Photography books/guides

Xios

Hey, i'm new to boards.ie and was wondering if any of you recommend any good books that will help me understand photography a good bit more, i'm looking for good business tips and the likes, so that i can quickly start making money from my camera.

Fajitas!

Ye gotta learn to walk before you run...

Are you shooting long? Much experience? etc

If not, I'd advise a course, not a book

Xios

No, i haven't been shooting long, and i want to start off small, but the sooner the better, as for a course, I was trying for the degree in DIT but my points from the LC didn't add up, so i wana get a head start on the part time course i'll be doing.

Fajitas!

You won't be making money fast outa photography

Best thing to do is just start shooting. Read websites, ask for C&C on photos, go out shooting with other photographers. Getting a book is a very 'set route' through something that certinally isn't set.

Ruu_Old

Indeed, don't be afraid to post up a few of your pics here, a number of people will chip in and give advice on how to improve, etc, btw welcome to boards.:)

artieanna

I would really be interested in finding a good book that explains the tech side of cameras like shutter speeds, macro etc;

or should I just read the manual that came with my digital camera:(

Fajitas!

Oh yeah! Welcome!

Forgot about that!

Artieanna, your manual won't give you much of what you want ("doing this will blur that out" I guess?)

What type camera are you using?

CONMIKE12

Welcome.I was in the same boat a few months ago.I bought a book called "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson,you can get it on amazon.co.uk.It really healped me understand all about shutter speed,iso and apperature.I referred to it an awful lot in the beginning(and still do).i would highly recommend it.Happy snapping.

artieanna

fajitas: I'm using a fuji finepix 2800zoom......

Karoma

@artieanna: photo.net & google to start with, then "Understanding Exposure" (As recommended above).

Fionn

i don't understand anything!!

Fionn

oops!! sorry
i hit something there!

i just get the camera and make photos.....
i don't really understand too much about the tech side i've read about them ok but get all confused about f/values and stops and all that and priority stuff and what not i've tried to look at the manual but i just go blank with all the manualeze talk
main thing as far as i see is go take photographs everything will follow.....at least i'm hoping it will

Fajitas!

Fionn wrote:

oops!! sorry
i hit something there!

i just get the camera and make photos.....
i don't really understand too much about the tech side i've read about them ok but get all confused about f/values and stops and all that and priority stuff and what not i've tried to look at the manual but i just go blank with all the manualeze talk
main thing as far as i see is go take photographs everything will follow.....at least i'm hoping it will

Thats pretty much the way I started out. It's probably for the best because you can keep your mind on composition and gtting a good eye for a photo, rather than doing everything technically, only to have a dull shot!

Artienna, check out www.photo.net as posted! There's some good guides there, but you'll have to relate them to the manual, if not the settings! At the end of the day though, just keep on shooting

mtracey

agree with conmike the Understanding Exposure book is very good for helping you to grasp the essentials.

Can I ask Xios what camera are you using ?

Redundo

If you are starting out as a complete beginner, then I agree with what the others have said. Just get out there and start using the camera. Shoot whatever appeals to you and see what others think of your work by posting your best work for critiques.

When you are familiar with your camera; you know about f/stops, shutter speeds, ISO and so on. Then there are books that might be of some help. I've got both of the following from Amazon and found them both very good.

Photographic Composition [Paperback] by Grill, Tom; Scanlon, Mark

Creative Nature and Outdoor Photography [Paperback] by Tharp, Brenda

artieanna

no I'm not a beginner, have been photographing for long time,and I use photo editing programs with no probs. I've won couple of comps nothing major.
I'd love to understand how to push my camera to the limit:cool:
its really just the technical side of things go over my head a little, well alot. I've looked at photo.net and again, i find it technical and referring to special lens' & settings that my camera prob hasn't got.

I would lovvvvvv a realllly good camera but, the one I have pushed the limit when I bought it about three years ago for around 300odd euro. its only got 2.0megapixels but I'm very happy with its results.......

Redundo

The thing with digital compacts is that they behave differently to SLR cameras (both digital and film).

Compacts have small sized sensors and because of that have a very large depth of field. Typically a compact never goes above f8, while SLR lenses often go up to f22+. The larger the f-number, the greater the amount of the scene that should be in focus (Idon't want to confuse you here, but f8 for a compact should roughly equal f22 on an SLR). For compacts it is both an advantage and disadvantage at the same time. It means you can often be sure of having a sharp subject, but you also lack quite a measure of creative control, SLRs have finer shadings of control over compacts.

As for learning the 'basics' I wouldn't worry too much about them. If you are already winning some comps (no matter what the level is) then you obviously have a good eye for a photo. Ultimately that is more important then technical knowledge.

An SLR (don't discount film as a cheap alternative) will be more demanding then your digital compact, but the creative control it offers will be greater.

Most internet sites are SLR biased. The only sites I can think of that offer tutorials for compact based photographers are megapixel.net and stevesdigicams.com

artieanna

Redundo wrote:

Compacts have small sized sensors and because of that have a very large depth of field. Typically a compact never goes above f8, while SLR lenses often go up to f22+. The larger the f-number, the greater the amount of the scene that should be in focus (Idon't want to confuse you here, but f8 for a compact should roughly equal f22 on an SLR). For compacts it is both an advantage and disadvantage at the same time. It means you can often be sure of having a sharp subject, but you also lack quite a measure of creative control, SLRs have finer shadings of control over compacts.


Most internet sites are SLR biased. The only sites I can think of that offer tutorials for compact based photographers are megapixel.net and stevesdigicams.com

Thanks for that.... it actually makes sense cheers for the links also....;)

311

I stopped posting here last week and started reading and taking photos more,
I've got about 10 books now that are brilliant ,but nothing compares to meeting up with fellow photographers and sharing your view and questions with them.

Currently I'm using an IPOD listenging to tips and reading a book while using the laptop and I still need to email people here for tips.

Xios

Hey, thanks for the welcome guys, and i'm using the Olympus E-500, i read a few articles saying it was the best all round digital camera, i'm actually really liking it, and i'll post up one or two images and see what advice you can give

I'll look for those books aswell, and i'll browse the net a fair bit for shorter simpler guides.