Customer Reviews

A Diver's Guide to The Art of Underwater Photography, Creative Techniques and Camera Systems for Digital and Film

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

 

 

I recently had the chance to read this book. As with all the books by the Ferraris (of which I own several), this one is thoughtfully assembled, crammed with photos, and jammed with great tips. Of course, the images and the text are excellent, but there are other reasons to like it:

* I like how they explain what's good about the guest photographers' images. Rather than just say "Yes, another fascinating shot!" they take the time to explain it, so the rest of us, as we move along, can try to emulate.
* I like how they explain the rules of photography -- and then show they can be broken to great effect.
* I think comparing underwater photography to movie-making is a great idea. Everyone has seen movies they love and can recall some powerful scenes from them.

One small criticism: I disliked how the images broke up the text. I'd be reading along with the narrative, wholly immersed, and then I'd come up to a Guest Photographer shot. I never knew whether I should read the GP synopsis (and therefore forget what the teachings were) or skip ahead to finish the teachings and then flip back to the GP bits. Clearly, this was not a major pitfall by any stretch, but I would've liked to've seen all the GP shots between chapters, maybe -- so as to avoid this situation? Just a thought, and this is no reason not to read the book.

In total, the book is fantastically conceived and the images selected beautifully complement the teachings. It's a very dense book, though, and I know for my own part, it was somewhat intimidating to pick up and go through. In reality, it's dense mostly because it's thick with images -- not because it's thick with theory -- and is therefore far more accessible than you would believe by just looking at it. Though I'm going diving this weekend, it's merely a pleasure dive -- no camera -- but next time I do go diving with a camera, I'm going to go through the pages once more, to see how I can make my images pop. In the meantime, I plan to study the last topside shooting chapter so my general photos can be as amazing as theirs.

As I move my photography under water; I was seeking the knowledge of those who have gone before me. This book interested me because it is very recent with digital experience as well as film from the past. I am very pleased with the way this book has helped me up the learning curve and prepared me to shoot underwater images. Another point well made in the book is ETTL underwater. There are not too many people on the planet yet that are really doing this in my observation. The authors of this book have overcome the reluctance to believe in E or I TTL; just look at their images.

www.BrianHamptonPhotography.com

Its a terrific book, fantastic pictures. Liked that you could get helpful hints for point and shoot UW cameras, not just the expensive ones. Only thing I didn't care for was that the commentaries were not continued on the next page - you had to go 2 or 3 pages for them to continue.

Physical limitations now prevent me from diving, but I started young, very young! In fact, in the late 1940's by simply holding my breath and going as deep and as long as possible to see `nature' in areas along the east coast of North America and various areas in the Caribbean. And in the following decades when traveling to other global areas where the ocean was a short distance away, I always made time to explore the local depths. And even though I've never owned sophisticated diving equipment, or had the skill to photograph underwater creatures, those adventures brought much pleasure and an appreciation for the complexities in the underwater world. I've also been an aquarist for over 60 years, and have tried to duplicate nature in all my aquariums, whether they were freshwater or marine aquariums.

And in the past where certain world areas where not available to me, I depended upon the `icons' such as Jacques Cousteau and others to publish the results of their diving adventures so I could enjoy seeing the fruits of their underwater travels. Today is no different, and thank goodness there are people like Andrea & Antonella Ferrari! Their new book `The Art Of Underwater Photography' is a welcome addition to my library, and even though I cannot comment on its photography techniques and equipment, except to say it appears quite informative, I can say I'm impressed with their organization of the material and its artwork. Therefore, whether you're an armchair adventurer or diver, (even a past diver like myself), you'll enjoy slowly going through this massive 360 page book and viewing their and their co-contributors stunning contributions!
Bob Goemans

"This book serves beginners and advanced photographers well. The former will learn how to choose a system while the latter will find inspiration in thoughts on discipline and tenacity. All readers of this book will take something from the many images presented for your pleasure and education. If you are looking for f/stop and shutter speed you will not find it in this book. Instead, you will find ideas, concepts and discussion that will help you grow as a photographer".

Michel Gilbert & Danielle Alary
Underwater photography columnists, Diver Magazine (www.divermag.com)

This is truly an amazing book, featuring 360 richly illustrated color pages with hundreds of incredible full-page underwater images (most by the authors and several by the world's best underwater photographers, like Doug Perrine), plus informative, wonderfully accessible texts. Be aware this really isn't a technical, dry, boring guide in the strictest sense of the word like most of the others available on the market. It's rather more of a highly inspirational book which begs to be read and re-read again to find creative inspiration, to bring out the inner hidden artist. I loved the amazing photos and highly enjoyed the clever suggestions in the text - and I can already see how my own underwater photography has incredibly been enriched by this book. It's like having your own personal tutor! Go on and buy it - this is something you'll treasure for many years to come.

I can't agree with the other reviewers of this book. But, that's probably because I have been a professional photographer most of my life and many of the basic composition, close-up and other photo issues this book deals with were learned many years ago for me. The "art" of photography is learned through doing and talent development. Books can only do so much and this one's way to expensive for what's offered.

The photography is pretty good. The quality of the printing is not. I have seen much better reproduction and print quality in other photography and diving publications that cost a third of this book's price. Many of the images are dark and flat. And that's probably not the fault of the photographer or their original images. It's poor print quality.

The few pertinent points that are discussed about the underwater photography methods and processes are helpful. But, anyone who would spend good money on expensive DSLRs, housings and underwater strobes is probably going to be pretty careful about who else handles them and how.

For beginning photographers, and/or those new to diving who want something to help them get into this activity further, this may be a book for you. Experienced photographers/divers may not find this book a worthy choice, as I have discovered.

I expected this book to have concrete examples of techniques used to create underwater images. it did not, the book is very general and much of it is wasted with Zen and WW2 fighter pilot analogies that go on for pages.

even the parts of the book on camera systems are very general and not very helpful. if i were a beginner reading this book, i would still not have a clue as to which system to buy. and if i were an intermediate looking to upgrade from a point and shoot to a DSLR, I'd be even more confused.

what discussion there is on technique is very cursory and general. there are no specifics, like strobe positioning diagrams, examples of f-stop/shutter speed combinations, etc.

the book is full of images from guest photographers but it is the authors that interpret the image and how it was achieved, not the photographer explaining in detail how he got the shot.

some of the photography is sub-standard and the printing really sucks! especially for such an expensive book.

i was sorely disappointed with this book, it wasn't even really that inspiring.

if you are looking for a book to help with your technique, this is NOT the book for you. this book is more of a coffee table book (much of the photography is quite breathtaking) than a guide.

given the lack quality, it is way too overpriced!

This is a hefty and thoroughly illustrated tome, robustly bound and printed on high quality paper, which some beginners might find slightly intimidating at first (given that lofty "Art of" in its title, probably), but which in fact offers a wild, witty and exceptionally readable teaching course to...well, yes, to the "Art" of underwater photography. It's a wonderful and very personal step-by-step guide to one's inner artist which will instantly make a better photographer of all through its insightful texts and the absolutely mesmerizing works by several of the world's most influential underwater photographers. At the same time, it's a great, highly enjoyable, richly textured read which makes it stand out instantly from the true-and-tested crowd of bone-dry "how-to" technical guides, which are often as punctilious as they are completely uninspired (and uninspiring). But comparing the Ferraris' highly opinionated book to all the other, more technical manuals which abound on the market is quite naive and unfair - it's like apples and oranges. Light on tedious, oft-repeated technicalities and strong in uniquely practical, field-tested advice, this is a title which motivates and inspires via striking examples and clever comparisons - a book which shows you the basic rules and then teaches you to break them at will to obtain great, novel results in the process. One might call it the thinking diver's guide to underwater photography - it's aimed at those who have eyes (and a brain behind them!) and want to use them to create better images underwater. This comes after all from the authors who a few years ago conquered the coveted World Grand Prize in Antibes for their spectacular underwater photography work! Eye candy and food for thought in every page - I grant it five stars for being innovative, brilliant, well-written, splendidly illustrated and highly inspirational.