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Summary: Should be the first book read by aspiring photographers.
Review: Of the zillion books on photography available, Peterson's was the only one I've read that addressed the craft of photography to my satifisfaction. He doesn't go over the head of the novice nor does he speak down to the beginner. The three technical properties of exposure are discussed in easy to understand terms. Another characteristic I appreciated is that all photos carried reference to film type, shutter speed, and aperture. If I had found "Understanding Exposure" first I could have bypassed a couple dozen books and be a little ahead of the curve for amatuers.
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Summary: MAKES IT EASY
Review: you have to really laugh at human nature. on one hand you havesome people here saying "understanding exposure" is one ofthe best books they've ever read. and then you have other people panning the life out of it. as far as i'm concerned, i'm well and truly in the first camp -- i just can't believe how anyone could disparage this treasure trove of simple, practical advice. as someone stated before me, this book -- and particularly peterson's "learning to see creatively" -- was the catalyst behind my professional career. (i also love garrett's "the art of black and white photography"). peterson simply takes the confusion out of photography -- so you can focus on what really matter: framing the shot. you want to be able to understand what you're doing, so you can do it without thinking. peterson's books are a stepping stone to that level of awareness. and of course, you must shoot, shoot, shoot. i took 5,000 shots the year i read "learning to see creatively" -- a testament to the infectious enthusiasm peterson brings to his subject...good luck. and thank you, mr.peterson!
Rating: 
Summary: Not for a beginning photographer
Review: This book is NOT for a novice. It is very confusing, and presents exposure to the reader as if the one reading it would already understand the concepts of light, metering, aperature and exposure. After reading about 6 pages, I put it down. This will be a dust collector until I can learn more about the basics.
Rating: 
Summary: This book doesn't deliver
Review: It's more a photography primer, and less an in-depth discussion of exposure. Sure, shutter speed, aperature and film speed are discussed. But the reader will not learn how to use a camera's meter to select a *proper* exposure for a scene.
There are numerous examples of exposures, like 1/125 at f/2.8, but there is never a link between the camera's suggested reading, and the final exposure values selected (hint: they're not always the same). A book with this title owes it to the reader to go the extra step - and more.
John Shaw's 'Nature Photography' has an excellent chapter or two on exposure - I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to get their head around the concenpt.
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Summary: Must have for amateur photographers!
Review: Book is great for amateur photographers. It is loaded with photos and author diligently describes how each of the photos were taken (aperture, shutter speed, filters, lens....). If you want to improve your skills, this book will help you a lot. 144 pages, written in a reader friendly manner, tell you about the essence of photography - exposure. It's not only a technical manual but also a guide to greative approach to photography. Very useful and pleasant reading.
Enjoy!
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Summary: This book is not about teaching correct exposure.
Review: First let me say that this is not a bad book, it's just that in my opinion it should not be given the title "Understanding Exposure".
This book is rather a more general photography book. There is good information here, just not enough to teach you how to properly use the camera's meter, or spot meter to properly expose film or take a properly exposed digital photograph.
To learn about proper "exposure", please refer to: The Confused Photographer's Guide to Photographic Exposure and the Simplified Zone System by Bahman Farzad, Linda Voychehovski.
Otherwise there's good information in this book with regard to selecting a shutter speed and aperture to achieve creative effects and gain creative control over your images, but there is precious little in this book to help you learn how to use your light meter to control your exposure level to correctly expose film or a digital image.
Rating:
Summary: solid reference guide for the impatient
Review: if you're either 1--non-tech inclined, or 2--just want the "quick route", then this is the book for you!
otherwise, like me who's 1--wanting to study photography more seriously, or 2--more tech inclined, than there's far better books to study from on the art & science of photography.
Rating: 
Summary: great book
Review: This was a very useful book and has certainly helped improve my understanding
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Summary: Not for a beginning photographer
Review: I bought this book after reading all the wonderful reviews and thought I would check it out and WOW! Bryan Peterson explains it all like no other book!...very, very easy to understand and after I read it (in one night..lol) I was so excited that I just had to start shooting and my photography has already improved!If your confused about f/stops, shutter speeds etc.. BUY THIS BOOK! you won't regret it! It has like 150 colour photographs and each photograph has the technical details that no other book has! ..well worth the price!!
Rating:
Summary: Great explanation on photography
Review: Peterson, with his teaching experience, explains in a very understandable vocabulary, what is really important in photography. I change completly my understanding of camera and photography and learned how to experiment.
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