This book is a motivational book for those who start enthusiastically in the world of photography, and avoid some complex and inocuous photography textbooks that occupy bookstore shelves. Is this a book that invites active reading, camera in hand?, put your finger on the shutter and dive in? And since these kinds of books are the ones that we appreciate most as passionate photographers, we could not miss among our literary recommendations.
NOTE: This analysis is based on a pre-sale edition (today it would be the 3rd edition) that is revised and updated, and may contain variations of the one analyzed today, although the basis of the book and its philosophy do. they don’t change at all.
- The book begins with a brief introduction.
- In which the author tells us his beginnings in photography and his motivation for it.
- And offers us a brief summary of what we will find in this book about the photographic exhibition.
- Giving us brief brushstrokes of what will be the central axis of the book: The exhibition triangle and the correct use of the photometer.
In this chapter, the author gradually introduces us to the secrets of the photographic exhibition, from what the exhibition means, to how to set the camera in manual to obtain properly exposed photographs, what is the photographic triangle (aperture of the diaphragm, shutter speed and ISO), the photometer, creative exhibitions and exercise proposals to practice during (or immediately after) reading.
In this chapter, Bryan Peterson takes us to the diaphragm: what it is, how it relates to depth of field, how to get the typical blur of many images, its relationship to the sharpness of photography, how it relates to the history of the image, how to isolate the subject, the preset button, depth of field visualization, opening in macrophotography, with practical exercises and many examples.
What is the shutter speed, which values are the most standard, which shutter speed is better each time, how to freeze the movement, how to pan or pan, how to suggest a movement (with the static camera, with the zoom), and even how to create the rain effect. All these interesting themes explained with a multitude of images and examples.
In this section, Peterson discusses the importance of light and its correct exposure, what is the best light, as well as the different types of lights depending on their hardness and angle (front, cloudy front, side, backlight), the use of the photometer (grey cardboard, tips for obtaining correct readings in any light situation presented to us), and night photography.
It’s a chapter to unleash our creativity. The author analyzes various techniques and resources such as overexposure, double exposure, multiple exposure, polarizing filters or neutral density filters.
In this last chapter he reflects on three specific aspects between cinema and digital: ISO processing and behavior, color and forced and underdeveloped revealing.
Number of pages: 176
Soft coverage
Edition: 3rd edition
Price:?
Anyone who enters the world of photography and is interested in learning in a practical way and with a pleasant language, the basic (and not so basic) ins and outs of all the elements of the photographic exhibition, through its multiple images, examples and suggestions for practical exercises.
Bryan Peterson has been a prolific commercial author and photographer for more than 35 years. He has worked for companies such as Kodak, American Express, UPS, Citibank, etc. He has also won numerous awards throughout his long photographic career, including the New York Gold Award for Art Directors, Print magazine and the annual Artistic Communications Photography Award.
He is also co-founder of Bryan Peterson School of Photography, the world’s first online photography school, and author of the 8 best-selling books related to photography, which have been translated into more than 11 languages.
The friendly and close language, as well as the multitude of experiences and visual examples, and the proposal of practical exercises following the thread of the book, make reading and understanding very pleasant and practical.
If you are a very technical person and you want a book on the subject, this is not your book ;-). Language and the type of explanations more based on practice and experience will probably not convince you if you want a book that justifies all the reasons for photography.
Bryan Peterson is already a classic for anyone who enters the world of photography, his pleasant and understandable language and his deep practical knowledge of the photographic world have made him one of the great photographic educators that exist today. His work encompasses the most diverse themes, all with his imronta and incomparable style. If you want to meet him in person, he offers internships all over the world. You can see their official page here.
I hope you found our literary recommendation of the month interesting, if so, please share it so that someone else can enjoy it. Thank you and next time :-).