Customer Reviews

Michael Freeman's Digital Photography Reference System: The Complete Photographer's Library, in a Box

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The product is oriented to a person that has never picked up a camera and has no concept of shutter speed, aperture or ISO. The description led me to believe that several levels of photography were addressed. They aren't. If you have any idea about the use of a camera, you will find the information juvenile.

Any level of photographer less than a serious professional will get great benefit from this excellent package, and some of the pros might also, anyway.

Earlier I reviewed Freeman's The Photographer's Mind: Creative Thinking for Better Digital Photos , which is an excellent book, and so I ordered this set when it came up as a Vine Review selection. I can easily recommend this unique package of photographic helpers to anyone from the barest beginner through, perhaps, some professionals to aid/instruct them in achieving the results that they want to get with various types of image capture and/or image manipulation.

I have worked with conventional photography since I was in my late teens, and with the digital medium for about the last ten years or so. Certainly I am not on the par with a professional and have never had any thoughts in that direction. However I am what I would call a serious amateur photographer, with experience at many levels from composition/setting up shots, processing, printing conventionally and also fairly well rounded in the digital realm of things (I hated it at first and had to force myself into making the change, and still in many cases "go the old way" for certain things) and still continue to "grow".

Book 1 Is a smyth sewn oversized "art" book of many beautiful images in their final renderings and also various other shots and alternates in thumbnails that explain/illustrate how/why the final is the way it is vs these alternate and intermediate versions. Having been in the graphics and printing/publishing industry all my life, working with images and the correction of images, I can vouch for how clearly this comparative viewing works in showing/teaching why one image or shot works, another doesn't, etc.

Book 2 Is a handbook on the digital camera, how it works, how it's different, etc., and how to use it to its best effect, etc.

Book 3 Explains/teaches workflow and getting an organized and productive order to handling your images from raw on up through the final correctional and printing.

Book 4 Instructs you how to work on your photos in imaging programs like Photoshop (what I use) and a couple of others, to create special effects, changes, etc., to make even a mediocre image look great. Being creative, this is where I most love the digital photo process.

Book 5 Is a medium sized pocket guide with tips, suggestions and help for you with the shooting process, and how to get the best work possible up front to begin with. I to this day have always carried with me a small notebook with "things to remember", "to do", "not to do", etc., so can vouch just how handy this little book is.

Item 6 Is a "wallet" sized guide that I find folds out into a most "unwallet" sized hard to handle outdoors, multi-folded and easy to lose item.

Item 7 Is a tutorial DVD that will help the novice certainly, and I bet even the more experienced photographer will use it also for it's instructive content. I can't imagine that one wouldn't take advantage of A/V instruction!

The whole thing comes in a briefcase sized aluminum carrier. Others have commented here about this item. Personally, I have the books of this set together on my bookshelves, along with the DVD (which I placed in a cd jewel case), and I keep the pocket guide and wallet guide both in my camera case. The briefcase itself I find is a perfect carrier/holder for all my notebooks, warrantee documentation, current photo or equipment mags/guides etc., to take along with me, but keep all together neatly and easy to carry!

The end result, after all this, is that I cannot believe almost any "photographer" would not find this package a real valuable asset to his enjoyment of his hobby, and a pleasure to work with and learn from.

"Highly Recommended" would be my response to anyone asking my opinion on this great collection!

~operabruin

As the package infers, this is a reference system and in this regard is perfect for this use. A very thorough collection that offers beginners and those interested in digital photography a solid base on which to expand upon.

The more I've gotten into photography over the years, the more I realize there's a lot that I don't know. I can tell you what I think I know, and what has worked for me over the years but the usefulness varies.

Michael Freeman's library in a "briefcase" is pretty neat, although it's aimed towards the beginner (it'd make a perfect gift if you just bought a digital SLR and want to take better photos.)

Out of the seven items in the list, I really found the book on workflow the most valuable. That was the thing that I got stuck on when I bought my SLR, and I wanted to bridge the gap from taking the photo to making it the best one possible with post processing and developing a routine from that.

The books themselves could have used a better designer/editor - they were layed out poorly, came with ugly diagrams and just made me dislike the photographer as a result. By all accounts, it's unfair because Michael Freeman's got a good reputation as a photographer and a good instructor without being condescending.

I like this set, but I can't see myself buying it as a gift unless it was on sale. I still think your best bet is to buy the Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set, Volumes 1, 2, and 3 compliation and learn from there.

Please keep in mind that learning about photography doesn't have an end goal - there's always something to learn, even from beginners materials.

While the content of Michael Freemans Digital Photography Reference System is full of wonderful content and is a great resourse for answers while shooting that perfect picture. HOWEVER, Trying to read the books is frustrating to say the least. Black print on heavy grey pages is a POOR publishing error. The publisher should have known and in all respects should have advised against this. The Books are VERY, VERY HARD TO READ and uncomfortable on the eye.
I have always enjoyed Michael Freemans writing style as he writes to the novice photographer in a way that makes you feel as though you are speaking with a peer. The problem with these books is SOLELY a problem created by the publisher....I would not recommened this reference system to another photographer...Until the printing is corrected.

This set includes several books, a pocket guide and a DVD.

Book 1 is a large, beautiful hardbound art book that shows in vivid detail a number of different visuals, techniques and things to think about when composing digital stills. The other books include some more nuts-and-bolts exposition on the art and science of taking photos.

In many ways these books cover a wide swath of the digital photography landscape. However, in some respects it's also broad, but not always deep. In particular, lenses are seemingly only mentioned in passing, and physical filters seem to only be mentioned on a single page in one of the books, with only 2-3 types of filters mentioned.

I felt like there needed to be another book dedicated to camera accessories, specifically. Lighting, lenses, filters, tripods, etc. I don't entirely fault the author, it seems like a common flaw in many photography books to only gloss over accessories. I've yet to see a really good definitive book on accessories and their uses, with good example graphics using them, or using them in combination, one with the next.

That seeming lack aside, the books that are pretty jam-packed with information. Everything from exposure & automatic settings to storage, workflow and image correction or special effects in programs like Photoshop, Lightroom and Aperture.

These books do seem geared toward the beginner to intermediate digital photographer. Experienced photographers may not find too much new. But, for those getting their feet under them, the books and pocket guides may be quite helpful.

The briefcase-style packaging seems reasonably nice at first glance. Though, in working with it, I'm not entirely sure how its intended to be used. There are thin, molded plastic housings with clear molded plastic covers in each side of the briefcase. But it's unclear how best to get things in and out, especially the side with 4 books, a DVD and pocket guide.One can pull the entire plastic holder and cover out and take it apart to get at the contents. But I know it would be ungainly for taking around portably that way. One could leave off the clear plastic cover, but then the books would, I assume, shift around inside the packaging and perhaps fall out when you open the briefcase. You could remove the plastic holder and cover entirely, but then the books would be exposed to the metal anchoring pieces holding the briefcase outsides to the cardboard insides, which might damage (scuff, scratch or tear) the books. You could simply remove all the materials from the briefcase and port them around in a camera bag or something. But then what's the point of including the brief case if it's not going to be utilized for carrying things around? Still debating the utility of the briefcase.

Overall, I think the benefits of the set outweigh the drawbacks and that it is a great set for the beginning digital photographer trying to understand how things work and what all the settings do. Intermediate digital photographers will get some use out of the discussion of workflow and digital editing with Photoshop and other tools. The general discussions of composing, framing and "seeing" the things you want to capture in your still are generally enlightening. It's not always a step-by-step guide, often giving examples from a set of images and how / why a particular large image was chosen as the "best of" for that group, as well as more generally talking about some specific aspect of digital photography WRT that group of images. Be it contrast, brightness, dynamic range, composition, depth of field, etc.

This suitcase contains a plethora of information for the amateur photographer, all the way up to people who aspire to be professional. Michael Freeman's fantastic eye for capturing different styles of photos, depending on the mood and subject, as well as the essence you are trying to capture in a scene. One of the components is small enough to fit in your wallet, and the seventh component is a very helpful DVD. Highly recommended.

I am new to true digital photography. I've had point and shoot digital cameras for years, and that's exactly how I used them. Auto setting all the way. This collection is a wonderful introduction for people wanting to get more use out of their digital camera and to improve the quality of the pictures they take.

There are 5 books, 1 wallet size reference card, and a DVD included in the package. This all arrives inside a nice aluminum case. The case is interesting - I'm not sure what the purpose is except to provide unique, attractive presentation case for this set. It is 14" x 10.5" x 3" and is of substantial weight. The contents are held in place by molded plastic inserts. A nice case by itself, but not really useful for storing these items or carrying around camera related equipment. I removed the plastic and lined the case with velvet and am using it to store other things.

Book #1 is a large, hardbound book that deals with the artistic side of composition and touches on the different things you use to create and capture the photograph you envision. The photos are glorious and I find myself looking at it over and over. Mr. Freeman explains and illustrates different lighting, filters, composition, effective cropping, and a host of other things. It helped me to plan out my shots vs just pointing and shooting.

Book #2 is a softbound handbook which describes and illustrates the settings on your digital camera and what they are used for. This is a wonderful reference book that expands on your owners manual that came with your camera. Probably not as helpful to people who are at an intermediate level.

Book #3 deals with the workflow for digitally processing your photographs after you take them. It covers storage, backing up and filing, and touches on the various photo editing programs you may want to use alter and adjust your photographs.

Book #4 is an indepth coverage of digital photo editing. This book is quite valuable for getting the most out of your photo editing software. It explains what the different tools and effects do and how to use them most advantageously.

Book #5 is a pocket-sized softbound book that has shooting tips. It is designed to carry with you when you are photographing things. I keep this in my camera bag and refer to it frequently. It has definitely made my photos more interesting and better composed. It has tips for low-light shooting, too, which I have found very helpful.

#6 is a wallet sized insert that lists the various settings on your camera, as well as an ISO table and an Exposure Value table. Very handy.

Item #7 is a DVD that covers all of the printed material in the package.

For me, this package has been wonderful and my photos reflect that. I'm not sure if it would be appropriate for an advanced photographer, although I am sure several of the books would be of interest. But for a beginner or an intermediate photographer, I would recommend this package and think it would be a welcome gift.

I should start out by noting that I am relatively new to SLR photography. As a former musician who's let his creative side atrophy while earning a living, photography has provided a fun outlet for me.

This past year, I bought my first (used) DSLR camera and, being an avid reader, a few books on photography. This handy set, though, may have saved me a few bucks as it contains just about everything a new (and not so new) photographer needs to know.

The whole thing comes in a cool hard roadcase, which, while gimmicky, makes for a neat presentation particularly for a gift.

Inside the box, there are 7 items.

1. The Art of Digital Photography: This is an almost coffee-table sized book, delving into such subjects as lighting, shape, color, etc. Standard photography fare, beautifully presented and fun to read.

2. The Digital Camera Handbook: A smaller 5x7 sized book covering the features and operations of digital cameras in general. If you are completely new to digital cameras and want a friendlier guide to their operation than the owner's manual, this will do nicely. Perhaps not as good as having a camera specific guide, but frankly, most DSLR's are fairly similar in how they work. At the end of the day, shutter speed, aperture, etc. are the same whether you're using a Nikon or a Canon.

3. Digital Photagraphy Workflow: The term "workflow" in the digital photography world related to the process of transferring your pictures from your camera to your computer and processing the images in your preferred software. How to most efficiently accomplish these objective as well as a few tips and tricks regarding file organization are found in this book.

4. Creative Image Editing and Special Effects: This title goes into detail in the use of editing software like Photoshop and the various possibilities to alter or improve your photos, including special effects and enhancements.

5. Shooting Tips Pocket Guide: A small bare bones guide to take with you.

6. Shooting Tips Wallet Guide: An even smaller guide if the above is too cumbersome.

7. Michael Freeman DVD

Overall, I would give this a strong recommendation for anyone getting into digital photography. And it certainly makes for a nice gift for the newbie photographer as well. However, there are two minor drawbacks.

As with any book or set of books that try to cover everything, you will likely find that there are subjects for which you will want to go out and buy books that delve deeper into the subject. As it is, there are whole books just dedicated to lighting, photoshop, wedding photography, portrait photography, etc. Still, for someone who's new, this set makes for a great basic library to build upon.

Second, if you are a National Geographic photographer who's just bought a Canon 5D to back up your 1D, then you likely already know most of this stuff, so it's not for you. That is not to say that even the pros don't need to review the fundamentals from time to time. In fact, it's the mastery of the fundamentals that usually distinguishes the best from the rest.

I purchased this to improve my composition for documentaries. It exceeded my expectation. The detail and plethora of examples in the books and DVD allowed me to grasp what professional photographers must know to be successful.

His book on Photoshop is not a complete workbook on this complex software, you will need to buy that seperately. But he tells you what you need to know to manipulate images for most applications for day-in-day-out shooting. Be prepared to work hard in this book, but the labor pays off in the end.

Definetly a kit for the novice to mid-level photographer. I would suspect pros know much of this, but even so may find some beautiful nugets buried in it all.