National Geographic Complete Photography [Hardcover]

For the money(approx $25) that Amazon is selling it for, the book is worth it for someone just getting into photography who wants a broad overview of the subject. I actually bought it directly from Nat Geo and paid in excess of $35, and feel that my money wasn't well spent. On the positive side, it covers a lot of ground, including how a camera works, some history of photography, the basic discussion of f-stops, shutter speeds and depth of field. There are sections on lighting, file storage, lenses, flash photography, composition and just about every topic there is related to photography. It doesn't cover any one topic in very much detail, however. Most sections are two pages, with very little text to offer any in-depth advice. For example, the section on weddings is 2 paragraphs in which they tell you to try to get to know the bride and groom so that your photos match their style, "catch the bride as she is getting her hair done" and "try different angles". Along the side of this text are 3 tips; one about using flash, one about using a longer lens to avoid being obtrusive, and another that tells you to bring a stepladder for a different perspective. There are 3 examples of wedding photos. Other topics (gardens, still life, water sports, etc.) are given similar treatment. There are plenty of great photos as well as short profiles of professional photographers in which they give a brief summary of their line of work. There are other examples of "what makes this a great shot". I was just disappointed with the lack of real substance here. I didn't feel it helped me learn much and it's not a book I'll refer back to for anything that I can think of. They are simply trying to cover so much that nothing is discussed in depth. It's probably a good book for someone who wants to transition from taking snapshots to becoming a hobbyist, but it's not going to provide real photographers with much useful technical information. It is printed on very nice paper stock. It's one that you won't mind leaving on your coffee table for people to browse through. If you do buy this book you will end up wanting others when you become hungry for more information. When you get to that point, look for books by Scott Kelby, Bryan Peterson and others who can provide you with more specific information on technique and equipment.

I was disappointed with the book as the previous reviewer has stated there is no substance. I was expecting much more detail in photography techniques etc specially as it was from National Geographic. The book lists all the topics which are more or less covered in less than half a page of text and rest with a picture example: photographing people,Portraits,,Family pictures,Babies etc. I finally returned the book.

For the price of this book it should have been a lot better. It is not a How-to book but What-could-be-done book. The text doesnt describe the photos, only in general terms. Very disappointed coming from Nat Geo. It is not a coffee table book as the photos are not big either. Just an average book, not many nuggets to mine here.