National Geographic Photography Field Guide: Secrets to Making Great Pictures, Second Edition

Love this book !! Lots of help

good book

I've read dozens of books on photography, and skimmed through dozens more. None of them has been as foundational as much as this one. I first read it word for word about eight years ago. Now, I've purchased a copy of my own which I've already skimmed through to remind me, and passed it along to friends and family who want to know how to take better photos.I find that most photography books are good on a few elements, but not to truly inspire you to take better photos and to understand what to do to make that photo "just right." This book was a tremendous help to me. The principles it describes are things I've passed on to many friends.Now that I take photographs as part of my work, I am thankful that I have this book as a reference. It didn't help me much for taking product shots, but for installations, portraits, and all-around general photography, it has definitely been my favorite.

I'm not a pro. Actually, I broke my old point and shoot camera recently and bought a nice SLR one. Yes, I studied a little bit of photo techniques&composition in school but that was long time ago and I decided to update my knowledge a little bit and get a good tutorial. I bought this book and it is exactly what I need. You know, amateurs know rules and pros know exceptions. This book is written by real pros and they teach you not the standard rules only but they also explain why and when they can be violated. Basically they teach you how pros think and work.What's bad? It gives you some ideas but doesn't provide detailed directions how to get there. It's based on film photography and gives just a brief overview on digital photo. Some advices, like use tripod, spend days with your subject to catch a right moment are ok for pros, but probably don't make sense for majority of amateurs.If you want to buy just one photography tutorial this is it. It'll give you all basic techniques like any standard tutorial plus some ideas on real advanced stuff so you know where to go if you want to keep going.

I purchased the Kodak Guide To 35mm Photography for a friend, and being aprofessional photographer, I thought that the National Geographic Photography Field Guide: Secrets to Making Great Pictures would be a perfect source of advanced knowledge for me...but I was wrong. The National Geographic book is good, but the Kodak Guide is much better. Both books start with the basics, but Kodak fills its book with much more information and far more (and usually better) photographs. Somewhat thin, more expensive and skimpy on details, the National Geographic Field Guide also contains the stupidest thing I've ever heard a photographer say: `If every shot on your roll is perfect, then you've failed'. Failure can be a very important learning tool and you must try new things and risk failure in order to grow, but if every shot on your roll is perfect it usually means that you know what the heck you're doing.

I purchased this guide in the HOPES, that it would give me some tips to help me with my digital photography. I found the guide to be more "tailored", to those still using 35mm film. Although, many of the techniques can be transferred over to that of digital media, I was still wishing that this guide was more digital content heavy.(I mean, digital cameras are everywhere now)I'd say that, if your looking for a good general guide to get you STARTED, then this book is for you. If on the other hand, you want something more tailored to digital media, then pass on this and pick-up something that is written solely for that purpose.

I love just about anything National Geographic. So it comes to reason that I would purchase this little guide book. It is full of beautiful photographs (of course!) and helpful tips and explanations of how to get the most out of your photography written by National Geographic photographers. When someone of their caliber is sharing information, I take it.A good place to start if you are learning photography and nice to go back and look at their photographs.

If you're just starting in photography as a hobby this is an excellent choice to pick up and learn from. It's got serveral interviews with well established photographers who give opinions on everything from lighting to equipment care etc. The beginning of the book focuses on basics such as film speed, shutter speed, aperture settings and the like and everything is covered very carefully and explained fully.Being a book from National Geographic you would expect some amazing pictures to be included and there are. There's a few hundred pictures throughout the book, many of which are extremely beautiful. Everything from wildlife to portaits, landscapes to sports, etc.

A good guide to photography in general. Produced in 1999, the book centres on film photography with only a few pages dedicated to digital. As the principles of photography are the same whether the pictures are recorded on silver compounds on a gelatin base, or on a silicon chip, the book is still as valid today. Photos from the National Geographic are used to great effect, including a few favourites that I recognized from such luminaries as Jodi Cobb and Sam Abell. Recommended to all with an interest in fine photography.

I needed a new copy of this book for someone as a present to go with a film SLR I'd given them and this edition (hardback) arrived quickly and in pretty much new condition – which is great for a secondhand book. Very pleased to have it. I used my copy a lot when I first got into photography and there is so much in the pages to inspire anyone who wants their images to have some bite.

National Geographic provide some great field guides (except the Digital Photography one) and this little book covers all you need to know to improve your photography. The pro tips and guides are excellent. A little dated because it relates to film but the Digital version is pretty useless as far a photography goes. Recommended along with the Travel Field Guide.

I had it when I was learning in my own to take pictures and it really did kick-start the process.Well structured, captures all the essential aspects that one needs to know at first.I would recommend it to self learners, that start this hobby or to emerging students.

I already knew the book, simple and very clear, concise; easy guide an fabulous notes from the authors Excellent vendor's attention as well.