I have come to this medium quite late in life. I got a bit of confidence with my iPhone and some of those images were, although I say it as shouldn’t, spectacular. But somehow I knew there was more.
This book is a weighty tome at a very reasonable price. At under £12 one can have a fairly thorough overview of the craft of photography. It’s a step-by-step guide to the apparatus (your camera) as well as advice on improving the results of your labours.
There is more to good photography than lots of equipment. It isn’t just a matter of pointing and clicking, although there are plenty of cameras that will produce acceptable snaps by doing just that. There is a world of possibilities to be explored when one realises that those little buttons and dials dotted around the camera actually do something.
The Complete Practical Guide to Digital and Classic Photography explains depth of field, focal length, shutter speeds, focus and exposure, along with many other functions the use of which will enable you to produce really professional shots. This would be something of a bible for the beginner who will likely want this book as part of their photography kit. Its 1700 or so pictures are a great support to the text.
It’s not only the technical issues which are covered. Photographs are art and so the book devotes time to explaining how to get that elusive effect, how to pose a subject, as well as editing images, which is a crucial part of the craft these days. There are sections on emailing your images, printing them and even advice on entering photographic competitions. In fact there is everything a budding photographer might need to gain a bit of confidence and know-how.
The Complete Practical Guide to Digital and Classic Photography is a comprehensive introduction to a wonderful pastime that could develop into a career. It’s a perfect gift for a novice and as affordable as a pack of photographic paper.
The Complete Practical Guide to Digital and Classic Photography
Authors: Steve Luck and John Freeman
Published by: Southwater
Price: £11.99
ISBN-10: 1780194331
ISBN-13: 978-1780194332
Guidebook review by Chrissie Walker © 2018