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Summary: I love this book
Review: I am so excited about this book. I am new to photography and this book makes it easy to understand and fun to learn. I am excited about getting back my first roll of film to see how my pictures came out using these easy to follow techinques given by Bryan Peterson. I think this is a fabulous book for beginners!
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Summary: Renew your interest in exposure
Review: Though I've been a serious amateur for 30 years and read lots about getting the right exposure, this book markedly improved my photography.Peterson's many beautiful images not only provide incentive, but in most instances he uses multiple shots of the same image to illustrate the exposure topic being discussed. The book offers simple techniques for getting the right exposure in varied circumstances - including the difficult ones - using only a good in-camera meter. Discussions of various low-light situations were particularly useful to me. I have about 30 recent books like this one - large-format illustrated "how-to" books - and rank this as one of the best.
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Summary: This book isn't about exposure
Review: A good beginner's guide to photography, with everything from f-stops to macro-photography. Photos are ok to very good, very classical. As with most photography books, I'm disappointed because the book is much more general than its name implies and topics are not analyzed in-depth. Very recommended for beginners, not recommended for more advanced photographers.
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Summary: Lost of Credibility
Review: This book is a good general guide to setting the exposure on your camera. It gives well illustrated examples of cause and effect. However, there is one paragraph within the section on film of the book that makes me question the author's expertise. The author on page ninety-six writes,"Quite often, the question of which brand of film is best comes up in my workshops. One rule of thumb is to match the color of the film box to the subject or subjects you expect to be shooting. For example, both Fujichrome and Fujicolor come in green boxes, so these films are logical choice for photographing rich green forests and deep blue skies" (96). Please note that I am far from being a professional photographer. However, this bit of advise insults my common sense. The color of this book is black. Does that means I should only read it only after dark? Once I did read this section of this book I lost interest in it, for I had lost credibility in its author.
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Summary: Thank You
Review: I am an amature who has been struggling for years. I have never taken a photography class, therefore, had little basic knowledges about photography. I bought this book because my biggest problem was "what is the right exposure?". After several weeks of fascinating reading, my pictures have totally improved, they now have a consistency in quality, that professional look I have always dreamt of. I have read other photography books before, but most of them try to tell you everything, therefore have no focus, and only make you more confused; In contrast, this book only tries to teach you the basic in a very easy to understand and progressive structure. First you learn about exposure, then aperture, then shutter speed, and film speed and special effects at the end. Most of my old problems were resolved, how to take pictures in snow, how to make super long(hour long) exposures, how to make everything crisp clear..... I urge any amatures who have been taking pictures for a while, but have not yet gained a strong grip on this subject to read this book. Only one reminder: no matter how good a book is, if you don't practice hard, you still can't take good pictures. Problems: This book was written 10 years ago, a lot have changed since; The author tried to make everything really clear, so there are some excessive explanations and repetition. ...
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Summary: Snapshot or Truly "Drawing with Light"
Review: Ah yes, Photo-graphy, literally "light-drawing" If you are ready to move beyond just snapping a picture or taking a photograph, buy this book, read and re-read it until it is dog-earred. Brian Peterson teaches or reminds us that we as photographers are truly artist skilled in the control and manipulation of light. Illustrated with several images that undeniably illustrate the exposure concept that the correct exposure is not always the BEST exposure for the most striking image. Read this book, learn the "rules", break the rules and let your new found knowledge and skill take your photographs,from mere snap shots and pictures to artistic images. Worth every penny and more...
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Summary: Covers the Basics in Technique.
Review: Excellent book for those moving on from simply point and shoot, fully automatic mode, and beginning to experiment with f-stop and shutter speed selection. The book covers the basics in technique, presenting the material in an easy to read and easy to understand manner. For example the author explains f-stop and shutter speed, and their relationship, in terms of more everyday terms and equivalents. True, it is frustrating that the book does not provide the camera settings selection with the images (mind you not too many books do). However, this is one of the best books of its type around and if I were to have written one of them then this is the one I would have hoped to write. Once you have read this book, and had a go and switched the automatic mode off for a while (you really must), then read this authors other book on composition: "Learning to See Creatively".
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Summary: Why I Skipped Lunch
Review: Reading other people's review of this book I was ready to think these are paid ravings. Or perhaps these are the author's drinking buddies or relatives up to the fifth degree of consanguinity trying to boost its sales. But I was desperate to understand the biggest mystery of them all -- exposure and how to achieve it. Tell you what, the more I read about the subject the more I am confused. To make my ramblings short I bought the book. Then I stayed up until midnight trying to devour the whole thing. Usually I would end up choking on the first five pages or so but this one is so honest and so clear and focused as to what it was trying to achieve that I couldn't put it down. It inspired me so much, given me so much confidence that I wanted to jump out of bed, grab my gear and shoot the night away. The more I read the more I understood. If they took away the main text and printed just the captions accompanying the sample photographs taken by the author this will still be a smart buy. Am I allowed to say this book is timeless? Master Bryan Peterson wrote it in 1990 but he can claim it was written just last month and nobody would have noticed. The concepts discussed and explained still tugs at the hearstrings of one pampered by the Digital Age. Buy this book. If they say it is out of stock swamp the publisher with orders until they give up and decide to have it reprinted. Books of this kind may be hazardous to people selling books on photography. After owning this book, it makes you think twice whether you need another tome on exposure and its mysteries. This one splendid volume makes you believe you have learned everything there is to learn and is ready for the lunch you just skipped.
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Summary: Outstanding book
Review: My cousin sent me this book because he knew I was interested in really learning how to use my camera. I mastered "auto" mode and was ready to learn. What a great book to learn with. The beginning of the book starts with an intro to aperture and shutter speeds. The rest of the book is photos with the settings used for that particular exposure. It not only gets into the technical side of photography but also the art side. He mentions with photos why he used the settings he did and what effect they have on the results. I would recommend this book to anyone getting started with photography, as I am.
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Summary: Great for introductory or refreshing
Review: There are many techniques and understanding I never knew till I read this book. I had read many books including Photography by Barbara London and Ansel Adams's books. They are great books in their own right but this book brings out many knowledge not revealed in other books. The photos are arranged that they show different settings and excellent descriptions to accompany. Not for the coffee table though, rather technical for that. Great for introductory reading and refreshing guide for people like me.....forgetful. One of my must-have technical guides.
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