Black & White Landscape Photography [Paperback]

John Collett (Author), David Collett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1999

Because landscape photographers are at the mercy of quickly changing weather, uneven illumination, poor contrast or limited tonal range, and other elements, this book shares the skills and techniques needed to turn these liabilities into assets. It explores types of landscape photography, explains what equipment works best, and describes how to find a balance between creativity and technique. It tells how to see the palette of natural light and the tonalities that make for outstanding photography and discusses focus, depth of field, and controlling tonalities in black- and-white landscapes.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Collett and David Collett are photographers who specialize in fine-art landscape and travel photography. John Collett lives in San Clemente, California. David Collett lives in Redondo Beach, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Amherst Media, Inc. (April 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584280042
• ISBN-13: 978-1584280040
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,579,667 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Black & White Landscape Photography, December 11, 1999

By 

Marilyn Dalrymple "MaLing" (Lancaster, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Black & White Landscape Photography (Paperback)

This slim volume is a comprehensive guide packed with necessary information on black and white and landscape photography. The introduction to the book states, ". . . when photographing landscapes, you are at the mercy of these elements--quickly changing weather, changing and uneven illumination, poor contrast or limited tonal range, undesirable yet unchangeable foregrounds or backgrounds, and extraneous objects in the scene which may significantly detract from your composition." The challenge of creating a dynamic black and white landscape almost makes a photographer want to quit before beginning. Yet, with the help of this book, obtaining a spectacular black and white landscape seems to be within the realm of possibility. I like the book most because there is great detail in clear and understandable terms. Along with the text are more than seventy interpretive examples of black and white landscape photographs. The first section of the book discusses "The Artist's Tools." Everything from camera format to film and tripods are thoroughly addressed, including the benefits or drawbacks of various choices, prices and recommended accessories. Section two defines the art of landscape photography. Some questions answered are, "What is art?" "What makes a good landscape photograph?" and "Why black and White?" I found section 3 to be the most informative. Visual elements are explained in detail. Among some of the aspects covered are framing, vision, viewpoint, tonality and design. "Field Techniques" are explained in section four. The sometimes confusing effects of different colored filters on black and white images are explained with the help of charts and photographic examples. A condensed, but comprehensive explanation of the Zone System ends this section. The quotation, "The darkroom . . . allows you to create an image that exactly matches your artistic conception" introduces section five. This chapter takes us into the darkroom and beyond. Section six explains "Putting it all together," and section seven gives examples of field exposure, darkroom printing and Zone System field exposure records so we can repeat the perfect image every time. A list of recommended books for further reading is supplied as is a list of Internet resources. I found this book so helpful and comprehensive, I carry it with me into the field and find myself referring to it often. A definite five star addition to your library.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A little bit of all the important stuff!, May 9, 2002

By 

D. Kolton (The Great Northwest) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black & White Landscape Photography (Paperback)

I first borrowed this book from the library by title only in an on-line search. What a surprise! The authors have distilled a lot of important ideas and facts into simple sections, with pointers & critiques along the way. A veritible small wealth of information. While a pro might find this all rather second nature, an amateur will definitely find something of value in here, and a beginner will find the whole book very valuable.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best of the best, February 8, 2010

By 

tjwash "tjwash" (AUSTIN, TX, US) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Black & White Landscape Photography (Paperback)

I have purchased several books on photography in the past few months since starting this hobby, and this is by far the best. Mostly because it focused on the things I'm after, B&W and landscapes, that is about all I want to do. There is not a lot of information on Digital Photography, but unlike some books I have, there were not several chapters on darkroom developing that I'll likely never need. This book seems to focus on the composition and creativity, which was just what I needed. I can't recommend this book enough. Buy it now, you won't be dissappointed.