Customer Reviews

Rick Sammon's Travel and Nature Photography

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I really don't know what to make out of this book?

This book is shallow, boring and repetitive. Yes the pictures are good, very good, but that's about it.

Let me address the shallowness of this book first,
Page 142:
"When bright snow and ice are in a scene, compensate by setting the +/- Exposure Compensation control at +1. I know this sounds backward, but it's actually the correct exposure compensation technique."
Why? No replay, Rick is too busy to answer because: "...Okay, let's move on to some creative photo tips". Great.
And this pattern takes place all over the book. Author starts something, then jumps to another topic without finishing the first. No details, no explanation.

All of the "lessons" in the book cover the same topics:
Set ISO to lowest possible
Set the proper white balance
Take a story telling photos
Watch the background
Practise before trip
It would be fine if this would be mention once in the book, but every lessons is THE SAME, just different pictures. At first it gets boring, then annoying.


There are some digital editing examples, but majority of them accomplished with "fancy" Photoshop plugins. I find it useless, since I'm not a pro and have no budget to spend on all those fancy plugins, so how about sticking to photoshop?

There is no aperture, speed, ISO or focal length listed for the pictures in the book. Wonderful. And this is called a lessons in photography?

Yes the pictures are beautiful, but I checked the other Rick's books and author reuses 95% of those pictures in at least two more books. So what is the point of this book?

I would recommend to stay away from this book. It's useless.

Personally I love photography, I consider myself a reasonably competent amateur/family/Travel photographer and I understand my digital SLR's settings quite well.
However, I'm always learning and it's fantastic to understand the thought process that leads professional photographers to obtain striking images. As a regular global traveller with both my work and as a tourist, I was under the impression that Rick would provide me with a fresh and magic insight into travel photography that has been eluding me.

Unfortunately, instead of photographers key tips for travel photography, I received a dull, egotistical and very thinly spread pre-agreed-book-size-filing drivel, consisting of mostly useless travel tips along the lines of: "when travelling never drink the tap water"... what never Rick? Never ever? So Canada, USA, Europe, Australia, etc poor water? only in Ricks town is the water suitable it seems.
"Wear a hat" wow thanks Rick, my photo's are better now.
"Don't wear bright colours on safari", and on and on.

There are some average and above average photo's in here (none with any real useful descriptions), but then again you have probably taken some pretty good photos yourself in the past, and if you did it for a living you would have time to take a lot more.

There are so many good entry and mid level photography tip books on the market by authors/photographers who really know their stuff and can move your photography forward, this really isn't one of them.

Rick, people want a travel/nature photography book because they also travel or photograph nature and want photo tips, not because they are in awe of you as a "photographer" and want to hear your dull camp fire travel tales.

Rick Sammon, you might be the nicest guy on the planet for all I know, but I feel totally cheated, I have never read such a poor photo tip book and I want my money back, unfortunately I have the aching suspicion you have spent it already whilst collating information for another book of drivel.

I just recently read "The Digital Photography Book" by Scott Kelby and picked up this book by Sammon based on the recommendation from Kelby. However, I would not recommend this book even to the most basic beginner. Although the book does contain a few helpful hints you will have to sort through the authors stories all the locations he has been, where he is currently in the world while writing a particular segment, etc. If you are looking for a book with basic information and lots of pictures with captions of where it was taken and what equipment (not basic by any means) he used to compose the shot this book is for you.

I was surprised when the book was unwrapped that it was outdated and talked about using Elements 2. Throughout the CD's he kept reiterating as he did a procedure that if he was doing it for a client he would be more precise. His readers aren't worth precise? This was all done off the cuff with no outline or plan. He evidently feels he's good enough to be able to just "wing it." Really Mr. Sammon you aren't. Teaching and writing are arts that require planning, precision, and commitment. Three items I found lacking in this.

Rick Sammon hits all the facets of travel and nature photography in this book.

This book has two-fold learning opportunities: you can study his images and analyze what makes them so appealing; and you can learn a lot from reading the copy about how Rick set it up and/or how the image was improved with post-processing in Photoshop.

I highly recommend this book for everyone interested in photography, whether as a professional, an enthusiast, or whether you're just looking for ideas to improve your travel and nature snapshots.

I have known Rick quite a while and have seen his terrific travel photography from before he shot digital. But the best thing about Rick's work is that he is so open and willing to share how he got the shots. This book is a culmination of his digital work with travel images. He gives practical, real-world advice and how-to information that works, and I know it works, because it is all based on how he actually works in the field. This is a superb book of photography and how-to that elevates how-to photo books to new levels of excellence.

If you are interested in improving your photographic skills I strongly recommend that you purchase and read this book.

Travel and Nature Photography is geared to photographers of all levels. Rick's great photographic skills are complemented by his strong writing skills. The book is informative, prescriptive and just plain fun to read.

While figuratively traveling with Rick from location to location I was inspired by his images and his straight forward solutions to the challenges faced in capturing nature and travel photographs.

Rick organizes his book into three sections: 1) Jumpstart your photography, 2) On location and 3) Postcards from my favorite places... Rick provides a fun and informative photo journey, which includes:
* Lots of creative images with plenty of "how tos"
* Exploration of 10 photo topics visualized via great images
ooo From portraits to wildlife to cityscapes, etc
* 86 postcards on "where to go for great pictures"

Also check out Rick's book titled Rick Sammon's Complete Guide to Digital Photography.

I have to agree with the negative reviews of this book. I've read through the "Captive Animals" lesson, and I don't want to read any more: the lessons aren't particularly helpful. The lack of shooting info for the sample pictures is disappointing. The Photoshop tips seem pointless unless you already know a LOT about Photoshop: even then, Photoshopers probably wouldn't get much out of them. The advice mentioned in other reviews (wear a hat, protect your camera from the elements) seems silly in a book like this.

This book as well as others by the author are shrink wrapped in the bookstore: apparently it's to prevent potential buyers from previewing it and deciding to look elsewhere.

Travel with Rick and Learn
This book is just what the digital travel and nature photographer
asked for! It takes you through all the situations you'll encounter
while in the field. The chapter on wildlife has never-before-
published images of Rick's trip to Botswana. And the underwater
chapter is totally new, too - as is the Postscript, which features
totally new Panama pictures! Lots of other new pictures from Rick's
worldwide travels are included. Rick has three other books that
feature Photoshop and Elements enhancements, so he's kept Photoshop
stuff to a minimum - so the reader can focus on photography. If you
take outdoor pictures, this book is a "must have."

In addition to traveling with Rick as he takes his photographs you learn a whole bunch of photographic techniques applicable to many levels of photographic expertise. I particularly enjoyed his ability to tell a story while conveying imporant information.

Rick's style of writing is easy and comfortable. His ability to share knowledge is second to no onther photographic writer. I highly recommend this book for its content as well as its literary style.

A fun , fact filled adventure with Rick Sammon