How To Choose a Photography Book
If you’re interested in purchasing a photography book to get the ball rolling on your new hobby, you have probably already seen the vast range available, and now you’re on the internet looking for help to buy the right one. Right?
Well, firstly I can tell you that you’ve come to the right place. But the thing about buying a book is that, it can be all down to personal taste. For example, one may prefer a more mature tone of writing in a book, whereas the other may prefer a more relaxed, humorous sort of tone – but the books explain the same thing. However, there is a lot more to buying a book than the tone it is written in. In fact, the style of writing should come after you’ve established that the book does what it says on the cover. And that’s important!
So, let’s get started. There are a couple of things you need to know about when buying photography books, They are:
[In no particular order]
- Reviews – Almost all sites have them, make use of them. It is likely that the people in the same position as you have already bought this book and they have written a review about what they think. They often point out flaws and advantages of the book, but never base you judgement on one review only.
- Author – Is he/she well known in this field? Have they written any other books?
- Pages – Some may think that the number of pages doesn’t matter. But it does and doesn’t. ‘Teach me’ books with more pages often have more content, or ‘bonus content’ if you will. But it’s true that books with 300 pages may contain the same information than those with 150 pages.
- Illustrations/Diagrams – You thought that choosing the book with the prettiest pictures ended after nursery? Oh no. In a book teaching photography, you need to have example photographs to show you the different effects after changing various camera options. I mean, if you didn’t have those pictures how would you know if what you are doing is right? This is a must!
- Price – This may well be the push or pull factor, regardless of whether the book is any good. And don’t assume that the most expensive books are the better ones, remember that you’re a beginner starting out.
So remember those things before selecting your book. This book will be teaching you the foundations of photography, so make it good one!
So, moving on, what sort of content do you expect to find in a beginner’s photography book then?
Well, if you have no clue at all, this is where you need to take a look inside a couple of photography books and establish what exactly is taught in these books. In this case, it might be better for you to pop down to your local book shop. However, you can also search inside books on certain internet book retailiers’ websites, such as Amazon.
A well-known book presents the following description:
Understanding exactly how a digital SLR (dSLR) works can help you use its exciting capabilities to their fullest potential. Whether you aim to become a serious photo hobbyist, are interested in turning pro, or want to take advantage of the improved control that dSLRs give you over your photography, this fun and friendly reference will show you how to maximize everything a dSLR has to offer so that you can improve your photography skills, increase your picture–taking and image–editing knowledge, and ultimately, take better photos.
Written with just the right balance of technology and techniques in mind, this guide provides you with the know–how on everything from getting acquainted with the basic key features of the technology (lenses, sensors and image processors, and exposure and focusing systems) to the nuances of various dSLR techniques (setting up speedy continuous–shooting burst modes to capture fast action, applying selective and sharp focus, and shooting under the lowest levels of light). Other topics explored include:
- Composing your shots with an accurate viewfinder
- Deciding how many pixels your camera needs
- Cleaning the sensor yourself
- Choosing between a tripod or monopod
- Adjusting exposure and improving shutter speed
- Creating time–lapse sequences
- Fixing murky or contrasting photos
With so much subject area covered, Digital SLR Cameras & Photography For Dummies, 2nd Edition not only introduces you to the fundamentals of great picture–taking with a dSLR, but goes beyond the basics. Some of the more advanced topics discussed include working with the various formats of digital photos, minimizing shutter lag and first–shot delays, and fixing up your pictures with various image–editing programs. This is just the book you need to progress from getting started with a dSLR to actually improving your dSLR photography!
The above is undoubtedly a very appealing beginner book, but then again, doesn’t all other books offer a more or less same thing? You see, that’s where you come in, now that you’ve seen what’s available to you and what sort of factors you need to take into account, it’s you that needs to now make that decision!
Good Luck!
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