Ok, let’s talk photography. You love taking pictures right?
That digital camera is awesome and you get instant satisfaction on seeing the thousands of photos right away. I know, I know me too.
This book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Photography Essentials by Mark Jenkinson is a necessary read for anyone who loves taking pictures.
What I loved the most is how basic (well, I guess the fact that it’s an idiots guide should have been my first clue) and fundamental this book is.
I must admit, I hate reading well, non-novel (heck, is that even a word) books . I hate reading about how something works or how to learn something, self help books kill me. I just want to jump in and use, do, learn. I don’t want to read about it.
I read this book from cover to cover. Why? Because not only do you get basic knowledge like understanding the basic science behind how a camera works but you get tips on everything from editing your images, to shooting in any kind of light and everything in between.
Things like:
- Use of light and shadow
- The difference between shooting in film and shooting digital
- Angle
- The difference between JPEG’s and RAW files
- Vantage points
- Composition (the rule of 3rds – I am totally using this rule when I shoot these days)
- Adjusting depth of field
- Shooting moving objects
- and more
My favorite part of the book, were all the pictures 150 total. Using pictures with a description is a great learning tool.
Reading this book is like taking a photography class. This is a must have for anyone who wants to take amazing pictures.
It also made me want to return to my beloved expensive 35mm sitting in a protective bag in the closet. As Mark states, can you really
In the Blink of an Eye 