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Books

To see all the books and videos that we've reviewed to date, organized by category go to All Book Reviews.

 

Take Great Pictures: A Simple Guide 
by Lou, Jr. Jacobs 
Paperback: 112 pages 
ISBN: 1584281022

Targeted towards the novice photographer and sized to slip into the back pocket of a decent sized camera bag, Lou Jacobs presents a book that is visually appealing and broken down into well illustrated snippets. The text is clear and concise without overwhelming the reader with jargon.

If you're just getting started this is a great book to start with, especially if you have an interest in travel photography.

 

Basic Studio Lighting: The Photographer's 
Complete Guide to Professional Techniques
by Tony L. Corbell
Paperback: 144pp.
ISBN: 0817435506

The difference between outdoor photographers and studio photographers is that outdoor photographers talk a lot about working with available light. Studio photographers have complete control over lighting. While this sounds like it would make your life easier, there is a tremendous amount of technique that goes into working with light in the studio.

Where many studio lighting books simply show a series of light placements that the photographer discusses in vague terms, Tony Corbell lays out a comprehensive overview of studio lighting, including discussions of film, metering, light placement, diffusion, shadows, and texture. There’s even a section on controlling color and color contrast.

Basic Studio Lighting is a great learning tool, but it’s not the kind of book you'll just read and absorb. It's the kind of book you take in the studio and use to experiment and play with ideas. If you're just entering the studio, or if you feel like your lighting setups are controlling you more than you're controlling them, than this book will make a great reference. And for you outdoor guys, take a look through here and you'll realize how good you've got it!

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