A Great Book on Photography I Have Found and Wish to Share

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I read a lot of photography books but I've never felt compelled to suggest one here like I am now... But then it's also an unfortunate rarity I come across a book on photography as good as this one:

Picture Perfect Practice: A Self-Training Guide to Mastering the Challenges of Taking World-Class Photographs by Roberto Valenzuela.

First and foremost I want to mention what this book is NOT about: This book is not about gear. This book is not about mastering the basic settings of your camera. This book is not about gear. This book is not about photographic "Tech" at all. This book is not about gear. I would not suggest this book to someone just getting started. This book is not about gear. It does not cover landscape photography or macro, per se, but many of the principles discussed would apply to those areas. This book is not about gear. I'm not a portrait photographer but I do shoot people and I'm getting more out of this book than any other I've read.

The first half (roughly) of the book deals with principles of composition but this is NOT the same old same old you've read a hundred times already (Rule of Thirds, Leading Lines, etc.); this about things like achieving balance (in several different ways), using and controlling color in your background and why it's important. The second half of the book deals, primarily, with posing and portraiture so there is definitely a people/places emphasis in this book.

In short, this book is about the Art of photography. It's about the subjective, creative side of photography and the author approaches it like no other book I've yet read. You should know the author is a wedding photographer so many of the photos used in the book reflect this. If you can't look past the wedding dresses and tuxedos and flowers and such and instead see the deeper concepts, how they would apply to non-bridal situations, then this book is probably not for you. The author does a great job of making the concepts relevant, he just happens to have a lot of brides and grooms as examples.

If you feel you've got the mechanics of photography down pat, if you're looking to improve your photography from an entirely different aspect (think right-brain vs. left brain) I can not say enough about this book. Every page (literally) has been beneficial and many have been groundbreaking for me. Probably the best $25 I've spent on my photography EVER.

I should probably also mention I'm reading the print version of the book. It is available for eReaders but I don't typically read photography books on mine.
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Pretzel

Senior Member
Great!! Will it tell me what gear I need to buy? *insert snarky sort of snorting chuckle here*

I read a lot of photography books

Interpretation: I like picture books!

I'm not a portrait photographer but I do shoot people

Not sure I'd admit that publicly. Are you one o' dem dere vigilantes?


Ok, ok... sorry about all the cheesy one-liners. (Ok, I'm not) But it was BEGGING someone to step in and do it!

If you feel you've got the mechanics of photography down pat, if you're looking to improve your photography from an entirely different aspect (think right-brain vs. left brain) I can not say enough about this book. Every page (literally) has been beneficial and many have been groundbreaking for me. Probably the best $25 I've spent on my photography EVER.

Aside from all the chuckles I got out of my sarcastic responses, thanks for the referral! I'm gonna nab it this weekend, just based on your word, as I figure anyone willing to take the time to review something like you have, and with such zeal, it's can't be wasted money. Gonna go the Kindle way though...

BTW...


...while we're chatting...


Can I borrow $25?


LOL :cool:
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
I've owned this book for 2-3 years and found it is the best resource once people understand a little about how to use their cameras as well as learn the basics of composition.

The book uses wedding photos as examples, and because of that, many Amazon reviews are not favorable. However, the ideas and methods taught are easily transferred to other genres of photography. Unfortunately some people simply want to replicate a scene exactly, but when a person takes the ideas and utilizes them in their own preferred style, that's where the learning really occurs. One of the advantages of this book is that it includes assignments based on each chapter's teachings so you can apply what is taught. Doing so will help a person grow. This book really is a true self-help book.

If I could only own one photography book, it would be this one.
 

Whiskeyman

Senior Member
His book on posing, Picture Perfect Posing: Practicing the Art of Posing for Photographers and Models, is also fantastic. I own a copy and I study it regularly.

WM
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
His book on posing, Picture Perfect Posing: Practicing the Art of Posing for Photographers and Models, is also fantastic. I own a copy and I study it regularly.

WM

Thanks for the heads-up on this book. A long time ago I searched to see if the author had written any other books but couldn't find any. Took the plunge and ordered this one. ;)
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
His book on posing, Picture Perfect Posing: Practicing the Art of Posing for Photographers and Models, is also fantastic. I own a copy and I study it regularly.
I was looking at that title a little earlier today and this was just the little nudge I needed to pull the trigger on a copy...

Thanks!

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Danno

Senior Member
I would not suggest this book to someone just getting started. This book is not about gear. It does not cover landscape photography or macro, per se, but many of the principles discussed would apply to those areas.
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Well, I bought the book anyway Paul... I have read the first chapter and I am walking around my house taking pictures of squares, rectangles as such. In this old farm house on a grey and dreary day every room is lit differently and I am forced to work that out too.

So far I really like how it is laid out and the exercises force me to be more methodical. I really like the book. Thank you so much for doing the review. I am glad I bought it.
 
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