Photography books (must haves)(must nots)

06/08/2006 08:29:32 AM · #1

I have just recently bought 4 books, all of which are in shipping right now. I was just wondering if anybody would like to post some good reads. When it comes to photography.

My list is short:
Adobe 7.0 Classroom in a book (two thumbs up, and definate must have if you have the program)

Lighting Secrets for the Professional Photographer (Junk)

Currently ordered:
Digital Photography for complete Idiots
Photography for complete Idiots
Photography Bible

missinseattle

Nikon D200

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

06/08/2006 08:31:41 AM · #2

I actually only have one book "understanding exposure". A friend sent it to me. Very good.

Another friend loaned me an entire set of Kodak books. They aren't really techinical but good for ideas and what kind of things to look for, settings, cropping, ect.

Chinabun

Canon PowerShot SD990 IS

06/08/2006 08:47:21 AM · #3

photoshop for dummies is only useful if you already know how to use photoshop. Its worthless and a waste of $9.00!

ralph

Nikon Z9

06/08/2006 08:48:00 AM · #4

Light - Science and Magic - must have
photograpic lighting cookbook -crap
The Camera, The Negitive, The Print - great info if you aer doing film - & interesting read otherwise / nice but not a must have

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

06/08/2006 09:32:22 AM · #5

Photography and the Art of Seeing - Freeman Patterson
(anything else by Freeman Patterson/André Gallant)

jodiecoston

Canon EOS-450D Rebel XSi

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

06/08/2006 09:36:06 AM · #6

Photos That Sell by Lee Frost if you're interested in getting into the business of photography. I love this book and it was a great general sort of starting point with lots of help when I knew nothing about selling photos.

06/08/2006 09:57:50 AM · #7

Alright, Im going to try to keep an ongoing list here. Feel free to help.

Must Haves:

Light-Science and Magic
Photography and the Art of Seeing (patterson)
Photos that Sell (frost)
Adobe 7.0 Classroom in a Book
Understanding Exposure

Must Nots:

Photographic Lighting Cookbook
Photoshop for Dummies.
Lighting Secrets for the Professional Photographer

Thanks to everybody who has responded.

Message edited by author 2006-06-08 10:00:09.

swankFoto

Fujifilm X-E1

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

06/08/2006 10:03:16 AM · #8

I have to enthusiastically second "Understanding Exposure" amazon link

pawdrix

Nikon D700

06/08/2006 10:03:46 AM · #9

On Photography by Susan Sontag

pianomom

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

06/08/2006 10:12:19 AM · #10

I just got :
RAW 101 Better Images with Photoshop & Photoshop Elements by Jon Canfield.

I haven't had time to read all of it yet but so far it seems to be really good.

wsteyn

Nikon D7000

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

06/08/2006 10:29:21 AM · #11

I have this nasty habit of buying great books and giving it away. I got my brother-in-law a great book by Freeman Patterson (Photographing the world around you) this weekend. I spent 2 frantic hours studying it before I had to wrap it!

Looks like a wonderful book, anyway, it's written like a short course with lots of actual "study material" and not just images.

Canon EOS-20D

06/08/2006 10:35:40 AM · #12

Scott Kelby's books have well-illustrated, step-by-step examples for idiots like me. He's got a whole series of books about various versions of Photoshop for the digital photographer and others on retouching and various tips and tricks.

Rgarcia

Olympus OM-D E-M1

Olympus M.Zuiko ED 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 II

06/08/2006 10:38:38 AM · #13

Photoshop CS for Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby, great stuff and it really has good pointers.

Nikon MF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 AIS

06/08/2006 11:30:26 AM · #14

The Ongoing List:

Must Haves:

Light-Science and Magic
Photography and the Art of Seeing (patterson)
Photos that Sell (frost)
Adobe 7.0 Classroom in a Book
Understanding Exposure
Raw 101 (john carnfield)
Photographing the World Around You (freeman patterson)
(Scott Kelby)

Must Nots:

Photographic Lighting Cookbook
Photoshop for Dummies.
Lighting Secrets for the Professional Photographer

EricMGB1974

Nikon D700

06/08/2006 05:59:26 PM · #15

I'll second the Scott Kelby books. Specifically, I have The Photoshop CS2 Book for Digital Photographers and it is very clearly written and entertaining, for an instructional book.

Mustardhead

Nikon D800E

Nikon MF Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 AIS

06/09/2006 08:36:15 AM · #16

Must have:

Letting Go of the Camera -- Brooks Jensen
Single Exposures -- Brooks Jensen
On Being A Photographer -- David Hurn & Bill Jay

Roger

SDW

Canon EOS-60D

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

06/09/2006 09:06:40 AM · #17

Good
Adobe Photoshop CS (one-on-one) by Deke McCelland. Comes with 12 lessons on CD and full book.
The Photoshop CS book for Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby.
The Photoshop CS bible (very advanced explains all the tools of Photoshop).

Message edited by author 2006-06-09 09:07:29.

kosmikkreeper

Nikon D300s

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

06/09/2006 09:14:19 AM · #18

3 very good books that I have are:

The Business of Photography
Photographer's Market
And of course this book has already been mentioned Light, science and magic

Voilà!

Resusit8u

Canon EOS-20D

06/10/2006 03:13:26 PM · #19

A must have :
The Complete Guide to Filters for Digital Photography by Joseph Meehan.

petrakka

06/10/2006 03:30:18 PM · #20

who needs books when u have the internet?

really the only one i would buy are the scott kelby photoshop ones, or business related ones if you're needing to learn about that end.

learn everything else from google,
buy photography books to look at pretty pictures.

Prof_Fate

06/10/2006 06:36:15 PM · #21

Master Lighting Guide for portrait photographers by christopher grey is a great book if you have strobes.

and this one if very good if you want to turn your hobby into a business - lots of ideas on how to make money, pricing, etc. The Business of Studio Photography: How to Start and Run a Successful Photography Studio by edward r lilley

crap - anything by bambi cantrell - no real info, very lightweight books.

two i just ordered that look interesting...
Photographer's Guide to Wedding Album Design and Sales
Hollywood Portraits - by roger hicks. was recomended...we'll see.

pepperspray

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

06/10/2006 07:53:01 PM · #22

This is a great thread. Our public library is sadly lacking with regard to good digital photography books, so I will recommend them to the buyer there.

(They're pretty good at getting books that have been recommended to them by high users such as myself - I've already recommended three non-photo books to them, and they've bought every one!)

JonCanfield

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

06/13/2006 10:36:11 PM · #23

Thanks to both of the posters that mentioned RAW 101 - I'm glad you've found the book useful!

Jon

wmprkg

Nikon D70

Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro for Nikon

06/13/2006 10:53:40 PM · #24

Anything by Scott Kelby will be great.

You also might want to look into the PodCast he does.

PhotoshopTV (FREE)

I have been working with Photoshop since version 3 and I learn something in almost every episode.