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 enlarge | Author: Bryan Peterson
Publisher: Amphoto Books
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $14.29
You Save: $10.66 (43%)
New (36) Used (16) from $13.29
Avg. Customer Rating:  467 reviews
Sales Rank: 193
Media: Paperback
Edition: Revised
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 160
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 10.9 x 8.2 x 0.4
ISBN: 0817463003
Dewey Decimal Number: 771
EAN: 9780817463007
ASIN: 0817463003
Publication Date: August 1, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW, IN-HOUSE READY TO SHIP!!! NOT A BARGAIN, REMAINDER OR BOOKCLUB BOOK!!! WE ARE A 5 STAR SELLER.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Great book, missed opportunity August 2, 2008
After having read several books on photography, this it the one that has clearly shown me the use of the different exposures. Peterson dwells on what each aperture range, and shutter speed range, is good for. There are many photos in the book, and next to each, a short explanation of how it was taken, and what settings were chosen.
Peterson makes a great teacher.
There is a weakness in this book, in my view, and that is the missed chance to explain a bit of the optics and physics. Not that this needed to be a technical book, but a few diagrams and a few numbers would have gone a long way to dispel some confusion.
For instance, Peterson at one point describes "stops", the settings in the camera that double (or half) the exposure. For instance, a jump in shutter speed from 1/30s to 1/60s is one stop. So is a jump from ISO 400 to ISO 800. For apertures, though, the numbers look like f/4, f/5.6, f/8, much less intuitive.
It would not have killed the author to explain that to double the surface area of the aperture, one needs to multiply the diameter by the square root of 2 (approx. = 1.4). This is simple geometry, available to most.
Then it would be clear that f/5.6 = 4 * 1.4, is one stop down in exposure from f/4.
Peterson explains exposure by comparing it to a faucet. If you open it wider, more water comes out, and less time is required to fill your glass. OK, but most people would have understood that if you let in twice as much light, you require half as much time to record an image on the sensor.
Depth of field and it's dependence on aperture is VERY easy to explain with a simple diagram. Another missed chance.
Another example: ISO. The metaphor here is that ISO is like bees, and more ISO equals more bees collecting honey, so they get done quicker. So why does higher ISO increase the noise and granularity of your photo?
If Peterson had included a bit of technical information, I would have recommended this book as the best one-stop resource. As it stands, I can just say it's very very good, but you need supplements. Kudos.
 Love it! July 30, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I love photography, and have traded my "hobby" for a "job" and books like this help me take better pictures, therefore making my customers happier. These type of books are very helpful.
Excellent Resource July 28, 2008
Great book to read to learn how to take accurate exposures. The author does a fine job of explaining the concepts clearly with good enough illustrations (photographs or exposure if you will) to buttress his point. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to go beyond the point and click auto paradigm of modern DSLRs.
great book! July 23, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I bought this book after knowing quite a bit about my SLR digital camera, such as how to change the settings, and knowledge of what ISO, shutter speed, focal length and ASO are. This book was AMAZING. I learned so much within the first few chapters that I was ready to head outside and try them out, and they worked just like Scott said they would. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to sharpen their skills and take it to the next level. I will be buying his other books as well.
The confidence to switch to M July 22, 2008
What a great book! This guide gave me the confidence to switch off of Auto and really put my camera through the paces. Great insight, pretty easy explanations, and beautiful pictures.
My only 2 negatives, and neither were promised, so they don't count against the rating:
1. Written (even in the revised version) heavily leaning to film photographers. Not to say there isn't a lot of commentary on pros and cons of digital, and some specific advice pertaining to them, but you'd be even happier with the book if you were shooting on a 20-year-old Nikon.
2. No commentary or advice on the use of flash. Not expecting a comprehensive guide (because there can be a lot to it), but some basic pointers would have been good.
Overall, well worth the time and money.
Off to shoot...
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