Rating: 
Summary: One of my favourite books on photography.
Review:
From insects to the stars, the techniques for taking their photograph is all explained in here. In a book containing over 1,250 illustrations, this book would be my first choice for anyone considering a career in photography. Read it and make up your mind. As for those of you who are already more proficient, this is the one book to which you should return again and again in order to re-learn and brush-up on those hard-to-master techniques.
Thoughtfully laid out, this book commences by teaching us the basic principles of the camera and various lenses and the exploded-view illustrations are simply as good as they get. The various heading are far too numerous for me to list here except to say they are even pointers on underwater photography as well as on how to hold your camera still.
An excellent book by any standards and one that really should have already found it's way into the library of every competent photographer.
NM
Rating: 
Summary: Those who can't do...
Review: ...teach.Ok, a little unfair, perhaps. Hedgecoe's books are always well designed and present technical information in a well-illustrated and adequately explanitory manner. The many photographers who started out (myself included) by reading one of his tomes are testimony to his ubiquity in this market. But is it me, or are his actual photographs somehow rather unexciting and formulaic stuff? If you want to learn about great photography, look at pictures by great photographers, rather than those who seem to spend more of their time teaching and writing about it than doing it.
Rating: 
Summary: useful but dated
Review: a great general reference, will answer many questions on equipment and technique, but... 1. too many sections are dated, particularly later lengthy ones on special effects. no one does this stuff anymore. 2. many of the images are now embarrassingly kitsch, sadly detracting from the book's credibility. the overall impression is less than inspiring.
Rating:
Summary: Worth its wieght in gold.
Review: An excellent and comprehensive text introduceing many, many facets of photography. An excellent general guide, I highly reccomend it to anyone wanting a reference text- I have learned so much from this book. My only criticism is that I would like to see it updated, it was put out in '92, since then alot of new technology worth covering has come out.
Rating:
Summary: The best Photography Book I've seen!!!
Review: As, a first year Photography teacher, I have searched the stacks for good references. No other book (not even those sponsored by Kodak) compare. The illustrations and simple to read text are simply incredible.
Rating:
Summary: Appliance Instructions or Photographer's Handbook?
Review: First of all, I'm not a Professional Photographer, that's the reason why I purchased this book in the first place. I like the topics and the physical size of the book. Other than actual content, I purchased this book as a "Reference Book" so I like to refer to it in the field when my hands are holding 2 camera's and a tripod. What I don't like about this book is, that to me it's structured in a way like reading an appliance instructions. Pages are set up in a way where the printing is TOO small to read, even with reading glasses. The book is printed in very light ink, very difficult to read, even in bright light. Chapters are not clearly divided, it's like one big 'run on' sentence. Topics are too technical and is really written for the Professional Photographer in mind. Maybe if the title was changed to, "Professional Photographers Handbook", then I wouldn't be writing the review.
Rating:
Summary: One of my favourite books on photography.
Review: From insects to the stars, the techniques for taking their photograph is all explained in here. In a book containing over 1,250 illustrations, this book would be my first choice for anyone considering a career in photography. Read it and make up your mind. As for those of you who are already more proficient, this is the one book to which you should return again and again in order to re-learn and brush-up on those hard-to-master techniques. Thoughtfully laid out, this book commences by teaching us the basic principles of the camera and various lenses and the exploded-view illustrations are simply as good as they get. The various headings are far too numerous for me to list here except to say there are even pointers on underwater photography as well as on how to hold your camera still. An excellent book by any standards and one that really should have already found it's way into the library of every competent photographer. NM
Rating:
Summary: Needed on a photographer's bookshelf.
Review: Hedgecoe's The Photographer's Handbook will teach you what you want to know about photography. I own this book along with John's guide on B/W photography. Both books are excellent. I am glad that I purchased it.
Rating:
Summary: Must have
Review: I agree, its a must have for beginners on up. I got when i first started and still use it today, if i need a lighting reference or film reference. Its tremendously handy and thorough. Compared to most college-level photography texts, its also a great deal.
Rating:
Summary: some good ideas, lacks detail
Review: I bought this book thinking that it would teach me about technique, apeture, etc. Unfortunately, the book lacks detail and most of the book is made up of photographs and then the author's description of how he got that photograph. However, the author has some pretty good ideas for photographs, and thus I used some of his ideas for trying out some photographs of my own. I still was looking for something with more detail and instruction.
| 
