Each year, thousands of enthusiastic photographers pay several hundred bucks for a fine camera and load it with top-quality film. But it isn't enough. Too many of those photos still come out looking like plain old snapshots.
Then it's time to spend a few dollars on know-how. Billy E. Barnes, one of America's most widely-published photographers, has written a book titled "101 Professional Tips," that's chockfull of ideas for making your photos sing. This 56-page softback, sized to fit neatly into your camera bag, is written in non-technical language so you can grab onto those 101 ideas on a first reading. After that, the book is there in your camera bag as a reference guide.
The price? Look at it this way: THIS BOOK'S PRICE IS LESS THAN THE COST OF SHOOTING TWO ROLLS OF FILM but it can improve every photo you shoot for the rest of your life.
HERE ARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS FROM BILLY BARNES' 101 TIPS
-COMPOSITION: The fantastic rule of thirds --- Michaelangelo used it so why shouldn't you?
-CONTROLLING THE THREE CRUCIAL ELEMENTS OF PERFECT EXPOSURE
-FUZZY PHOTOS: How to tell the difference between camera-shake fuzz and poor-focus fuzz, and how to cure both ills.
-FAMILY GROUPS: Goodbye to boring, shoulder-to-shoulder military formations; hello to dynamic, professional-style group shots.
-SILHOUETTES: The magic of dramatic silhouettes --- how to expose for perfect ones.
-BRIGHTER COLORS: How the pros brighten colors by (a) fudging on the ASA setting, or (b) popping the right filter on the lens.
-COMPOSITION: What's a "center of interest," and why is it that every great photo has one.
-FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY: How to avoid redeye; and ugly flash glare from mirrors, windows, framed pictures, and eyeglasses. How to get the 25-cent gadget that delivers much the same effect as a studio photographer's $75 umbrella.
-DEPTH OF FIELD: Yeah, it's a little complicated but you can control it to give your photos a fresh feeling of dimension.
-TRAVEL TIPS: How to keep airport X-ray machines from fogging your film, and prevent thieves from stealing photo gear from baggage, your auto, and your hotel room.
-FOCUS: How to get perfect focus on shots of fast-moving subjects.
-FILTER MAGIC: Two filter musts for your camera bag; how to use "black and white film" filters to add spice to your color shots.
-NIGHT SHOTS: How to shoot the moon, fireworks displays, and your favorite building lit only by moonlight.
-SHOPPING ADVICE: Where to find low-budget negative and slide preservers, the best camera bags, low-priced photo gadgets you didn't even know existed, and great mail-order developing and printing.
-PHOTOGRAPHING PEOPLE: The four most common mistakes and how to avoid them.
