National Geographic Photography Field Guide: Secrets to Making Great Pictures: Amazon.ca: Peter Burian, Bob Caputo: Books

Product Description

From Library Journal

Written by two National Geographic writer/photographers, this fairly comprehensive introduction to taking photographs details basic equipment (cameras, lenses, and other gear), film, light, composition, exposure metering, electronic flash, subjects for 35mm photography, special situations (underwater and aerial photography), and computer imaging. But perhaps the most interesting and informative sections of the book are the profiles of Sam Abell, William Albert Allard, Annie Griffiths Belt, David Alan Harvey, James L. Stanfield, Michael Yamashita, and other notable photographers. The book concludes with helpful information on travel, photography publications, websites, and other resources. As one would expect, it is amply illustrated with exquisite, high-impact, color images made on location. This substantial book aimed at photographers looking for practical advice from the pros is highly recommended for public and academic libraries.
-Raymond Bial, Parkland Coll. Lib., Champaign, IL
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Book Description

An updated, accessible guide to photography from two leading experts in the field, the "National Geographic Photography Field Guide 2nd Edition appeals to both aficionados and amateurs with its encyclopedia coverage of everything from choosing film to virtual photography. Featuring up-to-the-minute information on new film, filters, cameras, lenses, and advances in digital photography as well as step-by-step instruction, this revised guide is an indispensable tool for creating superb pictures.

Professional photographers Peter K. Burian and Robert Caputo reveal every secret and component involved in creating photos, including the basics of composition, color, and light; manipulating film, exposure, and shutter speeds; coping with situations from weather to fast-moving subjects; techniques for shooting architecture, close-ups, portraits, and underwater adventures; plus a new section explaining black and white photography--all in a user-friendly and easy-to-reference format. With exquisite images and useful tips from award-winning professionals, this inspiring and informative volume illustrates the keys to turning everyday situations into vibrant visual moments to cherish forever.

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84 Reviews

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4.7 out of 5 stars (84 customer reviews)

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4.0 out of 5 stars Good Overview, but There Are Better How-to's, Feb 3 2003

By

mirasreviews (McLean, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: National Geographic Photographers Field Guide (Paperback)

The National Geographic Photography field guide is intended for beginner to intermediate level photographers. And it does a good job of giving those photographers an overview of all the choices they have, but not a great job of providing a solid basis in exposure technique for the inexperienced or moderately experienced photographer. There are instructional chapters on composition, cameras, lenses, light, flash, film, exposure and gear. I am a fairly experienced photographer at this point, but I remember when I wasn't. And I can say that this book does not provide enough detailed instruction about exposure to answer all of the questions an inexperienced photographer would have, and make him or her comfortable with his camera's "manual" mode, and with a wide variety of lighting situations. The book does explain the differences between SLR, rangefinder, and various formats of cameras, which is unusual in an intro to photography book. I am sure that many novice photographers will find that information interesting. But I think that the publishers sacrificed more comprehensive instruction on exposure in order to include more of an overview of photography.

The second section of the book, entitled "A World of Subjects", comprises half of the book. Included are chapters on various types of photography: weather, landscapes, people, architecture, sports, close-up, motion, night. Interspersed among these subjects is a series of essays by National Geographic photographers giving tips and explanations of the sorts of photography they do. These essays are a nice addition to the book and provide some insight which might be useful to any level of photographer.

The printing and paper are the high quality that you might expect from a National Geographic publication.

For beginner and intermediate photographers looking for the most how-to info they can get, I would recommend Kodak's Guide to 35 mm Photography. I don't think that the National Geographic Field Guide is quite as helpful in that regard. However, it has some additional content which you might also find interesting, such as the essays by accomplished pros and the chapter on different types of cameras.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Handy Guide for Quick Reference, Feb 1 2004

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Timothy Kearney (Haverhill, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: National Geographic Photography Field Guide: Secrets to Making Great Pictures (Paperback)

Probably every photographer, whether amateur or professional, has dreamed of being a photographer for NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC. Robert Caputo, a photographer who has had work published in the magazine, and Peter Burian offer suggestions for taking photographs like those found in the magazine in their book THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHY FIELD GUIDE. Though the book has some information on digital photography, it is intended primarily for film users. It has some basic information about photography basics: camera, film, lenses, composition, film, exposure, flash, etc. The information presented in this section is probably better for review for photographers who know the basics rather than those who are new to using the camera. Perhaps the book's greatest strength would be the suggestions for taking action shots, nature shots, and people shots. Examples of work from highly regarded photographers are used to demonstrate the suggestions offered. The book may not be as complete as other books on the subject, bit its compact size and excellent organization makes it a perfect guide to use in the field when a quick question arises.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Great Pocket Reference!, Oct 27 2003

By

Ken Martin "martyoz" (Midway USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: National Geographic Photography Field Guide: Secrets to Making Great Pictures (Paperback)

The authors present a great deal of practical information in a handy, easy to digest form. For a photographer with basic skills and understanding of the roles of aperature and exposure time, this book will open many new doors of creativity. Through the experiences of National Geographic staff photographers, we learn what techniques contribute to successful travel, candid, landscape and other photographic genre.

The book contains useful chapters on equipment, film selection, film formats and digital photography. All around, the Handbook is an indispensable addition to anyone's photography library.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Photography book ever made period.
This small photography book contains photography tips from the essential basics, composition, lenses,light,electronic flash,exposure,sports,close up,motion,night,people,landscapes... Read more

Published on Mar 22 2010 by Riz

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my very favorites
This book in concise, well-written, and inspirational. Don't think this is only a book for beginners, though it would be my number one choice as a gift for someone interested in... Read more

Published on Oct 14 2003 by Mark G. Scheuern