Best photography equipment & techniques books according to redditors
We found 608 Reddit comments discussing the best photography equipment & techniques books. We ranked the 312 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
There's actually at least one book out there, called How to Photograph an Atomic Bomb that describes the process. With the proper shielding (heat shields, lead shielding to prevent the radiation from the explosion screwing up the film) and shock-absorbers, it's not that difficult. What's trickier is getting the cameras and equipment back after the explosion when they're contaminated by radioactive waste.
Rapatronic shutters operate on the basis of polarized glass whos polarization depends on the flow (or lack of flow) of electricity through it. Two sheets of polorized glass are placed in front of the film medium. The polarization of these sheets are 90 degrees from one another and so no light is able to reach the film medium to expose it.
I forget what the exact mechanism at play is, but at the moment of shutter release an electrical impulse is sent to the front sheet of glass, altering its polarization to be in line with the second sheet of glass. This allows light into the camera and onto the film medium.
Because electrical impulses can be exposed to a much higher degree of accuracy than mechanical shutters, this enables exposure times of 1/1000000 second and shorter. To achieve multiple frames, they simply set up multiple cameras. There is no way to spin a mirror fast enough to capture those speeds.
Source: "How To Photograph An Atomic Bomb", a wonderful book about Harold Edgerton, who invented both the rapatronic camera and the modern electronic flash.
Edit : link formatting
> zone system
Do you shoot film? Because I don't see the point of the zone system with digital. I can imagine that in the process of learning about it it has helped you reframe the way you thought about exposure somehow. But the practical, real-life application of the zone system to shooting digital? I don't see it.
Ansel Adams pretty much wrote the book on optimizing your exposure with film in The Negative, but the optimal exposure with digital is much simpler, it's ETTR.
> realizing that 90% of the so called wisdom about shooting people at "portrait focal lengths" is garbage
On that point I came to realize that people just use the word "portrait" when what they actually mean is "headshot". A portrait can be so much more than a headshot, and as such there really is no such thing as a "portrait lens", any lens could be used for a portrait. My [own] favorite portraits are shot with a 50mm (on full frame).
A headshot lens, however...
> you don't have to point the softbox at the subject
That's called feathering the light. I think I first woke up to this concept watching a Joey L tutorial...
Information Dashboard Design by Stephen Few
http://www.amazon.com/Information-Dashboard-Design-Effective-Communication/dp/0596100167
Not in these tests; Copying and pasting again:
In these shots, the cameras were encased in 2.5" thick Lead boxes, mounted on poles, and secured with guy wires (wrapped with foil). The cameras they used inside the houses were also encased in 2 inches of lead shielding, and were bolted to the foundation.
The cameras used to captures these tests were called GSAP cameras, (Gun Sight Aiming Point cameras), which were handy for this operation, since they were small and reliable. The power boxes for these shots were buried underground, and hooked up to a timing operator, which turned on the cameras when the bomb went off.
The tests you're thinking of, where they used mirrors, were the hydrogen bombs and Megaton yielding bombs that were usually tested over the Pacific (See; Casle Bravo).
Source: Peter Kuran's How to Photograph an Atomic Bomb book
Picture of one of the camera boxes used in these tests
For more information on how these tests were photographed, please refer to this PDF file, which documents their techniques, strategies, and goals accomplished in the photography.
Photography is not about lenses and expensive equipment. It's about light and composition. You can take good pictures with a phone camera and lousy ones with an SLR.
Please read this book written 150 years ago, and still holding true.
First few lines in the preface outline what I mean:
> ... Nine out of ten photographers are, unfortunately, quite ignorant of art; some think manipulation all-sufficient, others are too much absorbed in the scientific principles involved to think of making pictures; while comparatively a few only have regarded the science as a means of giving pictorial embodiment to their ideas. ...
Improve your photographic skill before you think about dumping a whole lot of money into it.
For something more recent I recommend The Art of Photography.
[attribution]
I love this book! Terry Border also has a blog.
The Camera, The Nevative and The Print by Ansel Adams. The Camera in particular is still relevant today; and these three books are essential reads for anyone who still shoots film.
Ansel Adam's books are amazing. The Camera and The Negative are really good. The Print is also good but not really relevant to a hybrid work flow. Still neat reading though.
Thanks.
Here is a book for you:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1780673353/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524516759&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=how+to+take+better+pictures&dpPl=1&dpID=41PClKtt49L&ref=plSrch
An 8" Dobsonian reflector telescope, such as the Orion XT8i with Intelliscope to help you find your way around the sky. $640.
The book NightWatch, $20.
The Backyard Astronomer's Guide, $30.
A planisphere. Get one appropriate for your latitude. $10.
A comfortable camping stool for sitting at the eyepiece, or your back will quickly complain. ~$30.
SkySafari for your iPhone/iPad, $3.
A pair of good binoculars, 8x50 or 10x50, $120.
A nice wide-field (62-degree) eyepiece, like the Explore Scientific 24mm. $140.
That's about $1000.
One more thing to add: a dark sky. Priceless.
A nice camera bag if you need one. I have four right now, a big one for a full kit, a very small one that sees no real use, a medium sized old school shoulder bag that I use to pack my back up kit in and a modern messenger style bag that can hold my body and a few lenses/flashes, but usually just holds the body with a fifty and everything else I carry with me day to day (Ipad, phone, ecig stuff, papers, pens, change of clothes for kid, gym clothes etc.) The last is immensely handy as it functions as a man purse and allows me to carry my camera with me pretty much all the time.
Barring that I'd just go for a Amazon gift card and pick out some nice Photography books for inspiration. My last purchase was Steve McCurry the Iconic Photographs, Genesis by Sebastião Salgado, and Frontcountry by Lucas Foglia. All three are fantastic, McCurry's is of course amazing, but you probably seen a lot of his work. Salgado's is rich textured, black and white landscapes. The Arctic shots are simply mindblowing. But my favourite of these three is Frontcountry. Foglia captures such a mood and setting perfectly, the whole book is somewhat diverse, but works as a single piece perfectly.
Here's an "Intro to Tableau" Evernote link that has the detail below, but this is what I've put together for our teams when new folks join and want to know more about it.
http://www.evernote.com/l/AKBV30_85-ZEFbF0lNaDxgSMuG9Mq0xpmUM/
What is Tableau?
Where do I get it?
Now that I have it, how do I use it?
How do I become involved?
I want to know more
If you really want to know about HDR, go pick up copies of Ansel Adams' The Camera, The Negative, and The Print. I'm not even a big Ansel Adams fan, but the dude understood HDR before it was 'cool.'
And I agree with goose_of_trees: The HDR technique here is mostly used to take boring shots and make them look terrible. Good HDR should be invisible to the viewer - they should be captivated by the content first, and if extending the dynamic range of the image will enhance that, then it is appropriate to do so.
How familiar are you with modern photography, exactly? Have you ever enlarged prints in a darkroom or looked at the various wet-lab digital print options? Have you ever tried processing giant sheets of color film?
4X5 film has mostly been rendered obsolete by tilt-shift lenses on medium format digital, and even your D3200 will outperform it if you're stitching a panorama. 8x10 color is very tricky to process due to thermal considerations and sheer size, and at $5+ a sheet with the cost of home development, that $5,000 MF body starts looking good real fast.
And that's if you don't need flash. The bigger the body, the more power you need. My 300Ws battery strobe the size of a jam jar would require a 4000Ws pack-and-head system - and a generator.
>I want a store front with a big gallery in an area where the rich and middle class all hang out at. I want to show my work and create a small section for a guest artist to show off his or her work.
You want something that doesn't exist. Malls are dead, art purchases are down, and no photographer can afford the rent on a decent gallery. Maybe you'll sell a few big prints at someone else's gallery...at 50% commission, until they, too, shut their doors.
You wanna make bank? Get work for H&M.
> I believe in doing things right at the scene instead of repairing bad photos.
I know someone who got her start in photography working for Ansel Adams.
Ansel Adams spent a lot of time in the darkroom. In fact, he wrote the book on it.
And he spent most of his time on tedious commercial crap.
You might want to ask in /r/analog or another film-friendly place about stand development. There, the idea is to exhaust the dilute developer touching the film (no or very little agitation) so film gets as much development as it needs. If a frame is overexposed it'll just exhaust the developer soon and the development will stop while its underexposed neighbor will slowly develop. This gets you some latitude. Now, of course the developer doesn't know frame boundaries, and the mechanism works just like that within a single frame, doing things to contrast, even giving you things like sharpening halos. Please don't take my word for it, though, google for it and ask around.
For frame-specific regular development you'll need to be shooting single frames, as you've discovered. This is not as nutty as it sounds as it was what early photographers were doing and large format photographers still do. If you're curious, Ansel Adams wrote a three volume series, two of which dealt with just how to make exposure and development fit the scene on a per-frame/per-print basis (here's v2. The Negative).
"The Photographer's Eye" has been suggested quite a few times here, for good reason I think. Quite enjoyable and informative.
I highly recommend The Art of Photography by Bruce Barnbaum.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Information-Dashboard-Design-Effective-Communication/dp/0596100167
I'm a budding amateur myself! Here's what I recommend based on their level of helpfulness.
Start listening to Astronomy Cast
They pretty much cover every topic you can think of in detail and they're really fun to listen to. They're probably the best astronomy podcast or radio show in existence right now.
You can also check out Pamela Gay's other project Slacker Astronomy
There's also 365 days of Astronomy
Which are little 5 or 10 minute user contributed podcasts each day.
For general knowledge. Wikipedia is your friend, I also rely on /r/space and /r/Astronomy to keep me in the know and I read Space.com and Universe Today
For books. I have two in my collection so far. The backyard Astronomer's guide
and Turn left at Orion
Both are excellent books.
I also do not own a telescope. Since I'm just beginning I picked up a pair of Celestron 15x70s which are kind of the go to "beginner" binoculars.
I'm in the same boat except I'm an editor trying to improve my motion design work. I've been reading about design and trying to find ways to practice. I started with Karen Cheng's How to become a designer without going to design school blog post because she's aggregated a lot of great resources there.
So far the best book I've read that she references is: Picture This: How Pictures Work which well illustrates some fundamentals about design and composition.
I'm also taking the first Mograph Mentor online class which has been a great experience but costs money.
That's what Flickr is for. I don't believe that Instagram is a good place to find good photos anyway, unless you want to find photos that are good for Instagram. What makes a "good" Instagram photo doesn't necessarily make a "good" photo in other formats, because good Instagram photos are meant to be viewed on a small screen, not on a computer screen, or as a print.
Also, instead of buying a ton of lenses, learn how to use the ones you have. Get a 50mm (if you have a full frame camera) or a 35mm (for an APS-C camera) prime lens, and stick with that until you know how to use it well. In the immortal words of Robert Capa:
> If your photographs aren't good enough, you're not close enough
Remember that it's not the lens that's making the good photo, nor the aperture, shutter speed, ISO, or the camera. It's a good photographer that makes good photos. Composition is more important than equipment.
If you can't take good photos with a 50mm (or APS-C equivalent), then you're not going to be able to take good photos with your 85mm f/1.7 or your 70-200mm f/2.8L. The exception of course is wildlife photography. If you can take good bird photos with a 50mm, you're probably Dr Doolittle.
Anyway, getting back to photographic inspiration, I think you're better off finding a book. There's some really good books on photography. Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs is a great one to get a copy of. People seem to love investing a bunch of money into camera gear, but then spend nothing on education. Even the fanciest camera in the world can't make you a good photographer if you have no idea what you're doing.
There's a lot to learn, most of it trial and error, but I'll give a few stepping stones, and one piece of advice.
Start here as far as lighting goes: Strobist
For more lighting, look up people like Joe McNally, Chase Jarvis, Zack Arias, and Dan Winters.
As far as posing goes, skim through various fashion magazines—there are lots of books out there about it as well. Any magazine that has quality portraits will help with posing, and lighting. But I wouldn't really spend any money on them.
If video training is more your thing (it is with me), then check out Kelby Training, and CreativeLive. Kelby Training is a subscription based model with some pretty big name photographers, and subjects that range from portraits, weddings, landscape, Photoshop, and copyright law. CreativeLive however, is a free live viewing, with a paid viewing later. Pretty similar to KT, but the one-time price can be a bit steep.
There are obviously A LOT of photographers out there so the few I mentioned just happen to be some of my favorites. And even though you mention portraits specifically, I highly recommend all three of [Ansel Adams' books.](
http://amzn.com/0821221841)
As far as models go you can check out Model Mayhem, but quality can vary... I don't know of any more professional services. I'd imagine people that cosplay would also be available regular modeling as well. This is one area I'm not too familiar with, except for MM.
Now for my advice: 1) Don't get caught up in the gear and 2) copyright your photos!
Buy what you need, one piece at a time. You might think that you need three lights; four different light modifiers; the latest Pocketwizards; a carbon fiber tripod; etc., but you really don't. One light, one shoot-through umbrella (you'll learn why shoot-through), and you'll be fine.
Copyright is a huge deal. If someone uses your photo without permission, and you didn't copyright, tough. The licenses can get pretty complicated, but as you begin going down the path of learning the legal side, you'll definitely learn more and more. Sadly, the legal issues are rarely talked about when people first start taking photos, but they end up being the most important.
Anyway, with any creative endeavor: have fun!
> Is there a catalog or index somewhere that lets me know which stuff is the best depending on the season?
Yep
An absolutely invaluable guide when you're getting started, as it not only gives you a good variety of targets every month, but also some educational discussion about imaging the objects with various types of cameras, optics, and fields of view.
Can't recommend it enough.
Buy the book The Backyard Astronomer's Guide.
It will answer so many questions you have in getting started. It is a bit more expensive, but it will save you tons of time and money that you may spend on the wrong thing down the road. It's one of those books that comes in handy all the time when learning about astronomy.
It covers the basics of telescope types, what you should expect to see, what to avoid, where to look based on where you live, etc.
You need to learn a few things before you can fully enjoy a new hobby like this. It is a great book.
Upvoted both for the scope recommendation (yeah, a 6" Dob would be as decent a scope as you can get for $300) and for the advice to try them at a star party. Let me put it another way: at this stage, you don't need to buy a scope, you need to learn about scopes and what you can see with them. Once you know more, you can decide what scope is good for your circumstances (what you can do with the same 6" Dob in a big city vs the country side is very different).
Read [this book][http://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Astronomers-Guide-Terence-Dickinson/dp/1554073448]. It will take you to much higher level of understanding of amateur astronomy. You may decide to buy a bigger or different scope, you may decide to be content with a 6" Dob or you may drop it. All of these happen. A book such as the one quoted will help you figure out which is the right thing to do for fewer $$ than scope. Enjoy.
Street Photography Now covers many contemporary street photographers, and could be a good starting point.
These all come from the book Things Come Apart. I've got it on my shelf a few feet away--great book!
You may also like this book. I got it for my father last year for Father's Day and he loved it.
I have this book! It’s called Things Come Apart
Here’s an amazon link to the book
The Ansel Adams series
Camera
Negative
Print
Learn how to use the camera at your own pace then learn about processing at your own pace. And finally printing if you want to do that at your own pace.
Here to second The Camera.
Everybody knows it but it still needs to be said: shoot, shoot, shoot.
Willief is spot-on in my opinion. An exercise I think you might find helpful is to give yourself assignments. Just like practice, or buying books about photography, it only works if you stick to it. You have landscapes, and your still-life work is coming along well too. I would say that in addition to portraiture (both studio and candid), you should consider other genres that 'put you out there' more, that are less under your control than your current work. Street photography instantly springs to mind - you don't have to live in NYC or LA to have amazing opportunities at street photography. If you're in a more rural locale, consider work like Frank's "The Americans," or Bruce Davidson, or even combine what you can do with what you want to learn, something like R.E. Meatyard.
When you want to push your landscapes farther, I would send you in two directions: Ansel Adams for technical mastery (if you haven't, read the holy trilogy, Camera, Negative, Print), and Minor White for artistry/composition.
You're already doing great work, keep on keeping on, never settle.
All exposure meters are built to work with reference to a certain reflectivity—specifically 18%, hence the grey cards of that tone—with the idea that with the indicated exposure and “normal” processing of film and “normal” printing in the darkroom the area of the print corresponding to the metered area will have the same reflectivity.
For an averaging meter it's the whole scene that's measured. With a spot meter it is a small area. So, spot meter off a shadow and, without adjustment, it will come up at 18% grey and the highlights will be blown. Spot meter off a bright area and the shadows will block up.
Meter off a shadow area and then reduce the exposure by a few stops, and we can get the shadow to not quite block up and still show detail. The full explanation of this is in Ansel Adam's book The Negative, and the technique is known as the Zone System.
A black and white print is rarely black and white when done by a skilled developer. Usually, prints are toned so the dark areas are different shades of brown or blue or... whatever works best. They can be split toned so they the shadows are a different color than mid and highs. Making a print in black and white is an art, especially when using chemicals. It is also a little bit cheating--put anything in a selenium bath and it will look fantastic.
If you really want to see some interesting examples, get this book: Photographer's toning guide
This other guy wrote a book on it, too: The Print
You can model in Sculpey with an aluminum wire armature, separate arms, legs and similar pieces then make small keys and keyholes using epoxy putty. Then you can mold each part separately in silicone, cast into them using epoxy resin or similar polyester material. It is actually a very involved and time consuming process. Please check out this book and similar to have a better idea.
https://www.amazon.com/Pop-Sculpture-Figures-Collectible-Statues/dp/0823095223
http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Left-Orion-Hundred-Telescope/dp/0521781906
http://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Astronomers-Guide-Terence-Dickinson/dp/1554073448/ref=pd_sim_b_3
If you're going to be looking into the academic side of it, you will definitely be encountering some math. A degree in astronomy will be nearly tit-for-tat with physics majors in math classes. I'm not either (engineering, here) but from what I've heard they are very much alike.
I would say that starting at a community college is a great idea! Higher chances of boosting your grades and looking more attractive to other universities. If you do, maybe consider transferring to a larger, more prestigious school once you've got a a good foundation/GPA. Not necessary, but a great move if possible.
I got a book this past Christmas to fuel my armchair-interest in astronomy - I believe it was recommended by this subreddit too! Here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Astronomers-Guide-Terence-Dickinson/dp/1554073448
Good luck!
Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs. Great book. Not very detailed in technique and not niche - very good for beginners and getting an overall understanding of photography and the related physics and skills. This book can also be good for pros to get inspiration... the author is great at taking some skill/style that you thought you knew and sticking it in your face to look at again, and most of my friends (and a photography teacher in high school) said the book gave them a new perspective on photography.
I’m a beginner myself, but here are some things that really helped me to understand the true basics:
https://tldr.photography/
I also bought this book, which gives you an insight of the art behind photography:
Read This if You Want to Take Great Photographs https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1780673353/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_kxr5XO1i42ldv
What I recommend though, is practice, practice and practice! And never delete pictures, you’ll always make mistakes and learn from them, to improve you further as you go along.
Although not a book about composition, I would highly recommend "The Art of Photography - An approach to Personal Expression".
I too, like to read before going to sleep and this book will definitely do the trick for you, since you are looking for inspiration and not for technical advice. I believe you won't regret reading it :)
Inserting examples...
> James Nachtwey Inferno [examples]
> Sebastiao Salgado Migrations out of print. [examples] Also see Africa [examples] and Genesis [examples]
>
> Robert Doisneau Paris [examples]
>
> EDIT: Also see Fan Ho [examples]. The books go in and out of print but a third is available for pre-order.
James Nachtwey Inferno
Sebastiao Salgado Migrations out of print. Also see Africa and Genesis
Robert Doisneau Paris
EDIT: Also see Fan Ho. The books go in and out of print but a third is available for pre-order.
For inspiration I really enjoyed Street Photography Now by Sophie Howarth.
street photography now http://www.amazon.com/Street-Photography-Now-Sophie-Howarth/dp/0500289077
magnum stories http://www.amazon.com/Magnum-Stories-Chris-Boot/dp/0714865036/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405497514&sr=1-1&keywords=magnum+stories
hcb masters of photography
http://www.amazon.com/Henri-Cartier-Bresson-Masters-Photography/dp/0893817449/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405497537&sr=1-9&keywords=henri+cartier+bresson
Whether or not this is ethical could be argued about all day and everyone has a different opinion. What I will say though, is that these photos are very cliché and overdone. You can find them in every beginners portfolio and they're never that great, in my opinion. A lot of people think they're being a hero by doing it, or they think it's edgy, but majority of the time it's just rude and tasteless. Unless the photos that you take of them are going to directly help them, and is the only way to help them, I don't think it's worth it. Just buy them a meal and move on with your day.
If you really want to get into street photography, try taking photos that candidly show what it was like to be at location at a certain point of time. Look at the work of Vivian Maier for great inspiration.
I would also suggest this book. Notice how each photo almost puts you in that location in the time it was taken.
I don't mean to sound like I'm shooting your idea down, but you can definitely become a better photographer through different means.
Alex Webb and Matt Stuart are two of my favorites. If you're interested in a great street photography book that shows you many different styles, check out Street Photography Now. I find that books are really helpful for learning about other photographers, especially the greats. It's nice to have something physical.
r/knolling might be close
Also this book:
Things Come Apart: A Teardown Manual for Modern Living
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0500516766/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1aBvDb0VT6Q59
Sixties Design A fun romp through the sixties curvy day glow design bent
Eames: Beautiful DetailsDefinitive Eames Book.
Industrial Design Raymond Loewy My favorite all time designer.
Infrastructure by Brian Hayes Not Sexy, but necessary.
Industrial Design A-Z, Taschen Everything by the letters.
PreFab HousesGood, if dated a little on prefab potential
1000 Chairs Bible of chairs
Things Come Apart They destroyed it beautifully for you
Trespass Street Art photographed and credited
Type Vol. 2 The Taschen site-order version comes with a digital code for Hi-Res digital downloads of each plate. Not sure if the amazon version does. Still worth it either way.
D&AD 11 All the D&AD books are a real tight look at that years best and worst commercial work.
Logo Design 2 I'm sure this has been updated, but good enough and much cheaper now.
DDR Design I have a soft spot for bolshevik propaganda forced into design.
1000 Retail Graphics It is what it says it is, not much more. Good for brainstorming, but not really inspiring.
This book is an interesting read. Not quite a “science” book per say but very fascinating.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0500516766/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr=
I have also been interested in this book, which I am actually considering as a gift for my own partner who is a doctor.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1905367872/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile
Just bought the book! So cool! http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0500516766
If you’re interested in dashboard design, I can’t recommend this book highly enough.
http://www.amazon.com/Information-Dashboard-Design-Effective-Communication/dp/0596100167
The Bent Objects book is awesome. Perfect coffee table material. Please don't rip off images and post to imgur, especially without actually linking to the source!
http://www.amazon.com/Bent-Objects-Secret-Everyday-Things/dp/0762435623
Eugh, his name is Terry Border.
This is from his series called Bent Objects.
He has a book.
This blog did nothing but take his images without credit or attribution.
Side note: one of my favorite books I read in college when taking film courses was Ansel Adams the Camera. I learned heaps about what's really happening in a camera and how to control it.
Ansel Adams "The Camera" is pretty neat.
Well, I'd suggest not limiting your search to books strictly about DSLRs, since photographic lenses and the theory behind them were around for a century or more before digital SLRs came along. Your points of information are applicable to all lenses, not just those designed for DSLRs, so books about lenses and theory for film cameras (SLR, rangefinder, etc) will have the required info as well. Expand your search. There really is nothing that new, here.
Ansel Adams' The Camera has an excellent section on lenses that covers most if not all of the info you're looking for. There are also sections on different camera formats, different shutter types, etc. Adams was the original camera nerd, and the book is pretty detailed on all the subjects you mention.
Past that, ask your specific questions here. There are lots of us who know the answers or can direct you to a reputable source.
What is it you want to know? Hell, I've got a copy of The Camera on the table in front of me right now. Can transcribe if you want. Just let me know what you're looking for.
Edit: If you want to get really technical, look for a copy of Applied Photographic Optics by Sidney Ray
My favorite educational book on photography is probably "The Art of Photography: An Approach to Personal Expression" by Bruce Barnbaum.
My favorite book on portraiture is "50 Portraits" by Gregory Heisler and for landscapes it's "Treasured Lands" by Q.T. Luong.
All of these have a big focus on film photography.
Another good set is Ansel Adams trilogy, The Camera, The Negative and The Print, which you can get used on Amazon for about $20 for all three books. However, they focus primarily on large format cameras, black and white negatives, and darkroom printing, so unless you're doing specifically that, I'd go with The Art of Photography above.
The classic textbook series is by Ansel Adams. I'd recommend The Camera, although there will be more information in there about large format cameras than you will probably need. It's still useful to understand the concepts, so i'd skim those sections.
The series continues with The Negative and The Print, i believe. I took 3 semesters of photo in school, so i was comfortable enough with that to skip it since i mostly shoot digital and have my wet process done in a lab anyway. For someone who doesn't have a firm grasp of photographic processes, i'd recommend these books.
There's basically a whole chapter devoted to this in the classic Ansel Adams book, The Negative.
Basically you take the meter reading and add a few stops. But I don't live in a place with snow either, so my personal experience isn't the best.
Someone else might be able to point you toward something online, but for me, The Negative and The Print are pretty essential. Understanding the Zone System opens up a new world of possibilities when you're ready to progress past blindly following manufacturer recommendations for developing. :)
And step two.
> What makes pantone any different than going to a hardware store and getting their paint swatches for free?
Because Pantone is guaranteeing not just the color ink is right, they're guaranteeing that the print is right. Those are two totally separate things.
There are about a million different ways to fuck up a physical print. Open up some art books and compare the pictures of the same piece of art. You'll see all kinds of range of colors on the page. Consider, one of the reasons art collectors place a premium on lithographs is because one of the things you pay for when you get a lithograph or other "pure ink" facsimile of a piece of artwork is the guarantee that it will continue to actually look like the same thing according to the people that are the ones that define what "it" actually is.
I get asked a variant of this, which is "are those the real colors?" I wrote an article to answer the question.
I'm reading a fascinating book now called Coloring the Universe: An Insider's Look at Making Spectacular Images of Space about the creation of those incredible images from space. I never realized that the photos started out as b&w images with no color at all. It's a great explanation as well of the limitations of eye sight. And there are the two books Ansel Adams wrote on post processing, The Print and The Negative.
If we're talking about photography as an art form, then this question is equivalent to asking a painter if they mix their paint, or only use them as they come out of the tube. It's a stupid question (not that I would tell a viewer that), but it comes from the newness of this medium as an art form and to some extent, the insecurity of photographers themselves.
All of the comments sound like good advice to me too. Standardising the processing is a good plan also - to my mind there are far more interesting parameters to experiment with. I'd also endorse looking at Adams' zone system - The Negative, it's mainly intended for sheet film, but he's an easy read and it gives a really thorough grounding in what can be achieved with film - I'll bet it improves your digital work too
Draw and draw and draw and draw. facial expressions reference book
And draw some more. If you learn the anatomy of the face it makes life a lot easier.
When i went for my college course, they had us buy this book.
http://www.amazon.com/Facial-Expressions-Visual-Reference-Artists/dp/0823016714
As I understand it, you generally need to sculpt or have someone sculpt you a generic figure intended for this kind of mold.
At the very least, I haven't seen anything like this pre-made.
As far as a figure ideal for chopping up and using for this... nothing occurs to me off the top of my head.
I'm planning to sculpt a base/master figure and casting it to get something similar to their work flow. The only issue is I'll need to work out an alternative to the Poly Putty they are using in the video. (I'm thinking casting and sculpting in wax after reading this: book. A substance I can both mold AND carve? I see little wrong with that!
edit: well that's odd, my comment was marked as spam.
Hah! I've been googling a bit earlier and found a few things around. The
Sculpey site, FAQ
Sculpey site, user tips
Amazon (uk) link, Pop Sculpture - Tim Bruckner
Amazon (uk) link, Babes, Beasts and Brawn Sculptures
Also, there appear to be hundreds of vids on youtube
I haven't tried it with gunpla, but I do have some experience with this method of resin casting (mostly with my own figurines, cosplay props for friends, etc.) It should work in theory, but there are a couple issues to keep in mind:
Like I said, it's certainly possible, but unless you're planning on doing this a lot it would be cheaper to just buy the second Banshee kit. If you're still interested, I highly recommend looking into Pop Sculpture as it's a fantastic book that covers the entire mold-making and casting process. The examples are for self-made sculptures, but all the techniques could easily be applied to gunpla. Hope that helps!
This.
https://www.amazon.ca/Backyard-Astronomers-Guide-Terence-Dickinson/dp/1554073448
As my stock answer to this question, I've found [this book] (http://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Astronomers-Guide-Terence-Dickinson/dp/1554073448/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334180556&sr=1-1) to be the easiest to digest and most informative out there. It also serves as a jumping off point as it references many other great resources. I've got a Master's in Applied Physics and it does a great job of building up from the basics without being too dense (because who really wants to DO the Maths in their spare time?).
I also use Sky Safari Pro for my iPad to learn and control my computerized telescope. That's more of a safety net, and no replacement for knowing the night sky.
Astronomy is an expensive hobby. I would start (for about $100) with:
Where you go from there depends greatly on your viewing habits/locations (e.g. will you generally be looking in light polluted skies or nice dark skies, any interest in astrophotography or just viewing? Do you want to spend a lot of time viewing the planets?, etc.).
Also keep in mind that having a telescope with no accessories is kind of like having a car with nothing in the engine compartment. You also need a few eyepieces, a telrad or some other mechanism to help with spotting, and soon you'll want filters, a spotting scope, a CCD (if you want to do astrophotography), a better mount, etc.
Anyway, I'd advise to start with those first 3 components and see how you like it. :)
OK, I get asked this type of question a lot so I have some pre-fab answers for you:
>Someone asked me about teaching yourself art (which is the way I learned) I thought I would share my replay in case It might be helpful to some of you.
>Fundamentals (walk before you run):
>How to draw http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933492732/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 $30
Figure drawing for all its worth http://www.amazon.com/Figure-Drawing-All-Its-Worth/dp/0857680986/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1401411454&sr=1-1&keywords=figure+drawing+for+all+it%27s+worth $25
Color and Light (this book blew my mind) http://www.amazon.com/Color-Light-Guide-Realist-Painter/dp/0740797719/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1401411299&sr=1-1&keywords=color+and+light $15
Imaginative Realism http://www.amazon.com/Imaginative-Realism-Paint-Doesnt-Exist/dp/0740785508/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y $15
>Digital Painting:
>Digital Painting Techniques 1 – 6 http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=digital+painting+techniques+&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Adigital+painting+techniques+ About $35 each = $210 total
>Also pick up some art books for games like Halo or Assassin’s Creed. There’s lots of great concept work in there to give you an idea of what to pros do.
>Visual design:
>Picture This (a very simple explanation on how all the components of a scene can tell a story) http://www.amazon.com/Picture-This-How-Pictures-Work/dp/1587170302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1401412344&sr=1-1&keywords=picture+this $15
Essentials of Visual Communication (A detailed breakdown on how the human brain consumes an image and how you can use this knowledge to best communicate your ideas) http://www.amazon.com/Essentials-Visual-Communication-Bo-Bergström/dp/1856695778/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1401412394&sr=1-1&keywords=Essentials+of+Visual+Communication $30
>Structured Education:
>Digital Tutors (Perfect for learning a program) http://www.digitaltutors.com/11/index.php $50 a month or $515 a year
Ctrl+Paint http://www.ctrlpaint.com/ Free
CGMaster Academy https://www.youtube.com/user/CGMWORKSHOPS/videos?view=0&flow=grid
>Also I wrote on my blog “Become a better Artist Overnight” http://garretaj.blogspot.com/2012/12/how-to-become-better-artist-overnight.html where I take you through tried and true techniques on how to do focused learning revolving your sleep pattern. This is the way I did it (and still do it)
>Communities a must for getting feedback and ideas:
>http://conceptartworld.com/
>http://www.artstation.com/
>https://www.facebook.com/groups/400586640025350/
>https://www.facebook.com/groups/221278101324638/
>https://www.facebook.com/groups/awesomehorse/
>The final thing is you. You have to really want this, it’s not easy. Don’t buy this stuff or go to an expensive art school because you think it’s some kind of shortcut. The focus here is not becoming a good artist, but becoming a good student. Learn how to learn effectively, learn how to love learning, bust your ass, and always work on improving yourself.
>Do that and nothing can stop you. Or don’t.
Hope this helps
Books on composition. Start with this, move on to this and this, and when you feel you're ready for more advanced stuff get this.
The world is full of people who spend thousands of dollars and years of their lives taking technically perfect photos of their cat. Don't end up like them.
Grab a copy of Molly Bang's How Pictures Work.
Non-mobile:
^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?
Guess I can mention something that hasn't been said.
Master studies. You don't need to reinvent the wheel. Just like with photos and movies as mentioned by others. Find works of art you like, do your own "version" and ask yourself the same "why" questions. Pay attention to darks vs. lights. negative space. All those art clichés. They start to make sense after a while.
Also, for a quick run through of what works and what doesn't.
Picture This: How Pictures Work
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1587170302
Not an amazing mind blowing book. But a good reference for a lot of plain fact. Things we may not consider that much but seriously, they are simple and they are true and they'll give you something to look for in masterpieces, movies, photographs, you name it. Things to look for and understand. Trust me. It's very clever in its simplicity.
> See above point. Also if there are cases in the courts that counter my points, provide evidence to them. I doubt sincerely that any prohibit the actions or protocols followed by the government and guards here.
Okay, here's a list.
I could keep going but those are literally the first three links on Google. These all include links to case law.
> I understand that its meant to be seen, but there is an inherent security risk associated with the building and grounds, thus its not seen as an "art installation," and to view it as anything less than what it is would be ignorant and dangerous.
This entirely contravenes its point as an art installation. From 30+ years ago. NPR even points this out from 13 years ago, which was post-9/11, pre-this actual incident. That aside, there is still legal precedent stating you can take pictures of private property if you are on public land, e.g. a sidewalk. It's how papparazi can take pictures of people in (or around) their homes without getting sued into oblivion, they're taking the photos from a public place. In fact, many times, unless otherwise specified, you can take photos of private property from private property, unless specifically posted signs contravene this or you are asked not to. Mr. Prigoff was asked to not photograph the LNG tank and he did not do so, according to his deposition, therefore no laws were broken. A lawyer has conveniently compiled all such legal-related information in a book specifically to educate photographers. Carlos Miller has been writing about this specific issue for almost 8 years. As a photographer, I'm highly invested in keeping myself abreast of such legal issues.
>Did you ask the guards this?
Read the article, that's exactly what the guards told the old man. What he said wasn't just something he wrote for ACLU.org, it's from his sworn deposition in Gill v DOJ.
>This entire sentence is semantics, and you could not possible have any factual evidence to support this.
[Hmmm, really] (https://www.google.com/#q=see+something+say+something&safe=off&search_plus_one=form)? Where do the first two links point? Right to DHS. Also, when was DHS officially put into action as a full-fledged agency? 2003. This incident happened in 2004. That's not semantics, that's fact.
Hey /u/buffalogriller this is a really thoughtful answer! You totally get what I'm trying to do. Unfortunately, I'm only going to visit him and he doesn't live nearby enough for us to share a camera. I actually did think about giving him mine with a 35 mm lens... but it's my only camera.
I'm definitely going to give him my great Henry Carrol books to try and stir something up too (this one and this one)
I'm a beginner too, and I recommend you Read This Book If You Want To Take Great Photographs by Henry Carroll.
It doesn't have a lot of technical stuff; this book talks about different techniques to take good photos (using different light, exposure, lenses, etc), and inspires you to be creative and to start shooting with your camera. It explains everything in a simple and effective way, and it's easy and entertaining to read.
Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs https://www.amazon.com/dp/1780673353/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Cgi1Cb5XKRJTX
I mean the title itself sounds pretty "clickbaity" but I did enjoy this book, it talks about perspectives and angles and technique. it's a pretty good and easy read.
or maybe even one of those photo challenge kind of books. I've never bought one but they're books that have like ideas and tasks in them and your job is to take a photo and place it in the book and that's how you complete the challenge. makes sense since she likes to make albums and such.
There are lots of photography videos on YT for beginners and plenty of good books and I can recommend this one. The make of camera should not make any difference as they all have the same basic functions.
The K70 is a great camera as I have the same model bought it a few years ago and it's pretty damn good.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Read-This-Want-Great-Photographs/dp/1780673353/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2LGKL8ZRUGMS0&keywords=read+this+if+you+want+to+take+great+photographs&qid=1573052581&sprefix=read+this+%2Caps%2C152&sr=8-1
> Do you guys have any tips on how to start?
Get a camera
Invest in a decent DSLR, just an entry level camera, doesn't have to be fancy, and just start playing around with it.
Learning
Depending on your learning style, whether it be in a classroom environment or more hands-on, start learning the fundamentals, like ISO, aperture and shutter speed and how they work together. There are plenty of books, blog posts and video tutorials online to help you.
I found this book helpful: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Read-This-Want-Great-Photographs/dp/1780673353/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Once you get to know the basics, see if you can find a local photographer who would be willing to let you assist them.
Post-production
Find a tool that works for you that allows you edit your photos. I use Lightroom as it allows me to organise and make adjustments to my photos.
Practice emulating others
Find other photographers whose work you like and try emulate them. I don't mean blatantly copy them as your own work but this helps you to practice shooting and editing in different styles. This helped me to understand what I did and didn't like about someone's work. You might also find your own style along the way!
> What helped you getting in to photography?
My grandfather was a keen amateur photographer and his father was an artist so I guess it runs in the family a bit for me. I used to draw and paint a lot but sometimes I felt impatient because drawing and painting takes time. Photography was a little more 'instant' and it allowed me a lot more freedom edit in post-production. I also live in London now so I don't have a lot of space to store physical art equipment. Photography allows me to be creative, expressive and capture things/people but without taking up too much space!
> What inspires you?
There are a number of photographers out there who inspire me. I primarily shoot weddings and portraits so I guess people and people in love inspire me :)
The Olympus 25mm (if that's what you have) is really, really great. I spent a year shooting almost exclusively with that for a 365 project, and came to love it (just wish they made a 17mm of the same quality).
There are two books I always recommend to anyone just starting out, as they really helped me: Understanding Exposure and The Photographer's Eye. Might be worth a look!
You should try 'The Photographer's Eye' by Michael Freeman.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Photographers-Eye-Composition-Photographs/dp/1905814046
Looking at what photos you like to see how they're composed is a useful plan. Finding some pictures online and trying to emulate them might also help.
The Photographers Eye is also a fantastic book on composition ideas.
Composition is a very broad and extensive topic, and throwing a few sentences in your direction won't help you much. So, instead a link to some basic info and the advice to look for good books. And while you are at it, look for books about the usage of light in photography.
After having said that I can't help but give you indeed some personal advice.
Think about your pictures before taking them: what is the main subject of your picture. What objects do you want to have in your picture. Why do you want them in your picture. Do they actually make your picture better, or are they distracting from the main subject. Is the place I stand at really the best place for this picture or should I move a bit.
Basically, think about every element you see in your viewfinder (or LCD screen).
Well, I assume that you know much of the technical aspects of photography, I suggest reading into some resources that talk more about the art of photography, which by the way The Art of Photography by Bruce Barnum is an excellent book.
Everyone advances at their own pace, some have a talent, others are more slow and need to be more deliberate. For me, I have to work a little harder so that I could subconsciously take better shots.
Some tips.
Study some movies you like. Pay attention to the composition that they use as well as the lighting.
Take an art workshop, like painting. (or mooch off an artsy friend) Photography workshops like to delve into techniques and post processing, but other art forms like to do more on composition. you could learn a lot from the way painters think about composition.
Practice certain composition techniques. You don't have to do this on medium format, your digital setup will do just fine, especially if you are short on cash. Spend some time learning how use the "rule" of thirds (when shooting not cropping), "rule" of odds, negative space, texture, lines and shape. Spend a week shooting one aspect of composition. Every now and then start mixing up one or two aspects together. The idea is that you get these general concepts of photographic composition down to a subconscious level. My music theory teacher said this, "we learn these rules, so that we can learn how to break them." We have these "rules" of composition because we know what the human eyes prefer. Learning when use or break them can create a powerful composition.
Walk around with your hands in front your eyes framing the things infront of you, like a movie director would. Like this. You don't always have your camera on you, but you should still think about your photography. see something interesting? Frame it, play with it, and ask, is this a good shot?
Most importantly, write things down. Every shot you take, write down what you did. Write down what you wanted to get out that shot you just took, the settings you used, time of day, type of lighting, etc. On digital, we have exif data to tell us some of the stuff, but we still need to write down. I think your composition will get stronger as you learn what you want out of a photograph and being able to achieve it. Basically, knowing what your shot will be like, without actually seeing it (my ultimate goal).
I read that it is probably also best to shoot black and white exclusively, as it will force you to think about lines and textures even more, but I never did that, and maybe I am at a bit of a disadvantage for that. I don't know.
Like you, I am always striving to improve. I use these tips to help my composition as well. I like to think of every day as a chance to improve.
I hope this helps.
I cant believe no one has mentioned this yet, but The Art of Photography is a beautiful book which covers a variety of topics. Total game changer once i started reading it!
Anything by John Hedgecoe. While they may be old, they are still usefull.
Also this book is good.
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Photography-Approach-Personal-Expression/dp/1933952687
Coworker: I immediately thought she should get a really graphic Batman poster. You could even get it framed if you have enough left over. Here are some from Etsy: 1, 2, 3, 4, this one's a little different.. but it's video game related so.. here! 5
____
Boss: A nice photography book would probably be a safe bet: 1, 2, 3, 4, last one is $5 over budget, but 5
__
Professor: I'm sorry I don't have more original ideas for him but here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
__
GOOD LUCK!!
I looked at the handful of images on flickr. The images there are snapshots; possibly interesting to the people in them, but not bearing critical analysis. This is "someone with a camera," not a photographer. If he were 8 years old, it'd be more important to be encouraging. He appears to be in his 20s. He needs to spend 6 months learning about composition, lighting, and exposure, and then hit people up for critique.
If this simply sounds bitchy and negative to you, we're talking about very different things. If this guy wants to be a photographer, he needs to put in some learning time. This isn't arbitrary elitist nonsense, it's the difference between intelligently comparing Italian restaurants versus discussing the pros and cons of the menu at The Olive Garden.
At absolute minimum, beginning digital photographers should read, digest, and internalize a handful of basic books on the subject. Books like:
And if he wants to get more serious, he should study books like:
He should go and see museum and gallery showings of great photographic work, and should study the work of at least 20 or so master photographers to the point of familiarity. (Seeing Robert Polidori's actual prints are completely different than looking at his shots on the web/in a book!) He should get his hands on magazines like B&W, Aperture, The British Journal of Photography, Focus, Blind Spot, 8, .. He needs to travel. He needs to shoot every day. He needs some understanding of darkroom work or digital postprocessing.
Very infrequently does one become a really good photographer without studying fundamental design principles. Most great photographers are artists in several mediums. I've been shooting and developing/postprocessing since Gerald Ford was in office, and I consider myself a middling, journeyman photographer. Maybe in another five years I'll be A Good Photographer. The OP is at square one, which is fine. That's where everyone starts.
Since I'm from Germany, I've always heard that here the standard book for composition is
Harald Mante's The Photograph - Composition and Color Design
Sauce
Ok. I'll bite. And I'm not going to add anything today - it's all stuff already on my wishlist
fear cuts deeper than swords
If he's more of a reader get About Looking by John Berger
Its a great book that talks about why we take pictures of the things we do and much more.
If he's more interested in looking at actual photographs, I would recommend a number of books
Genesis by Sebastiao Salgado
Magnum Contact Sheets
The Americans by Robert Frank
The Last Resort by Martin Parr
just like this book!
https://www.amazon.com/Things-Come-Apart-Teardown-Manual/dp/0500516766
For anyone interested someone on a previous thread where this image came up said that it can be found in this book:
Things Come Apart: A Teardown Manual for Modern Living
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0500516766/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_9wQ7wb3Q1HT0D
There's a book full of this kind of stuff , Todd McLellan: Things Come Apart
Awesome! I kind of fell into the job. I was initially hired as a web developer, and didn't even know what BI was, and then got recruited by one of the BI managers and fell in love. To me, it is one of the few places in IT where what you create will directly impact the choices a business will make.
Most of what I do is ETL work (taking data from multiple systems, and loading them into a single warehouse), with a few cubes (multidimensional data analaysis) and SSRS report models (logical data model built on top of a relational data store used for ad hoc report creation). I also do a bit of report design, and lots of InfoPath 2010 + SharePoint 2010 custom development.
We use the entire Microsoft BI stack here, so SQL Server Integration (SSIS), Analysis (SSAS), and Reporting Services (SSRS). Microsoft is definitely up and coming in the BI world, but you might want to try to familiarize yourself with Oracle BI, Business Objects, or Cognos. Unfortunately, most of these tools are very expensive and not easy to get up and running. I would suggest you familiarize yourself with the concepts, and then you will be able to use any tool to apply them.
For data warehousing, check out the Kimball books:
Here and here and here
For reporting, get good with data visualizations, anything by Few or Tufte, like:
Here and here
For integration, check these out:
Here and here
Also, if you're interested in Microsoft BI (SSIS, SSAS, SSRS) check out this site. It has some awesome videos around SSAS that are easy to follow along with.
Also, check out the MSDN BI Blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/bi/
Currently at work, but if you have more questions, feel free to shoot me a message!
Information Dashboard Design
a good book for the next one - https://www.amazon.com/Information-Dashboard-Design-Effective-Communication/dp/0596100167
Which one of these are you talking about?
https://www.amazon.com/Information-Dashboard-Design-Effective-Communication/dp/0596100167
https://www.amazon.com/Information-Dashboard-Design-At-Glance/dp/1938377001
Great question. I think about this a lot as well. As someone who was previously really bad at design and has gradually gotten a little bit better:
One of the canonical books on large format photography is The Camera by Ansel Adams.
Ansel Adams: The Camera
Ansel Adams' Autobiography
DO NOT buy the 50 mm. not yet at least. its too long for dx.
first thing you need to do is to get this.
http://www.amazon.com/Ansel-Adams-Camera-Photography-Series/dp/0821221841
study this book. don't even bother with lenses unless you want something for low light. in that case you might want to get this
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/606792-USA/Nikon_2183_AF_S_Nikkor_35mm_f_1_8G.html
but get the book first.
some info about zoom vs prime
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHDEA7jEkoY
Like this one: 'The Camera' by the one and only Ansel Adams. It's a fantastic intro to the theory and basics
https://www.amazon.com/Ansel-Adams-Camera-Photography/dp/0821221841/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502140237&sr=8-1&keywords=ansel+adams+the+camera
I have read the Ansel Adams books, I liked them a lot. I currently shoot in digital, but the knowledge from those books will always be applicable no matter what you shoot. The first one in the series is: http://www.amazon.com/Ansel-Adams-Camera-Photography/dp/0821221841/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374611977&sr=1-3&keywords=ansel+adams
I have also taught a few people how to shoot, my suggestion, whatever book you choose, is to learn each topic separate from each other, take some time to practice it, and understand the concept completely before moving on to the next. Don't be afraid to shoot, you will take some crappy photos (I still do my self), learn from them, delete them, and try again. That is the nice thing about digital cameras. More importantly have fun with it. Cheers
Ansel Adams is the original HDR. Seriously. He has an entire book dedicated to the art of bringing out the desired, pre-visualized dynamic range of a print, via in-camera and darkroom techniques.
Of course, his images don't look like ass.
I would recommend ["The Print"] (http://www.amazon.com/New-Photo-Negative-Ansel-Photography/dp/0821221868) by Ansel Adams. A techincally deep but easy to read book covering the zone system and how to capture different forms of light.
For thinking about photography Susan Sontag's ["On Photography"] (http://www.amazon.com/Photography-Susan-Sontag/dp/0312420099/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341440297&sr=1-1&keywords=sontag+photography) a great book on the meaning of photography.
Both are somewhat dated, but are the basis upon much has been written since. They are the touchstones.
Here's a stab at answering this one.
In the context of b/w negative film density refers to the darkness of the dark areas, which will be highlights in the print. Increasing exposure increases density, as does increasing development. Each film/developer combination can produce a maximum density and has a minimum density (film base + fog caused by developer).
At the same exposure a high speed film will build more density than a low speed film.
Adding development time will increase density in highlight areas (and effective film speed) but will also have undesirable effects (increased contrast and grain, for example).
For a given scene, a film will have an optimal combination of exposure and development time that will accurately reproduce it the way the photographer intended. Fine-tuning the relationship between exposure, development, negative density and the final print is the whole point of the Zone System. For more information see The Negative by Ansel Adams (especially chapter 10) or The Zone VI Workshop by Fred Picker.
I don't think there's a single answer to the question of "how much post-processing is the right amount?". I think it really depends on the type of photography and the photographer's vision. For example, for photojournalism, there are fairly strict rules about post-processing, in order to maintain the truth about the story, but for high art photography, the sky is the limit when it comes to post-processing.
Personally, I think as long as the photographer is honest about the amount of post-processing done, there are no limits, and the "right" amount of post-processing is whatever it takes to make the best picture possible. For example, I'm perfectly fine with with green screen photography. That type of photography necessarily requires a fair amount of post-processing, and not only is it a lot of fun, you can achieve shots that would be otherwise impossible.
I also want to respond to one comment made by the OP, where he answered "Yes" to the question: "Do you think Ansel Adams made great images by just using "in camera" negatives."
I think the OP needs to study Ansel Adams a bit, because that's not correct. Adams spent A LOT of time in the dark room, at least as much time as he did taking pictures in the first place. In fact, he wrote an entire book (The Print - https://www.amazon.com/Print-Ansel-Adams-Photography-Book/dp/0821221876) on the darkroom work required by his Zone System. There's even a quote of him saying darkroom work is 50% of the photographic process (http://expertphotography.com/10-photography-lessons-from-ansel-adams/).
To be fair, it's not to say proper camera technique isn't important. It absolutely is, and there's nothing wrong with challenging yourself to taking outstanding shots without post-processing. But similarly, there's absolutely nothing wrong with doing heavy post-processing to make fine art photos.
http://www.amazon.com/Print-Ansel-Adams-Photography-Book/dp/0821221876
The other day I was recommended /r/prettygirlsuglyfaces for people making expressions that are atypical and not beautified. Pause a movie mid action sequence and you'll also get some like these. My high school had a copy of this book if you have some cash to spend. Good luck! :)
looks like it exsists, to some extent amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0823016714
Buy that book. Draw from it randomly. Over and over.
You can also draw from photos you find online, but don't draw from modeling shoots or porn. They both blur too much and remove too many shadows.
Drawing from r/humanporn is one of my practice exercises.
http://www.amazon.com/Pop-Sculpture-Figures-Collectible-Statues/dp/0823095223 !!
here is a great book on sculpting figs
This book came recommended to me and I absolutely love it. It will specify some good targets for every time of the year.
As far as software, on my computer I currently use:
Backyard EOS (Costs a bit but is more or less necessary for capturing images with a Canon DSLR, you can set up sequences with specified times, mirror lock delays, save frames as flat, dark, light or bias, and even focus with a live view through the camera).
Sharpcap
DeepSkyStacker
Stellarium
Registax
PixInsight
Photoshop
Some cool online resources:
Photoshop DSO processing.
PDF DSO Guide.
Astrophotography Youtube Tutorials.
Forrest Tanaka's Youtube Channel.
Does anyone have experience or own this book?
https://www.amazon.com/100-Best-Astrophotography-Targets-Telescopes/dp/1441906029/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537816644&sr=8-1&keywords=100+astrophotography+targets
I just picked it up on amazon, and despite being advertised as having full color images (which would be very helpful considering the subject material), all the images are in black and white and look like they were simply photocopied (very poor quality). I sent it back to amazon and I'm waiting for a new copy, but I'm curious if I'm missing something...
My favorites are:
The Backyard Astronomer's Guide, http://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Astronomers-Guide-Terence-Dickinson/dp/1554073448
A Guide to Backyard Astronomy (I found this one at a 2nd hand bookstore, not sure if it's still in print. This is my absolute favorite because of some great starhopping tours they put in the back)
http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Backyard-Astronomy-Starhopping-Exploring/dp/187701933X
EDIT: Here's an example of one of the starhop tours in A Guide to Backyard Astronomy. http://imgur.com/a/enXLO
The icons clearly indicate whether the target is a naked eye, binocular, or telescope object.
Of course there's the ubiquitous Turn Left at Orion. I can't say much about it since I've never actually gotten around to reading it. http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Left-Orion-Hundreds-Telescope/dp/0521153972
Alternatively, check out http://eyesonthesky.com/
as well as Mr. Fuller's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/eyesontheskyDOTcom
The "Basics" playlists are damn good, and unlike a lot of other sources, the practical demonstrations on video make things super clear to understand.
Turn Left at Orion is often recommended. It seems to be great for learning about navigating and observing the night sky with binoculars or a telescope and what you can expect to see.
I have the Backyard Astronomer's Guide, which is extremely comprehensive and teaches just about everything such as navigating the night sky, information about the various types of objects, observing with the naked eye, binoculars, and telescopes, details about different types of telescopes and accessories and how to use them, and a few sections on astrophotography.
However, it is a bit hefty and not super cheap. And it doesn't include a detailed sky atlas (but it does talk about them).
Stellarium is a very popular planetarium program. It's awesome. And free!
I run an 8" schmidt-cassegrain and from my backyard balcony on clear cool nights I can see some spectacular stuff in the city (some colours on Jupiter, the rings of Saturn if I am lucky, some larger nebula). If you don't want to spend a fortune, and are okay with something bulky get him a Dobsonian, the larger the aperture the better light collection and a better chance he can pierce through the light pollution of our city. Some Dobsonians can be broken down for easier transport.
For better viewing head to a park (nose hill, fish creek, etc.), or better yet out of the city (I know not feasible).
The U of C has an observatory south of the city towards priddis/millarville, and I believe they have open nights for amateurs that you and your son could visit to get taste for things. If you contacted the U of C they might be able to get you in touch with the people that go and you could car pool out there to see what its like. While there talk to the people on what to get him, and get some contact info help get things setup, they are super friendly as a community.
To feed his appetite you could buy him the The Backyard Astronomer's Guide which has tons of great info.
Edit: Forgot to say... When I got started it was with a reclining lawn chair and some binoculars, you can work your way up from there if he really stays interested.
Oh, gotcha. I understand now. Then yeah, get him a telescope and he'll appreciate it. More than anything it shows that you pay attention to him and care about his hobbies. Also, be sure he has a copy of Stellarium (it's free) and for future presents you can get him copies of The Backyard Astronomer's Guide and Turn Left at Orion not to mention the countless accessories that are available in the astronomy world. Just pop back over to /r/astronomy if you need more ideas!
Edit: Stellarium link
Especially with landscapes, but really with all kinds of photography, I can't recommend the book How Pictures Work enough.
It's not a photography book, but it is a fabulous and very simple to understand, book on composition and how/why different shapes and colors make us feel the way they do. It's not a one-stop bible by any means, but it's an excellent resource to get you going.
Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators- by Mike Mattesi
Probably my favorite drawing book ever. Focusing on force and motion rather than stiff posing.
Picture This: How Pictures Work- by Molly Bang
Not really a drawing book per se, but a great book about layout and constructing an image all told with simple shapes and colors.
You've got a very graphic design here, but your shapes are not at all picked for emotional impact on the viewer.
You have some rounds, a lot of sharp edges, horizontals and diagonals without seemingly much purpose. As viewer, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be feeling when I look at this. It's a cute design, but all the hard edges make it somewhat uninviting and harsh.
May I suggest picking up Picture This, a book on shape language. I think designing purposely to evoke particular emotions in your viewers will really take your beautiful work up a notch.
Oh, and it's already been said, but the sheep isn't working as indicator of a dream. It's all too definite. Dreams are fleeting, surreal, soft - the hard borders in your dream path just read as path.
I didn't see any sites that particularly stood out to me, but a lot had good info. Some are simple and some have complex geometric breakdowns. Find what you like and works for you. I personally don't like the complex geometry approach, I have a short attention span and I would never spend the time planning a piece to that point, especially when I can get the same look with a simpler approach. Rule of thirds is the rule I fall back on the most, it never steers me wrong. Based on the two images you posted you have good instincts, don't get overwhelmed by all the rules and theories about composition. In the end, do what you think looks best. The more pieces you create the more you will develop your eye. Also, it is great that you are open to constructive criticism, some artists get so butt hurt that they cannot learn anything.
I'd recommend brushing up on your legal duties while taking photos:
http://www.amazon.com/Legal-Handbook-Photographers-Rights-Liabilities/dp/1608954757
And the plethora of resources online. Wikipedia has some info, some states have more specific codes regarding photography, Google shines here.
Once you know your in the right you can start being more assertive and taking the photos you want to take. If things take a turn remain calm, don't escalate, and call the cops if it looks like it has even a chance of going sideways.
But other than that, ask permission if a street portrait is what you want, otherwise just take the photo. Believe me, as an introvert, it get's easier with every frame...
Personally I aggressively assert my rights when questioned but I don't linger either. It's lead to some captures I am very personally pleased with. The Irate Banker being my fave: https://flic.kr/p/jZLdqx
Sometimes. Some military areas can't even be legally photographed from publicly-accessible areas. From Your Rights and Remedies When Stopped or Confronted for Photography, by Bert Krages, an attorney specializing in photography law who literally wrote the book on this subject:
"The general rule in the United States is that anyone may take photographs of whatever they want when they are in a public place or places where they have permission to take photographs... There are some exceptions to the general rule. A significant one is that commanders of military installations can prohibit photographs of specific areas when they deem it necessary to protect national security."
You have zero understanding of privacy laws regarding photography and videography.
I recommend this book to get you up to speed.
I'd suggest this book !
I'm not an architect but somebody who's moving focus into a design related field (who has a healthy interest in the field) - I'd get her the following.
To keep on her, a GOOD sketchbook, Mechanical Pencil, Pen, small Ruler and a Camera (a point a shoot should be fine) and a good backpack.
For the home, craft supplies and lot's of them, don't go to the store and buy them order them in bulk and online, get her a selection of cutting mat sizes and some scalpels and scissors and glue / tape, kid's want to create and they just love having the thing to hold and show off with.
Also book's there are lot's of really dry books on the subject but there are also wonderful ones as well, and also harking back to my suggestion of getting her a camera get her a book or two on photography - I live with a x100T on my at all times and it's taken so many pictures of interesting buildings new and old to serve as inspiration to me, I'd get this one for a start - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Read-This-Want-Great-Photographs/dp/1780673353/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500713320&sr=8-1&keywords=read+this+if+you+want+to+take+photographs
It's a older book but it's more about skill than it is the hardware she will learn a lot from just reading it to be honest.
Try this. Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs https://www.amazon.com/dp/1780673353/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_4l06ybNTSSPHW
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Read-This-Want-Great-Photographs/dp/1780673353
This book is an amazing starting guide that will help her get a lot out of her present.
For those interested, this is an excellent read!
The biggest tip I can give you is to pay attention to light. While you perceive the world as a bunch of 'things', you really need to pay attention to the light, and how it interacts with the 'things' in the scene. The tip on early/late day light is a good one, but should be treated as a guideline rather than a rule. You can make great photographs at any time of the day, but you may have to work harder when the light is less forgiving.
Check out this book by Bruce Barnbaum: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Photography-Approach-Personal-Expression/dp/1933952687/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474377504&sr=8-1&keywords=art+of+photography
It spends a lot of time talking about light and composition, which may be useful to you. It also focuses (ha!) a bit on film photography, but the general concepts of photography are universal, so the book is still very useful.
One other tip is to look at photographs. A lot. Look at good ones. Bad ones. Try to understand why the good ones are good, and the bad ones are bad. This will help you with composition.
Equipment is a tool; learn to use your tools well. Don't think buying the best tools will make you a better photographer. It may help, but learning how to photograph will help much more.
Good luck, and photograph. All the time!
For an absolute beginner shooting digital, Ken Kobre's Photojournalism and Bruce Barnbaum's The Art of Photography would be my pick, if only because those were the books I learned from in j-school.
For an intermediate film photographer who needs inspiration or thoughtful meditations on the medium more than they need inspiration, I am always going back to Vivian Maier: Street Photographer, Annie Leibovitz's A Photographer's Life: 1990-2005, and the exhibition book from Francesca Woodman's exhibit at SFMOMA/the Guggenheim. But I have an abiding interest in female photographers, self-portraiture, and the female gaze, so YMMV there.
This is the book you need I think: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Photography-Approach-Personal-Expression/dp/1933952687
A humble suggestion that has helped me tremendously: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Photography-Approach-Personal-Expression/dp/1933952687
The Art of Photography: An Approach to Personal Expression
by Bruce Barnbaum
Also, even experienced photographers can get something out of devouring a slew of books on composition. Many of them cover the same subjects, but I find value in the different photographic expressions they use. The library is the best way to go through a bunch of these, and even if your library doesn't have a particular book they can usually get it through interlibrary loan.
Over at amazon you can buy the book for $4.225 USD -- or for under $30.
One of my favorites is Genesis By Sebastiao Salgado. I have the big hardcover published by Taschen.
The Print, The Negative, and The Camera by Ansel Adams.