Must read books?

I've been teaching myself photography since my purchase of my D50 last New Years. I have learned alot from the internet and forums like this, but I still find the information to be more organised and easier to absorb from books. I have gone to my local Chapters book store a few times and scanned some of the books they offer, but like many subjects, its hard to filter out the good from the bad from the retarded (you know they have a Photography for Dummies book?) So I was wondering if I could get some input from you fine folks on the subject. What books would you recommend of the subjects of composition, exposure, lighting and other subjects you find important to learn.

Thanks in advance

David

David,

Send me an email at

jack@jackgrahamphoto.com.

I'll send you the list of must reads from my library.

For starters.....Get up tomorrow, get in your car & buy all of John Shaw's books!

JG

Thanks Jack, will do.

The John Shaw books are excellent of course, as are some of the other "how to" books. On a different track, I think you might consider a book on basic compostion too. Not even necessarily a photo book, but maybe even an art appreciation book. The "how to" part is the easy stuff. The "art" part is the harder to grasp. It has become easier and easier to make perfectly focussed, perfectly exposed, perfectly boring photos.


Kent in SD

I agree with Kent on the "art" part! One of my favorites is "The Art of Photographing Nature" by Art Wolfe and Martha Hill.

Kent, that has been suggested to me before, when comes to composition. I'm starting to believe that composition is where the art and the talent comes into play with photography. It's not something that can be learned, no matter the amount of books you read, the photos you study, the classes you take. Sure, there are some general "rules" that one can follow it make am all around pleasing picture, but not everyone is going to be able to shot an Adams.

Im just hoping that I'll be one of the ones that has a wee bit of the talent

Galen Rowell's "Mountain Light" is an excellent read - very insightful articles. His other books are very good as well but that one made the biggest impact for me.

Guy

I'd probably agree that it's hard to go wrong with John Shaw books. I don't know that there are other "must haves" on my list, but I've especially enjoyed some of the coffee table Muench books as well a couple of Galen Rowell books. I've had a generous amount of photo books come, go, and stay in my library. Some of them are generally quite pricey but there are some great deals on slightly used or overstocked books at Powells Books, ABE books, or overstock.com. It's a good way to either save some money or get a lot more books for the same price. I always feel like I'm doing a bit of recycling by buying used books.

yo david

most popular photo books by the popular "masters" are basically instructions on how to take pictures that look just like someone else's pictures...great if you want to become a photograher-clone...

if you are interested in creating photographs that look like they are created by you, try: The Art Spirit by Robert Henri (no pictures, all words), Why People Photograph by Robert Adams (a few photographs, mostly words), Letting Go of the Camera and Single Exposures by Brooks Jensen (all words again), on being a photographer by David Hurn/Bill Jay (all words), and Photgraphy's multiple roles - art, document, market, science multiple contributors (photographs and words)...

if i were have just one book of photographs (no words) to learn from (and enjoy), without a doubt it would be Walker Evans Polaroids...a book that bears eloquent witness to the genius of a photography visionary armed only with the simplest of tools - a polaroid sx70...

good luck on your journey...hope it's one of discovery, not just one of mimicry..

John Shaw's and Galen Rowell's books are excellent. I also like John Fielder's book "Photographing the Landscape: The Art of Seeing" and Art Morris's book "The Art of Bird Photography: The Complete Guide to Professional Field Techniques".

Galen Rowell ... inner game of outdoor photography
David Wards... Landscape Within...

These will not immediately help you with your photography but they will get you thinking ...

I, too, have most of Shaw's books, a couple of Athur Morris' books, Moose's Peterson's books, books by Larry West, etc. They are all good, and they all have a certain "sameness." Chapters about how the SLR f-stop and shutter speed and ISO interrelates. Equipment, what to buy, what works for what, techniques, for metering, etc.

The two books I always recommend for new photographers are both by Bryan (not Moose) Peterson: "Understanding Exposure" (basic fundamentals) and "Learning To See Creatively." After 25 + years, I still go back and read the 2nd one from time to time. If I had to get rid of all but two of my "how to" books on photography--they would be the two I would keep.

Andy

For technique anything by Bryan Peterson, George Lepp, or John Shaw. For photography philosophy, anything by Galen Rowell or Freeman Patterson.