Photography book recommendations

[Parmcat]

The very very best Canon website on the net, and maybe one of the best photography sites also, in my opinion is:

Photography on the Net

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/

I have learned more about photography from that site, then anywhere else...period.

BUT...Understanding Exposure is a must have.

I also recommend any of the For Dummies books.....very under rated

Parm

 

[Mckymousefn]

The mode (and settings) really depends on the effect we are trying to create. Selective focus or deep depth of field, motion blur or frozen action, expose for highlights or shadows (or both), etc.

I am not a fan of "Understanding Exposure" greatly preferring other books like Ansel Adams "The Camera" and "The Negative". Peterson's book is probably easier to understand, just not as good. Btw, there is no inherent advantage to any particular exposure mode, all of them can do pretty much the same thing and it mostly depends on how we want to get there.

***Except "Auto" does not allow RAW and that should be our first upgrade!

The other DISmember that told me about Peterson's book also said that i may want to try shooting in RAW. I am going to start playing around with that.
Thank your for the other suggestions as well!! I am sure i will have other questions... but since its still really cold out lately, i figured i could get some reading done & try to understand the camera more.

 

[Mckymousefn]

The very very best Canon website on the net, and maybe one of the best photography sites also, in my opinion is:

Photography on the Net

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/

I have learned more about photography from that site, then anywhere else...period.

BUT...Understanding Exposure is a must have.

I also recommend any of the For Dummies books.....very under rated

Parm

Thanks Parm... I am going to check that out as well!!

 

[disneyboy2003]

I have a Canon EOS 50D. I just got it recently and ready to learn how to do more with it... other than auto.

Can I ask a quick question (and please don't take offense)? How did you decide to buy the Canon 50D? It's a GREAT camera and can take spectacular photos, but it seems like a LOT of $$$$$ to spend on a camera if you've only been on Auto this whole time.

Usually on this message board, when people are just starting out with photography, we've usually recommended that they first learn to walk and then learn to run (ie. learn the basics of photography, like shutter speed, aperture, ISO, etc. before buying the $$$$$ DSLR camera). That way, if photography doesn't sound as interesting anymore, then folks aren't stuck with a $1,200 point-and-shoot camera.

I'm glad to hear that you're making an effort to learn about photography, and "Understanding Exposure" is a very highly-recommended book for learning about the basics of photography. You can also go to your local bookstore and pick up any Intro to Digital Photography book (there are literally dozens of such books), and find one that suits your reading & learning style. Even the Dummies books on digital photography are really good, too, as Parmcat mentioned above.

Anyway, just curious how you decided to jump ahead to the Canon 50D at this very early stage in your learning curve. Also, are you getting better pictures on Auto with this camera than you did with your previous camera?

 

[My2Girls66]

Scott Kelby has 3 good books. Digital Photography Books 1-3

 

[saturndb]

I've like this book:
Bryan Peterson's Understanding Photography Field Guide: How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera.

It covers alot of areas and could help you understand what the different setting do and how to use them.

Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/08..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0FTAF1D65RHG7YREKB3W

 

[holcomb-mania]

Or maybe a remedial course at the local community college?

I'd love to get a dslr (Costco has Canon T1i and Xsi bundles right now for, IIRC, $949 and $799, respectively), but reading your posts is like you're all from NASA or JPL or something.

Would the t1i bundle (camera, 2 lenses, 4GB memory card, and bag-I think they also extend the warranty) be a good value? I know there is a t2 out, but I don't think at this point that I would benefit from the added functionality enough to justify the added expense. Kinda like me buying the best golf clubs available. It wouldn't really matter, cuz I'm GONNA hit it in the woods no matter what.

TIA for your patience with this noob.

 

[disneyboy2003]

Or maybe a remedial course at the local community college?

I'd love to get a dslr (Costco has Canon T1i and Xsi bundles right now for, IIRC, $949 and $799, respectively), but reading your posts is like you're all from NASA or JPL or something.

Would the t1i bundle (camera, 2 lenses, 4GB memory card, and bag-I think they also extend the warranty) be a good value? I know there is a t2 out, but I don't think at this point that I would benefit from the added functionality enough to justify the added expense. Kinda like me buying the best golf clubs available. It wouldn't really matter, cuz I'm GONNA hit it in the woods no matter what.

TIA for your patience with this noob.

Yes, there is a "Digital SLR Cameras and Photography For Dummies" book that's available on Amazon (link). This book is probably available at your local bookstore, too.

There are literally dozens of different Intro to Digital Photography books available at your local bookstore & library. Go browse through them and see which one(s) fit your reading & learning style.

The other book that is highly recommended on these message boards is Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson (link to Amazon). This book should also be available at your local bookstore & library. This book will give you all the basics & principles of photography.

Yes, there should also be an Intro to Digital Photography course from your local community college. Although I don't know specifically where you live, you can probably give your local community college a call and request a catalog. Or look online at their course offerings.

The thing about the new Canon T2i is that once it becomes available, it should drive the prices of the Canon T1i down. So keep a close eye on that T1i price.

And, finally, do you really need a dSLR? I'd hate to see you spend hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of $$$$$ (which can very quickly turn into thousands of $$$$$) on a dSLR camera + lenses + accessories, only to be overwhelmed and ultimately turned off by photography.

If you're at the very beginning of your learning curve in photography, I wonder if a "bridge camera" would be more appropriate for you. A bridge camera is one that sort of looks like an SLR, has a long zoom (ex. anywhere from 12x to 20x zoom), but doesn't have interchangeable lenses.

A bridge camera will also have manual and semi-automatic settings, like P, A, S, and M (Program mode, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual), so you can use these settings to learn digital photography. These are the exact same settings you'd be using on a dSLR, so the transition to a dSLR later on won't be so overwhelming. The price of a bridge camera will be around $500 or less.

Hope that helps.

 

[cpbjgc]

This older thread has lots of good recommendations on books.

While I have a Canon myself, head down to a camera store (or Best Buy) and actually hold the cameras in your hands before making a decision. There is not a lot of difference in the quality of pics you will get from the name brands (which I think the pictures on this board prove ). So it is definitely worth your time to try out the cameras - holding them in your hands and taking pictures in the store (bring your own memory card so you can look at them at home) to see which is the best fit for you.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[mom2rtk]

This older thread has lots of good recommendations on books.

While I have a Canon myself, head down to a camera store (or Best Buy) and actually hold the cameras in your hands before making a decision. There is not a lot of difference in the quality of pics you will get from the name brands (which I think the pictures on this board prove ). So it is definitely worth your time to try out the cameras - holding them in your hands and taking pictures in the store (bring your own memory card so you can look at them at home) to see which is the best fit for you.

Good luck with your decision!

I'd go to to a real camera shop if you can, where the sales help is far more likely to be able to answer your questions.

And the batteries in the cameras are far more likely to actually be charged....

 

[holcomb-mania]

That's funny about the book. I was trying to be funny. That'll show me! Thanks for other recs. I might hit the library this weekend.

Right now we have an Olympus 500UZ p&s with IIRC 8MP. It seems slow and the quality of the pics isn't even in the same galaxy as those posted here.

I believe one of the photographers at WDW told me they used 6-8MP Nikons, and those pics are usually much better than anything we can take. Is it the lenses that make such a difference?

Also, it seems everyone around us has dslrs, either Nikon or Canon, and they all love them.

 

[Goofdad]

Hi holcomb-mania,

I too am an amateur photographer that was inspired by some of what I saw here on the Dis Photography Board.

I was able to learn a LOT just by watching videos/tutorials on Youtube.
I opted against purchasing a DSLR and instead purchased the Canon S90...

• It's a point and shoot with many DSLR-like capabilities.
• It's small enough for me to carry everywhere.
• It's easy enough to use on "auto" mode so that others can pick it up and take snapshots.
• And it's advanced enough that it has lured me into experimenting with Av, Tv, and M modes while gaining some basic understanding of Exposure (Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO).

Maybe this isn't the right route for you, and that's OK... I don't work for Canon or get commissions on S90s...but I was clueless about actual photography... for years I took horrible pictures and tweaked them in Photoshop. Now, I'm taking better pictures (still tweaking in photoshop) and getting better-than-average results.

 

[Goofdad]

Right now we have an Olympus 500UZ p&s with IIRC 8MP. It seems slow and the quality of the pics isn't even in the same galaxy as those posted here.

I believe one of the photographers at WDW told me they used 6-8MP Nikons, and those pics are usually much better than anything we can take. Is it the lenses that make such a difference?

yes, it's the lenses.
the MPs is just telling you how many millions of dots make up the actual image.
If those dots don't have the right stuff on 'em, you'll have 8 million dots of garbage.
The lense is what puts the right stuff into the dots (lense and photographer).

Also, it seems everyone around us has dslrs, either Nikon or Canon, and they all love them.

I don't know the percentage, but most people I know with DSLRs have no idea what they're doing with them.
OF course they'll say they love 'em because it's tough to dole out $800 on a camera and then admit that you don't like it, don't really know how to use it, and hate lugging it around, and your wife hates it too.

cynical? yeah, maybe. guilty as charged.

 

[disneyboy2003]

Also, it seems everyone around us has dslrs, either Nikon or Canon, and they all love them.

I don't know the percentage, but most people I know with DSLRs have no idea what they're doing with them.
OF course they'll say they love 'em because it's tough to dole out $800 on a camera and then admit that you don't like it, don't really know how to use it, and hate lugging it around, and your wife hates it too.

This reminds me of something that happened to me earlier this weekend.

I was at an event where this woman was carrying around her Nikon and a HUGE lens, walking all around taking pictures of this & that. She would spend most of her time outside, but sometimes she's come inside to take photos, too. I was totally intimidated by her & her huge lens.

Well, I finally got the courage to go up to talk to her. She's a news photographer, and she was carrying the 70-200mm lens, which is a very popular $2000+ lens.

She was trying to take photos of something indoors in the lower lighting area, but she kept getting frustrated at how blurry her pictures were turning out. And she didn't know how to fix it.

Turns out, she was using the "P" mode (Program mode, which is a little more advanced than regular Auto mode) the whole time. The shutter speed that her camera was choosing was WAY too slow for the situation, causing all her indoor pictures to be blurry. I could even HEAR the shutter speed clicking slooooowly.

So I had to tell her to switch her setting to Manual, I suggested a somewhat faster shutter speed (about 1/30 - 1/60), and she was totally thrilled that the indoor pictures were finally turning out!

She's had her Nikon camera for a year. As much as she loved the camera, she admitted that she was gonna to take a Nikon class later on to learn about the camera.

What got to me was that (1) she was making money as a news photographer, and didn't know how to take photos in more complicated lighting situations, whereas I'm hanging around doing this as a hobby, and I was teaching her how to use her camera, and (2) just cuz someone's walking around with a HUGE-a** lens doesn't mean they know what they're doing.

In the end, it is possible to have all this dSLR gear and pretend like you know what you're doing. ("you" in the general sense, not "you" specifically)

When I looked back at everything, I felt really silly being intimidated by her & her huge lens.

 

[boBQuincy]

Turns out, she was using the "P" mode (Program mode, which is a little more advanced than regular Auto mode) the whole time. The shutter speed that her camera was choosing was WAY too slow for the situation, causing all her indoor pictures to be blurry. I could even HEAR the shutter speed clicking slooooowly.

So I had to tell her to switch her setting to Manual, I suggested a somewhat faster shutter speed (about 1/30 - 1/60), and she was totally thrilled that the indoor pictures were finally turning out!

However...
The problem was her lack of understanding about how the camera operates, not P mode itself. If P mode selects a slow shutter speed all it takes is a twirl of the dial and P mode will shift the exposure allowing us to select any shutter speed we want (as long as the aperture will support it). Manual is rarely necessary and can not select any valid exposure that we can't get in P mode (only easier).

 

[YesDear]

I agree with Bob about P. I am not in anyway doubting the story but it sounds very odd to me that a news photographer working for a news organization would not know the answer to her problem. It does sound to me more like the classic I have more money than skill scenario. Or a reconfirmation that size does not matter!

I am really getting cynical in my old age!

 

[disneyboy2003]

However...
The problem was her lack of understanding about how the camera operates, not P mode itself. If P mode selects a slow shutter speed all it takes is a twirl of the dial and P mode will shift the exposure allowing us to select any shutter speed we want (as long as the aperture will support it). Manual is rarely necessary and can not select any valid exposure that we can't get in P mode (only easier).

I stand corrected. I rarely use P mode, so I wasn't familiar with the "Power" of P. Goes to show how much I, too, need to learn about my camera.

 

[bigfish2215]

I'm still learning my Nikon D60 that I got last winter. Please recommend some books that will help me out.
Thanks

 

[tlcmommyx4]

I am a newbie, and one book that was a must read from the boards here was Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. In my option this was a great investment, along with all the great advice from the threads here you should be good to go.

 

[SrisonS]

I am a newbie, and one book that was a must read from the boards here was Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. In my option this was a great investment, along with all the great advice from the threads here you should be good to go.

I second that recommendation.