introduction to one of the most exciting topics I can think of (Light and Photometry) the volume covers exposure both at the picture taking (camera) stage and post-exposure (printing).These are extremely useful chapters for any photographer.

There then follows five chapters and 160 large pages whit what is essentially an introduction to science for photographers.You wouldn't guess it from the chapter headings, but you are given a brief introduction to statistics, sensiometry (excellent chapter!), optics, chemistry, and physical chemistry.Only what is relevant for photography is presented, and it is done at a fairly high-level.The level may suit you or frustrate you.The style is unlikely to excite you...

Finally, on page 213 we get practical and hands-on again with a chapter on black-and-while development followed, after a section on archival, by one of the gems of this book: tonal reproduction.Starting from the foundation it has developed over the five "boring" chapters it shows how to achieve the tonal reproduction that you want, and shows the Zone System as a practical approximation.Understanding the Zone System in this light (pun intended) will give you a great background on when and how to use it, and when not to use it: it is only an approximation.

The remaining chapters are classics and include excellent sections on visual perception, colors and color reporductions.

This book is a must read!I considered deducting a single star in the rating because the book is very focused on black-and-white photography.It does cover color, but not in the level of detail that I would have liked.In the end I decided that it would be unfair to give this book anything less than 5 stars: you should read it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Wow!
How outstanding it is that the authors have shared their extensive knowledge of darkroom printing techniques with the masses, especially since one of them died in 1995. It is rather rare that extremely erudite photographers are willing to share what they know based on years of experience as well as trial and error. This is an exquisite tome on how to use dodging and burning with variable contrast papers to get the utmost in quality in one's enlargements. True, one has to master dodging and burning to the extent the authors have to achieve the same or similar results, but learning and practicing are two of photography's most wonderful aspects and there is a wealth of examples herein to get you on your way to achieving astoundingly better results in your darkroom. Bravo to both authors!!

a well-documented book with emphasis on the darkroom art
i have a lot of book on B&W photography.everyone who shoots B&W knows that at least half (often MORE) of the work, skill, art and effort is in the darkroom.In this book you have VERY specific instructions,details, data on how other artists printed their work.very well done,very well documented.concise yet useful.highly recommended.

This is a marvellous book on B&W printing
This book is not only a collection of great photographs. It is also a book that explains in detail how the printer evaluates the straight print and then proceeds to make the fine print.At the beginning many generalaspects of printing with multigrade paper are discussed. Some advice for HWis also given. After this short introduction comes the main part: Theprinting process of many photojournalistic/glamour/still life photographs(really good ones!) is explained. First comes the straight print. Thencomes a sketch of the burn-in/dodging procedure. The subjectiveopinion/reason of the printer for each step is also stated. Finally comesthe fine print. One main idea that pervades the whole book is the idea oflocal contrast. This alone can improve the craft of many newcomers toB&W printing. Reading this book has opened my mind as to what goodprinting is capable of and I believe that my printing has improved sincethen.

The ideal book whatever your level
This book gives you an idea of what can be achieved with a little imagination and effort. Larry was renowned for his printing style and passion, also he was rather forthright in his belief that printing is anextension of the photographic art, not merely an effort to reproduce thetones apparent on a negative, but a way of emphasising the photographer'soriginal impressions and perceptions.

Even if you have been printing fortwentyor thirty years, you may want to read this simply to take pleasurein the interpretation of the negatives. A note, this book was publishedposthumously, this is the last tribute to his life's work.

great reference book for improving your skills
This book is a great way to see another way of looking at printing blackand white photographs.The author is usually printing other people'snegatives, but the knowledge gained can be even more useful when theprinter is also the photographer.The end result should be in mind whenthe photograph is taken, thus the printing will be much easier.This isn'ta good how-to book in the sense that it is fairly advanced.It is good atpresenting another theory about printing, and teaching techniques that arevery effective. ... Read more

Product Description
Photographic Lighting: Essential Skills offers practical coverage of everything you need to know to understand the characteristics of light and the foundations of photographic lighting, including film, filters, exposure, compensation, zone system and an array of creative techniques. Students and committed amateurs will find sound technical knowledge with inspiring projects. Developing professionals in need of a refresher or a reference need look no further. The authors use terminology that is easy to understand and explain techniques in a clearly written, no nonsense manner. Photographic Lighting: Essential Skills ensures all the fundamentals of lighting are learnt and applied to help improve the use of light in photography and encourage visual expression.

* A variety of activities and assignments throughout the book teach lessons in a creative context that can be applied immediately to develop the professional in you
* Two all new chapters cover the latest post-production and composite imagery techniques and provide the necessary tools needed to refine and improve your photos
* Features online support, including video tutorials and downloadable figure files. It's like having the authors in the room to show you how it's done! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Just Scratches the Surface
Alot of topics discussed wtihin the text which is a plus, but it falls short of providing any kind of depth. Although this is supposed to fulfill the beginner to intermediate target range, most readers above the beginner level will be left disappointed. I purchased this book as it was an assigned text for school, but immediately follownig completion of the read...I purchased another Focal Press Publication as this book just scratches the surface of most topics it explores. Albeit dated, I would recommend this book for true Beginners, but for those beyond this level...I would recommend Light-Science & Magic, 3rd Ed (Hunter, Biver & Fuqua), which will give those wanting more information on the topic of Lighting much more depth in the areas of shooting metal, glass & portraiture. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Product Description
Go beyond the basic rules of photography to capture stunning portraits.Portrait photography is a vital topic for photographers of every level of experience, from amateur to professional. Written by renowned photographer Harold Davis, this inspirational book encourages you to define our own photographic style and capture stunning, creative, and unique portraits.

You'll discover tips and techniques for "breaking the rules" of basic digital photography so that you can go beyond the fundamentals such as composition, lighting, and exposure in order to create memorable and incomparable portraits.

• Explores the most common subject of most photographers-people-and explains when, why, and how to forgo the fundamentals to capture memorable portraits
• Encourages you to define your own unique photographic style and offers information and inspiration to help you do so
• Delves into a variety of creative techniques that you can use when exploring ways to take lively and stunning portraits

Illustrated with Harold Davis's striking portrait photography, Creative Portraits will both inform and inspire you.

The Psychology of Portraiture
Amazon-exclusive letter from author Harold Davis

Dear Amazon Reader:

As I began writing Creative Portraits: Digital Photography Tips & Techniques, I realized that the art of portraiture is radically different from other kinds of photography.

Photographic technique describes the tools available to accomplish the photographer’s goals, in other words, how the photo is made. Technique matters in portraiture—as it does with every kind of photography. But in portraiture, the why becomes the driving force behind the photograph. How the photo is made is still important, but without clarity about goals, the results will not satisfy.

When I am photographing a flower, I don’t need to consider the feelings of the flower. But making a portrait involves two people: the photographer and the subject. The attitude, psychology, and intentions of both parties are crucial to a successful photo.

Creative portraiture is driven by goals, and understanding those goals is a complex issue. For any given portrait session, a complete understanding of the psychology needs to take into account the goals of the photographer and why the portrait is being made. These may not be the same goals as those of the portrait subject who may want anything ranging from a glamour rendition to a headshot, or may not even have initiated the portrait session at all. Furthermore, these potentially competing goals have to be resolved within the framework of the personal interaction between photographer and subject.

Truly creative portrait photography is a partnership between subject and photographer in which neither can be quite sure what will happen, but both must trust the other to obtain good results. The psychology of this partnership walks a thin line between daring to tell the truth and remaking the subject as more attractive than they really are.

Because psychology is so important, I start Creative Portraits with an analysis of why people sit for portraits, and why photographers choose to shoot them. Along these lines, I take a look at capturing character—and discuss how appearance can, and cannot, reveal who someone really is. The bottom line: you can’t really photograph people well unless you understand them and their emotions.

Understanding your subjects and their attitudes towards being photographed is the first hurdle. But without an arsenal of techniques it would be hard to achieve truly effective portraits. In Creative Portraits I show you the techniques you need to photograph people in every environment, and how to light them at home and in the studio.

Ultimately, Creative Portraits like the other books in the Creative series is an idea book. I hope you take the ideas I present back to your own work and use them to create striking and interesting portraits of your friends, family, professional models, and perfect strangers—in short, everyone!

Best wishes in photography,

Harold Davis

Portrait Examples from the Author

Hurrell Lighting

George Hurrell was a glamour photographer working in Hollywood from the 1930s on. Many of Hurrell’s most famous photos were created using uncoated lenses that would be considered flawed by modern standards. Hurell used lighting equipment thatcreated harsh light—and required his models to hold still for long periods of time—these were hot lights, not strobes.

In this shot, I used studio strobes to simulate the Hurrell effect—updated with more softness than you would see in the early Hurrell portraits. The main ingredient was to use a key light positioned above and pointed down at the model’s face. This generated a “butterfly” shadow—so named because the shadow is shaped like a butterfly—beneath the model’s nose.

Hurrell made contact prints directly from 8 x 10 film shot in a view camera, typically at long shutter speeds (so the models had to be posed to keep still during the exposure process).Uncoated lenses produced halo effects, and the film stock added halation—increased glow on the highlights. The film was underexposed and overdeveloped, leading to dramatic high contrasts between lights and darks. To partially recreate this effect, I underexposed by about 2 f-stops when I made this portrait.

Since Hurrell’s work was monochromatic—and made using equipment and chemistry from a specific historical era that led to the anomalies I’ve described—I wanted to convert this photo to black and white and give it a look closer to something thatHurrell might have done.

In Photoshop, I simulated Hurrell’s black and white tones and contrast by combining a High Contrast Red preset Black & White adjustment layer with the Nik Silver Efex Antique Plate 1 filter.

100mm, 1/160 of a second at f/16 and ISO 100, hand held

Katie Rose

If you’ve ever photographed a toddler, you’ll know that they are constantly in motion—except when they are asleep. My daughter Katie Rose is no exception to this rule. If you don’t want to end up with photos that appear out of focus because of motion blur when shooting small kids, you have to chart a strategy that deals with their propensity for staying in motion.

One idea is to boost the ISO so you can use a fast shutter speed. This is the best approach for location and environmental photography of toddles. Another tactic is to use strobe equipment in the studio. If you are using a studio setup, you need to be prepared to track your pint-sized subjects and snap the photo on their time—not yours.

In this photo, Katie wandered around the studio, off and on the seamless paper background. I lit the white, seamless background with an 800 watt strobe modified using a soft box, and a friend followed Katie’s motion with a smaller strobe unit, hand held on the side opposite the soft box.

Getting down to Katie’s level, I tracked her motion with my camera, and waited for an ideal moment to capture her in this high-key portrait. I intentionally post-processed the resulting capture to make the background seem slightly overexposed and even whiter than it would look normally.

52mm, 1/160 of a second at f/13 and ISO 100, hand held

Model Bride

I photographed this bride in a dark underpass, positioned so that a shaft oflight illuminated her in contrast to the surrounding shadows.

I wasn’t worried about getting a great deal of depth-of-field. All I wanted was to get the bride’s face in focus. At the same time, I wanted to make sure that the background shadows seemed rich and black, and cloaked the details of the tunnel. The point was to contrast the dark background with the radiant white dress, the expression on the bride’s face, and the bridal bouquet. So I chose as fast a shutter speed as possible with the lens I was using (1/250 of a second) and focused precisely on the bride’s face. As she smiled, I snapped the photo.

50mm, 1/250 of a second at f/4.8 and ISO 200, hand held

... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Not very creative, old insights, some really bad examples
I found this book quite disappointing. The text was mostly regurgitated old knowledge. But the worst were the large number of images that were of a quality that uncle Joe could do with his point and click. Don't get me wrong, there were some very fine images in the book, but for the price I expect high quality all through - and not images published that I would be ashamed to give to a client.
Also what is with all the photos of the author's family? I don't want to buy a familiy album.

Definitely do NOT recommend to spend money on this.

For the beginner only
I would consider myself nothing more than a keen amateur photographer, yet I learned nothing new from this book. These really are the absolute basics when it comes to portrait photography, and if you know anything at all about this subject then you don't need to buy this book. I also found the images in the book to be of very low quality, both in terms of printing and photography. The majority of the studio model shots look like cheesy glamour shots from the 80's, and many of the other photos are of his children and look like nothing more than your average family snap. I was extremely disappointed with this book. The only silver lining is that after reading the book, I felt that I was a much better photographer than I did before I read it.......... but probably not in the way the author intended.

Portraits in bad taste awfully printed
This book was an unpleasant surprise. It lacks any truly artistic insight to portrait making, thrives in banality and printing quality of illustrations are third rate. Money trown away.

New Ideas
Harold's ideas are fresh and inspiring.He has given me new creative insights into portraiture.

A creative masterpiece for people photographers
Mr. Davis has done it again...I began my photography career as a studio, portrait photographer...my outlook has so changed...candids tell a personal story. The use of lighting and the natural poses that the book offers, with the added how to's in this book is a must read for anyone interested in portrait photography...
Kudos to Mr. Davis this book is awesome!!!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Illustrated in color throughout, this comprehensive text not only looks at the technical and theoretical aspects of becoming skilled at using the light tools available in 3D software, but also provides invaluable tutorials so you can explore these techniques in-depth.

Lighting is a core CG skill that makes or breaks a 3D environment. Providing all you need to master this vital aspect of CG, this comprehensive guide looks at the key concepts that can be applied in any 3D package.





Every ounce of theory is backed up with practical tutorials, using the free demo version of 3ds max supplied on the accompanying CD-ROM. The tutorials deal with the fundamentals of lighting and as such are easily transferable to any other major 3D software package. The free CD also includes all the files needed to complete the tutorials step-by-step, as well as demo versions of Dark Tree Textures, Deep Paint 3D and Cinelook, acclaimed applications that every lighting artist should be aware of.

If you are new to CG lighting, are thinking of specializing in this area, or want to brush up on your existing lighting skills, then this book will provide you with a one-stop master class so you too can achieve professional looking results.

* Get all you need to know about CG lighting from one easy to use volume
* Put into practice the theories learned with the detailed tutorials and free demo software provided
* Learn both the art and the science of lighting CG environments ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Not as useful or accurate as you'd hope
I was hoping for more from "Essential CG Lighting Techniques", especially after hearing one reviewer compare it to "Digital Lighting & Rendering". Instead, I found coverage of theory which seemed to be paraphrased almost line by line from the aformentioned source, spruced up with generalizations that sometimes ranged from unhelpful to downright wrong. I don't know where the author got the idea that no light should ever have an intensity higher than 1, and that it's better to add multiple lights than turn up the brightness of any single source, but that kind of misleading generalization appears in the book without any qualification or justification. I cannot recommend this book as a first choice to anyone.

A good one
This book is really good. I was looking for the kind of tips included in it. It is a bit old but good to learn from that we think already know about lighting.

Ok for rank beginners
I have always struggled with lighting.I hoped this book would help me, but it didn't.I'm very frustrated by the lack of good lighting books out there.

If you know nothing of MAX or lighting, then this book will probably be of some use to you, but if you want to learn advanced lighting techniques, this book isn't for you.

Content didn't meet in any way my expectations
The reviews and the cover made me buy this book,
and i didn't take notice of the 'Another Magician'
reviewer. And now i wish i had and hadn't get the grip?
This book is like a total teaser.

The quality of the book is perfect i have never bought
a book with that quality. If you turn pages paper feels
really expensive, but??? although quality is nice i buy
a book for their contens. And here comes the problem.

The examples from the beginning and middle part of this book
make you walk away from the computer to make some
caffee or whatever. Now skipping 2/3 of the book. You enter
the last chapters. And here your heart starts to beat very wild.
By now you really need to go to the little room but no way first
you want to load that scene and let it render while you're off
doing some important stuff. Well to bad an accident just happen
and on top of that you'll find totalmente nada.

My advice to you is buy this book fill up those bookshelves, use
it to watch what scenes can be made with 3DS Max. But dont expect
to learn how to make them yourselfs.

Essential
This book deserves a much higher ranking.It should be at the top of the list with Jeremy Birn's "Digital Lighting & Rendering".In fact, I now recommend this book over the former for my 3d students as it has more technical information.Good lighting techniques are paramount to good CG work - you can never know enough.This is a great book - don't think twice - buy it. ... Read more

Product Description
This guide opens with in-camera flash basics, then moves to topics such as exposure flash readings, detachable units, flash guide numbers, bounce flash, and fill flash, then covers advanced methods for using off-camera flash, flash brackets, power packs, remote triggering, and other techniques. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Not a book you are looking for, if you are into digital photography
The book is outdated and a bit unorganized, with lot's of old stuff in it. I would not waste my time on it and therefore it went back on the shelf in a hurry, sorry.

Average flash information
While the author provided a few flash pointers, most of the information in the book is common sense.No information on digital photography either.Definitely only for very novice beginners.

This one's no good.Where's the flash book we all need?
I have to add my vote to the reviewers who consider the book pretty awful.The pictures are indeed uniformly terrible, and the content is a disorganized hodge-podge, barely succeeding in sticking to the subject of flash photography.It also seems true that there aren't many books on the subject.Attention photography writers!Here's a big opportunity for an imaginative and authoritative writer on this subject.Where are you?This is such an important and confusing topic, and of course amateur photography is burgeoning now.Surely you can outdo Ms. McCartney and rake in the dough.

Very disappointing, probably not the book you're looking for
As a photographer working with available light only, I bought this book hoping to learn to ins and out of flash photography.
A few pages into it realized that this book wasn't the one. The first chapter covers the fundamentals of flash operation -
how does flash work and the basic concepts to remember, and that was VERY helpful. But it was written sluggishly, which
made the reading tiresome, confusing, and un-exciting.

It's down-hill after that. I found later chapters to be off the subject, or irrelevant, or too general. For example, I didn't need to read about the difference between portrait photography and photojournalism photography, or the different style of people photography - I just wanted to know how to apply flash in both - and this information was missing, or too shallow. I had to fish for the relevant information among lots information that repeated itself but wasn't interesting, like the different types of camera that use flashes. The information I was looking for, like specific techniques and ideas, was scattered throughout the book in an unorganized matter, if at all.

The sample pictures were mediocre, at best, stuff that I wouldn't even consider showing my friends... Seriously, I was surprised to find pictures like this in a photography book. I didn't learn how to take good flash pictures in different situations, I didn't learn how to apply different techniques of flash photography to take special or interesting pictures, and I didn't learn anything that my flash or camera manual wouldn't teach me.

I wish I could return it to the book store, but I threw away the receipt. Very, very disappointing, not the book for anybody who has been using a camera for more than a few weeks. If this is the first time you've seen a camera, maybe. For everyone else - waste of time and money.

As good as it gets
This book "Mastering Flash Photography" by a professional photojournalist and travel photographer
(but not a wedding photographer) will teach you just about anything you want to know about how to use flash in a sophisticated way indoors and out.

It starts at the begining and ends by showing how to set up portable flashes to give results that look as though studio strobes were used. The professional tips can easily be transferred to simpler lighting techniques for your own camera. It doesn't get any better than this when you can learn in good, clear English what you need to know. It takes the mystery out of flash and makes it as accessible as day light. A real discovery for anyone needing help on flash lighting. ... Read more

Product Description
A concise introduction to the twenty-seven most common photographic and photomechanical processes, from albumen print to Woodburytype. Since the announcement of photography's invention in 1839, various methods of making photographs have been practiced. Until the advent of digital photography at the end of the twentieth century, all of these methods required three elements: light-sensitive materials that behave predictably in response to light; chemicals that control and fix the action of light to create an image; and a support upon which the image rests. Photographers and others have continually explored and refined these basic requirements in their quest to expand the artistic and technological possibilities of photography.

This book describes in a clear, accessible manner the main photographic and photomechanical processes (some still in practice) from the origins of the medium up to the time when the use of chemicals and a darkened room in which to process photographs was gradually superseded by the advent of digital photography.

This elegant guide will prove invaluable to students, photographers, museum visitors, collectors, and anyone interested in the rich and fascinating history of photography.

The book includes work by Euge`ne Atget, Robert Frank, Laura Gilpin, Andre´ Kerte´sz, Helen Levitt, Robert Mapplethorpe, Eadweard Muybridge, Edward Steichen, Alfred Stieglitz, William Henry Fox Talbot, Andy Warhol, Edward Weston. 84 color photographs and illustrations ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (12)

Posing and lighting techniques for studio portrait photography
Dearson Person:
I still waiting to receive this book, It was schduled to arrive to my address by Oct 5 2010,
but I did not get any of this book by 10/05/21010. I received a mail from one of your bookdealer
said second book will be arrive by 3 to 5 days (From 10/11/2010). but today is aready 15th of the Oct.
I think I have to wait another more day to get it.

By the way I live in a community. Each 16 Family co-use a big metal standing up mail box, Each family
has a individule mail compartment with a individual secured locker and key. No one except the family
menber and the post-man has the key. I have never lost any mail ot parcel in last few years ,after
I have moved into here. Therefore I can not believe Thet any body can steal our mail from this box.
Beside this is a very special Tech book, not too many people will interest on it.

Walker Tu

Close, but no cigar!
It is obvious from this book that J.J.Allen has a wealth of experience as a successful portrait photographer.
Unfortunately, this does not translate into being a good instructor.
While Mr. Allen clearly knows his stuff, his lessons are wordy, incomplete, and not well thought out. The portraits used to illustrate a point seem to be mostly chosen from his file cabinet rather than shot to illustrate that point. In some instances, examinations of the portraits reveal themselves to be shot in a method other than what is described.
Most of the fault, however, lies with the publisher, Amherst Media. The lighting diagrams are completely out of scale and sometimes wrong.
It is exhaustive to try and match, for instance, such elements as Image 22 and Image 23 with Diagram 11 and Diagram 12 on pages with no numbers with the accompanying text on pages 36 and 37.
On the good side is a wealth of excellent portraits in a plethora of styles and methods and a few true nuggets of solid advise that will be truly useful to the aspiring portrait photographer.
All in all, it is not a BAD book, it is just that for the money, there are many that are a lot better.

SIMPLE IMAGENS & SIMPLE DIAGRAMS
MOST PEOPLE INTERESTED IN PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY ARE EAGER TO FIND OUT HOW PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPERS MAKE IT. I THINK THE BEST WAY TO SHOW IT IS TO FEATURE THE FINAL IMAGE SHOWING ITS LIGHTING DIAGRAM TOO.THE AUTHOR SHOWS IN THIS BOOK HIS TECHNIQUE OF POSING AND LIGHTING IN A VERY CLEAR WAY.MOST CLASSICAL PORTRAIT IMAGES ARE FEATURED WITH ITS RESPECTIVE DIAGRAM IN A VERY SIMPLE EXAMPLE. THE ASSOCIATION OF THESE BOTH ELEMENTS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS GUIDE.

Finally!
I have spent a lot of time trying to find books that would help me improve my skills in portrait photography.I would buy a book thinking it would answer my questions on technique, and the type of equiptment used, etc., only to be disapointed in the generalness of the information.Finally I have found a book that is specific enough to learn something solid.

Lighting...
It is a wonderful book and I am glad that I bought it, no regrets here. ... Read more