Digital Photography Books
Although most of these books have the word "digital" in their titles, the principles apply to film cameras as well. But if you're buying a general-interest photography book, looking for the word "digital" is actually not a bad idea unless you like reading about developers, Kodachrome, and other film-related supplies that are getting harder and harder to find.
The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos
by Michael Freeman
n this book, Michael Freeman, a professional photographer, describes the
artistic principles for creating good photographs. "Most people using a
camera for the first time," says Freeman, "try to master the controls but
ignore the ideas." Whether the person behind the camera realizes it or not,
the real goal of photography is not just to create a pretty picture; the
composition of a photograph has profound effects on the viewer's subconscious
that can reinforce or transform the meaning of the subject matter. Research
in cognitive psychology over the past fifty years supports this idea. Form,
one might say, is as meaningful to the brain as shape and color. This book,
printed on heavy paper, is filled with beautiful high-quality photographs that
effectively illustrate the concept.
Pushing the boundaries of composition too far can also create a photo that looks staged or even Reuterized; some of Freeman's photographs, such as his photo of a mountain on page 106, exhibit this effect. Smaller photos illustrate how different ways of arranging the composition can make the difference between a pedestrian snapshot and a photographic masterpiece.
Digital Infrared Photography
by Cyrill Harnischmacher
short, nontechnical introduction to infrared photography with a digital
compact or DSLR camera. "Infrared" in this book means, of course, near-IR
between about 660 and 1200 nm, which is quite diffferent from the long
wavelengths used in thermal imaging. In near IR, vegetation and trees
appear white and the sky appears black. As is beautifully illustrated
in this book, IR photography gives landscapes an otherworldly appearance.
This book provides just enough information for beginners to decide whether
to try infrared. More practical applications, such as art investigation,
astrophotography, and nature photography, are only mentioned in passing.
Although well written and beautifully published, with lots of high quality
pictures, only the basic details are given on cameras and filters. Readers
seeking technical information, such as IR spectra of common objects or
details about how to remove the IR-blocking filters from their cameras,
will be disappointed.
The Digital Photography Book:
The Step-By-Step Secrets for how to make your photos look like the pros'!
Volumes 1 and 2
by Scott Kelby
hese popular and inexpensive books give the basics for taking pictures
and for organizing your photo shoot, aimed at the average person who
mainly wants to take pictures of other people. Volume 1 features some
of the author's goofy humor. The advice, while basic, is sound. There
is no technical information on f-stops or ISO settings--just quick,
easy-to-understand advice for beginners written in a folksy, direct
style.
Langford's Advanced Photography:
The guide for aspiring photographers, 7th ed.
by Michael Langford and Efthimia Bilissi
his book, first published in 1969 and continually updated over the
years, still retains its original discussion of topics such as film developing
and silver recovery, which are now mainly of historical interest. But
there's also a bunch of technical information about lenses, exposures,
depth of field, and f-stops that modern digital photographers still
need to know. Only about one-third of this 412-page book is still relevant
today. Although it's by no means an optics text, the appendix even has
a couple of the basic lens equations.
See also More photography books
