Wow! eBook – Blog

Book Description

There are two types of new photographers: those satisfied with their low-cost point-and-shoot cameras, and those more enthusiastic photographers who recognize the limitations of low-cost equipment and want to improve their pictures. No longer satisfied with simple snapshots, the enthusiast moves up to a more complex digital camera-one with interchangeable lenses and manual controls-to satisfy their artistic urge.

Assuming little to no knowledge of photographic terms, techniques, or technology, Beyond Point-And-Shoot is intended to help smooth the transition from photographic newbie to “real” photographer who is experienced, in-control, and passionate about their craft. Author Darrell Young explores various types of interchangeable-lens cameras, focusing on those with larger imaging sensors, such as digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras.

Learn how to get the most out of your camera’s automatic and semi-automatic exposure modes, as well as how to move beyond those modes and take full, manual control of your camera. Watch your photography improve as you discover how to apply important photographic principles, such as depth of field, white balance, and metering. With this newfound knowledge you’ll move beyond point-and-shoot and begin taking truly great photographs.

Other topics include:

• Camera types Download Now »

Book Description

GIMP for Absolute Beginners gives us an easy way to use the power of GIMP, and enjoy digital photography and graphics without worrying about application features.

GIMP is a powerful open source graphics and digital imaging application with almost all the features of its proprietary counterpart, Photoshop. But many of us are photographers and artists first, and we like to use our tools without having to think about them too much. GIMP for Absolute Beginners gets us to this stage without patronising users who haven’t used GIMP before.

But what can we actually do with photos and graphical images? These questions are answered in a photo projects chapter as well as a chapter on digital painting: Starting with making small changes to photos and adding information to them to creating paintings and drawings without photographic input.

What you’ll learn

• Learn how to install GIMP and navigate its interface
• Improve image quality with GIMP
• Increase your design prowess
• Have fun with digital painting projects

Who this book is for
Hobbyists, occasional designers, enthusiastic photographers Download Now »

Book Description

Mastering the Fuji X100 provides the ambitious photographer with everything they need to know to operate this camera that has become an instant classic. Readers will learn about the features and capabilities of the X100 and will discover numerous tips and tricks for how to maximize its potential. Learn how to influence dynamic range, how to optimize focus, which film simulation is best, and much more.

The Fuji X100 is a premium digital viewfinder camera that combines compact size with sophisticated technical features and uncompromising optical quality. This unique camera already enjoys cult status and is used by many photographers as the ideal travel and snapshot camera. Nonetheless, the X100 is much more than an automatic snapshot camera—it is a sophisticated photographic tool.

In a layout suitable to the camera’s attractive design, this manual presents convincing imagery that attests to the fun you will have as you begin to push the envelope of your Fuji X100.

About the Author
Michael Diechtierow is a photographer by passion and a biologist by training, having recently earned his PhD in this field. As a photographer, he is equally interested in traditional photography and cutting edge experimental techniques.

Working with the Fuji X100 got Michael so excited that he spontaneously decided to sit down and collect his insights and experience for this book. Download Now »

Book Description

Take control of your digital photography and learn the skills and techniques required to record once-in-a-lifetime events–weddings. This beautifully illustrated guide by pro photographer Suzy Clement will help you conquer the fundamentals and take authentic and memorable shots that capture the essence of the day.

Clement starts with the basics–exposure, metering, composition, lighting, depth of field, and motion blur and panning–and covers the key camera features that affect your image. She provides expert advice and techniques for each stage of the day, breaking down the demands into manageable portions, with advice on moments to watch for, must-have shots, and how to bring your own unique artistic expression to the event.

Follow along with this friendly and knowledgeable guide and you will:

• Understand how to create a schedule for the day’s photography, prepare for the shoot, and effectively scout the site before the wedding
• Learn tips for packing your bag, lens choices, lighting options, and working in black and white or color
• Find the story of the wedding day as it unfolds–getting dressed, the ceremony, bride and groom and group portraits, the reception, wedding details, guests, departure–and use your limited time effectively
• Master the techniques for organizing and presenting your images Download Now »

Book Description

In Wildlife Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots, author and wildlife photographer Laurie Excell shows you how to get the best shots of birds, bears, and bugs–whether you’re on safari, on vacation, or on a nature walk around your own backyard.

Starting with the basics of equipment, camera settings, and exposure, Laurie covers the fundamentals of lighting and composition in capturing (in-camera!) a menagerie’s worth of animals, with a particular focus on mammals and birds. The book is packed with details on what seasons are best for photographing different animals, tips on the best locations to photograph them, and techniques for how to approach even the wiliest subjects.

Beautifully illustrated with large, vibrant photos, this book teaches you how to take control of your photography to get the wildlife photo you want every time you pick up the camera.

Follow along with your friendly and knowledgeable guide, photographer and author Laurie Excell, and you will:

• Use your camera’s settings to gain full control over the look and feel of your images
• Master the photographic basics of composition, focus, depth of field, and much more
• Get tips on research, including field ethics and the best locations for photographing your subjects
• Learn key techniques for photographing various animals, such as how to approach your subject without disturbing it and how to interpret behavior so that you can anticipate action Download Now »

Book Description

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, YOU’LL LEARN ALL THREE ASPECTS OF WHAT IT TAKES TO CREATE STUNNING PORTRAITS
(HINT: IT’S NOT JUST THE LIGHTING)

Scott Kelby, the world’s #1 best-selling author of photography books, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Photoshop User magazine, and Publisher of the just-released Light It magazine, has reinvented how lighting books are written by finally revealing the entire process from start to finish. You see everything from the complete lighting setup (and all the gear used), to the shoot (including all the camera settings and a contact sheet of the progression of the shoot), to the all-important part that most books don’t dare include–the post-processing and retouching in Photoshop. This book also breaks new ground in the visual way it teaches you the lighting setup. There aren’t any sketches or 3D models–you see the lighting layout in a full-page photo, taken from above during the live shoot, so you can see exactly where everything’s positioned (the subject, the photographer, the lighting, the background–you name it–you see it all). Plus, you’ll see side, over-the-shoulder, and more behind-the-scenes views, so you can absolutely nail the lighting every time.

LEARN THE LIGHTING SETUPS THE PROS USE
Each year, Scott trains thousands of professional photographers during his Light It. Shoot It. Retouch It. LIVE! seminar tour and now, for the first time ever, he’s taken that incredibly popular style of learning and put in into book form. Now everyone can have a real-world reference for getting the same looks today’s clients are clamoring for. Download Now »