Suggest a book/tutorial for digital photography

[paruhd0x]

I am ready to teach myself more about Digital Photography. I want to be able to take better photos and be able to understand more features on my camera and learn techniques to use.

I own a Canon Powershot G6 and usually only use the automatic features such as auto, portrait, landscape, night scene. I want to learn about manual mode, Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority. And learn to use them well.

Please suggest some tutorials or books if you know some good ones, the more it applies to my camera the better.

Thanks for your time and suggestions.

 

[JulesMaximus]

How is the manual? Usually, Canon has pretty good details in their manual about the different settings on your camera, how to use them and how they affect the pictures you take.

 

[Anubis]

digital photography for dummies

 

[paruhd0x]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
How is the manual? Usually, Canon has pretty good details in their manual about the different settings on your camera, how to use them and how they affect the pictures you take.

Manual is pretty good. But it does not explain techniques at all.

I find focusing correctly is the hardest part when taking pictures, especially when I want to do a macro photo. It will focus in and out and it will have the correct focus point at some point, but it'll just go right past it and the preview will be blurry.

Originally posted by: Anubis
digital photography for dummies

Is this for beginners? I am definitely not a beginner in photography.

 

[faenix]

Originally posted by: paruhd0x

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
How is the manual? Usually, Canon has pretty good details in their manual about the different settings on your camera, how to use them and how they affect the pictures you take.

Manual is pretty good. But it does not explain techniques at all.

I find focusing correctly is the hardest part when taking pictures, especially when I want to do a macro photo. It will focus in and out and it will have the correct focus point at some point, but it'll just go right past it and the preview will be blurry.

Originally posted by: Anubis
digital photography for dummies

Is this for beginners? I am definitely not a beginner in photography.

Trust me. You are a beginner if you're asking " want to learn about manual mode, Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority. And learn to use them well. "

 

[paruhd0x]

Originally posted by: faenix

Originally posted by: paruhd0x

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
How is the manual? Usually, Canon has pretty good details in their manual about the different settings on your camera, how to use them and how they affect the pictures you take.

Manual is pretty good. But it does not explain techniques at all.

I find focusing correctly is the hardest part when taking pictures, especially when I want to do a macro photo. It will focus in and out and it will have the correct focus point at some point, but it'll just go right past it and the preview will be blurry.

Originally posted by: Anubis
digital photography for dummies

Is this for beginners? I am definitely not a beginner in photography.

Trust me. You are a beginner if you're asking " want to learn about manual mode, Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority. And learn to use them well. "

Fair enough, but I'm not a retard with the reading comprehension of a chimpanzee. Suggest some real books... not the obligatory Dummies book.

In addition the Dummies book only covers the following:

[*] Explore the different kinds of equipment ? from cameras and computers to photo-editing software
[*] Understand the science behind digital photography, including resolution, aperture, shutter speeds, and f-stops
[*] Compose great shots, including how to light your subject
[*] Solve common photographic dilemmas ? such as capturing a moving target and dealing with unfriendly lighting
[*] Edit your photos by sharpening them, removing red eye, and cropping them
[*] Display your photos in a variety of ways ? on CD, on the Web, or in slide shows
[*] Top Ten lists on ways to improve your digital images, great ways to use your photos, and online resources all digital photographers should know about

I'm looking to buy one book, not several.

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: paruhd0x

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
How is the manual? Usually, Canon has pretty good details in their manual about the different settings on your camera, how to use them and how they affect the pictures you take.

Manual is pretty good. But it does not explain techniques at all.

I find focusing correctly is the hardest part when taking pictures, especially when I want to do a macro photo. It will focus in and out and it will have the correct focus point at some point, but it'll just go right past it and the preview will be blurry.

Originally posted by: Anubis
digital photography for dummies

Is this for beginners? I am definitely not a beginner in photography.

um, yes you are, you pompous ass.

 

[yhelothar]

I have an ebook I can send to you if you like..
Just post your ftp here if you have one, or PM me.

 

[ProviaFan]

Technical stuff can be learned from websites (such as this one). DPreview is good for reviews, and finding out what every button does, but the images you find there (in the reviews at least, there are a few really good photog's in the forums) are not inspirational.

I recently got The Art of Photographing Nature by Martha Hill and Art Wolfe from the library, and would _highly_ recommend it if you want to learn how to take good nature photos (a lot of the principles for good nature photography apply to other forms as well). Don't limit yourself to one book... go to your library and read many of them.

IMHO, once you get the basics of exposure (how aperture, shutter speed, film speed interact) and the other technical things nailed down, you'll not find a technical reference book terribly useful - which is why I suggest using your local library instead of paying for introductory books that you'll read and surpass a month later.

One last exhortation: you have a digital camera, so pictures are "free." With that freedom comes responsibility. When you upload pictures to the web for review, take the time to rename the filenames to be something descriptive. If you batch upload 100 pictures without taking the time to title or describe them, why should anyone else care to take the time to look at those pictures (sorry, personal pet peeve had to sneak in there). Also, don't post a full 7.1MP file to the web; resize down to 800x600 or lower first. If you want to show off how "sharp" your new camera is, take an 800x600 sized crop out of the middle of the full-res photo instead of posting the whole friggin thing! Thanks.

 

[paruhd0x]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919


um, yes you are, you pompous ass.

Thanks for your wonderful input!

Originally posted by: virtualgames0
I have an ebook I can send to you if you like..
Just post your ftp here if you have one, or PM me.

YGPM. Thanks!

Originally posted by: ProviaFan
Technical stuff can be learned from websites (such as this one). DPreview is good for reviews, and finding out what every button does, but the images you find there (in the reviews at least, there are a few really good photog's in the forums) are not inspirational.

I recently got The Art of Photographing Nature by Martha Hill and Art Wolfe from the library, and would _highly_ recommend it if you want to learn how to take good nature photos (a lot of the principles for good nature photography apply to other forms as well). Don't limit yourself to one book... go to your library and read many of them.

IMHO, once you get the basics of exposure (how aperture, shutter speed, film speed interact) and the other technical things nailed down, you'll not find a technical reference book terribly useful - which is why I suggest using your local library instead of paying for introductory books that you'll read and surpass a month later.

One last exhortation: you have a digital camera, so pictures are "free." With that freedom comes responsibility. When you upload pictures to the web for review, take the time to rename the filenames to be something descriptive. If you batch upload 100 pictures without taking the time to title or describe them, why should anyone else care to take the time to look at those pictures (sorry, personal pet peeve had to sneak in there). Also, don't post a full 7.1MP file to the web; resize down to 800x600 or lower first. If you want to show off how "sharp" your new camera is, take an 800x600 sized crop out of the middle of the full-res photo instead of posting the whole friggin thing! Thanks.

Awesome post, thanks for your time and insight. I will do what you said and find some free resources for introductory information and seek out The Art of Photographing Nature by Martha Hill and Art Wolfe at a later date.

 

[DeafeningSilence]

I've gone through about 3 books from the library (plus a ton of forum posts), and this photography stuff is *starting* to make sense.

Conclusion: The library is your friend. Buy the "perfect" book when you find it, but read whatever you can in the meantime.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: DeafeningSilence
I've gone through about 3 books from the library (plus a ton of forum posts), and this photography stuff is *starting* to make sense.

Conclusion: The library is your friend. Buy the "perfect" book when you find it, but read whatever you can in the meantime.

the prob is there is NO perfect book

 

[ProviaFan]

Something else to think about: a lot of the books in the library are older, and are going to concentrate on 35mm SLR photography. While the talk about lenses and accessories won't be too useful, you can still apply most of what's said to a prosumer digital point & shoot. One difference is that you won't be able to implement hyperfocal distance (important to know in 35mm and above for front-to-back sharp landscape photos), but digital p&s cameras have much greater depth of focus to begin with, so don't spend too much time trying to understand that concept.

The Canon G6 isn't a terribly high-end camera in most people's opinion, but that doesn't mean you can't take great photos with it. While geeks always like to know what camera was used to take some impressive image, the truth is that really good photographers (of which I am not) could take just about any camera and make an excellent photo. If you're interested in something a bit unusual to do with your new camera, check out this guy's web site. Extreme close-up photography is normally done with SLR cameras, but he's managed to make better macro photos with his Canon G1 and G3 (old versions of your camera, as you may know) than I have ever done with my film SLR outfit and tons of accessories.

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: DeafeningSilence
I've gone through about 3 books from the library (plus a ton of forum posts), and this photography stuff is *starting* to make sense.

Conclusion: The library is your friend. Buy the "perfect" book when you find it, but read whatever you can in the meantime.

the prob is there is NO perfect book

John Shaw's Closeups in Nature is very close to perfect.