Best Photography Book for a beginner?

[pittguy53178]

I have dabbled in photography. I was just wondering what the best "beginner" guide is for exposure and composition. Any suggestions?

 

[VertigonA380]

I'd have a look at Photoshopcafe's range of photographic videos first:

http://www.photoshopcafe.com/video/videos.htm

and then probably look at Langford's basic photography book followed by another book called Light Science and Magic.

Exposure and composition are the absolute fundamentals of photography, this way you'll get a really good grip on it early rather than waste years experimenting.

 

[jrtrent]

Though it's a bit older and contains sections on film and film cameras, Kodak's How to Take Good Pictures remains an excellent tutorial on getting good pictures of a wide variety of subjects. It's well illustrated, making photographic terminology and concepts easy to understand and appreciate. Even a new copy on Amazon costs just a few dollars. The link below will let you see some sections (the preview pages cover things like people, children, the elderly, weddings, places, travel, pets, zoos) to get an idea of how the book approaches a few subjects.

http://books.google.com/books/about/How_to_take_good_pictures.html?id=xv_6nyTomPoC

 

[Damoo]

'Understanding exposure' - Bryan Peterson is worth the buy. His book contains sample images & variants to prove the worthiness of the suggestions.

 

[learnerguy]

I second this book as I myself started off with it.
I would add that you please look for the 3rd edition of 2010 only.

'Understanding exposure' - Bryan Peterson is worth the buy. His book contains sample images & variants to prove the worthiness of the suggestions.

Another book I suggest is The Photographer's Eye by Michael Freeman.

 

[samyb123]

The 'for dummies' photography guide is quite good

( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Digital-Photography-Dummies-Lifestyles-Paperback/dp/0470768789/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1320087697&sr=8-2-spell )

I would suggest reading guides on the internet, most are free and as good as any book.

--
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/58164120@N08/

 

[dojoklo]

I put together a list of some of the Essential Digital Photography Books for just this very question! Have a look at it here:

http://blog.dojoklo.com/2010/10/06/essential-digital-photography-books/

 

[gwlaw99]

Understanding Exposure is a good book. It teaches you the concepts, but not as much how to get "proper exposure." For that I recommend these videos which I think are great. http://www.photoshopcafe.com/video/products/zones.htm

 

[Roadrunner123]

I put together a list of some of the Essential Digital Photography Books for just this very question! Have a look at it here:

http://blog.dojoklo.com/2010/10/06/essential-digital-photography-books/

Thank you. I bought one for a friend's son.

 

[Rudi Maes]

Here you find a free online ebook, that explains the basics:

http://www.creativephotobook.co.uk/content.html

Rudi

 

[Abrar]

I put together a list of some of the Essential Digital Photography Books for just this very question! Have a look at it here:

http://blog.dojoklo.com/2010/10/06/essential-digital-photography-books/

Thanks for good collection and nice reviews. It is cery helpfull for me to decide where to start.

 

[Paul Wilde]

A series of books by Scott Kelby called ' The digital photography book ( part 1,2,3,4 and 5 ) '

For a beginner or even intermediate they are straight to the point with easy to follow advice as if the guy was showing you what to do stood next to you.

He shows you what to do in bite size information and leaves out the jargon which is great to get you started, as you get more and more into the technical side you can pick up his other books.

Price wise they're ok, but keeping your eye on Ebay etc can see some of his books for as low as £2.99 new.

 

[rsenk19]

"Stunning Digital Photography" by Tony Northup

 

[Snow Crow]

Creative Live.com , better than any book you could buy! They broadcast free online classes on photography every week. You can also purchase classes if you wish also. The instructors are all accomplished photographers.

 

[skyglider]

I have dabbled in photography. I was just wondering what the best "beginner" guide is for exposure and composition. Any suggestions?

Suggest starting by doing an online search for books on photography in your state library system. Or go to a library branch and do the search on their computers. Then order every book, a few at a time if there are too many. The state library should bring books from any branch to the one closest to you.

Also, don't overlook books on wedding photography since many have nice poses and tutorials on posing for wedding photography which are applicable for any posed shooting that you do.

While you're at the library, or waiting in a doctor's or dentist's office, view any magazines like "Glamour" that may be available. (Forget Sports Illustrated ;-) ) Magazines like Glamour have many posed pictures taken by top photographers in them. Study the angle of lighting, body, head tilt, hand and arm positions, and even whether the fingers are spread apart or together. Space between arms and body, straightness of spine, angles formed by elbows and wrist.

For learning how to pose people, the best book I've found is "Picture Perfect Posing" by Roberto Valenzuela.

Sky

 

[Roadrunner123]

Thanks

 

[KCook]

Link for another thread on books -

Beginner book suggestions?

Kelly