5 comments about Layers: The Complete Guide to Photoshop's Most Powerful Feature.

1. Nice book for beginners only. Matt just can't be Scott Kelby. Why copycat him? He tryes hard making the same kind of jokes... The book has some mistakes. I.E. chapter 6 boosting specific colors... we're working in the water and he ended up talking about an ivy! Some chapters he doesn't mention some steps which can get confuse beginners. The downloadable "company pictures" are a joke, too low resolution and one of them is already corrected!



2. I am a new 3D animator who is coming to grasps with the unlimited power of Photoshop. I was really confused with alot of advanced layering techniques, and this book saved me. Really well written, and I would say a must for any beginner animators, and digital artists. The author knows this stuff inside and out and it shows. Very easy to follow along and alot better than some of the other layers books out there. ( I know since I work with books for a living ! ) Plus you can download all of the images used in the book, and it saves the money from going up due to a disk being inserted in the book ! Very well done.



3. This is an excellent book by Matt Kloskowski. I had the privilege of attending the Photoshop Conference in Orlando Florida, April of this year and it was awesome! I bought the Layers book there and I'm not sorry I did. It has truly opened my eyes even more to the creativity one can achieve working with layers. Thanks Matt for a greater understanding. I recommend this book. Peace all.



4. I went thru the whole book, and walk away with one tip. I felt like eveything else was already mentioned by someone else or printed by someone else. Save your money and search the net for tips and ideas.



5. I'm from México, my english is very bad, but i can say that the book is very easy, you can understand easy the basic to photoshop.

5 comments about Nikon D40/D40x Digital Field Guide.

1. Great book for using your D40. The Dummies book for D40 is better, but this book is worth it as second book.



2. This is an excellent piece of work, very thoughtfully organized and well written. Nikon should distribute a copy of this book along with the camera, instead of their user manual.
   I ordered a copy as soon as I ordered my Nikon D40. The book came first so I had some time to read before I got my hands on the camera. The Nikon user manual never got a chance to open. This will be the best investment you make besides the D40 itself. When you look at the results of your shooting, you will thank yourself for buying this book.



3. This is the perfect Nikon D40/D40x guide for anyone unfamiliar with DSLRs. I had a somewhat basic understanding of my D40's controls before I bought this book and reading it has made such a difference in my pictures. Highly reccommended!



4. This is WAY better than the 'manual' that comes with the D40. In my humble opinion, this should be included in the box!!
   
   If you purchase a Nikon D40/D40X you will want to be certain to purchase this book too...especially if is the first time you have used a SLR camera and are totally green to the photography lingo!!
   
   This book explains it without making you feel like you are being talked down to!!



5. Very detailed guide for how to use you D40x camera. It gives you information easy to follow for beginners as well as pros. It has helped me to know some short cuts that are excellent for when you are in hurry to take that great pic.

5 comments about Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting.

1. This book is a required text for my Commerical 1 photo class, and what a great book it is! I love how it assumes that you know the basics plus, and uses terms that aren't novice level. This book should be in every pro photographer's library, very well written, loads of examples and real world lighting techniques.



2. I have taken some courses about lighting in my country, I would like to say that I cannot understand very well what I had in the course without what this book's instruction.Every creative lighting skill should be started from here.



3. I found this book to be extremely helpful in explaining the physical properties of light and how these properties interact on different surfaces. The book helped me develop a knowledge of light control and how to put that knowledge to work in my photography.



4. I bought this book on Strobist (aka David Hobby) recommendation (featured in his thousand-users-per-day site).
   Ok, it's about lighting reflective, translucent and other difficult subjects. But everything is supposed to be done in a STUDIO setting. What does this have to do with the "strobist ideology" (using small remote flashes for photography)?
   You do need an expensive array of studio gear to make the best out of the examples and diagrams presented (even a view camera is proposed in photographing reflective objects!). And I'm serious. How can you judge the reflection of a black label over a reflective cd case without modeling lights? With "chimping"? How can you light appropriately a varnished wooden box to show texture as demostrated in the book without flags, gobos and large softboxes? With straw grids?
   But, let's be real here! Much of this book's publicity is owned to David Hobby and the "strobist" crowd. But if you consider yourself a "strobist" you can learn much more by reading the articles in the strobist site. Or buy a different book. Maybe the one DH is writing right now ;)



5. haven't finished the book yet but it's very intresting and full of useful information,some of the stuff that i alresdy knew but didn't how to apply to photography, so it was great to have such a book to put it words, learned alot from it.

5 comments about Apple Pro Training Series: Aperture 2 (Apple Pro Training Series).

1. This book comes with a DVD with media files to load to a Mac and then follows step by step on hands learning for work flow within Aperture 2.
   The book starts with the basics in a Getting Started chapter outlines system requirements, setting up the environment and system preferences, calibrating display while explaining methodology and course structure, as well as outlines chapters that are for importing and organizing, image editing and printing.
   I believe it would be quite useful to anyone new or casually familiar and yet serious about using Aperture 2.



2. The book is really a hands-on workbook - you get a disc with sample files (annoyingly compressed, and not simply available through the finder), and are guided through different activities in Aperture, from importing and sorting, rating, through various basic image adjustments, to getting your images out of Aperture as prints, books and web pages. The book covers all major features of the application, and includes a few basic examples of how to use it in conjunction with other Apple software apps (Keynote, Pages, iWeb, etc.), including basic Automator actions.
   
   Step-by-step instructions are very good, and are clearly written. The book is functionally, and logically organized. There is a benefit to using the images provided on disc, since it is easy to confirm that the visual outcome of various actions is the same as in the book. The lessons are, however, very (and I mean VERY) basic, despite the book's back cover rating as "Level: Intermediate."
   
   For people who have NO previous experience with ANY image editing or photo-workflow software, this will be a good first step-by-step intro. But for those who have used the previous version of Aperture, intermediate / advanced users of iPhoto, and even very inexperienced users of Photoshop CS3/ACR or Lightroom (which would likely include most advanced amateurs and pro-photographers), this book will be too basic, in all respects.
   
   I do NOT mind at all the fact that this book has introductory information. This would be a good thing. What I DO mind (and hence my lowered, 3-star rating) is, that despite it being pitched as "intermediate" Apple-certification guide, for those who are above the absolute entry-level skill set, it offers very little practical, usable info.
   
   Often, the "explanations" offered are simple tautologies (i.e., things like: to sort, click on sort button, and to darken, click on darken button, etc.). This is particularly visible in weak and too general "explanations" given for some of the image adjustments controls. If you were wondering, for example, when to adjust Exposure, and when to adjust the Brightness control slider instead, you will find no satisfactory info to clarify the issue here - you will learn that "in the exposure area of the adjustments inspector, drag the exposure slider to the right to increase the exposure of the image" (p 215; duh!) and "Exposure adjustment controls [...] allow you to set the exposure (duh! again), black point, and brightness values in your images"; later you'll learn that "Aperture offers the Brigntess parameter when you want to lighten or darken the image." (p 223; yet another duh!). So what is the difference between the Exposure slider and the Brightness slider, you might wonder? Apparently both do the same thing (actually, they don't - but you'll never know the difference based on this book's info. or find any practical advice on when to use which one). More, similar examples could be found, and they are numerous. The authors insist on explaining in detail what is simple, and often quite obvious, yet frequently leave what is unclear, more complex, or not-so-obvious, unexplained.
   
   I will take issue with another reviewer who found this book's design "beautiful" - the quality of color print is OK here - functional, and perfectly serviceable as illustration of processes and software features, but nothing to write home about. At times, the images are too small, and print quality (rather dark)) not good enough to make more subtle image adjustments visually obvious. If you want a beautiful (although not necessarily useful) software book with attractive graphics, compare this with "Photoshop Lightroom Adventure: Mastering Adobe's next-generation tool for digital photographers" - and it will not be a favorable comparison. Alas, there is no "Aperture 2 Adventure" equivalent. Too bad.
   
   I found the book's design to be rather annoyingly "loose": there are pages when small images (all placed inline, with no text wrap on the left or right side on any pages) with 2.5-3 inch margins, leave an awful amount of blank, awkwardly empty space on numerous pages. E.g., p. 66, has just two, small images and a total of about 60 words on the page (yes, I actually counted them on p. 66 which is quite typical of the book's design). I can think of many, by far more efficient, not to mention attractive, book designs (think: Pogue's Missing Manuals series); this one-column, inline-images-only design looks like it was done on MS Word (although I am sure it was NOT), and seems padded. My guess is, with more effective design, it should have easily been been a 250-page book; at almost double that, it's just wasteful.
   
   This book has the "Apple Certified" status / label. Depending on how you look at it, it may be a good thing, or a bad thing. On the plus side, it is confirmed to be accurate, and it is the required reading for level-one Apple certification; on the other hand, the authors have to carefully toe the Apple party line. You will not find here mentions of bugs, the software's shortcomings, and their possible workarounds (if available), or mentions of competing products that may address some of the shortcomings better. The software is always lavishly praised (it's "revolutionary"), and its deficiencies are gently "de-emphasized," i.e., presented so as to be less noticeable. For example, when discussing Apple's (quite functionally limiting) plug-in architecture, authors say "Aperture also supports an open plug-in architecture, for using specialized third-party software." (306) What they omit here, is that the plug-ins are NOT non-destructive editing processes, and only work by virtue of creating a "baked" copy of the image; the changes made with plug-ins, once confirmed (OK'd and rendered) cannot be undone (other than by deleting the image copy). Technically, the authors mention that fact, but only several pages later (312-13), and without making it clear that this restriction applies to ALL plug-ins, not just the one used as an example.
   
   IN SUMMARY: For complete beginners, this book is a good, clear entry-point to Aperture 2 - probably the best and most comprehensive one on the market at this point (June 2008); for anyone even slightly above the beginning level, other than a very basic (although admittedly comprehensive) review, there is little more to discover here; for those intermediate and advanced users, I would highly recommend trying the 1.25 hour video "Aperture 2: New Features" instead; it's available on lynda.com, where you can get a free trial and watch the whole series, also including several hours of still-useful tutorials on Aperture's previous version (also available as ridiculously overpriced book/disc sets: Aperture 1.1 Essential Training and Aperture 1.5 Beyond the Basics)



3. I found this book to be very helpful . It`s a tough read if you are using aperture for the first time . I really don`t know if they could of made it any easer . but over all I really enjoyed and constantly use it as a reference when needed . Tom Lavery



4. This is a great learning tool to learn Aperture, it takes you step by step



5. If you own and mac and if you want to master Aperture 2...this book is for you.
   
   The content of the book is completely up to date and it teaches you the marvelous wonders of Aperture....this is the future of photography. shoot in RAW mode, edit, and put it out there.
   
   I love this book - although I have to say my review is in its infancy. I have just started learning Aperture and reading this book. Watch for more information in the future.... I just wanted to get something in so that you would at-least consider getting this book.
   
   I dont know the author nor have I read any other books on Aperture...so this may be somewhat of a one handed bias opinion type thing...
   
   My 2 Cents...

5 comments about Robert Frank: The Americans.

1. America through the eyes of another, and in plain black & white. "The Americans" is photographer Robert Frank's look at 1950s America, from the very pictures he took almost fifty years ago. In this new edition, Frank has enlisted the help of the newest and most cutting edge modern photo technology to bring his photos into the highest quality he could get them, a massive improvement in quality from the printing quality of the 50s. The poignant, thought provoking photos comprise what some call the most famous book of photography ever published. "The Americans" is enhanced with a forward by Jack Kerouac and is highly recommended for community library photography collections and for anyone who wants a solid coffee table book.



2. Quite simply this is one of the most influential photography books I have ever seen. For years purchasing this had eluded me and it's price had become quite high as well.
   Am so glad to have this book out where I can open the plates and refresh myself with Robert Frank's seminal work. As Ed Ruscha quotes, The man has done it all and gone home.....



3. I am a photographer and one of my projects (google "LA MACHINE À HABITER Emir" in if you're curious) is directly related to street photography.
   Robert Frank is one of my favorite photographers and it is a shame I did not have his "The Americans" in my posession till this very moment. It is a bible for me.
   The book is printed very well, paper is exellent, no color shift on B&W images, solid binding. Great quality.
   And the images, of course. If you like photography, you have to check it out. Highly recommended.



4. I purchased this much heralded photo collection book after reading the review in Newsweek. Maybe I'm not artsy-sophisticated enough to understand the supposed power and humanness or whatever behind these photos. I just don't get them. For a much better look at people in general, look at the book The Life of Man, or even a book of Norman Rockwell paintings. Those books will give you a better idea of life from the 1920's to the 1970's, and the people. The only photo that did stand out to me was the cover photo of the bus. It's painful.



5. This is one of the classic photographic books. I suggest that anyone with a hobby or serious interest in photography read this book.

5 comments about The Big Penis Book.

1. I think this is a very cool book celebrating the endowments of male stars of the 60's and 70's ( Everything from Bob Mizer's Athletic Models Guild to COLT to Falcon to Old Reliable). But be warned, I received two copies that both suffered from the same badly wrinkled/melted dustjacket. It was very disappointing,



2. Hanson, Dian, editor. "The Big Penis Book', Taschen, 2008.
   
   
   A Really BIG Book
   
   Amos Lassen
   
   "The Big Penis Book" is big in every sense of the word. The book itself is big, the photographs are big and what is photographed in them is very, very big. We all know that when it comes to pleasure size doesn't matter (or so I have been told). I understand that it is quality and not quantity that counts (so I have been told). Even with that said there is something about a big penis that is mesmerizing, compelling and that arouses primal urges in gay men. A big penis never seems to go out of style unlike big lapels and big hair. It is interesting to note that only two percent of the men in the world have more than eight inches yet others spend their lives looking for them.
   "The Big Penis Book" explores fascination with the big penis and we learn that it fascinates both sexes. The book has over 400 photographs of the larger penis and there are some rare photos included here. Most of the photos are not new having come from the 1970's when the sexual revolution freed photographers to be able to take full frontal nude male photographs. We have photos of Bob Mizer (of the AMG), David Hurles (of Old Reliable) and studios such as Colt, Falcon, Sierra Domingo, Third World and Champion. We see the iconic models along with information about the models.
   Even though some of the photos seem a bit repetitive, this is still a book that will amaze both the eyeballs and the hormones. It is really erotic photography very tastefully done and I am sure that Dian Hanson had a great time editing this volume
   I am not sure that straight women will love this book as much as gay men will. The models and the photographers seem to be all gay and not all of the men or their organs or attractive. Nevertheless, I had a great time looking and NO, the book did not make me wistful or wishful. I do just fine.



3. Oh dear. I am a 70 year old woman and I just happened across this big penis book in my son's room. My son is 45 years old and still single. I think he might be gay. That said, his big penis book is now in my room under my bed. So now my 45 year old single son is probably gay and angry. Well, he should get a job anyway or at least go find some real penis and stop reading about them in books like this. Good Lord this is a big penis book. And I love a big penis. And so does my son, apparently. I give this book ten thumbs up. I can't believe I never knew he was gay. He should get a job. Maybe as a dancer. Anyway, if you like a big penis, you will like this big penis book. Lord there are big penis's in this book. I mean big. Oh dear.



4. Ouch....is the only thing I could think of while flipping through this book. Quite amazing...girls, boys, you'll learn how big they can get. OMG. I enjoyed the pictures. But I would not enjoy them in me. I am a straight female.



5. Well, an artistic look at what most people want to talk about and see, but will not! Great work!

5 comments about The Betterphoto Guide to Digital Photography (Amphoto Guide Series).

1. I researched many books here on Amazon and with the reviews I had read decided to buy this one.
   I am so very pleased with it that I have also recommended it to other photographers. It is in language anyone can understand and the way it flows from each subject to the next is very smooth.
   I did the lessons and learned many things and understood even better things I thought I had a good grasp on.
   This is a perfect addition to any photographer's tool kit.



2. This is the kind of book that can help someone learn photography without the help of a camera.
   
   Ofcourse if you have a camera then you're in for a much better ride then I was, but to understand the logic behind exposure, shutter speed, aperture and ISO just reading will do fine.
   
   One other great thing about the book is that you are given assignments to see if you can do what the book tells you. So right there you need a camera. I dont have a camera yet...I wanted to see if I can understand photography before buying a camera and boy did this book do well!
   
   All I can say about the book is "get it!"



3. Just got this book this afternoon and have already read most of it and skimmed through all of it. It is very informative and well written. TONS of pictures showing examples of different techniques used. Overall a great basic book you can always refer to when you need some extra help. I like that it doesn't go too much into Photoshop. I try to take good photos that don't need to be manipulated later and I have no idea how to use my Photoshop anyway...so this is a great book for me! It will explain all you need to know to start taking some great pictures that are more than just snapshots for the photo album.



4. Great book, well documented an illustrated. I recommend this book for beginners and intermediate digital photogs.



5. This Photo book is great for advance reader it gives us many up to date features(Tips) for shooting under various conditions, digital photography has arrived and you can learn on the spot, instead of waiting after your develops return........Thanks......NA

5 comments about Photoshop Elements 6 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)).

1. How accurate can it be when it states that Adobe stopped supporting Mac? They may have had a lull, but PSE6 is available for Mac too. Otherwise these are good series of books.



2. This is a great REFERENCE book for Photoshop Elements 6. For me, it's pointless to thoroughly "read" such books from start to finish. Who can effectively recall the tons of accumulated facts in just the opening chapters? I can't, so I just breeze through it, to become famaliar with the contents (without trying to fully understanding how to apply everything I've "scanned"). The real value of this book is it's reference value. Having scanned the book, I found many new techiques I had never imagined. NOW I can turn directly to a particular procedure and the step-by-step procedures walk me through it.
   
   Photography is a great hobby, and digital has opened new ways of creating better photographs. The magic of the darkroom is now available to amatures who have limited time or money to invest. I simply can't (won't) devote the time necessary to equal the accumulated experience of the experts I admire. But I DO pay attention to their expertise via popular magazines and books.
   
   Photoshop Elements 6 is a great tool, and the book, "Photoshop Elements 6 for Dummies," helps me to understand how I may want to manipulate a similar scene, and explains how I can do it.
   
   One more example. A few months ago I also ordered "Understanding Exposure" (revised edition) by Bryan Peterson. This is yet another noteworthy example of a highly respected photographer offering his expertise: Explanations of how he captured stunning photographs are accompanied by his OWN GREAT examples. My point is simple, amatures can capture great photographs if you are willing to arm ourselves with the advice of the masters. Owning the best equipment in the world is meaningless if you don't know how to use it.



3. This gets right to the point in learning Elements 6 and is truly easy reading and right to the point. Very good.



4. I just recently bought this book and hemmed and hawed around as to whether to get this book or the Missing Manual.
   
   I'm glad I went with this book. It is simple and easy to use and it seems to go into detail on some areas, yet missing something on other areas.
   
   By playing around with the program once I've read how to do something, I find I can go further.
   
   I picked up on some helpful hints immediately when I first started reading this book and am keeping my side notes to refer back to.



5. I have used this book to help me edit my pics and it is really helpful.

5 comments about The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos.

1. Freeman's journey through the the principles of photographic composition is eye-opening, eloquent, and beautifully published.
   
   This is not a book on the basics of taking "better photos," so those who seek information on exposure, cameras, lenses will not find it here. Nor is such shooting information for any photographs included. In a general book on photography, this would be a major defect, but here such information would only distract from the book's primary subject: the composition of a visual image.
   
   On the surface, photographic composition may seem to be a very subjective and idiosyncratic topic: you may like one thing, I may like something else. And if it's all subjective, merely a matter of personal preferences, tastes, and opinions, why bother writing a book about it? Most books on photography thread gently on this shaky, insecure ground, and their authors usually limit themselves to a few simple, predictable pointers: the rule of thirds, and golden section, with a particular emphasis on golden rectangle.
   
   But Freeman quite clearly believes that, although ultimately each photographer makes their own choice about what composition works best for their photograph, good choices are those that are deliberate (not accidental), and informed by being aware of ALL the possibilities that are available. The Photographer's Eye will give any intermediate or advanced photographer a better awareness and grasp of choices that are to be made.
   
   Freeman starts at the edge of the image (chapters about the frame) and moves inwards. Available formats, for example (4:3, 3:2, square, horizontal vs. vertical, etc.) are all carefully explored through numerous, and well-chosen examples. Unlike many books that show different images as examples of different formats, Freeman often selects one, single image and shows how its perception will change, depending on the selected format or compositional principle at play. In the chapters on framing I enjoyed particularly the sections focused on "going against the grain" or against the "natural direction" of an image, i.e., shooting typically "vertical" topics (e.g., a standing man) as horizontal frame, or the other way round (e.g., a sleeping man on a bench shot in a vertical format Freeman uses).
   
   Gradually, the author moves inwards, discussing the content of photographs in the context of forms (curves, lines, etc.) and compositional principles (e.g., symmetry, or a very complete discussion and listing of types of contrast). The closing chapters go totally "outside" of the single image, considering the impact of external framing and space around the photograph (e.g., matting), as well as multi-image compositions (such as book or magazine spreads).
   
   As some readers have correctly pointed out, some of the information has been published before in the author's own previous books, and in other sources; but here, all the observations have been systematically, and very elegantly brought together, in one comprehensive and complete volume.
   
   This book doesn't read easily, or fast. It forces the readers to engage both sides of their brain, since paying close attention to the images is as important here as carefully reading the words. But it is well worth the effort, and the reward, in addition to access to the authors' extensive knowledge, is a new, different way of seeing things which in themselves are not new. For me, this is the function, and definition, of a master-class, and this book certainly deserves to be called that.



2. 
   Strengths: Beautiful photographs. Great layout and good titling next to photographs.
   Weaknesses: The chapters relate to design and composition. The somewhat helpful if the author also focused on the subjects of most photographs as applied to photographs (nature, sports etc).
   Novice/Intermediate/Advanced
   
   Rating: 5/5
   
   Introduction
   
   This book is all about design, a most important factor in the creation of good photographs. The main focus is the subject of composition and design for digital photographers. The importance of seeing and the n shooting your favorite photographs, involving all the dynamics, can be a daunting task. The Photographer's Eye can be a book that can help you see your visions more clearly.
   
   The author is a renown international photographer and writer who specializes in travel, architecture and Asian Art. The 6 chapters have a multitude of stunning photos that implore you to read further into the insights that went into creating these insightful visuals. The main aim of the book is to show you more about what is behind the author's eye as he took this photographs.
   
   The book covers the essentials of: image framing ( cropping, stitching and extending, filling the frame); design Basics involving contrast, texture, pattern, balance, visual weight etc); graphic/ Photographic Elements (horizontal, vertical, diagonal lines, curves, motion, focus, exposure); light and color composing; focus on the Intent (a great chapter which made me stop and ponder my own internal motivations and intentions in taking images); process (search for order, anticipation, juxtaposition). So while the book is not a lengthy one it covers much within its pages.
   
   
   
   Conclusion
   
   This book is not an easy read per sey. Most of these photos include a title which highlight and critique the the details that produced the idea behind the photograph. This book is definitely not a quick guide or set of easy tutorials. It is more a comprehensive look into many approaches that will help in the taking and later possibly editing your photographs.
   
   Normally the procedure of taking a photograph is think of a scene or a photograph you want to take of it and then let your digital camera do its work. However to acquire a better photograph you need more then quick ideas. This book is not about quick ideas to make your photographs quickly. This book is all about absorbing the ideas found in the details of the book. The author really wants you to see into the "minds eye " involved perceptions. He shows you with brilliant photographs, helpful principals to guide you through taking better photos. He reflects on the dynamics involved and shows the results "that will stand out".
   
   All in all, I like this book. I can't fault the author for designing a labor intensive reaching. Learning about details and composition and translating these to making your photographs better takes more time then just browsing. There is much to learn from this book and what he has to say. But for me (and possibly others), to really get the most out of the book, I feel like I will have outline some of these design aspects and seeing how I can incorporate his ideas and insights into my photographic sessions in the future.
   
   The trick will be how and when this book will, to even greater extent, help me with the viewing or seeing a scene that can help me visualize and take better notice of opportune moments, reflections or scenes I see through my camera's viewpoint. Reading this book will help me in the future. It is just a matter of looking through all these "pearls of wisdom" and focusing by better use of opportune times when I hope to make better photographs. While I have done that in the past, the book has helped me realize there is even further "ground for me to break" in the area of capturing better photos using "my mind's eye". Take a look at this book and see what it might do for you.



3. If I were putting together a recommended list for a photographer with any ambition of going beyond vacation snapshots, this book would be on it. After you've acquired a good grasp of the basics -- aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and so forth -- and you've become familiar with the essential post-processing tools available in Photoshop; its powerful but much less expensive offspring Photoshop Express; or Apple's cool new Aperture application, you'll want to begin to incorporate design principles into your shooting and post-processing. Freeman's book does a great job of explaining these principles clearly and simply, so that you'll begin to think in design terms before you push the shutter release and again when you're deciding how to crop, etc., during post-processing. And the book itself is beautifully designed.



4. Great book! Loved the simplicity and extremely educative for novice photographers like me. Loved the clean and crisp language, very well composed book, just like the concepts it talks about.
   
   Love it!



5. I had seen this book's pictures and notes on the photos it has before I bought it, now Im happy to find out that this guy writes very well and clear. The book is based on desing principles and theory more than other things. It helps the photographer to have a better idea of why and how images work and how they impact. The book its packed with info on all pages.
   
   I highly recomend it

5 comments about Understanding Shutter Speed: Creative Action and Low-Light Photography Beyond 1/125 Second.

1. This book provides a lot of good ideas for shooting more artistic images. Covering a variety of shutter speeds and settings, it does a good job of inspiring you. It also features photos taken using the settings described in the text.
   
   But here's why I gave it only four stars. It's not the author's fault, but you may need more camera to take advantage of some of the suggestions. I use a Sony H5 which falls in between point-and-shoot and full SLR. Even in full manual mode, I'm unable to adjust the aperture past f8. Consequently, longer shutter speeds result in serious overexposure. Again, not the author's fault, just a point to be aware of.



2. Professional photographer and instructor Bryan Peterson presents Understanding Shutter Speed: Creative Action and Low-Light Photography Beyond 1/125 Second is a handbook for intermediate to advanced photographers, focusing specifically upon the challenge of photographing subjects in motion or at low light levels. Full-color photographic examples illustrate the tips, tricks, and techniques for capturing top-quality images, while the straightforward text imparts a lifetime of expert wisdom in clear and concise terms. "You will always attain the fastest possible shutter speed at any given ISO when you use the largest possible lens opening, and you will be able to attain the slowest possible shutter speed at any given ISO by using the smallest possible lens opening... That well-known cotton candy effect you can get with [waterfall shots] doesn't start until you use apertures of f/16 or f/22." Enthusiastically recommended for expert or professional photographers seeking to refine their camera work.



3. I first bought "Understanding Exposure" from this same author, and felt it was one of the best books I have ever read re: photography. A manual of sorts I still keep nearby. This edition focuses on the sub-point of shutter speed as it relates to exposure.
   
   The Good:
   Great color photography with good examples of how varying shutter speeds will affect an image. There are a number of tricks -- like you can shoot action coming directly at you at 1/250, but need 1/500 for lateral or vertical movement.
   
   The Bad:
   I felt the book had a lot more fluff than the author's other effort. Some of the images were re-used -- or at least came from the same shoot -- and it had a lot more creative examples which I personally didn't like. It was outside the box a bit in terms of how to use shutter speeds, my complaint is that the results, even if intended, were not desirable.
   
   Overall:
   I liked this book, and glad I have it as a supplement to my growing photo library; but, I would not buy this before having his other edition. Shop price on this. I wouldn't overpay. I would give this 3 1/2 stars if Amazon allowed it.



4. When I first looked at "Understanding Shutter Speed" by Bryan Peterson on Amazon I wondered how shutter speed, only one of the components of an exposure, made up a book. In fact, there are some organizational problems that are caused by choosing this particular slice as a wedge into the topic of photography. A good editor might well have wondered what the final chapter on "Composition" is doing at all in this particular book.
   
   The great strength here is idea generation. It's hard not to look at the illustrations in this book and say, "Hey why don't I try that?" The caption information is explicit enough so that you can recreate the ideas shown for yourself, or use them as a jumping off point. As an idea book, "Understanding Shutter Speed" is well worth its price.
   
   Personally, I find the text (as opposed to the photo captions) problematic. Peterson seems out of his depth when it comes to digital. He really seems to think that from a noise viewpoint you are better off underexposing by two stops and adjusting in RAW as opposed to boosting the ISO and exposing properly (he's wrong). His discussion of ISO using a metaphor of hundreds of carpenters struck me as simply silly and without much point.
   
   But leaving the intellectual muddle out of it, this is a book you'll want to own as a glorious idea generator.



5. I read Bryan's first book, "Understanding Exposure" and thought it was one of the best photography books writtens. Therefore, when he came out with this one I didn't buy it because I didn't want to be disappointed with rehashes of photos I already saw or he just added a few points to concepts already covered in other books.
   
   I was on a photo safari when someone told me how much they enjoyed the book. Therefore, I decided to buy it. I was pleasantly surprised to see how he took something as basic as "shutter speed" and successfully held my interest for the entire book.
   
   Bryan categorizes the book based on the shutter speed. These range from the speeds that freeze action (1/1000, 1/500, 1/250), to the slower ones that emphasize motion.
   
   The books value is in the use of the slower speeds. There is not much to learn about taking images at the faster speeds that freeze action.
   
   I give credit because he didn't just provide a bunch of pictures of the cliche slow shutter images (i.e., waterfalls and people walking). Instead, he shows you how to allow the moving subjects to paint the picture. My favorites examples are the boats in the water and the fields of grass. In these examples, he shows the typical image taken a faster speeds. Next, he shows how slowing the shutter speed allows the objects to move slightly thus producing very interesting photos.
   
   I've taken photos of flowers in the past. I used to get upset because I couldn't use a fast enough shutter speed when I increased my aperture for greater depth of focus without increasing my ISO. In retrospect, I could've used a slower shutter speed to emphasize the motion and create more colorful images. This only works if one dares to try something different.
   
   In conclusion, Bryan does an excellent job of showing you how to creatively use what you already know.