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 Customer Reviews
A Groan A Minute, 30 Sep 2008
However useful this book may be the so-called humour is so thoroughly irritating that I ended up hurling across the room into the waste basket!
Highly recommended, 16 Sep 2008
Purchased this and the follow-up volume 2 and I have to say, I've read many books on the subject and all follow a similar path. These two books however are amazing. I have learned so much just reading volume one, that I can highly recommend these two books to anyone, who is wanting to improve their technique and produce not just good photo's but Great photo's. Scott has a very unique style which is easy to follow and along with his quirky humour (which I find actually helps get the message across) has produced two of the most amazing guides to the world of digital photography, I have had the pleasure of reading.
digital photgraphy book, 07 Sep 2008
this book is amazing,with in 2 days of reading the book,my photos improved 100 per cent.i highley rocomend this book for any beginners.well done scott.
A good combo with the 2nd Edition., 05 Sep 2008
Comical and spoken in easy-to-understand terms with excellent tips! Only problem is it's left me with an equipment and accessories lust, and all added together is a hefty sum (you'll see what I mean after reading the 2nd edition). He does compare prices of things according to your budget, but for someone like me, I'm only satisfied with the best. All in all, good books to get you started on the right track with photography.
It's the perfect start to DSLR understanding, 04 Sep 2008
Ok, I read the reviews, I umm'ed and ahh'ed and finally decided that having spent months trying to choose a camera, lens and accessories, buying a book really shouldn't be this difficult and just ordered both 1 & 2 together.
Yep, when you've been bombarded with strange numerical equations and figures after first delving into photography, someone who sounds like they're laughing at you and refusing to take you seriously is a pain in the backside and you want to throw their stupid book straight into the bath and kick it, or that could just be me.
However, after the first few pages of 'introduction' you do get down to the serious stuff. Kelby manages to cover every angle you possibly have a question about when you first begin using a DSLR and really speeds up your learning process. His tips are sometimes so simple and yet would have taken a lot of trial and error for one to come across, that's why it's useful that it's all there in one book.
Macro photography and flowers
Landscapes
Light (indoor/outdoor)
Portrait
Wedding
Animals etc.
Even though you may not be interested in every chapter, you will have a use for all of the different things that they teach you and it is a very easy read. I most appreciate the fact that I can just dip into this book without reading anything previous to the paragraph I need. That's what makes this book really useful.
Feel free to top up your knowledge with other books or Google as I do but this is a great on hand, light reference to take round with you and use when you need it.
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Customer Reviews
A Groan A Minute, 30 Sep 2008
However useful this book may be the so-called humour is so thoroughly irritating that I ended up hurling across the room into the waste basket!
Highly recommended, 16 Sep 2008
Purchased this and the follow-up volume 2 and I have to say, I've read many books on the subject and all follow a similar path. These two books however are amazing. I have learned so much just reading volume one, that I can highly recommend these two books to anyone, who is wanting to improve their technique and produce not just good photo's but Great photo's. Scott has a very unique style which is easy to follow and along with his quirky humour (which I find actually helps get the message across) has produced two of the most amazing guides to the world of digital photography, I have had the pleasure of reading.
digital photgraphy book, 07 Sep 2008
this book is amazing,with in 2 days of reading the book,my photos improved 100 per cent.i highley rocomend this book for any beginners.well done scott.
A good combo with the 2nd Edition., 05 Sep 2008
Comical and spoken in easy-to-understand terms with excellent tips! Only problem is it's left me with an equipment and accessories lust, and all added together is a hefty sum (you'll see what I mean after reading the 2nd edition). He does compare prices of things according to your budget, but for someone like me, I'm only satisfied with the best. All in all, good books to get you started on the right track with photography.
It's the perfect start to DSLR understanding, 04 Sep 2008
Ok, I read the reviews, I umm'ed and ahh'ed and finally decided that having spent months trying to choose a camera, lens and accessories, buying a book really shouldn't be this difficult and just ordered both 1 & 2 together.
Yep, when you've been bombarded with strange numerical equations and figures after first delving into photography, someone who sounds like they're laughing at you and refusing to take you seriously is a pain in the backside and you want to throw their stupid book straight into the bath and kick it, or that could just be me.
However, after the first few pages of 'introduction' you do get down to the serious stuff. Kelby manages to cover every angle you possibly have a question about when you first begin using a DSLR and really speeds up your learning process. His tips are sometimes so simple and yet would have taken a lot of trial and error for one to come across, that's why it's useful that it's all there in one book.
Macro photography and flowers
Landscapes
Light (indoor/outdoor)
Portrait
Wedding
Animals etc.
Even though you may not be interested in every chapter, you will have a use for all of the different things that they teach you and it is a very easy read. I most appreciate the fact that I can just dip into this book without reading anything previous to the paragraph I need. That's what makes this book really useful.
Feel free to top up your knowledge with other books or Google as I do but this is a great on hand, light reference to take round with you and use when you need it.
Great Book Even For Pro's, 05 Oct 2008
I've been a wedding photographer for 25 years. I thought this was going to be another "how to take photos book". I've liked other Scott Kelby books so whilst in a bookstore picked it up just for a quick glance, but was suprised to see how much detail he went into. Each page being a new subject, it gave a detailed taster of each subject without all the waffle many books have, and then gave links to websites where you could read more or get equipement that is hard to find. To me it was worth it just for those hard to find links.
Should have stopped at volume 1, 04 Oct 2008
I like Scott Kelby, I really do.
OK he's from the other side of the Atlantic and totally over the top - but he is totally infectious in his love of photography and, in particular Photshop
However, this one doesn't do it for me.
It is just a re-hash of voulme one. The content is very weak and I gained very little from it.
Buy volume one by all means - and certainly buy his photshop books Adobe Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter)....
but I suggest you think long and hard before buying this one
Buy a highlighter pen..., 21 Apr 2008
Please, don't take any notice of the tripe you will read in these reviews about stupid humour. It is only in a half dozen intro pages and even then, it's not enough to worry about and stop you learning from these wonderful books.
Buy this book, buy volume one too and a good highlighter pen, because you will learn an awful lot (unless you are a seasoned pro). The tips are quick, precise and have made my photography much better in the week it has taken me to read (and cover in highlighter!) both volumes.
Volume two has a great section on studio work with simple and inexpensive equipment that is worth the cover price alone. Don't listen to the silly moans about his sense of humour, buy these and learn lots!
An amazing book, 07 Apr 2008
As an amateur photographer I found the book to be compelling reading, being written in an engaging fashion and giving information in doses small enough to absorb with pleasure.
In addition to basic techniques and tips, you will also learn what equipment you require in order to improve your photography.
This is an excellent book which has helped me advance in my photography and which I have read from cover to cover at least twice.
This book is a must for anyone new to photography!
Don't buy it...., 15 Feb 2008
.....if you are a seasoned pro or utterly humourless. If you think your photographs are generally OK, but are missing that little something extra that makes them good enough to be proud of; then buy it instantly.
This isn't a technical photography manual that will spin your head out with more terms than a consolidation loan contract. Neither is it an artsy Bauhaus analysis of photography design. No, it is actually useful.
I wrote a glowing review of the first volume, and the second volume is just as good. The only downside is that I now am going to spend more money on photography kit. I really think that addiction to narcotics or alcohol would have been much cheaper and far less damaging to my marriage.
The author, to me anyway, comes across as a thoroughly nice bloke who obviously loves what he does. The style is informal and friendly and I enjoy reading both volumes again and again. If, like some reviewers, you find this off-putting I think that says far more about you than it does Scott.
In conclusion: my photographs are better after reading this book, thanks Scott.
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Customer Reviews
A Groan A Minute, 30 Sep 2008
However useful this book may be the so-called humour is so thoroughly irritating that I ended up hurling across the room into the waste basket!
Highly recommended, 16 Sep 2008
Purchased this and the follow-up volume 2 and I have to say, I've read many books on the subject and all follow a similar path. These two books however are amazing. I have learned so much just reading volume one, that I can highly recommend these two books to anyone, who is wanting to improve their technique and produce not just good photo's but Great photo's. Scott has a very unique style which is easy to follow and along with his quirky humour (which I find actually helps get the message across) has produced two of the most amazing guides to the world of digital photography, I have had the pleasure of reading.
digital photgraphy book, 07 Sep 2008
this book is amazing,with in 2 days of reading the book,my photos improved 100 per cent.i highley rocomend this book for any beginners.well done scott.
A good combo with the 2nd Edition., 05 Sep 2008
Comical and spoken in easy-to-understand terms with excellent tips! Only problem is it's left me with an equipment and accessories lust, and all added together is a hefty sum (you'll see what I mean after reading the 2nd edition). He does compare prices of things according to your budget, but for someone like me, I'm only satisfied with the best. All in all, good books to get you started on the right track with photography.
It's the perfect start to DSLR understanding, 04 Sep 2008
Ok, I read the reviews, I umm'ed and ahh'ed and finally decided that having spent months trying to choose a camera, lens and accessories, buying a book really shouldn't be this difficult and just ordered both 1 & 2 together.
Yep, when you've been bombarded with strange numerical equations and figures after first delving into photography, someone who sounds like they're laughing at you and refusing to take you seriously is a pain in the backside and you want to throw their stupid book straight into the bath and kick it, or that could just be me.
However, after the first few pages of 'introduction' you do get down to the serious stuff. Kelby manages to cover every angle you possibly have a question about when you first begin using a DSLR and really speeds up your learning process. His tips are sometimes so simple and yet would have taken a lot of trial and error for one to come across, that's why it's useful that it's all there in one book.
Macro photography and flowers
Landscapes
Light (indoor/outdoor)
Portrait
Wedding
Animals etc.
Even though you may not be interested in every chapter, you will have a use for all of the different things that they teach you and it is a very easy read. I most appreciate the fact that I can just dip into this book without reading anything previous to the paragraph I need. That's what makes this book really useful.
Feel free to top up your knowledge with other books or Google as I do but this is a great on hand, light reference to take round with you and use when you need it.
Great Book Even For Pro's, 05 Oct 2008
I've been a wedding photographer for 25 years. I thought this was going to be another "how to take photos book". I've liked other Scott Kelby books so whilst in a bookstore picked it up just for a quick glance, but was suprised to see how much detail he went into. Each page being a new subject, it gave a detailed taster of each subject without all the waffle many books have, and then gave links to websites where you could read more or get equipement that is hard to find. To me it was worth it just for those hard to find links.
Should have stopped at volume 1, 04 Oct 2008
I like Scott Kelby, I really do.
OK he's from the other side of the Atlantic and totally over the top - but he is totally infectious in his love of photography and, in particular Photshop
However, this one doesn't do it for me.
It is just a re-hash of voulme one. The content is very weak and I gained very little from it.
Buy volume one by all means - and certainly buy his photshop books Adobe Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter)....
but I suggest you think long and hard before buying this one
Buy a highlighter pen..., 21 Apr 2008
Please, don't take any notice of the tripe you will read in these reviews about stupid humour. It is only in a half dozen intro pages and even then, it's not enough to worry about and stop you learning from these wonderful books.
Buy this book, buy volume one too and a good highlighter pen, because you will learn an awful lot (unless you are a seasoned pro). The tips are quick, precise and have made my photography much better in the week it has taken me to read (and cover in highlighter!) both volumes.
Volume two has a great section on studio work with simple and inexpensive equipment that is worth the cover price alone. Don't listen to the silly moans about his sense of humour, buy these and learn lots!
An amazing book, 07 Apr 2008
As an amateur photographer I found the book to be compelling reading, being written in an engaging fashion and giving information in doses small enough to absorb with pleasure.
In addition to basic techniques and tips, you will also learn what equipment you require in order to improve your photography.
This is an excellent book which has helped me advance in my photography and which I have read from cover to cover at least twice.
This book is a must for anyone new to photography!
Don't buy it...., 15 Feb 2008
.....if you are a seasoned pro or utterly humourless. If you think your photographs are generally OK, but are missing that little something extra that makes them good enough to be proud of; then buy it instantly.
This isn't a technical photography manual that will spin your head out with more terms than a consolidation loan contract. Neither is it an artsy Bauhaus analysis of photography design. No, it is actually useful.
I wrote a glowing review of the first volume, and the second volume is just as good. The only downside is that I now am going to spend more money on photography kit. I really think that addiction to narcotics or alcohol would have been much cheaper and far less damaging to my marriage.
The author, to me anyway, comes across as a thoroughly nice bloke who obviously loves what he does. The style is informal and friendly and I enjoy reading both volumes again and again. If, like some reviewers, you find this off-putting I think that says far more about you than it does Scott.
In conclusion: my photographs are better after reading this book, thanks Scott.
The wrong approach for me, 30 Sep 2008
Having bought and enjoyed the Scott Kelby Lightroom 1 book I thought, variety being the spice of life, that for Lightroom 2 I would buy the Martin Evening book.
Having seen the Evening LR1 book in shops I was surprised to see that the pages in the LR2 book are smaller but to compensate the book is about 50% thicker. For me this has a handling disadvantage but more importantly the screen shots have to be smaller. This means that with many examples I struggle to see what the screen shot is trying to convey. Indeed the text on many of the screenshots is unreadable.
There is also a big difference in styles and approaches between the two authors. Evening tells you at length what every module, button and slider is for. Kelby tells you how to use Lightroom.
So If you want a reference book then this is the book for you. If you want a book that tells you when and how to use the controls to improve your photos then buy Kelby's books. My preference is for the latter.
Note: Although the Evening book purports to offer free online access to the electronic version you will find when you sign up to the offer that access is only free for the first 45 days. Not recommended.
The Best Book on Digital Capture Processing & Workflow, 18 Sep 2008
A fantastic book for Anyone, from serious enthusiasts to Semi-Pro's, or Old Pro's looking to finally go digital and leave the Titanic that Traditional Analogue photography has finally become.
Out of all the books I have checked out, this is the one. It's engaging, transparent, and fun, allowing the reader to dip in and out, or study in depth. It teaches seamlessly.
Buy It!
Just the job, 14 Sep 2008
After a short preamble describing the whys and wherefores of LR the book quickly down to business with importing photos into LR, then on to catloging, correcting and printing following the usual photographers workflow. There's a short (but useful) section on geotagging photos, which actually has little to do with LR2 (at the moment), but it's becoming an important part of a photographers workflow.
It's an approach that works well and Evenings style is both informative and relaxed, but he never strays too far from the business at hand and isn't 'chatty'. The book is printed on good quality paper so the sample photographs and screen prints are clear and clearly illustrate the processes being described. They are almost all there for a purpose, and not just as eye candy.
It's a book you can both use as a reference and sit and read in a spare moment. If you're new to LR and looking for something to get you up and running, then this will be just the job and will probably still be useful in 6 or 12 months time when you're experienced with the UI. If you're an experienced user of LR v1, then it's probably not as useful as it'll be covering V1 features you're familiar with, but there's a lot of new stuff in LR v2 and I doubt you'll find it better described elsewhere.
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Customer Reviews
A Groan A Minute, 30 Sep 2008
However useful this book may be the so-called humour is so thoroughly irritating that I ended up hurling across the room into the waste basket!
Highly recommended, 16 Sep 2008
Purchased this and the follow-up volume 2 and I have to say, I've read many books on the subject and all follow a similar path. These two books however are amazing. I have learned so much just reading volume one, that I can highly recommend these two books to anyone, who is wanting to improve their technique and produce not just good photo's but Great photo's. Scott has a very unique style which is easy to follow and along with his quirky humour (which I find actually helps get the message across) has produced two of the most amazing guides to the world of digital photography, I have had the pleasure of reading.
digital photgraphy book, 07 Sep 2008
this book is amazing,with in 2 days of reading the book,my photos improved 100 per cent.i highley rocomend this book for any beginners.well done scott.
A good combo with the 2nd Edition., 05 Sep 2008
Comical and spoken in easy-to-understand terms with excellent tips! Only problem is it's left me with an equipment and accessories lust, and all added together is a hefty sum (you'll see what I mean after reading the 2nd edition). He does compare prices of things according to your budget, but for someone like me, I'm only satisfied with the best. All in all, good books to get you started on the right track with photography.
It's the perfect start to DSLR understanding, 04 Sep 2008
Ok, I read the reviews, I umm'ed and ahh'ed and finally decided that having spent months trying to choose a camera, lens and accessories, buying a book really shouldn't be this difficult and just ordered both 1 & 2 together.
Yep, when you've been bombarded with strange numerical equations and figures after first delving into photography, someone who sounds like they're laughing at you and refusing to take you seriously is a pain in the backside and you want to throw their stupid book straight into the bath and kick it, or that could just be me.
However, after the first few pages of 'introduction' you do get down to the serious stuff. Kelby manages to cover every angle you possibly have a question about when you first begin using a DSLR and really speeds up your learning process. His tips are sometimes so simple and yet would have taken a lot of trial and error for one to come across, that's why it's useful that it's all there in one book.
Macro photography and flowers
Landscapes
Light (indoor/outdoor)
Portrait
Wedding
Animals etc.
Even though you may not be interested in every chapter, you will have a use for all of the different things that they teach you and it is a very easy read. I most appreciate the fact that I can just dip into this book without reading anything previous to the paragraph I need. That's what makes this book really useful.
Feel free to top up your knowledge with other books or Google as I do but this is a great on hand, light reference to take round with you and use when you need it.
Great Book Even For Pro's, 05 Oct 2008
I've been a wedding photographer for 25 years. I thought this was going to be another "how to take photos book". I've liked other Scott Kelby books so whilst in a bookstore picked it up just for a quick glance, but was suprised to see how much detail he went into. Each page being a new subject, it gave a detailed taster of each subject without all the waffle many books have, and then gave links to websites where you could read more or get equipement that is hard to find. To me it was worth it just for those hard to find links.
Should have stopped at volume 1, 04 Oct 2008
I like Scott Kelby, I really do.
OK he's from the other side of the Atlantic and totally over the top - but he is totally infectious in his love of photography and, in particular Photshop
However, this one doesn't do it for me.
It is just a re-hash of voulme one. The content is very weak and I gained very little from it.
Buy volume one by all means - and certainly buy his photshop books Adobe Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter)....
but I suggest you think long and hard before buying this one
Buy a highlighter pen..., 21 Apr 2008
Please, don't take any notice of the tripe you will read in these reviews about stupid humour. It is only in a half dozen intro pages and even then, it's not enough to worry about and stop you learning from these wonderful books.
Buy this book, buy volume one too and a good highlighter pen, because you will learn an awful lot (unless you are a seasoned pro). The tips are quick, precise and have made my photography much better in the week it has taken me to read (and cover in highlighter!) both volumes.
Volume two has a great section on studio work with simple and inexpensive equipment that is worth the cover price alone. Don't listen to the silly moans about his sense of humour, buy these and learn lots!
An amazing book, 07 Apr 2008
As an amateur photographer I found the book to be compelling reading, being written in an engaging fashion and giving information in doses small enough to absorb with pleasure.
In addition to basic techniques and tips, you will also learn what equipment you require in order to improve your photography.
This is an excellent book which has helped me advance in my photography and which I have read from cover to cover at least twice.
This book is a must for anyone new to photography!
Don't buy it...., 15 Feb 2008
.....if you are a seasoned pro or utterly humourless. If you think your photographs are generally OK, but are missing that little something extra that makes them good enough to be proud of; then buy it instantly.
This isn't a technical photography manual that will spin your head out with more terms than a consolidation loan contract. Neither is it an artsy Bauhaus analysis of photography design. No, it is actually useful.
I wrote a glowing review of the first volume, and the second volume is just as good. The only downside is that I now am going to spend more money on photography kit. I really think that addiction to narcotics or alcohol would have been much cheaper and far less damaging to my marriage.
The author, to me anyway, comes across as a thoroughly nice bloke who obviously loves what he does. The style is informal and friendly and I enjoy reading both volumes again and again. If, like some reviewers, you find this off-putting I think that says far more about you than it does Scott.
In conclusion: my photographs are better after reading this book, thanks Scott.
The wrong approach for me, 30 Sep 2008
Having bought and enjoyed the Scott Kelby Lightroom 1 book I thought, variety being the spice of life, that for Lightroom 2 I would buy the Martin Evening book.
Having seen the Evening LR1 book in shops I was surprised to see that the pages in the LR2 book are smaller but to compensate the book is about 50% thicker. For me this has a handling disadvantage but more importantly the screen shots have to be smaller. This means that with many examples I struggle to see what the screen shot is trying to convey. Indeed the text on many of the screenshots is unreadable.
There is also a big difference in styles and approaches between the two authors. Evening tells you at length what every module, button and slider is for. Kelby tells you how to use Lightroom.
So If you want a reference book then this is the book for you. If you want a book that tells you when and how to use the controls to improve your photos then buy Kelby's books. My preference is for the latter.
Note: Although the Evening book purports to offer free online access to the electronic version you will find when you sign up to the offer that access is only free for the first 45 days. Not recommended.
The Best Book on Digital Capture Processing & Workflow, 18 Sep 2008
A fantastic book for Anyone, from serious enthusiasts to Semi-Pro's, or Old Pro's looking to finally go digital and leave the Titanic that Traditional Analogue photography has finally become.
Out of all the books I have checked out, this is the one. It's engaging, transparent, and fun, allowing the reader to dip in and out, or study in depth. It teaches seamlessly.
Buy It!
Just the job, 14 Sep 2008
After a short preamble describing the whys and wherefores of LR the book quickly down to business with importing photos into LR, then on to catloging, correcting and printing following the usual photographers workflow. There's a short (but useful) section on geotagging photos, which actually has little to do with LR2 (at the moment), but it's becoming an important part of a photographers workflow.
It's an approach that works well and Evenings style is both informative and relaxed, but he never strays too far from the business at hand and isn't 'chatty'. The book is printed on good quality paper so the sample photographs and screen prints are clear and clearly illustrate the processes being described. They are almost all there for a purpose, and not just as eye candy.
It's a book you can both use as a reference and sit and read in a spare moment. If you're new to LR and looking for something to get you up and running, then this will be just the job and will probably still be useful in 6 or 12 months time when you're experienced with the UI. If you're an experienced user of LR v1, then it's probably not as useful as it'll be covering V1 features you're familiar with, but there's a lot of new stuff in LR v2 and I doubt you'll find it better described elsewhere.
Perhaps the best book regarding photographic composition, 07 Jul 2008
I have always been skeptical about buying books that deal with photography either because there exist too many online tutorials which cover many aspects in detail or simply because the techniques each book covers are more or less the same rewritten in a different format.
This book by Michael Freeman though is trully a gem and a "must-have" in the library of every photographer.
It covers most photographic composition aspects in a great detail with perhaps images of excellence regarding composition, including schematic figures outlining and justifying the choice of the composition which exactly hit the point the writer is trying to make. It is printed in premium, relatively thick, paper with high quality images.
- The book is well structured in 6 main chapters beginning with the usage of the image frame, the positioning within the viewfinder of the camera and generally the placement of a scenery and objects within the frame
- Chapter 2 explains the objective principles of design and why certain photographs pop up from the lot if thinking is allocated to aspects such as Gestalt theory, Dynamic tension, patterns, visual weight etc.
- Chapter 3 walks us through the elements that compose photographs such as lines, shapes, focus, motion exposure and others.
- Chapter 4 highlights the importance of light needed in composition and its association with color.
- Chapter 5 analyzes the intent in composition, that is the purpose the photograph was taken in order to please aesthetically by teaching and explaining among others, planning, ahead thinking and reactiveness, simplicity and complexity in photographs, ambiguity etc.
- The book finishes with chapter 6 which in detail explains why process is so necessary prior to composing and shooting a photograph.
This draft description only outlines a few of the topics covered and by no means it can show the true depth of the book.
A small word of advice though. This book is not purely intended to teach basic rules of photography (although the writer explains topics such as the rule of thirds and HDR) but it rather builds and expands on some existing knowledge and fine granulates the art of photography through composition and design with the utmost intent to help the user develop the skills to shoot great images.
The book helps !, 07 Jul 2008
I bought this book after reading the reviews as I'm not into too technical stuff...
It's a very handy book which nicely and in easy terms (I'm not an native English speaker) explains about composition, what our eyes see or focus on and therefor why we better take a photo this or that way.
The book contains many example photographs which makes it even easier to see what the author means.
more design than composition, 27 Feb 2008
i was looking for a book to help with my photo composition and was recommended this, so perhaps i was expecting something a little 'less formal'
for me, its quite formal and concentrates on design aspects rather than composition itself in which i would think of things such as framing subjects etc, but perhaps i was just expecting more along the lines of "rules of thirds", "bottom heavy images" etc.
with that said, its a good book for ppl who have already familiarity with general composition rules.
At long last, 05 Dec 2007
A book on composition that delves down further than the rule of thirds and the likes. I'm still waiting for my copy but had a half hour skim through it's content in a book shop, can't wait to start reading. He uses shapes on his photos to describe what makes the compostion work on certain situations. I found the content easy to read and comprehend.
One worth buying, 03 Nov 2007
I'm not usually a fan of books by Michael Freeman but when I received this book, I was pleasantly surprised. It covers the basics concepts of composition in-depth with more clarity than his previous books.
The book covers areas such as; graphic photographic elements (horizontal lines, vertical lines, curves, motion etc) composing with light and colour (colour in composition, colour relationships, muted colour, black and white) intent (reactive or planned, simple or complex, clear or ambiguos)
The book has a great and careful selection of photos to support the text and clearly illustrate the concepts covered.
Don't let his previous books stop you from buying this one.
Enjoy!!
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Customer Reviews
A Groan A Minute, 30 Sep 2008
However useful this book may be the so-called humour is so thoroughly irritating that I ended up hurling across the room into the waste basket!
Highly recommended, 16 Sep 2008
Purchased this and the follow-up volume 2 and I have to say, I've read many books on the subject and all follow a similar path. These two books however are amazing. I have learned so much just reading volume one, that I can highly recommend these two books to anyone, who is wanting to improve their technique and produce not just good photo's but Great photo's. Scott has a very unique style which is easy to follow and along with his quirky humour (which I find actually helps get the message across) has produced two of the most amazing guides to the world of digital photography, I have had the pleasure of reading.
digital photgraphy book, 07 Sep 2008
this book is amazing,with in 2 days of reading the book,my photos improved 100 per cent.i highley rocomend this book for any beginners.well done scott.
A good combo with the 2nd Edition., 05 Sep 2008
Comical and spoken in easy-to-understand terms with excellent tips! Only problem is it's left me with an equipment and accessories lust, and all added together is a hefty sum (you'll see what I mean after reading the 2nd edition). He does compare prices of things according to your budget, but for someone like me, I'm only satisfied with the best. All in all, good books to get you started on the right track with photography.
It's the perfect start to DSLR understanding, 04 Sep 2008
Ok, I read the reviews, I umm'ed and ahh'ed and finally decided that having spent months trying to choose a camera, lens and accessories, buying a book really shouldn't be this difficult and just ordered both 1 & 2 together.
Yep, when you've been bombarded with strange numerical equations and figures after first delving into photography, someone who sounds like they're laughing at you and refusing to take you seriously is a pain in the backside and you want to throw their stupid book straight into the bath and kick it, or that could just be me.
However, after the first few pages of 'introduction' you do get down to the serious stuff. Kelby manages to cover every angle you possibly have a question about when you first begin using a DSLR and really speeds up your learning process. His tips are sometimes so simple and yet would have taken a lot of trial and error for one to come across, that's why it's useful that it's all there in one book.
Macro photography and flowers
Landscapes
Light (indoor/outdoor)
Portrait
Wedding
Animals etc.
Even though you may not be interested in every chapter, you will have a use for all of the different things that they teach you and it is a very easy read. I most appreciate the fact that I can just dip into this book without reading anything previous to the paragraph I need. That's what makes this book really useful.
Feel free to top up your knowledge with other books or Google as I do but this is a great on hand, light reference to take round with you and use when you need it.
Great Book Even For Pro's, 05 Oct 2008
I've been a wedding photographer for 25 years. I thought this was going to be another "how to take photos book". I've liked other Scott Kelby books so whilst in a bookstore picked it up just for a quick glance, but was suprised to see how much detail he went into. Each page being a new subject, it gave a detailed taster of each subject without all the waffle many books have, and then gave links to websites where you could read more or get equipement that is hard to find. To me it was worth it just for those hard to find links.
Should have stopped at volume 1, 04 Oct 2008
I like Scott Kelby, I really do.
OK he's from the other side of the Atlantic and totally over the top - but he is totally infectious in his love of photography and, in particular Photshop
However, this one doesn't do it for me.
It is just a re-hash of voulme one. The content is very weak and I gained very little from it.
Buy volume one by all means - and certainly buy his photshop books Adobe Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter)....
but I suggest you think long and hard before buying this one
Buy a highlighter pen..., 21 Apr 2008
Please, don't take any notice of the tripe you will read in these reviews about stupid humour. It is only in a half dozen intro pages and even then, it's not enough to worry about and stop you learning from these wonderful books.
Buy this book, buy volume one too and a good highlighter pen, because you will learn an awful lot (unless you are a seasoned pro). The tips are quick, precise and have made my photography much better in the week it has taken me to read (and cover in highlighter!) both volumes.
Volume two has a great section on studio work with simple and inexpensive equipment that is worth the cover price alone. Don't listen to the silly moans about his sense of humour, buy these and learn lots!
An amazing book, 07 Apr 2008
As an amateur photographer I found the book to be compelling reading, being written in an engaging fashion and giving information in doses small enough to absorb with pleasure.
In addition to basic techniques and tips, you will also learn what equipment you require in order to improve your photography.
This is an excellent book which has helped me advance in my photography and which I have read from cover to cover at least twice.
This book is a must for anyone new to photography!
Don't buy it...., 15 Feb 2008
.....if you are a seasoned pro or utterly humourless. If you think your photographs are generally OK, but are missing that little something extra that makes them good enough to be proud of; then buy it instantly.
This isn't a technical photography manual that will spin your head out with more terms than a consolidation loan contract. Neither is it an artsy Bauhaus analysis of photography design. No, it is actually useful.
I wrote a glowing review of the first volume, and the second volume is just as good. The only downside is that I now am going to spend more money on photography kit. I really think that addiction to narcotics or alcohol would have been much cheaper and far less damaging to my marriage.
The author, to me anyway, comes across as a thoroughly nice bloke who obviously loves what he does. The style is informal and friendly and I enjoy reading both volumes again and again. If, like some reviewers, you find this off-putting I think that says far more about you than it does Scott.
In conclusion: my photographs are better after reading this book, thanks Scott.
The wrong approach for me, 30 Sep 2008
Having bought and enjoyed the Scott Kelby Lightroom 1 book I thought, variety being the spice of life, that for Lightroom 2 I would buy the Martin Evening book.
Having seen the Evening LR1 book in shops I was surprised to see that the pages in the LR2 book are smaller but to compensate the book is about 50% thicker. For me this has a handling disadvantage but more importantly the screen shots have to be smaller. This means that with many examples I struggle to see what the screen shot is trying to convey. Indeed the text on many of the screenshots is unreadable.
There is also a big difference in styles and approaches between the two authors. Evening tells you at length what every module, button and slider is for. Kelby tells you how to use Lightroom.
So If you want a reference book then this is the book for you. If you want a book that tells you when and how to use the controls to improve your photos then buy Kelby's books. My preference is for the latter.
Note: Although the Evening book purports to offer free online access to the electronic version you will find when you sign up to the offer that access is only free for the first 45 days. Not recommended.
The Best Book on Digital Capture Processing & Workflow, 18 Sep 2008
A fantastic book for Anyone, from serious enthusiasts to Semi-Pro's, or Old Pro's looking to finally go digital and leave the Titanic that Traditional Analogue photography has finally become.
Out of all the books I have checked out, this is the one. It's engaging, transparent, and fun, allowing the reader to dip in and out, or study in depth. It teaches seamlessly.
Buy It!
Just the job, 14 Sep 2008
After a short preamble describing the whys and wherefores of LR the book quickly down to business with importing photos into LR, then on to catloging, correcting and printing following the usual photographers workflow. There's a short (but useful) section on geotagging photos, which actually has little to do with LR2 (at the moment), but it's becoming an important part of a photographers workflow.
It's an approach that works well and Evenings style is both informative and relaxed, but he never strays too far from the business at hand and isn't 'chatty'. The book is printed on good quality paper so the sample photographs and screen prints are clear and clearly illustrate the processes being described. They are almost all there for a purpose, and not just as eye candy.
It's a book you can both use as a reference and sit and read in a spare moment. If you're new to LR and looking for something to get you up and running, then this will be just the job and will probably still be useful in 6 or 12 months time when you're experienced with the UI. If you're an experienced user of LR v1, then it's probably not as useful as it'll be covering V1 features you're familiar with, but there's a lot of new stuff in LR v2 and I doubt you'll find it better described elsewhere.
Perhaps the best book regarding photographic composition, 07 Jul 2008
I have always been skeptical about buying books that deal with photography either because there exist too many online tutorials which cover many aspects in detail or simply because the techniques each book covers are more or less the same rewritten in a different format.
This book by Michael Freeman though is trully a gem and a "must-have" in the library of every photographer.
It covers most photographic composition aspects in a great detail with perhaps images of excellence regarding composition, including schematic figures outlining and justifying the choice of the composition which exactly hit the point the writer is trying to make. It is printed in premium, relatively thick, paper with high quality images.
- The book is well structured in 6 main chapters beginning with the usage of the image frame, the positioning within the viewfinder of the camera and generally the placement of a scenery and objects within the frame
- Chapter 2 explains the objective principles of design and why certain photographs pop up from the lot if thinking is allocated to aspects such as Gestalt theory, Dynamic tension, patterns, visual weight etc.
- Chapter 3 walks us through the elements that compose photographs such as lines, shapes, focus, motion exposure and others.
- Chapter 4 highlights the importance of light needed in composition and its association with color.
- Chapter 5 analyzes the intent in composition, that is the purpose the photograph was taken in order to please aesthetically by teaching and explaining among others, planning, ahead thinking and reactiveness, simplicity and complexity in photographs, ambiguity etc.
- The book finishes with chapter 6 which in detail explains why process is so necessary prior to composing and shooting a photograph.
This draft description only outlines a few of the topics covered and by no means it can show the true depth of the book.
A small word of advice though. This book is not purely intended to teach basic rules of photography (although the writer explains topics such as the rule of thirds and HDR) but it rather builds and expands on some existing knowledge and fine granulates the art of photography through composition and design with the utmost intent to help the user develop the skills to shoot great images.
The book helps !, 07 Jul 2008
I bought this book after reading the reviews as I'm not into too technical stuff...
It's a very handy book which nicely and in easy terms (I'm not an native English speaker) explains about composition, what our eyes see or focus on and therefor why we better take a photo this or that way.
The book contains many example photographs which makes it even easier to see what the author means.
more design than composition, 27 Feb 2008
i was looking for a book to help with my photo composition and was recommended this, so perhaps i was expecting something a little 'less formal'
for me, its quite formal and concentrates on design aspects rather than composition itself in which i would think of things such as framing subjects etc, but perhaps i was just expecting more along the lines of "rules of thirds", "bottom heavy images" etc.
with that said, its a good book for ppl who have already familiarity with general composition rules.
At long last, 05 Dec 2007
A book on composition that delves down further than the rule of thirds and the likes. I'm still waiting for my copy but had a half hour skim through it's content in a book shop, can't wait to start reading. He uses shapes on his photos to describe what makes the compostion work on certain situations. I found the content easy to read and comprehend.
One worth buying, 03 Nov 2007
I'm not usually a fan of books by Michael Freeman but when I received this book, I was pleasantly surprised. It covers the basics concepts of composition in-depth with more clarity than his previous books.
The book covers areas such as; graphic photographic elements (horizontal lines, vertical lines, curves, motion etc) composing with light and colour (colour in composition, colour relationships, muted colour, black and white) intent (reactive or planned, simple or complex, clear or ambiguos)
The book has a great and careful selection of photos to support the text and clearly illustrate the concepts covered.
Don't let his previous books stop you from buying this one.
Enjoy!!
Top notch, 27 Aug 2008
This book does exactly what it says on the cover, takes you through all the functions (with easy to see colour pictures)), working with light, exposure, photographing different subjects, etc. It explains your Nikon D40 and all of the features, I cannot recommend this highly enough. Between this and the Ken Rockwell website I have learnt so much about the D40.
Great, 03 Jul 2008
This book tell you all you need to know when starting out with the Nikon D40 in an easy and comprehensive way unlike the original confusingly laid out manual. Additionally this book give good photo taking techniques in a variety of situations. Nice!
for newcomers, 15 May 2008
This book is brilliant if you are new to DSLR photography and the manual that comes with the camera confuses you-like it did me! I have learnt so much and have already been practising with it. Things have made sense and I have to reread it to then put it into practice, i can see me taking this book on holiday and not the manual!
Excellent Read, 14 May 2008
This is one of several books I have bought, and it is by far the best. Not only does it explain what all the camera controls do, but also why you use them. Also included are sections on exposure, lenses, using the flash and basic composition. It then goes on to cover how to compose and shoot different types of photos, including action shots, animals, landscapes and taking photos at night. All of this is presented in a very clear readable style and is accompanied by detailed colour photos throughtout. A thorough and compelling guide to the D40/D40x which I would highly recommend.
Enjoyable and useful, 03 Apr 2008
Compared to the standard D40 user guide this book is an enjoyable and well thought out publication. Each chapter is well laid out and the whole book leads you through the actions to take and things to learn on how to get the best from this camera. I haven't read a book for a long time but I just can't put this guide down.
If you have a D40 or D40X I'd highly recommend this great value book to help you get the most out of the camera.
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Customer Reviews
A Groan A Minute, 30 Sep 2008
However useful this book may be the so-called humour is so thoroughly irritating that I ended up hurling across the room into the waste basket!
Highly recommended, 16 Sep 2008
Purchased this and the follow-up volume 2 and I have to say, I've read many books on the subject and all follow a similar path. These two books however are amazing. I have learned so much just reading volume one, that I can highly recommend these two books to anyone, who is wanting to improve their technique and produce not just good photo's but Great photo's. Scott has a very unique style which is easy to follow and along with his quirky humour (which I find actually helps get the message across) has produced two of the most amazing guides to the world of digital photography, I have had the pleasure of reading.
digital photgraphy book, 07 Sep 2008
this book is amazing,with in 2 days of reading the book,my photos improved 100 per cent.i highley rocomend this book for any beginners.well done scott.
A good combo with the 2nd Edition., 05 Sep 2008
Comical and spoken in easy-to-understand terms with excellent tips! Only problem is it's left me with an equipment and accessories lust, and all added together is a hefty sum (you'll see what I mean after reading the 2nd edition). He does compare prices of things according to your budget, but for someone like me, I'm only satisfied with the best. All in all, good books to get you started on the right track with photography.
It's the perfect start to DSLR understanding, 04 Sep 2008
Ok, I read the reviews, I umm'ed and ahh'ed and finally decided that having spent months trying to choose a camera, lens and accessories, buying a book really shouldn't be this difficult and just ordered both 1 & 2 together.
Yep, when you've been bombarded with strange numerical equations and figures after first delving into photography, someone who sounds like they're laughing at you and refusing to take you seriously is a pain in the backside and you want to throw their stupid book straight into the bath and kick it, or that could just be me.
However, after the first few pages of 'introduction' you do get down to the serious stuff. Kelby manages to cover every angle you possibly have a question about when you first begin using a DSLR and really speeds up your learning process. His tips are sometimes so simple and yet would have taken a lot of trial and error for one to come across, that's why it's useful that it's all there in one book.
Macro photography and flowers
Landscapes
Light (indoor/outdoor)
Portrait
Wedding
Animals etc.
Even though you may not be interested in every chapter, you will have a use for all of the different things that they teach you and it is a very easy read. I most appreciate the fact that I can just dip into this book without reading anything previous to the paragraph I need. That's what makes this book really useful.
Feel free to top up your knowledge with other books or Google as I do but this is a great on hand, light reference to take round with you and use when you need it.
Great Book Even For Pro's, 05 Oct 2008
I've been a wedding photographer for 25 years. I thought this was going to be another "how to take photos book". I've liked other Scott Kelby books so whilst in a bookstore picked it up just for a quick glance, but was suprised to see how much detail he went into. Each page being a new subject, it gave a detailed taster of each subject without all the waffle many books have, and then gave links to websites where you could read more or get equipement that is hard to find. To me it was worth it just for those hard to find links.
Should have stopped at volume 1, 04 Oct 2008
I like Scott Kelby, I really do.
OK he's from the other side of the Atlantic and totally over the top - but he is totally infectious in his love of photography and, in particular Photshop
However, this one doesn't do it for me.
It is just a re-hash of voulme one. The content is very weak and I gained very little from it.
Buy volume one by all means - and certainly buy his photshop books Adobe Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter)....
but I suggest you think long and hard before buying this one
Buy a highlighter pen..., 21 Apr 2008
Please, don't take any notice of the tripe you will read in these reviews about stupid humour. It is only in a half dozen intro pages and even then, it's not enough to worry about and stop you learning from these wonderful books.
Buy this book, buy volume one too and a good highlighter pen, because you will learn an awful lot (unless you are a seasoned pro). The tips are quick, precise and have made my photography much better in the week it has taken me to read (and cover in highlighter!) both volumes.
Volume two has a great section on studio work with simple and inexpensive equipment that is worth the cover price alone. Don't listen to the silly moans about his sense of humour, buy these and learn lots!
An amazing book, 07 Apr 2008
As an amateur photographer I found the book to be compelling reading, being written in an engaging fashion and giving information in doses small enough to absorb with pleasure.
In addition to basic techniques and tips, you will also learn what equipment you require in order to improve your photography.
This is an excellent book which has helped me advance in my photography and which I have read from cover to cover at least twice.
This book is a must for anyone new to photography!
Don't buy it...., 15 Feb 2008
.....if you are a seasoned pro or utterly humourless. If you think your photographs are generally OK, but are missing that little something extra that makes them good enough to be proud of; then buy it instantly.
This isn't a technical photography manual that will spin your head out with more terms than a consolidation loan contract. Neither is it an artsy Bauhaus analysis of photography design. No, it is actually useful.
I wrote a glowing review of the first volume, and the second volume is just as good. The only downside is that I now am going to spend more money on photography kit. I really think that addiction to narcotics or alcohol would have been much cheaper and far less damaging to my marriage.
The author, to me anyway, comes across as a thoroughly nice bloke who obviously loves what he does. The style is informal and friendly and I enjoy reading both volumes again and again. If, like some reviewers, you find this off-putting I think that says far more about you than it does Scott.
In conclusion: my photographs are better after reading this book, thanks Scott.
The wrong approach for me, 30 Sep 2008
Having bought and enjoyed the Scott Kelby Lightroom 1 book I thought, variety being the spice of life, that for Lightroom 2 I would buy the Martin Evening book.
Having seen the Evening LR1 book in shops I was surprised to see that the pages in the LR2 book are smaller but to compensate the book is about 50% thicker. For me this has a handling disadvantage but more importantly the screen shots have to be smaller. This means that with many examples I struggle to see what the screen shot is trying to convey. Indeed the text on many of the screenshots is unreadable.
There is also a big difference in styles and approaches between the two authors. Evening tells you at length what every module, button and slider is for. Kelby tells you how to use Lightroom.
So If you want a reference book then this is the book for you. If you want a book that tells you when and how to use the controls to improve your photos then buy Kelby's books. My preference is for the latter.
Note: Although the Evening book purports to offer free online access to the electronic version you will find when you sign up to the offer that access is only free for the first 45 days. Not recommended.
The Best Book on Digital Capture Processing & Workflow, 18 Sep 2008
A fantastic book for Anyone, from serious enthusiasts to Semi-Pro's, or Old Pro's looking to finally go digital and leave the Titanic that Traditional Analogue photography has finally become.
Out of all the books I have checked out, this is the one. It's engaging, transparent, and fun, allowing the reader to dip in and out, or study in depth. It teaches seamlessly.
Buy It!
Just the job, 14 Sep 2008
After a short preamble describing the whys and wherefores of LR the book quickly down to business with importing photos into LR, then on to catloging, correcting and printing following the usual photographers workflow. There's a short (but useful) section on geotagging photos, which actually has little to do with LR2 (at the moment), but it's becoming an important part of a photographers workflow.
It's an approach that works well and Evenings style is both informative and relaxed, but he never strays too far from the business at hand and isn't 'chatty'. The book is printed on good quality paper so the sample photographs and screen prints are clear and clearly illustrate the processes being described. They are almost all there for a purpose, and not just as eye candy.
It's a book you can both use as a reference and sit and read in a spare moment. If you're new to LR and looking for something to get you up and running, then this will be just the job and will probably still be useful in 6 or 12 months time when you're experienced with the UI. If you're an experienced user of LR v1, then it's probably not as useful as it'll be covering V1 features you're familiar with, but there's a lot of new stuff in LR v2 and I doubt you'll find it better described elsewhere.
Perhaps the best book regarding photographic composition, 07 Jul 2008
I have always been skeptical about buying books that deal with photography either because there exist too many online tutorials which cover many aspects in detail or simply because the techniques each book covers are more or less the same rewritten in a different format.
This book by Michael Freeman though is trully a gem and a "must-have" in the library of every photographer.
It covers most photographic composition aspects in a great detail with perhaps images of excellence regarding composition, including schematic figures outlining and justifying the choice of the composition which exactly hit the point the writer is trying to make. It is printed in premium, relatively thick, paper with high quality images.
- The book is well structured in 6 main chapters beginning with the usage of the image frame, the positioning within the viewfinder of the camera and generally the placement of a scenery and objects within the frame
- Chapter 2 explains the objective principles of design and why certain photographs pop up from the lot if thinking is allocated to aspects such as Gestalt theory, Dynamic tension, patterns, visual weight etc.
- Chapter 3 walks us through the elements that compose photographs such as lines, shapes, focus, motion exposure and others.
- Chapter 4 highlights the importance of light needed in composition and its association with color.
- Chapter 5 analyzes the intent in composition, that is the purpose the photograph was taken in order to please aesthetically by teaching and explaining among others, planning, ahead thinking and reactiveness, simplicity and complexity in photographs, ambiguity etc.
- The book finishes with chapter 6 which in detail explains why process is so necessary prior to composing and shooting a photograph.
This draft description only outlines a few of the topics covered and by no means it can show the true depth of the book.
A small word of advice though. This book is not purely intended to teach basic rules of photography (although the writer explains topics such as the rule of thirds and HDR) but it rather builds and expands on some existing knowledge and fine granulates the art of photography through composition and design with the utmost intent to help the user develop the skills to shoot great images.
The book helps !, 07 Jul 2008
I bought this book after reading the reviews as I'm not into too technical stuff...
It's a very handy book which nicely and in easy terms (I'm not an native English speaker) explains about composition, what our eyes see or focus on and therefor why we better take a photo this or that way.
The book contains many example photographs which makes it even easier to see what the author means.
more design than composition, 27 Feb 2008
i was looking for a book to help with my photo composition and was recommended this, so perhaps i was expecting something a little 'less formal'
for me, its quite formal and concentrates on design aspects rather than composition itself in which i would think of things such as framing subjects etc, but perhaps i was just expecting more along the lines of "rules of thirds", "bottom heavy images" etc.
with that said, its a good book for ppl who have already familiarity with general composition rules.
At long last, 05 Dec 2007
A book on composition that delves down further than the rule of thirds and the likes. I'm still waiting for my copy but had a half hour skim through it's content in a book shop, can't wait to start reading. He uses shapes on his photos to describe what makes the compostion work on certain situations. I found the content easy to read and comprehend.
One worth buying, 03 Nov 2007
I'm not usually a fan of books by Michael Freeman but when I received this book, I was pleasantly surprised. It covers the basics concepts of composition in-depth with more clarity than his previous books.
The book covers areas such as; graphic photographic elements (horizontal lines, vertical lines, curves, motion etc) composing with light and colour (colour in composition, colour relationships, muted colour, black and white) intent (reactive or planned, simple or complex, clear or ambiguos)
The book has a great and careful selection of photos to support the text and clearly illustrate the concepts covered.
Don't let his previous books stop you from buying this one.
Enjoy!!
Top notch, 27 Aug 2008
This book does exactly what it says on the cover, takes you through all the functions (with easy to see colour pictures)), working with light, exposure, photographing different subjects, etc. It explains your Nikon D40 and all of the features, I cannot recommend this highly enough. Between this and the Ken Rockwell website I have learnt so much about the D40.
Great, 03 Jul 2008
This book tell you all you need to know when starting out with the Nikon D40 in an easy and comprehensive way unlike the original confusingly laid out manual. Additionally this book give good photo taking techniques in a variety of situations. Nice!
for newcomers, 15 May 2008
This book is brilliant if you are new to DSLR photography and the manual that comes with the camera confuses you-like it did me! I have learnt so much and have already been practising with it. Things have made sense and I have to reread it to then put it into practice, i can see me taking this book on holiday and not the manual!
Excellent Read, 14 May 2008
This is one of several books I have bought, and it is by far the best. Not only does it explain what all the camera controls do, but also why you use them. Also included are sections on exposure, lenses, using the flash and basic composition. It then goes on to cover how to compose and shoot different types of photos, including action shots, animals, landscapes and taking photos at night. All of this is presented in a very clear readable style and is accompanied by detailed colour photos throughtout. A thorough and compelling guide to the D40/D40x which I would highly recommend.
Enjoyable and useful, 03 Apr 2008
Compared to the standard D40 user guide this book is an enjoyable and well thought out publication. Each chapter is well laid out and the whole book leads you through the actions to take and things to learn on how to get the best from this camera. I haven't read a book for a long time but I just can't put this guide down.
If you have a D40 or D40X I'd highly recommend this great value book to help you get the most out of the camera.
Why? They ask me. Why does he do it?, 06 Oct 2008
Well, it is art and it is very hard to someone to explain the reason why he's an artist don't you think?
"Why" was the question several of my colleges at work asked me when I received this little book from Amazon this morning. First they've asked me why does he do it and then, why did I bought it. To the first question I answered that Slinkachu is an artist and this is his art. For the second question I didn't need to answer anything. Just passed the book to their hands and let them see for themselves.
I've been following Slinkachu work on the Internet for some time now and when I knew this book was on sale, I just had to bought it.
A little book that's a lot for the money., 02 Oct 2008
An entertaining and extremely interesting form of street art, this little gem will appeal to anyone interested in street art: it's a must if you're a fan of Banksy! Each piece has a shot showing its surroundings as well as a macro shot with its title. You really do empathise with each little figure! I'm sure any student would be happy to add this to his or her collection.
Brilliant street art, 05 Sep 2008
This is a really brilliant idea, and great "little" book. The idea is simple - take small people (1 inch high or so), paint them and put them somewhere, create a story around them, and take close up (macro) shots.
throw in some heartfelt life messages, and you have this book. It's a great alternative view on life, and life in London specifically.
Recommended.
Excellent, 05 Sep 2008
It's strange how something like this can be beautiful and hold so much emotion, but I guess that's the whole point of art.
Flick through and you're reminded that we're all little people at the end of the day. Slink captures that lost, vulnerable feeling we all get sometimes and then throws in the comic moments too.
I first saw "Dreams of packing it all in" when I was trapped in a big corporate and had just been prescribed the happy pills. It now takes pride of place on my self-employed office wall and reminds me of how things used to be.
And at this price, cannot we all afford some art in our lives?
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Customer Reviews
A Groan A Minute, 30 Sep 2008
However useful this book may be the so-called humour is so thoroughly irritating that I ended up hurling across the room into the waste basket!
Highly recommended, 16 Sep 2008
Purchased this and the follow-up volume 2 and I have to say, I've read many books on the subject and all follow a similar path. These two books however are amazing. I have learned so much just reading volume one, that I can highly recommend these two books to anyone, who is wanting to improve their technique and produce not just good photo's but Great photo's. Scott has a very unique style which is easy to follow and along with his quirky humour (which I find actually helps get the message across) has produced two of the most amazing guides to the world of digital photography, I have had the pleasure of reading.
digital photgraphy book, 07 Sep 2008
this book is amazing,with in 2 days of reading the book,my photos improved 100 per cent.i highley rocomend this book for any beginners.well done scott.
A good combo with the 2nd Edition., 05 Sep 2008
Comical and spoken in easy-to-understand terms with excellent tips! Only problem is it's left me with an equipment and accessories lust, and all added together is a hefty sum (you'll see what I mean after reading the 2nd edition). He does compare prices of things according to your budget, but for someone like me, I'm only satisfied with the best. All in all, good books to get you started on the right track with photography.
It's the perfect start to DSLR understanding, 04 Sep 2008
Ok, I read the reviews, I umm'ed and ahh'ed and finally decided that having spent months trying to choose a camera, lens and accessories, buying a book really shouldn't be this difficult and just ordered both 1 & 2 together.
Yep, when you've been bombarded with strange numerical equations and figures after first delving into photography, someone who sounds like they're laughing at you and refusing to take you seriously is a pain in the backside and you want to throw their stupid book straight into the bath and kick it, or that could just be me.
However, after the first few pages of 'introduction' you do get down to the serious stuff. Kelby manages to cover every angle you possibly have a question about when you first begin using a DSLR and really speeds up your learning process. His tips are sometimes so simple and yet would have taken a lot of trial and error for one to come across, that's why it's useful that it's all there in one book.
Macro photography and flowers
Landscapes
Light (indoor/outdoor)
Portrait
Wedding
Animals etc.
Even though you may not be interested in every chapter, you will have a use for all of the different things that they teach you and it is a very easy read. I most appreciate the fact that I can just dip into this book without reading anything previous to the paragraph I need. That's what makes this book really useful.
Feel free to top up your knowledge with other books or Google as I do but this is a great on hand, light reference to take round with you and use when you need it.
Great Book Even For Pro's, 05 Oct 2008
I've been a wedding photographer for 25 years. I thought this was going to be another "how to take photos book". I've liked other Scott Kelby books so whilst in a bookstore picked it up just for a quick glance, but was suprised to see how much detail he went into. Each page being a new subject, it gave a detailed taster of each subject without all the waffle many books have, and then gave links to websites where you could read more or get equipement that is hard to find. To me it was worth it just for those hard to find links.
Should have stopped at volume 1, 04 Oct 2008
I like Scott Kelby, I really do.
OK he's from the other side of the Atlantic and totally over the top - but he is totally infectious in his love of photography and, in particular Photshop
However, this one doesn't do it for me.
It is just a re-hash of voulme one. The content is very weak and I gained very little from it.
Buy volume one by all means - and certainly buy his photshop books Adobe Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter)....
but I suggest you think long and hard before buying this one
Buy a highlighter pen..., 21 Apr 2008
Please, don't take any notice of the tripe you will read in these reviews about stupid humour. It is only in a half dozen intro pages and even then, it's not enough to worry about and stop you learning from these wonderful books.
Buy this book, buy volume one too and a good highlighter pen, because you will learn an awful lot (unless you are a seasoned pro). The tips are quick, precise and have made my photography much better in the week it has taken me to read (and cover in highlighter!) both volumes.
Volume two has a great section on studio work with simple and inexpensive equipment that is worth the cover price alone. Don't listen to the silly moans about his sense of humour, buy these and learn lots!
An amazing book, 07 Apr 2008
As an amateur photographer I found the book to be compelling reading, being written in an engaging fashion and giving information in doses small enough to absorb with pleasure.
In addition to basic techniques and tips, you will also learn what equipment you require in order to improve your photography.
This is an excellent book which has helped me advance in my photography and which I have read from cover to cover at least twice.
This book is a must for anyone new to photography!
Don't buy it...., 15 Feb 2008
.....if you are a seasoned pro or utterly humourless. If you think your photographs are generally OK, but are missing that little something extra that makes them good enough to be proud of; then buy it instantly.
This isn't a technical photography manual that will spin your head out with more terms than a consolidation loan contract. Neither is it an artsy Bauhaus analysis of photography design. No, it is actually useful.
I wrote a glowing review of the first volume, and the second volume is just as good. The only downside is that I now am going to spend more money on photography kit. I really think that addiction to narcotics or alcohol would have been much cheaper and far less damaging to my marriage.
The author, to me anyway, comes across as a thoroughly nice bloke who obviously loves what he does. The style is informal and friendly and I enjoy reading both volumes again and again. If, like some reviewers, you find this off-putting I think that says far more about you than it does Scott.
In conclusion: my photographs are better after reading this book, thanks Scott.
The wrong approach for me, 30 Sep 2008
Having bought and enjoyed the Scott Kelby Lightroom 1 book I thought, variety being the spice of life, that for Lightroom 2 I would buy the Martin Evening book.
Having seen the Evening LR1 book in shops I was surprised to see that the pages in the LR2 book are smaller but to compensate the book is about 50% thicker. For me this has a handling disadvantage but more importantly the screen shots have to be smaller. This means that with many examples I struggle to see what the screen shot is trying to convey. Indeed the text on many of the screenshots is unreadable.
There is also a big difference in styles and approaches between the two authors. Evening tells you at length what every module, button and slider is for. Kelby tells you how to use Lightroom.
So If you want a reference book then this is the book for you. If you want a book that tells you when and how to use the controls to improve your photos then buy Kelby's books. My preference is for the latter.
Note: Although the Evening book purports to offer free online access to the electronic version you will find when you sign up to the offer that access is only free for the first 45 days. Not recommended.
The Best Book on Digital Capture Processing & Workflow, 18 Sep 2008
A fantastic book for Anyone, from serious enthusiasts to Semi-Pro's, or Old Pro's looking to finally go digital and leave the Titanic that Traditional Analogue photography has finally become.
Out of all the books I have checked out, this is the one. It's engaging, transparent, and fun, allowing the reader to dip in and out, or study in depth. It teaches seamlessly.
Buy It!
Just the job, 14 Sep 2008
After a short preamble describing the whys and wherefores of LR the book quickly down to business with importing photos into LR, then on to catloging, correcting and printing following the usual photographers workflow. There's a short (but useful) section on geotagging photos, which actually has little to do with LR2 (at the moment), but it's becoming an important part of a photographers workflow.
It's an approach that works well and Evenings style is both informative and relaxed, but he never strays too far from the business at hand and isn't 'chatty'. The book is printed on good quality paper so the sample photographs and screen prints are clear and clearly illustrate the processes being described. They are almost all there for a purpose, and not just as eye candy.
It's a book you can both use as a reference and sit and read in a spare moment. If you're new to LR and looking for something to get you up and running, then this will be just the job and will probably still be useful in 6 or 12 months time when you're experienced with the UI. If you're an experienced user of LR v1, then it's probably not as useful as it'll be covering V1 features you're familiar with, but there's a lot of new stuff in LR v2 and I doubt you'll find it better described elsewhere.
Perhaps the best book regarding photographic composition, 07 Jul 2008
I have always been skeptical about buying books that deal with photography either because there exist too many online tutorials which cover many aspects in detail or simply because the techniques each book covers are more or less the same rewritten in a different format.
This book by Michael Freeman though is trully a gem and a "must-have" in the library of every photographer.
It covers most photographic composition aspects in a great detail with perhaps images of excellence regarding composition, including schematic figures outlining and justifying the choice of the composition which exactly hit the point the writer is trying to make. It is printed in premium, relatively thick, paper with high quality images.
- The book is well structured in 6 main chapters beginning with the usage of the image frame, the positioning within the viewfinder of the camera and generally the placement of a scenery and objects within the frame
- Chapter 2 explains the objective principles of design and why certain photographs pop up from the lot if thinking is allocated to aspects such as Gestalt theory, Dynamic tension, patterns, visual weight etc.
- Chapter 3 walks us through the elements that compose photographs such as lines, shapes, focus, motion exposure and others.
- Chapter 4 highlights the importance of light needed in composition and its association with color.
- Chapter 5 analyzes the intent in composition, that is the purpose the photograph was taken in order to please aesthetically by teaching and explaining among others, planning, ahead thinking and reactiveness, simplicity and complexity in photographs, ambiguity etc.
- The book finishes with chapter 6 which in detail explains why process is so necessary prior to composing and shooting a photograph.
This draft description only outlines a few of the topics covered and by no means it can show the true depth of the book.
A small word of advice though. This book is not purely intended to teach basic rules of photography (although the writer explains topics such as the rule of thirds and HDR) but it rather builds and expands on some existing knowledge and fine granulates the art of photography through composition and design with the utmost intent to help the user develop the skills to shoot great images.
The book helps !, 07 Jul 2008
I bought this book after reading the reviews as I'm not into too technical stuff...
It's a very handy book which nicely and in easy terms (I'm not an native English speaker) explains about composition, what our eyes see or focus on and therefor why we better take a photo this or that way.
The book contains many example photographs which makes it even easier to see what the author means.
more design than composition, 27 Feb 2008
i was looking for a book to help with my photo composition and was recommended this, so perhaps i was expecting something a little 'less formal'
for me, its quite formal and concentrates on design aspects rather than composition itself in which i would think of things such as framing subjects etc, but perhaps i was just expecting more along the lines of "rules of thirds", "bottom heavy images" etc.
with that said, its a good book for ppl who have already familiarity with general composition rules.
At long last, 05 Dec 2007
A book on composition that delves down further than the rule of thirds and the likes. I'm still waiting for my copy but had a half hour skim through it's content in a book shop, can't wait to start reading. He uses shapes on his photos to describe what makes the compostion work on certain situations. I found the content easy to read and comprehend.
One worth buying, 03 Nov 2007
I'm not usually a fan of books by Michael Freeman but when I received this book, I was pleasantly surprised. It covers the basics concepts of composition in-depth with more clarity than his previous books.
The book covers areas such as; graphic photographic elements (horizontal lines, vertical lines, curves, motion etc) composing with light and colour (colour in composition, colour relationships, muted colour, black and white) intent (reactive or planned, simple or complex, clear or ambiguos)
The book has a great and careful selection of photos to support the text and clearly illustrate the concepts covered.
Don't let his previous books stop you from buying this one.
Enjoy!!
Top notch, 27 Aug 2008
This book does exactly what it says on the cover, takes you through all the functions (with easy to see colour pictures)), working with light, exposure, photographing different subjects, etc. It explains your Nikon D40 and all of the features, I cannot recommend this highly enough. Between this and the Ken Rockwell website I have learnt so much about the D40.
Great, 03 Jul 2008
This book tell you all you need to know when starting out with the Nikon D40 in an easy and comprehensive way unlike the original confusingly laid out manual. Additionally this book give good photo taking techniques in a variety of situations. Nice!
for newcomers, 15 May 2008
This book is brilliant if you are new to DSLR photography and the manual that comes with the camera confuses you-like it did me! I have learnt so much and have already been practising with it. Things have made sense and I have to reread it to then put it into practice, i can see me taking this book on holiday and not the manual!
Excellent Read, 14 May 2008
This is one of several books I have bought, and it is by far the best. Not only does it explain what all the camera controls do, but also why you use them. Also included are sections on exposure, lenses, using the flash and basic composition. It then goes on to cover how to compose and shoot different types of photos, including action shots, animals, landscapes and taking photos at night. All of this is presented in a very clear readable style and is accompanied by detailed colour photos throughtout. A thorough and compelling guide to the D40/D40x which I would highly recommend.
Enjoyable and useful, 03 Apr 2008
Compared to the standard D40 user guide this book is an enjoyable and well thought out publication. Each chapter is well laid out and the whole book leads you through the actions to take and things to learn on how to get the best from this camera. I haven't read a book for a long time but I just can't put this guide down.
If you have a D40 or D40X I'd highly recommend this great value book to help you get the most out of the camera.
Why? They ask me. Why does he do it?, 06 Oct 2008
Well, it is art and it is very hard to someone to explain the reason why he's an artist don't you think?
"Why" was the question several of my colleges at work asked me when I received this little book from Amazon this morning. First they've asked me why does he do it and then, why did I bought it. To the first question I answered that Slinkachu is an artist and this is his art. For the second question I didn't need to answer anything. Just passed the book to their hands and let them see for themselves.
I've been following Slinkachu work on the Internet for some time now and when I knew this book was on sale, I just had to bought it.
A little book that's a lot for the money., 02 Oct 2008
An entertaining and extremely interesting form of street art, this little gem will appeal to anyone interested in street art: it's a must if you're a fan of Banksy! Each piece has a shot showing its surroundings as well as a macro shot with its title. You really do empathise with each little figure! I'm sure any student would be happy to add this to his or her collection.
Brilliant street art, 05 Sep 2008
This is a really brilliant idea, and great "little" book. The idea is simple - take small people (1 inch high or so), paint them and put them somewhere, create a story around them, and take close up (macro) shots.
throw in some heartfelt life messages, and you have this book. It's a great alternative view on life, and life in London specifically.
Recommended.
Excellent, 05 Sep 2008
It's strange how something like this can be beautiful and hold so much emotion, but I guess that's the whole point of art.
Flick through and you're reminded that we're all little people at the end of the day. Slink captures that lost, vulnerable feeling we all get sometimes and then throws in the comic moments too.
I first saw "Dreams of packing it all in" when I was trapped in a big corporate and had just been prescribed the happy pills. It now takes pride of place on my self-employed office wall and reminds me of how things used to be.
And at this price, cannot we all afford some art in our lives?
I never knew there was so much in it!, 02 Oct 2008
With the beta release of Lightroom 2, I decided to see what all the fuss was about and try it. Once Adobe released it to manufacturing, I was happy to switch my workflow from CaptureOne + Adobe Bridge + Photoshop to Lightroom 2 + Photoshop. I was up-and-running very quickly, but I knew I was just scratching the surface. Obviously, there's a lot in Lightroom 2 and I wasn't exploiting very much of it.
I was rather pleased, then, to see that Scott Kelby was releasing this new volume and pre-ordering it was a no-brainer. I particularly like Scott's informal, conversational style of writing. I expect some may find it irritating, but for me, it makes his books more pleasant to read. Consequently, it makes it easier to retain the knowledge that he imparts.
I'm reading this one from cover-to-cover, as Scott recommends, and it's certainly working. Within the first few pages, I found useful ways to incorporate Lightroom facilities that I simply hadn't encountered. As I continue to work through, there's more and more that is helping improve my workflow considerably.
I sometimes wonder if Scott's books are a little lightweight. They certainly don't tax your brain too much. I guess that's because most of the books I read tend to be detailed technical references where there's a vast amount of information to impart in a limited space. The way Scott writes, it seems too easy. But then, that's the point, isn't it? When you're working with hundreds or even thousands of photographs at a time, it really does need to be easy. So, thumbs up to Mr Kelby for helping me find new ways to improve the efficiency of my workflow, yet again.
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Customer Reviews
A Groan A Minute, 30 Sep 2008
However useful this book may be the so-called humour is so thoroughly irritating that I ended up hurling across the room into the waste basket!
Highly recommended, 16 Sep 2008
Purchased this and the follow-up volume 2 and I have to say, I've read many books on the subject and all follow a similar path. These two books however are amazing. I have learned so much just reading volume one, that I can highly recommend these two books to anyone, who is wanting to improve their technique and produce not just good photo's but Great photo's. Scott has a very unique style which is easy to follow and along with his quirky humour (which I find actually helps get the message across) has produced two of the most amazing guides to the world of digital photography, I have had the pleasure of reading. | | |