5 comments about The Digital Photography Book.

1. This little book is exactly as advertised. I use a compact camera for extensive travel trips and a digital SLR for other photo shoots. Scott Kelby presents material that provides tips useful for both kinds of cameras. Primarily for amateurs who want to improve the quality of their photographs without a lot of additional effort.



2. Love this book ...................Lots of great information within!!
   Great price and great service...........Thanks Amazon!



3. I bought this book after purchasing my camera, but didn't review it closely enough.
   When I had a specific need to get some good shots, I went back to this book and studied it closely.
   
   The learning and depth really occurs with the explanation of the manual settings on most popular brands.
   Namely, White balance, ISO (film speed), shutter speeds, F stops and Burst mode, for quick sequential shots.
   
   Understanding these settings, and practicing with your camera, will improve your photographs. You can then return to the book, for a better understanding of the tips.
   
   Many times, I'm trying to recapture exactly what my eyes are seeing at the moment not end up with something that is starkly lit by a "flash bulb". These settings, with the help of the book will give you a good understanding (or at least a lot of practice will) of how to capture the moment.
   I never realized how much better shots can be without the flash. Users really need to try to force themselves away from the "auto" setting on their camera, except for the MOST basic shots.
   
   With storage space so cheap, it's so much easier than the days of film and film processing to get the practice you need.
   
   The downside of the book is that it tries to cover almost too much info. (lenses, filters, kids & old people) I think some of this could have been left out, and focus around manual settings could have been covered in better depth.
   
   I think the book is a very good starting point, and should also be used as an ongoing reference until you are comfortable with your brand of camera and its settings.



4. After reading the reviews here on Amazon I have to say I was highly disappointed in this book. Instead I would recommend Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition) which the author of this book recommends himself.
   
   This book is full of lame jokes about shoving other photographers down and breaking their equipment to "get the best shot." There is no clear explanation of how shutter speed and aperture work together to give you the proper exposure. If any of my family or friends asked me if I thought this was a good book on photography, I would tell them to avoid it at all costs.



5. This is a great book if you want to improve your photography. To move to the next level of photography, you need to read this book. Scott is witty and this book shows you different ways to really great shots. K. Frank

5 comments about The Digital Photography Book, Volume 2.

1. If You liked Vol. I, you will also like Vol II. This book has very helpful, practical tips like the first one. However, a decent third of it is tailored to the specifics of studio shooting. And, as Scott plainly states, to achieve most of the effects he is teaching you to do, you really gotta buy the gear. Most of the tips can be applied to shooting anywhere, but you'll need the professional gear to get results like he does. And scott, if you're reading this, in the next volume I'd like to see a section geared toward what to do when you feel like throwing your camera at the wall because it's just not giving you the shot you want. Capiche`? Thanks!



2. Ever wanted to sit down with a great photographer and and ask a bunch of questions, about how they got those great shots? That is exactly what this book is. It a conversation about how to get those perfect shots. He discusses various techniques, and equipments, giving you the pros and cons of the different options.
   
   Be ready to go take some pictures! These are practical, hands on tips that you need to practice and learn to apply. There is very little theory here, it's one page one technique, next page something different. Something like an apprenticeship, get this, do that, don't ask why, it's not important. Here is how you do this technique.
   
   Well worth the money for a someone who understands how the camera works and wants to learn how to make different types of shots "LIKE A PRO".



3. this is a great book for beginners. Straight to the point and with some good tips. The humor wasn't too much and it was like getting advice from a buddy. I recommend it for amateurs. More advance shooters should look elsewhere but you never know there might be a little trick in there for you too.



4. I really like the presentation and layout of this book! I've got other books by Scott Kelby and I like them as well. I know some people have knocked his attempts at adding humor to the publications. Overall, the information is definitely useful and worthwhile. I bought two copies of this book. I gave one to a friend in Ireland who does wedding photography. He thought that it was brilliant! He's a very talented photographer but was still fascinated with the contents of the book. My point is that beginner to advanced can learn something that they previously did not know. Highly recommended.



5. The polar opposite to the manual for informative camera settings and use, this book is fun (sometimes goofy) reading and REALLY helps you. So many photo books spout how good the writer is or don't tell you how a shot is made, and this makes up for all of them-- the second book "#2" is also incredible.

5 comments about Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition).

1. I bought this book after knowing quite a bit about my SLR digital camera, such as how to change the settings, and knowledge of what ISO, shutter speed, focal length and ASO are. This book was AMAZING. I learned so much within the first few chapters that I was ready to head outside and try them out, and they worked just like Scott said they would. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to sharpen their skills and take it to the next level. I will be buying his other books as well.



2. What a great book! This guide gave me the confidence to switch off of Auto and really put my camera through the paces. Great insight, pretty easy explanations, and beautiful pictures.
   
   My only 2 negatives, and neither were promised, so they don't count against the rating:
   1. Written (even in the revised version) heavily leaning to film photographers. Not to say there isn't a lot of commentary on pros and cons of digital, and some specific advice pertaining to them, but you'd be even happier with the book if you were shooting on a 20-year-old Nikon.
   2. No commentary or advice on the use of flash. Not expecting a comprehensive guide (because there can be a lot to it), but some basic pointers would have been good.
   
   Overall, well worth the time and money.
   Off to shoot...



3. I'm glad this is the first "how to" book on photography that I purchased. It provides in clear words the effect your shutter speed and aperture have on obtaining the correct exposure. It also explains in an easy to understand manner why a photographer would occasionally want to go with different settings for a more creative exposure. Also it has great photos to help explain how the different settings will help you obtain similar types of work. I would highly recommend this book as a good starting point for beginning photographers. It should provide a good basic understanding of how cameras work before moving on to more advanced books.



4. This is a great book and a must read, at least for the beginning photographer. It definitely helped me in taking better exposures.
   
   2 thumps up
   
   Oscar



5. THIS BOOK HAS BEEN A BIG HELP IN MY PHOTOGRAPHY,JUST WHAT I NEEDED,I HAVE TOLD MY PHOTO CLUB ABOUT IT..

5 comments about Stone by Design: The Artistry of Lew French.

1. This book is 5 stars all the way. Lew French shows his masterful stonework in the many photos this book provides. If you are interested in what can be done in stone and how stone can be used to create a "WOW FACTOR", this book is made to order.
   Every other page has photos that are "WOW".
   Is you love stone you need to see this book.



2. Caught a TV article on Lew French - CBS Sunday Morning. What a fabulous
   artist! I bought the book based on the show. The book was not as good
   but not bad. It's still very interesting stuff with some beautiful photography.



3. This book is pure pleasure. The artfulness in creating the spaces we live in with stone in pattern, an organic extension of this earth. This is not a 'paint by numbers' how-to book, rather, like looking at a
   Rembrandt, ultimate examples of stone taken to true art.



4. Absolutely Wonderful Book! His art is amazing itself and understanding Lew French's connection to his work and how he works with rocks gives even more meaning to his designs.



5. I was disappointed by the quality of the paper and the pictures in this book. The subject matter was of great interest to me, but I don't think this book did it justice.

5 comments about Canon EOS 40D Guide to Digital Photography.

1. Long story short: 1st Choice Charlotte K Lowrie, 2nd Choice David D Busch,
   3rd Choice Rob Sheppard.
   Now the long story: This is my first book by Busch and certainly not my
   last. This book is in color, with large print, and pictures the menus just like you see on the 40D screen. The book is easy to read with straight forward logic, just as if you were working with the camera. There was reference to a quick command dial which should have read quick control dial. But all in all the book is excellent and a must have for the 40D owner.



2. This book will give you an easier path to learning your camera than the factory enclosed manual. I am only about two-tirds through the book, but so far I am impressed with it. I have upgraded from the 30D to the 40D withouth ever learning all the features of the 30D. I think with this book, I will probably learn more if not all of the features of the camera faster and easier.



3. If you want to make the best use of the 40D additional information beyond the manual is essential. The manual won't tell you why to make certain settings. This book has been a big help for me (new DSLR user) to become more familiar with the capabilities of the 40D.



4. I must admit that when I initially flipped through this book after receiving it and then started reading the first two chapters, I was expecting to eventually write a 3-star review for it. Overall, as an experienced EOS 30D user, I would probably still give it a rating of 3 or 3.5 stars, mainly because its target audience seems to be more oriented towards totally new to intermediate users of the 40D in specific, and also users new to DSLRs in general. But I selected this book because it does seem to be the best 40D book on the market right now. For a beginner/intermediate audience, I would easily give it 5 stars. But the book is thin on substance for advanced users, either for advanced users of film cameras switching to digital or advanced users of non-Canon cameras. One of the dilemmas in writing an instructional book like this, as is also the same problem found in some software books on how to use Photoshop, Excel, or how to program code for Web sites, is deciding on what to assume readers already know before reading the book and what readers hope to learn by the time that they finish reading the book. A definitive book on the 40D will let readers wade in from the shallow end as novice point-and-shoot camera users and emerge, by the time they finish the book, as 40D power users confidently swimming in the deep end of expertise and familiarity, and knowing how to efficiently use all of the camera's settings under various shooting situations. But, alas, there is not a single 40D book out there that fits this bill.
   
   Even though the author mentions several times in the book that he does not want to rehash the owner's manual, a large part of the first four chapters does basically rehash the owner's manual, albeit using larger text and photographs. This book is far easier to read than the owner's manual, but due to weight/bulk considerations, I carry all of the owner's manuals for my 30D/40D cameras and lenses in my Lowepro Slingshot while this book stays at home.
   
   And so I give the book 4 stars instead of 5 because my wish list for the book includes: 1) more in-depth coverage of the all-important creative and manual mode shooting situations; 2) better descriptions of the nuances of the custom function settings as applied to various shooting situations (i.e. not just mainly describing what they do, but explaining more why/when/where a user would want to set a custom function); and 3) more in-depth coverage discussing how to use the supplied software utilities and applications (after all, there are tons of books on Photoshop, but no Canon photography book ever covers much about the included Canon software). I am surprised that guide books written about Canon's EOS cameras do not spend a full long chapter discussing how to optimally and efficiently use the supplied software that is included with the camera since not everyone will have their own separate Photoshop or DPP software that they already use, and Canon's DPP software is notably better than most "free with the camera" software that is supplied with other brands of cameras.
   
   Overall, a great book that touches upon lots of topics beyond just pointing out all of the camera's features, and also going into aperture, shutter speed, and exposure concepts that entire books have been written about. If you are a total DSLR beginner coming from the point-and-shoot camera world, this book will be very helpful in describing how to use all of its dials, buttons, and menus. But if you have reached the intermediate and beyond stage of expertise, the book will not progress you much into the advanced world of manually tweaking settings to get various desired effects and it will not teach you how to compose a great shot; for that, you will have to look elsewhere.



5. This book is a MUST for any photographer that recently purchased a Canon EOS 40D! The book outlines every facet of the Canon EOS 40D and really helps in speeding up your expertise of this product!
   Al Marth
   [...]

5 comments about The Photoshop Elements 6 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter).

1. This is one of the most, easily read guides to the newest Photoshop software. (picture editing) I have referred to it a number of times to learn the ins-and-outs of something I wanted the program to do. It is a little pricey, but worth it.



2. I use this as a reference book. So, I have read the chapters and articles that relate to the problem or concept I am trying to accomplish with photoshop elements.
   
   Book is very well written and very easy to follow. He doesn't necessarily lead you through each keystroke needed, but if you are at all computer literate and have an understanding of the bare basics of photoshop elements this will do the job.
   
   In otherwords, if you are looking for a book to give you insight on how to use photoshop elements at an above absolute beginner level, this is it. If you want a book on how to get started with photoshop elements and tell you every keystroke step by step by step, this isn't it.
   
   I highly recommend the book.



3. I am brand spanking new to photography and got PS Elements as a xmas present. The program doesn't really come with any books or how-tos and I didn't want to sit through the tutorial. So I got this book. This way I could go straight to the page where I could get the info I needed, instead of trying to find it through the program. The book is easy to read, easy to follow, basic, and to the point. You don't waste time in this book and it does everything step by step. No big complicated words or terms to confuse new photographers. I have not read the whole book yet. I've just gone to the chapters I was interested in to enhance some pictures and the book helped me. I love this book and now love my PS Elements program! I cannot say enough good things about this book...



4. The book is very practical with step by step instructions in the use of Photshop to perform many of the tasks you would like to undertake in improving your digital photographs.



5. This book has been so helpful as I've entered the world of digital photo editing. Kelby explains things so simply, and his techniques work wonders. I'm very happy with this purchase.

5 comments about The Adobe Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter).

1. this book is everything i hoped for and then some....it is well written, humorous in spots to make it even more of a fun read and covers a wide variety of topics that i was interested in.....you'll learn some new tips, learn some better ways to accomplish tasks you thought you already knew how to handle and you'll wish the book was even longer after pouring over it.....a most excellent purchase that will be used for years.....



2. Scott covers an incredibly wide range of topics in The Adobe Photoshop CS Book for Digital Photographers. From importing and organizing images in Bridge, to removing sensor dust from hundreds of photos at once, to subtly smoothing skin, this book is full of useful tips for digital photographers. Every section has detailed instructions that let you see exactly what's going on and, even better, make it easy to make changes along the way to discover what each tool does.
   
   The book doesn't really teach you concepts of photography or give you an idea of what your final product should be; that's left as an exercise for the reader. What it does give you is exactly what it promises: relevant methods for improving your photos.



3. Scott Kelby's books have done more to teach me concepts of digital photograpy than any other source I have tried. His style puts the reader at ease as he authoritatively disects the complex world of digital photography.



4. If you have CS3 and don't have this book, its like having a Twinkie w/o the cream in the middle, or like Fred w/o Wilma! An absolute MUST HAVE. I've worked with plenty of photoshop editions now and still learned a lot from this book. Thanks Scott:)



5. Book is fine; the same one used in a college course by my son. Pictures are very clear. Humor is heavy handed and juvenile, but the information makes the book worthwhile.

5 comments about David Busch's Nikon D300 Guide to Digital SLR Photography.

1. I bought this book when I bought my D300.
   
   My background is that I have owned Nikon SLRs for over 30 years, the most recent being a F90 (N90 in the USA). The D300 is my first digital SLR - I have a Panasonic FZ5 digital point and shoot. So I am pretty familiar with the Nikon film system and SLRs but not digital.
   
   The book is over 400 pages long, printed on good quality paper and with reasonable quality colour images throughout. It achieves what Mr Busch's preface suggests : "... explains the purpose and function of every one of the D300's controls, how you should use them in specific situations and why".
   
   It does not just rehash the manual and I found that having the manual alongside this book was useful in clarifying occasional points. The manual serves its purpose to describe the controls - Mr Busch adds a lot of meat to that skeleton in explaing how and why to use various features in real-world situations.
   
   Some more advanced users may find some of the basic material a little low level but it only occupies a small portion of the book and is obviously very useful for beginners buying the D300.
   
   In summary, I believe that the book does a great job in fulfilling its stated purpose. I certainly found it very useful. I've just finished reading it and I'll start at the beginning again.
   
   And it costs twenty bucks! If that isn't good value, I don't know what is.
   (I have no connection with the author, publisher or seller).



2. As a seasoned Nikon dSLR camera user (D70, D70s, D80, D100, D200, and the D300) and digital photograply/PC instructor, I constantly look for resources that will allow me and my students to maximize the potential of the current dSLR camera that we are using. There are so many features packed into the numerous, menus (6), buttons (23), switches (5) and dials (5) of the D300, it is difficult to learn the significance and proper use of these (by just reading the Users Manual). David Busch's Nikon D300 Guide to Digital Photography is the most comprehensive resource (432 pages) that I have found in print. David not only introduces you to each feature but explains when and how to use them to maximize your photographic skills. This resource is more than resonably priced and at a price of $19.79 it should be considered a 'steal'. If you really want to explore and master all the features embedded in Nikon's D300 dSLR then this is the resource for you. You want be disappointed.
   
   Joe R. Bumgardner, M.D., F.A.C.S.



3. This book has been very helpful to me as an addition to the instruction manual with the camera. It is more comprehensive and much easier to understand. I am still working on learning about the camera but definitely would recommend the book to people like me who are not experienced photographers.



4. This guide is one of the best I have ever used. I read more of it every evening. It has turned my D300 into a tool , not just a toy anymore. Thank you David!



5. This is the best I have seen and read, easy to understand and great photos and graphics. A Must if you want to get the best handle on the D 300

5 comments about Yankee Stadium: The Official Retrospective.

1. The book is a very excellent book; it is very worthwhile for N.Y. Yankee fans. I am glad that I have it.
   
   Thanks again.



2. This book made a Great Father's Day Gift,my husband who is a Yankee fan
   enjoys it.



3. My husband who has been a Yankee fan ever since he was a little boy loved this book I bought it as a gift for him. I originally saw it on QVC in a box for about $76 with shipping and since I don't buy any books without consulting Amazon first I checked it out. Who needs a box for an extra $40. My husband said it brought back lots of memories and the pictures are fantastic .He was thrilled I thought of this for him.



4. This book shows many photos and contains stories about the stadium which will soon be torn down. It made a great birthday gift for my husband!



5. A fabulous book on the 75 year history of the greatest stadium on earth. but what to do with it in the future?

5 comments about The Moment It Clicks: Photography secrets from one of the world's top shooters (Voices That Matter).

1. Not for those looking for f/stops and shutter speeds.
   
   It gives you the litle tricks you gain by practicing...
   
   In cooking (and in French) this would be similar to a great cook explaining his "Tours de main". The little secrets that turn a known recepy into a journey to the realms of scents at tastes...



2. The first photography book I've read cover to cover in one sitting.
   Beautifully written, A lifetimes worth of tips and advice shared in a lighthearted way. The more I reread it the more aha moments I have. Joe Mc Nally is a great phototographer who's walked the walk.



3. simply one of the best photography books ive read, beautiful photos, lots of technical and amusing anecdotes, and lots to learn and love!



4. This is an excellent book that lives up to the phrase on the back of the book. It contains excellent illustrated images as well as instructions how to perform the shots. The book is an excellent choice for beginner and experienced shooter. Like many other books, it stirs up the creative thinking.
   
   Joe McNally presents various methods to create interesting shots. Although many of us might never have the opportunity to shoot the same images in the book, we might be in a situation to combine various techniques taught. After owning the book for a short period of time, I put to use many of the techniques from the book.
   
   It is a keeper compared to other books that I buy and sell immediately.



5. Joe McNally is a well-known professional photographer and photojournalist. His images have been seen in National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, ESPN magazine, Life magazine, Time magazine and many others. Between a very demanding job, teaching workshops, an Internet blog and being a father - this guy has no free time to spare.
   
   So, how would you like to see some of his best work, hear the story behind the shot and some of the details of HOW he got the shot? Just pick up a copy of his book "The Moment it Clicks", published by New Riders.
   
   In it, Joe goes over many of his images you will recognize from the pages of Life magazine and other publications and tells a short story about the shot, the subject and the problems. He even goes into some detail about how he set up lighting, got the right timing, or tricked the subject into NOT posing.
   
   This is a rare opportunity to learn from one of the greatest photojournalists around, for just the price of a coffee table book; and it proves to be so much more valuable, with all of the technical details. Highly recommended, by little `ole me, and MANY others!