Photo Op: 52 Inspirational Projects for the Adventurous Image-maker [Paperback]

Kevin Meredith (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 6, 2010 | ISBN-10: 0240814002 | ISBN-13: 978-0240814001 | Edition: 1

 Photo Op is a photo projects book with a difference. Featuring 52 inspirational ideas, backed up by jargon-free practical guidance, it is packed with cliche-busting images from some of the best, brightest, hottest photographers working in the Flickr community - many of whom already have a cult following. This book offers a weekly dose of creative inspiration for photographers and images-makers of all levels, and features diverse challenges ranging from quick-fire results to more immersive techniques. Photographers and image-makers are always on the lookout for inspiration and guidance, and Photo Op provides both in a fun, accessible format that will kick-start creativity, enhance skills, and build confidence behind the lens.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Take a Look Inside Photo Op [Click on Images to Enlarge]

Aerial [PDF]

Avoiding Tourist Cliches [PDF]

Pinhole [PDF]

Polaroids [PDF]

Portraits [PDF]

Contributor Index

Review

"A treasure trove of ideas to pique your curiosity and put the fun back into your photography.. A terrific tool for getting you up off the couch and back to a time when discovery and play meant as much to you as taking photographs."--The Picture Professional

"Kevin Meredith shares a plethora of photography tips, tricks, and techniques in his latest picture book Photo Op: 52 Inspirational Projects for the Adventurous Image Maker. Drawing from his own experience, as well as 15 fellow photographers, Meredith compiles a how-to book that takes an idea, lists the necessary tools, and explains the process in simple terminology. Each project illustrates the procedure with vivid examples. Several collage pages scattered throughout the book create visual overload, but in a good way."--San Francisco Book Review

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; 1 edition (July 6, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240814002
• ISBN-13: 978-0240814001
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 0.9 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #442,726 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Some good ideas, BUT... December 28, 2010

By MAP

Format:Paperback

I had this on my "wish list" and received it for Christmas. I was excited and looking forward to jump starting some creativity. There are some great ideas here, and this book is full of truly beautiful photographs, but too many of the 52 projects require very specialized equipment, some of which is very costly. I don't have, or have the means to get, a Holga, a Lomo LC-A, a tilt shift lens, or all of the stuff required to take aerial shots from a kite, just to name a few. Fewer than half of the 52 projects have "ingredients" that are on hand or available for most of us. One example with reasonable ingredients is project #31, Children. It lists for ingredients "any camera, children and a sense of fun," and offers some fantastic tips and ideas for photographing kids. Some others, like Low-down, are for any camera, and are more out-of-the-box, creative ideas that I was hoping to get from this book.
There are definitely some great things I will get from this book, I just wish that there wasn't so much in it that the more average photographer can't use.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational Creative Techniques Using a Variety of Cameras and Accessories with Eye Candy October 28, 2010

By christinemm - The Thinking Mother TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Photo Op is a fun book of 52 ideas to challenge photographers, to play and have fun with their cameras.

Most of the technique and sample photos are laid out in 4-6 page spreads; more complicated topics may have a couple more pages. The wide page layout of the book allows for plenty of images, from full page to three horizontal photos on a page plus room for text.

Techniques are written by 21 different photographers so the techniques vary from traditional (time-lapse) and serious to quirky and fun. Each photographer's voice and unique creative outlook and perspective kept the book from becoming boring reading material also.

Something important to know is the camera techniques requiring different cameras. This is not a book of just photo techniques for DSLR cameras or point and shoot digital cameras. Some techniques include the use of antique cameras such as the Diana or newly manufactured plastic "toy" cameras such as the Holga, a Polaroid camera and film, or a pinhole camera. Thus unless you photograph with a wide variety of cameras and toy cameras you would not be able to try every project in the book. The good news is on the first page of each project there is an ingredient list that tells what type of camera and accessory equipment is required, such as a remote shutter release or tripod. Perhaps one of the most surprising accessories is a kite, to which you attach a lightweight camera to and fly it high to take aerial photos.

This is an inspirational book for photographers of creative ideas ranging from serious to just plain fun. The book layout is great, the paper is high quality and thick, the color photography looks great on these pages.

Personally I learned some new techniques that I can and will use. I enjoyed reading the ideas and feeling inspired even when I don't own the equipment to do some projects. I found the book both helpful and inspirational creatively for its eye candy and fun ideas. PHOTO OP was a good anecdote for me, much needed after reading more serious photography manuals in trying to teach myself to use my DLSR not on its "auto" function (which is an ongoing process for me). The way I use my DSLR fluctuates between trying to make decent candid photos of our family life, to nature shots requiring special techniques and with challenging light situations, and throwing in some fun techniques just for creative play. I am intrigued by toy cameras and own some, such as the Lomo Fish Eye, and own some antique cameras such as the Diana, various Polaroids, and some Russian and German film cameras. My challenge is I have little time for fun experimentation with the film cameras and instead lean toward using my DSLR that I carry with me daily or my Droid phone's camera with various fun photo settings and apps.

This book was a good fit for me.

21 of 27 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Requires too much gear & setup September 27, 2010

By RG VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

The ideas in the book are decent enough. But too many of them require specific equipment (e.g. tripod, remote switch, waterproof housing), props (kite, flashgun) or specialized locations (airplane, beach, concert). Some of the ideas are simple and straightforward. But far too many of them require a good amount of prep and setup. I wanted ideas that required minimal amounts of equipment so that I might be able to try them out while in the normal flow of daily life. This book doesn't present those types of ideas. So if you have a fair amount of camera equipment and don't mind planning excursions to specific locations just to take pictures then you'll probably find this book to be a decent source of ideas. But if you're looking for "spontaneous" photo ops, definitely look elsewhere.