Advanced Photography: John Hedgecoe
Quite possibly the first proper photography book I ever owned, and still on my bookshelf. It opened my eyes to the possibilities of photography, although a lot of the book is devoted to film and darkroom techniques which I never had the opportunity to try. Much of the basic information is still relevant though - even if some of the photos now have a rather period feel to them.
Photoschool: Michael Freeman
Another of the books I got really early on - this one is much more basic than the Hedgecoe book, and was just what I needed at the time. It is set out as a series of 104 projects that work through very similar basics to the Level 1 course at OCA - issues such as aperture, shutter speed, black and white, white balance, the colour wheel, composition and various genres of photography. I still go to it when I'm short of inspiration and if you see a copy it's worth owning.
Digital Photographers Handbook: Tom Ang
Quite a recent addition to my collection this one, and probably the last general purpose photography book I'll buy (or get for Xmas as in this case). Excellent photos, excellent advice. It covers a lot of the same ground as the above two, but with the addition of digital stuff such as HDR, some post-processing techniques. It also has lots of small sections on specific types of photography with hints and tips for a whole range of shooting situations. I'd have no hesitation in recommending this to anyone as an introductory photography book.
Selling your Photos Books
Going to review these three together as they cover similar ground:
- How to sell your Holiday Photographs: John Wade
- Shooting and Selling Your Photographs: Jim Zuckerman
- The Freelance Photographers Project Book: Bureau of Freelance Photographers
These are effectively self help books to encourage you to make money from photography. The first I got cheap from the Bureau of Freelance Photographers because it was written in the pre-digital era. The advice in it is no less sound for that, although I think the chances of covering the cost of a family holiday from shots taken on the holiday arer now quite a bit lower than previously because of the falling returns on stock photographs and the pressures on magazine editors' budgets. The Zuckerman book contains some stunning photos and also plenty of soid advice on approaching a range of different markets. One lasting impression is the cheesiness of some of the digital editing - I'm not quite sure a market that now has Flickr as a free reference/resource would tolerate some of this today - but it makes up for this with some nice sample approach letters and advice on putting together a portfolio.
The Project Book is not quite what it says on the tin, unless you regard the suggestion that you try a particular market as a project. That said it too contains sound advice, particularly on the various larger niches of the magazine market e.g. railways publications, boating publications. If you happen to combine one of these intersts with an interest in photography I'm sure the material would be directly relevant - but otherwise you are left to draw some general conclusions that are applicable to other areas.
I doubt I would recommend any of these as a general read but following the largely common-sense advice in any of them would certainly increase your chances of selling a few shots - perhaps even enough to make a useful secondary income.
Studio Photographers Lighting Bible: Calvey Taylor-Haw
This book, which is intersting in it's own right, is let down by the hyperbole of the title. Lightng 'bible' it isn't. What it is is a series of very well executed studio shots of subjects ranging from children and pets to refrigerators and jewellery, via live fish, paper, glass, food - you name it - it's here (perhaps that's why they call it a 'bible'). Each photo is accompanied by some detailed notes of the lighting set-up used, together with a short introduction/opinion piece about some issue related to the photo. There are also 'cameo' pieces about the various roles of photo studio workers.
Much of the content seems to come from the 'more is more' school, rather than the current vogue for less is more, but as a display of the authors work it is excellent, and it certainly rewards study and provides plenty of inspiration if you want to sek it out. What it doesn't do is lead you by the hand through the general principles.
More reviews to follow
Digital Photography Special Effects: Michael Freeman
Digital Food Photography: Lou Manna
Classic Images: Ansel Adams
