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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent instructional book, March 25, 2009
This review is from: Rick Sammon's Exploring the Light: Making the Very Best In-Camera Exposures (Paperback)
I have been impressed with all of Rick Sammon's books and this one is no exception. He is a good writer and has a very good editor. All of his books are clear, yet provide excellent information. He does not assume prior knowledge so he starts with the basics and moves into the more advanced techniques.
As an old film photographer I am accustomed to making a near perfect in-camera exposure. I am amazed at the sloppiness of today's digital photographers who shoot raw and then spend hours on photoshopping their images. This is all very unnecessary if you do everthing correct in the camera itself. It is better, and more expedient to take a few extra seconds before pushing the shutter button and saving hours later on. Not only that, but you end up with a better picture. Sammon shows you how to do this. I myself generally shoot in JPEG and use Photoshop Elements, mostly just to crop. I know I am biased, but I think my images are as good, if not better, than the photographers who manipulate everything in Photoshop.
I am an experienced photographer (40 years) but am still relatively new to digital (5 years. Even so, I learned much from this book. Sammon shows you how to take full advantage of all that an automated digital camera offers, even when you are using it in a semi-automated or manual mode. I would not recommend it for beginners, but it is an excellent resource for those who have mastered the basics.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Educational or Coffee Table Book?, February 12, 2009
This review is from: Rick Sammon's Exploring the Light: Making the Very Best In-Camera Exposures (Paperback)
I can't quite decide if this is a great educational book on photography and light that would make a good coffee table photography book -- or a great coffee table book that teaches about light. There are a lot of lighting hints that will help the novice or intermediate photographer -- and many photos to back up the tips and techniques. Really beautiful photos! I'm not sure that an experienced photographer will find much new in this book, but he/she will still find it a great value as a wonderful book for the coffee table. As in all he does, Rick Sammon's enthusiasm shows on every page.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
5-star content; 3-star organization, April 24, 2010
This review is from: Rick Sammon's Exploring the Light: Making the Very Best In-Camera Exposures (Paperback)
Not only is the information excellently presented and clear, but it is also supported by pertinent reference images that speak as clearly as the words. The scope of the information is wide, the depth of each explanation is perfect for an avid amateur or semi-pro photographer: not too detailed or technical, but informative. Everyone can get something out of this book that will improve his photography and make a difference in how he approaches a subject.
I am particularly impressed with the photographs. Not only does Rick Sammon demonstrate that he is an excellent photographer (who leads an exciting and travel-filled life) but he also chooses them carefully and uses them to best effect to illustrate the points he is trying to make in his text. It is very helpful to, not only see what a photo will look like when your exposure is set correctly, but also what happens when it isn't.
So why isn't this a 5-star rating with exclamation points? Because the book is hard to read. Not because of the language--that couldn't be clearer. It is because it is so randomly organized. Except for the final three chapters (two of which deal with post-processing in Photoshop), the rest of the book seems to flow in no particular order other than chapter titles broken up by multiple relevant headings with short paragraphs following. This makes the flow is awkward, as if the photos were selected arranged first (as in a scrapbook) then the text added to refer to them (instead of having been written first, then supporting photographs selected).
But, overall, it's a must-have book if you want to understand and feel comfortable with your camera settings, and break away from using Program mode or point-and-shoot settings. Although he is a Canon shooter, his information is equally useful to any make of DSLR camera and to any photographer who wants to take a little creative control.
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