The Complete Idiot's Guide to Photography Like a Pro, Third Edition (Paperback)

by PHOTOgraphic Magazine (Author), Mike Stensvold (Author) "If you're reading this book, you probably have a camera..." (more)
Key Phrases: bath tongs, enlarger lamp, shutter button halfway, Hot Tip, The Least You Need, Ron Leach (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Say cheese!

Packed with everything readers need to know about setting up and taking great pictures, this indispensable guide is perfect for amateur photographers and full-fledged shutterbugs. In this updated and revised edition, readers will find new information on shooting and processing digitally, step-by-step advice for making money with photographs, expanded coverage of aperture settings and depth-of-field, and close to 50 new photographs.

• Includes more than 200 photos (many new to this edition) and illustrations and an 8- page color insert

From the Back Cover
You're no idiot, of course. You can snap a mean Polaroid on family vacations and capture memorable moments with a disposable. But when it comes to operating a camera with more than one button, you probably think your pictures are worth a lot less than a thousand words. Don't resign yourself to your Instamatic just yet! The Complete Idiot's Guide to Photography Like a Pro is where beginning and even experienced shutterbugs can learn to take dazzling professional-quality family shots, holiday snaps, and nature images, with even the most basic equipment. In this Complete Idiot's Guide, you get: --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Alpha; 3 edition (April 5, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592573568
• ISBN-13: 978-1592573561
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #972,535 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book!, June 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Complete Idiot's Guide to Photography Like a Pro (Paperback)

This book is amazing. It covers everything from using disposable cameras at wedding receptions to having fun with filters and lenses. The pictures help explain a lot of the ideas the author is presenting, too. It's not all a piece of cake, and the author doesn't assume you are an idiot. Luckily, he's an excellent teacher. Like he writes in the book, use what you find helpful, and skip whatever doesn't interest you or what is beyond what you're willing to learn. I have already been trying out some of his tips for animal and outdoor shots--the pix turned out great!--and can't wait to try more advanced tips.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Photography Like a Pro - brief synopsis, March 7, 2003

By	Sam Zaydel "http://www.worldonpaper.com" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Photography Like a Pro (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

This book is a more-or-less well written manual; however, I must admit that a lot of the information in this book is not very well presented, and often confusing (especially if this is a first time that you are encountering the subject). More detail should have been given to differences in aparture settings, and examples were lacking. Depth-of-Field was poorly explained, and while this book starts out with something as simple as a single-use camera, about 50% into it, explanations are assuming that you are very familiar with the concepts before reading this book. I must say that if I were a true beginner, I would not benefit from this book very much at all. I am not sure if there ever will be a book that will have a smooth transition from basics to advanced techniques, and will include many examples, but this book fails completely.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Informative Book, August 4, 2004

By	J. Doll (United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Photography Like a Pro (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

I got this book as a gift for Christmas. I think this book has all you need to know about film and the type of camera you might want to buy. It also helps you understand lighting, film, and creative things to do with photography! It also gives you things to watch out for so you don't make a mistake. I constently go back to it for ideas and I'm finding more helpful things everytime I open it. I think it's an excellent book for beginner photographers.