Right its time i stopped bothering people!

Ghost in the Shell · 19 Feb 2006 at 22:08

... and bought some books! :rolleyes:

i am thinking i need one book to help me through the technical side of photography - i.e. to help me work out how to compose the best shots and hopefully a guide as to what test settings in order to do said above.

i also need a good (and fairly simple) book for photoshop CS for MAC so i can improve that side of things as i often feel i dont know what i am doing in editing images and wonder if i end up making them worse!

so can i put it to you to suggest two books to pick up in order to improve things? like i said i would appreciate beginner style teachings as i find it all overwhelming quite often (no billy red hat suggestions please!) but i dont want books that will not offer some kind of advanced learning after ive been properly broken in.

cheers hope you can help

SDK^ · 19 Feb 2006 at 22:16

I have all of these - click
A few of them fit your requirements

Ghost in the Shell · 19 Feb 2006 at 22:18

cool which ones in particualr would you suggest?

SDK^ · 19 Feb 2006 at 22:35

These two are probably the best to start with

The Complete Photography Manual
Adobe PhotoShop CS for Photographers

Masterclass in Photography is also worth checking out

Ghost in the Shell · 19 Feb 2006 at 22:41

somone also recommended 'understanding exposure' is that a good one? which will provide me with more of a step-step learning guide?

thanks SDK ill check out those two

SCM · 19 Feb 2006 at 23:25

undilutedethics said:
somone also recommended 'understanding exposure' is that a good one? which will provide me with more of a step-step learning guide?

thanks SDK ill check out those two

I found the best way is reading magazines, looking through DA at pictures i like and looking at the provided exif information when it is posted. Gives you an idea of what settings etc to get the effect in the picture.

SCM

ranarama · 19 Feb 2006 at 23:41

undilutedethics said:
somone also recommended 'understanding exposure' is that a good one? which will provide me with more of a step-step learning guide?

thanks SDK ill check out those two

It's not so much a step by step learning guide but it definitely points you in the right direction. Photography's not about doing everything by the book and 'understanding exposure' encourages you to think a bit more about each shot and why you're taking it. It doesent so much say 'this is the correct way to take this picture'. It's more like 'think about how you want the picture to look and when you have decided on that this is how you would do it'. It's a good buy and I'm still refering back to it.

Ghost in the Shell · 19 Feb 2006 at 23:50

i dont mean step by step what to do i just mean a curved learning approach one that assumes u learn as you go and increases in challenge really but i appreciate what you mean so thanks

Joe T · 20 Feb 2006 at 09:21

undilutedethics said:
somone also recommended 'understanding exposure' is that a good one? which will provide me with more of a step-step learning guide?

thanks SDK ill check out those two

By Bryan Peterson? Yup, thats a good book. Recommended by me

rpstewart · 20 Feb 2006 at 09:50

Joe T said:
By Bryan Peterson? Yup, thats a good book. Recommended by me

And again, it's the book I went with when I was starting. I still refer to it from time to time both for inspiration and just to look at the photos in it.

Shoseki · 20 Feb 2006 at 10:00

I thought you were going to write...

"Its about time I stopped bothering people... and wore a paper bag over my head"

spell · 20 Feb 2006 at 10:01

Joe T said:
By Bryan Peterson? Yup, thats a good book. Recommended by me

And me...and lots of others on this forum. Even tho' it's called Understanding Exposure, it covers a lot more than that.

Richard T · 20 Feb 2006 at 10:30

spell said:
And me...and lots of others on this forum. Even tho' it's called Understanding Exposure, it covers a lot more than that.

will have a look at this cheers