Understanding Exposure, 3rd Edition: How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera [Paperback]

Bryan Peterson (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 10, 2010

With more than 350,000 copies sold, Understanding Exposure has demystified the complex concepts of exposure for countless photographers. Now updated with current technologies, more than one hundred new images, and an all-new chapter, this new edition will inspire you more than ever to free yourself from “auto” and create the pictures you truly want.

In his trademark easy-to-understand style, author Bryan Peterson explains the relationship between aperture and shutter speed, including how to achieve successful exposures in seemingly difficult situations. You’ll learn:

• Which aperture gives you the greatest contrast and sharpness, and when to use it 
• Which apertures guarantee the background remains an out-of-focus tone 
• Which one aperture—when combined with the right lens—creates an area of sharpness from three feet to infinity 
• How to creatively use shutter speed to either freeze an action or imply motion 
• Where to take a meter reading when shooting a sunset, snow, or a city at dusk

With new information on white balance, flash, HDR, and more, this updated classic will inspire you to stop guessing and take control of your settings for better photos anytime, anywhere, and with any camera.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

BRYAN PETERSON is a professional photographer, internationally known instructor, and the bestselling author of Understanding Shutter Speed, Understanding Close-Up Photography, Bryan Peterson’s Understanding Photography Field Guide, Learning to See Creatively, Understanding Digital Photography, and Beyond Portraiture. In addition, he is the founder of the online photography school The Perfect Picture School of Photography (www.ppsop.com). He lives in Chicago.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Amphoto Books; 3 edition (August 10, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0817439390
• ISBN-13: 978-0817439392
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.4 x 11 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (406 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #913 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Equipment, Techniques & Reference > Reference
  • #1 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Equipment, Techniques & Reference > Equipment

More About the Author

Bryan Peterson is a professional photographer, internationally known instructor, and founder of www.PPSOP.com, The Perfect PIcture School of Photography. He is also the best-selling author of Understanding Exposure, Learning to See Creatively,Understanding Shutter Speed, Understanding Close-Up Photography, Understanding Digital Photography, Beyond Portraiture, and, most recently, Bryan Peterson's Understanding Photography Field Guide. His easy-to-understand writing and teaching style breaks down the complex and often confusing aspects of photography, translating them into what his students routinely describe as "aha" moments. In addition, he has been a commercial photographer for over 30 years, shooting annual reports for many Fortune 500 companies, and his trademark use of color and strong, graphic composition have garnered him many photographic awards, including the New York Art Director's Gold Award and honors from Communication Arts and Print magazine. He currently splits his time between Chicago and France.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

215 of 220 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Brings the subject of exposure to light. August 11, 2010

By M. A. Filippelli VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Understanding exposure third edition. Although it could be called understanding your camera

This is a fairly complete overhaul of the second edition. It covers all of the things covered in the second edition and additionally Author Bryan Peterson covers HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography.

One of the sections I enjoyed the most is Peterson's photographic triangle. aperture, shutter speed and iso. All three are of equal importance in the photo tough I sometimes forget about the effects of different iso's so this section brought that to life for me. Some of the other subjects that were interesting to me was his explanation of white balance and how it's over rated "It's my opinion that, next to the histogram, the white balance is one of the most overrated controls on the digital camera". Another section I liked was one entitled "The sky brothers" Here Peterson talks about difficult light and contracts situations that meters have difficulty with. Peterson moves the light meeter to one area or another to get a reading that's not so effected by bad light or contrast including the always difficult photos of snow.

Peterson also covers in detail all of the camera settings and discussed the advantages of one setting over another, aperture priority versus shutter priority etc. One of the things he covers in detail is the usage of automatic settings and how they can hinder photographic creativity. Including Exposure Peterson covers all aspects of photography, lighting, DOF, sports settings, portrait settings, landscape, night and low light photography. Paterson does a great job of describing who each of the settings work together and effect each other.

Peterson really encourages the reader to think outside of the box (or view finder) to understand and use all of the creative features of the camera and your imagination.

The book is a good mix of photos and descriptive writing that gives the reader the camera setting information but the thought process in deciding what settings to use.

Peterson's writing style while describing the subject matter and the settings used on the camera really bring the reader into the idea behind the photo.

The appeal of this book is really for the novice to intermediate photographer. I can't think of any one subject about photography that Peterson doesn't present and explanation about.

Beautiful photography, nice writing style, detailed but concise explanations makes this one a keeper. If you like the second edition you'll find the third edition invaluable.

135 of 141 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars BEST photography book I've EVER read!!! October 13, 2010

By HorseAteMyMoney

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This third edition of "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson is brilliant! In the first 30 pages, I've gotten more information on how to use my camera settings to take creative photographs than the dozens of books I've read, or all the courses and seminars I've taken. And all for less than $20!

Some reviews have suggested that this book is only for the very basic beginner. I beg to differ. I have been counseled by and shadowed many professionals who've been in the industry a number of years, (never mind all the money spent on books, videos, seminars, clinics and courses). After spending any time with the pros, I was always certain that the only way to get the best photos was to get a bigger bank account to be able to purchase the best, most up-to-date gadgets, special lights, expensive strobes (in multiples), and super expensive/fancy lenses. Oh... let's not forget the assistants that you'll also have to hire to hold some of the gadgets. And yet, most of their photos looked so homogenized and truly a product of all the photographic "stuff" rather than the camera. I kept thinking that maybe I was just not getting it. I was almost convinced that obviously, all the creative photos are just good quality, basic photos which have been processed, and re-processed in one or more editing software programs such as Photoshop (another one of the "must have" gadgets). NO!! Bryan Peterson explains how to really use the camera to get that creative shot. After all, capturing a photo, is really nothing more than capturing and manipulating light. He makes it simple enough for the beginner to understand, and yet, without being condescending, can teach (or remind) the pros of the all-too-frequently overlooked simplicity of how to use only the camera, considering ISO, aperture and shutter speed to work in harmony to get a 'one of a kind' photo.

One of the statements I have heard all too often from professional photographers is that the on-camera flash is useless. Interestingly, I have found it to be a godsend in many photographic situations, and then get accalades from the same professionals about the quality of the lighting. Hmmm... Anyway, Bryan Peterson shares information on what I've already discovered; the on-camera flash is another great tool that already comes with your camera.

I will, in all fairness, confess that I have a DSLR, so I can't deny or confirm the book's subtitle of "how to shoot great photographs with any camera" and how it relates to the 'point and shoot' cameras.

85 of 95 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Book is for begining photography, not intermediate or professional August 24, 2010

By kceezie

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book was awesome...I believe the author took the criticism of his other books and updated the book based on them...When researching to buy this book I looked at the reviews of the other editions and some of the comments were "I wish he would put what type of lens he uses or exposure he used in the photos." Well, he does that in this edition. Another person said that they wished he would put photos to show what he means and he puts two photos (sometimes 3) of first the auto or what beginning photographers would do and then show an example of the same picture with the exposure changed based on what he is trying to teach you (did that make any sense?!?). How about a before and after type of photos (maybe that makes more sense). His style of writing is not textbook style. I think he tries to make it fun and entertaining and that sometimes makes people think he is condescending to the reader, but I don't think that is his intention and I enjoy that sense I'm definitely not trying to read textbook style reading (I did enough of that in college).
I say this is for beginning photographers and not for intermediate or professional because I believe he is very brief and dumbs down what he is trying to teach to relate to those of us who know absolutely nothing about cameras or the intricate of how cameras work. He will use things like "The Sky Brothers" or "Mr. Green Jeans," which will feel like kid stuff for a pro or semi-pro person, but for me the beginner a welcomed help. After reading this book I feel like I can go out and take photos on manual and not be intimidated about getting the wrong exposure.

I included the link to his previous edition because that has more reviews than this edition (as of this review) and I believe the author revised a lot of the gripe the "One Star people" are talking about. Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition)