Consider Yourself Booked
Exterior spiral staircase, Montreal. Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON
Since I started posting photography advice, I've had several questions on the subject. One was from Mahina who asked:
"Your photography is beautiful. Are there are any photography books you would recommend for getting a better grasp on exposure/aperture/shutter speed/ISO?"
Mahina, there is a short answer and a long answer to that. The long answer is that there are thousands of books by photographers far better than I am. But the short answer is that Tom Ang's book "Digital Photography - An Introduction" is probably the book I would recommend for any blogger, any amateur photographer, anyone trying to make the switch from film to digital photography, or anyone tring to widen their technological understanding of the post-darkroom photographic era.
I guess I'm lucky that my professional background as a journalist means I have been exposed (no, that's an unintentional pun, I promise) to just about every aspect of photography, as well as the amazing leap in camera and image-storage technology in the past decade. In addition, my experience in magazine and newspaper layout and editing, I guess, gives me a more critical eye than most. In my professional and personal life, I guess you could say I deal with what I call the "totality" of photography.
Am I running off at a tangent here? No. Because I deal with the totality of photography, I have no qualms about recommending Tom's book. It presents just about every aspect you can think of or that you have a question relating to. Tom's book is concise, easy to follow, well illustrated, clearly laid out and presented - and it deals with problems and how to fix them. No, I'm not working on a commission here - but at ten quid (about $US22) it is money well spent.
There's also a photography-related query from Beachy's Cape Cod Cupboard:
"I'd love any photo-taking advice you have. Here are my usual photo-taking conditions: traveling around with a toddler in tow who never walks in my own footsteps but prefers to wander in a different direction; and I only have a digicam with zoom lens. I have been hankering after a macro for some time (I do watercolor paintings and I use close-up photos to reveal details I'd normally miss otherwise)."
You are so blessed to be walking with a toddler. As a father of three, I know so well the sheer joy of precious moments with my children. Here's a little trick - buy a little toy camera, a plastic $5 replica. You and your child can both get busy capturing the sights you really want to photograph. Like you, I also sketch and paint in watercolour. Regarding the macro, I posted some information about a week ago, so you might find that useful. Do let me know if you have any more queries.
Today's joint winners are Beachy's Cape Cod Cupboard with Don't Shy Away and Hilary with Bridging Generations. The other top contenders were Incurable Insomniac with I Want A Merry Maid; Mountainear with Out And In; Epijunky with Day 57; Merideth Teagarden with Blogapalooza; Ray with My Little Cretan Owl; Alberta Photography with Ordinary Miracles; Mother’s Pride with Half Term, Take One; One A Day with Plastic Art; Roses And Lilacs with Famous Local Halloween Legend; Worth A Thousand Words with Sky Watch 18; The Pea Green Boat with It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown; Mielikki with It’s That Time; Pat An Arkansas Stamper with Mule Story, Post 96; The Cigarette Diaries with Big Brother Will Get You and Jeff B with Family Fun. Do pay them a visit and leave a comment if you have time.
