A Short Course in Photography: An Introduction to Black and White Photographic Technique (4th Edition)

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Summary: If you're a beginner, you MUST read this book!
Review: I purchased this book so that I could start to understand the basics of manual photography before I enrolled in a photography class (I didn't want to look like a complete idiot!). Fortunately, I realized that this book is all I really need to get started and saved myself the cost of the course! It is written in a very clear, concise manner with illustrations to demonstrate every point. Each section of the book contains not only definitions and instruction, but tips and pointers to perfect your technique. The book covers cameras (and all of their controls), different lense types and how they affect the pictures you take, a thorough description of different film types and how they work, what exposure is and how to perfect it, developing the negatives, printing pictures, obtaining ideal lighting, special techniques, and how to see like a camera. Best of all, it teaches you how all of the different factors (shutter speed, aperture, lighting, distance to subject, developing, etc.) relate to each other and how a limitation on one could be offset by adjusting another. A+ book!

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Summary: A first rate guide and introduction for B&W photography
Review: The best basic book of beginning photography that I know of. I like the clear and concise illustrations in particular. As a college instructor I use it as a text book in all my beginning classes.

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Summary: A VERY Short Course
Review: The book itself isn't bad. As a matter of fact, the illustrations and example photographs are excellent. But this is a VERY short course in photography. Most topics are covered in just enough detail to get you started, but there's really not enough here to really learn from without a lot of experimentation. A better bet is Photography" (7th edition). It is much more complete, has the same type of illustrations (it's from the same publisher) and covers all types of photography in detail. It's a little pricier, but you get so much more in "Photography" that this book is pretty much unnecessary if you have it.

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Summary: Great for Beginners!
Review: This is an excellent book for photography beginners. I am currently using it for a college course and is wonderful. Even if you are an intermediate this will still serve usesful as a reference book.

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Summary: Very Helpful!
Review: When i started my Photo 101 class my teacher assigned this book and since day one I have completely understood everything it says. I'd be lost without it.