Closeup Shooting: A Guide to Closeup, Tabletop and Macro Photography [Hardcover]

Cyrill Harnischmacher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 11, 2007

Close-up photography is one of the most fascinating areas in photography. This illustrated guide will take the reader on a journey into the wonderful world of small, smaller, and smallest objects and show him how he can capture their beauty with photographic images. Each step of the way will be carefully explained; how to choose the right equipment, how to use ambient light or create artificial lighting, and how to conceptualize and frame the perfect shot.

Whereas the nature photographer is exploring facets and structures in his environment, the "table top photographer" is trying to shoot a small object, a product, or a small treasure for display on the web (e.g., eBay) or in print. Here, the choice of the appropriate lighting and backdrop, and the creative use of the camera's features are key to a perfect image.

Cyrill Harnischmacher explains all aspects of close-up shooting for both inside the studio, as well as outdoors. This book is filled with beautifully illustrated examples and detailed instructions on how to set up a system and workflow for successful close-up photography.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Cyrill Harnischmacher is a photographer and designer who lives and works in southern Germany. His first book "lowbudgetshooting" won him the prestigeous Fotobuch-award of the German Booksellers Association in 2005. Cyrill is a studio photographer by profession and a nature and infrared photographer by passion.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 124 pages
• Publisher: Rocky Nook (May 11, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933952091
• ISBN-13: 978-1933952093
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 8.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #170,800 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A little disappointing, July 19, 2007

By 

Erik Sherman - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Closeup Shooting: A Guide to Closeup, Tabletop and Macro Photography (Hardcover)

I greatly enjoyed the review copy of Cyrill Harnischmacher's first book, Low Budget Shooting. This one I didn't find as compelling. There is quite a bit of good information here, and certainly you could learn a lot about how to start experimenting with photographing all manner of things close up. But where Low Budget Shooting was really innovative in addressing a need that many photographers don't even think of having, Closeup Shooting looks at a topic well covered and doesn't breath the same refreshing air as Harnischmacher's first book.

In some cases, the technical information is limited without, so far as I noticed, an explanation. To say that extreme closeup photography is only possible with an SLR or DSLR is flat out wrong. Medium format and large format cameras are capable of as much and even more. (Perhaps the book's title should have been Small Format Closeup Shooting.) One mention of infrared photography didn't mention the difficult - or even impossibility - of doing this with DSLRs. There are many examples of images, but relatively few show the set-up and lighting diagrams that help people understand how the techniques worked and to apply them in their own shooting.

Given the number of special considerations one could make, 121 pages simply aren't enough to offer comprehensive coverage - there are entire books written on nothing but close-up photography in nature. It certainly isn't a dud, and it contains a lot of useful information, but I don't think it would be my first stop to learn about tabletop or macro photography.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Close up lighting, July 8, 2007

By 

Thomas R. Ligare - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Closeup Shooting: A Guide to Closeup, Tabletop and Macro Photography (Hardcover)

I have been able to take my closeup photography to a new level with the help of this new book published by Rockynook. As a 'people photographer' I used to be interested in what some of my fellow students were shooting while attending Brooks Institute of Photography, however, never took the time and didn't take any of the nature classes where closeup photography was being taught.

I have recently been more interested in photography in the garden and would get some nice shoots when it was overcast, however, didn't really have the right equipment and didn't spend much time with technique.

This book has helped me with finding and using the right equipment (lenses) and helped more importantly with lighting techniques using various diffusers, reflectors and flash.

I am really pleased with the results I am consitently getting and am looking forward to getting back in the water (diving) to try some of the underwater closeup techniques that are covered in the book.

This book is great for someone just beginning photography and for the photography professional.

Tom Ligare

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Closeup Shooting Guide!!, December 21, 2007

By 

Daniel McKinnon "Dan" (Tewksbury, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Closeup Shooting: A Guide to Closeup, Tabletop and Macro Photography (Hardcover)

'Closeup Shooting: A Guide to Closeup, Tabletop and Macro Photography' is a wonderful book that will help you get the most of out your closeup shots that you want to look better and jump off the page at you! Shooting closeup is one of the hardest things a photographer can do. Just simply setting the camera to macro mode and pressing the 'shoot' button is rarely enough. Subjects like what is being shot, lighting, how fast the subject is moving, etc. etc. need to always be kept in mind and this book will tackle these issues and so much more! With over 100+ pages of material, this book is beautifully designed in a hardcover casing that yells out to the reader: LOOK AT ME!! If you are a serious or hobbyist photographer that is interested in taking closeup pictures or you simply want to get better at this facet of picture taking you owe it to yourself to pick up this book. I absolutely love this design and feel that this will make nearly any photographer become a BETTER photographer. Easy to recommend and a joy to peruse.

***** RECOMMENDED