Digital Nature Photography [Paperback]

Jon Cox (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2003

Digital Nature Photography is the definitive how-to book on photographing nature with a digital camera. Focusing primarily on the art of taking the picture in the field—rather than just manipulating the image after it has been shot—this comprehensive guide is geared to the nature photographer who is fairly new to the world of digital cameras. Packed with step-by-step directions and resplendent full-color examples from the author’s own body of work, readers will receive hands-on practice with lighting, composition, landscapes, sunrises, sunsets, animal portraits, close-ups, manipulating and storing images, and much more. The essential reference for every level of photographer, Digital Nature Photography guides the reader through a magnificent and unique visual experience into the natural world.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An ideal resource for those taking their first steps into the world of nature photography with digital camera in hand. -- Naturephotographers.net, July 2003

If you know an aspiring photographer buy them this book. When finished they may teach you a thing or two. -- Vividlight.com, July 2003

Jon Cox does a great job combining practical tips with wonderful photographs to provide an introduction to digital nature photography. -- Shutterbug Magazine, December 2003

From the Publisher

Digital photography is one of the late 20th century’s most innovative technologies. In 2000, digital cameras outsold traditional film format cameras 4:1. As the quality of digital images increases and the price decreases—and as more highly regarded photographers work almost exclusively in digital—this trend can only continue.

Digital Nature Photography is the definitive how-to book on photographing nature with a digital camera. Focusing primarily on the art of taking the picture in the field—rather than just manipulating the image after it has been shot—this comprehensive guide is geared to the nature photographer who is fairly new to the world of digital cameras. Packed with step-by-step directions and resplendent full-color examples from the author’s own body of work, readers will receive hands-on practice with lighting, composition, landscapes, sunrises, sunsets, animal portraits, close-ups, manipulating and storing images, and much more. The essential reference for every level of photographer, Digital Nature Photography guides the reader through a magnificent and unique visual experience into the natural world.

* Combines two of the hottest areas in photography into one comprehensive guide
* Author is known as an early pioneer in digital field photography, with an incredible body of work
* Filled with 200 dazzling examples from the author’s own work
* Digital photography is becoming more and more popular among nature photographers

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Amphoto Books (May 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0817437916
• ISBN-13: 978-0817437916
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.4 x 10.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,143,551 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

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82 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Digital Nature Photography - - Lite, November 5, 2003

By 

Conrad J. Obregon (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Digital Nature Photography (Paperback)

This book will prove most useful to beginning digital camera users who are moderately interested in nature photography. The author covers the process from taking the picture to manipulating the image in the computer. More advanced photographers should look elsewhere.

The book is divided into chapters first dealing with photography principles, like light and color, and then into chapters dealing with specific subjects, like sunrise and sunset. Each chapter is then broken up into subheadings, each of which gets a page or two. The author has tried to keep the information and guidance general so that it can be helpful to all digital camera users. The material is easily read. Unfortunately, his approach often creates broad generalizations that are of little use.

Unlike film, where, after taking a picture, the medium can be brought to a photofinisher who will finish the job of creating a paper image or slide, digital media usually require some sort of downloading from the camera to a computer, and then a printer. While this process can be very simple for the user, (it's possible to download your pictures right to a printer, although to get the most from the digital process, some manipulation is usually desirable). The author recognizes this by showing a couple of before and after images that he has manipulated with Photoshop software. Unfortunately, in this chapter, he goes into a level of technical detail far beyond that contained elsewhere in the volume that only someone trained in Photoshop will understand. . In addition, I think the author may leave the impression that Photoshop's main use is altering reality. While that is one use, I consider the program to be designed to allow you to make a photograph look the way you envisioned it at the time you took the picture.

A problem with the approach Cox takes is that anyone interested in the control that digital photography provides over the image will be unsatisfied. For example, many digital cameras provide histograms of the picture taken. (Histograms are graphic representations of the distribution of light values in a picture.) The histogram is perhaps the single most potent tool offered by the digital photography, allowing photographers to insure they got the best exposure possible for their vision. Yet there is not one reference to histograms in the entire volume

In summary, if you are a beginner, interested in taking digital nature pictures, but not ready to immerse yourself too deeply in the technology, this will be a fine book for you.

For those who want to delve more deeply, I can't recommend a single book. On the general topic of nature photography, John Shaw's "Nature Photography Field Guide" is outstanding, although there is no consideration of digital procedures. To examine what makes digital photography different from film photography and how to capitalize on the differences, I recommend "Shooting Digital: Pro Tips for Taking Great Pictures with Your Digital Camera" by Mikkel Aaland (although I'm sure there are even better volumes out there with which I'm not familiar). Finally, for learning Photoshop I recommend "Photoshop Artistry" by Barry Haynes. This last provides a series of tutorials on Photoshop aimed specifically at photographers. It will take a while to work through but there's really no quick way to learn this most important piece of software for the digital photographer.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars No insights in this book., April 30, 2006

By 

Sam Kapoor (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Digital Nature Photography (Paperback)

Lack of insights makes this book average. Although some photographs in the book are good, there are a lot of ordinary ones too. (Maybe I am spoiled by some outstanding books.) If author can not take outstanding pictures, you should be wary of his advice.

This book lacks depth in any particular area whether it is equipment selection, lenses, composition or post-processing. Author has tried to cover these topics but the discussion is very superficial and does not offer any techniques that can be put to use.

There are many great photography books by the likes of John Shaw, Bryan Peterson, John Freeman, Lee Frost and many more. So save your money and use it on books by these photographers. Luckily I decided to check this book out from library before buying. I have bought more than dozen books on photography (digital and otherwise) in last one year alone and the money was well spent. This book does not belong to that collection.

If you are a beginner, Bryan Peterson has great books. If you want depth, John Shaw is unparalleled. Want a good book on composition, try John Freeman. Interested in special topics likes filters, low light photography, panoramic photography try Lee Frost.

Problem with this book is; it will not make you a better photographer.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic book for all digital photographers, December 3, 2003

By 

Michael P. Kareck (Corvallis, Montana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Digital Nature Photography (Paperback)

'Digital Nature Photography' by Jon Cox is quite simply the best book I have ever read on digital photography of any kind.

It is a must read for anyone who is moving to digital photography either as a hobby or on a professional level. What makes this book so good is that Jon has obviously made the transition from film to digital himself, and writes knowingly about issues anyone will encounter when approaching digital photography. These include such topics as digital media, batteries, tripods, and what quality of jpeg images to use.

Not only does Jon address subject's exclusive to digital photography but the body of the book is a primer on photographic techniques in general. These topics are illustrated with magnificent pictures from Jon's portfolio and will act as an inspiration to photographers at any level. Subject such as how to shoot in snow, how to shoot during sunrise and sunset, and photography after dark are explained in a simple concise style that provide a rode map to success for anyone willing to try his techniques. He even has closed his book with an "assignment sheet" of ideas a budding photographer can work on to master the techniques included in the book.

Weather you are a budding enthusiast or a serious photographer looking for a refresher and some new ideas, I cannot recommend this book more highly.