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| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review: ( 697 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
639 of 647 found the following review helpful:
 Outstanding Information for Photographers Oct 26, 2004
By T. Cochran
"tlc2j"
If you are trying to learn more about how to properly use exposure (i.e. aperture, shutter speed, and ISO) this is a fantastic book to begin with. It informs for the film and digital photographer. I have been taking photos for many years, but it has only been over the past couple of years that I became more of a professional. Despite this, I still struggled to understand some of the concepts such as the difference between a good exposure and a "creatively correct exposure" and what options I had.
You learn how to expose for front-lit, back-lit, side-lit scenes, overcast skys, macro photography, motion, stationery objects, how to expose for bright scenes such as snow (grey card & 18% grey) and dark scenes such as night photography...you name it. Then Bryan Peterson tops it off with a sections on metering, special techniques and filters, and an analysis of film vs digital cameras.
Understanding Exposure not only explained the basics in a conversational manner, but is also informed me of how the pros work and how to step up my photography to a higher level.
This book has hands-on exercises that anyone can go through so that the reader has experience of all of the methods explained. Along with this, the book is FULL of color photos that show exactly what the end result could be. Where applicable, there are comparisons of before and after exposure adjustments so the reader may understand WHY they should make such changes.
Where there is a difference between adjustments for digital versus film cameras, Bryan Peterson gives you the specifics of the difference and haw to adjust for it.
It is a book every photographer should have!
698 of 710 found the following review helpful:
A fantastic learning tool! Sep 17, 2004
By Chad Myers
A friend loaned me the older version of this book, and I was amazed at how much help it provided. Even though the old book was based around film cameras, the fundamentals that were taught and the example pictures were very, very helpful. This book is an almost complete update, with most sections rewritten, several new subsections added with specific information for digital users, and has a slew of new example photographs.
This book is even better than the old edition, and expands on some of the topics that were only briefly touched on in the first book. One in particular that sticks out in my mind is that he explains the "don't care" apertures of F8 and F11 that he uses often. The old book mentioned it in passing, but I don't recall an explanation on why those apertures were useful. There is a short section on just that in this book and suggestions on when to use them.
Full color photos are used throughout the book, and are a great help in understanding the concepts that he talks about. Each picture has a caption with the information used to take the exposure. He shows you the same picture with different settings so you can see the effects the settings have on the exposure.
I find the book pleasant and easy to read. The tone and writing are very agreeable and easy to follow. While some aspects are technical, they are written in a manner that makes them easily understandable.
This is all about how to capture the image, not processing of the image after it is captured. There is brief mention of pushing or pulling film and the effects it can create, but in general, this is about how to get take a proper picture. If you are looking for a book on how to process the picture after you have taken it, this is not the book for you.
I can not recommend this book enough if you are interested in photography. I don't know how useful it would be for professionals, but for the person just starting out or serious amateur, I can't see how you could go wrong with this. While all of the information can be applied to SLR cameras (film or digital), the majority of it can be applied to the point and shoot cameras of either variety as well.
65 of 69 found the following review helpful:
A Wonderful Exposure Primer for Creative Photographers Nov 30, 2005
By Jeff Wignall
"The Joy of Digital Photography"
This is a book that every serious photographer should own--both for information and inspiration. I've had a copy of the original version of this book (1990) in my office since it was first published and it's worn to a frazzle. That's why I'm so thrilled that it has not only stayed in print this long, but also that Peterson has updated it.
The first thing you'll notice when you read through this book is that Bryan Peterson is not just good at explaining the intricacies of good exposure in almost every conceivable situation (landscapes, close ups, portraits), but he is a world-class photographer. It's one thing to talk about manipulating depth of field or subject motion in theoretical terms, it's quite another to see the concepts demonstrated in masterful, creative and fun photographs. Bryan's photographs are fun, surprising and supremely well done. And the photos are so well chosen and so well done that even if the book was written in a language I didn't understand, I would get the points being made. His editors should be proud of that too. I also a professional photographer and author of many photo books including The NEW Joy of Digital Photography and I often look to Bryan's fine photos for their inspiration.
Getting good exposure is at the heart of making a good photograph. And you would think that with the auto-exposure systems built into both film and digital cameras that getting a good exposure would be a piece of cake. But as Peterson points out (and illustrates so nicely) there is a world of difference between getting a "good" exposure and getting the ideal "creative" exposure. Getting the ideal creative exposure requires careful consideration of how that exposure will affect things like depth of field, freezing or exaggerating motion, the color and quality of light and how your subject is presented.
This book is not just about exposure, of course, but is a great source of information on various types of lighting, close-up photography, portraits, night photography, using a tripod and, most importantly, seeing creatively.
I can't imagine making a serious study of photography and not having this book (and Peterson's classic book on "Seeing Creatively") nearby. Peterson is a gifted, funny and immensely talented teacher and photographer--more than willing to share all of his knowledge. As the author of many how-to books on photography myself, I have used Peterson's books as a constant source of information and ideas and I check my own facts against his regularly--I couldn't pay him a much higher compliment. As a photographer, I find myself looking at his pictures with great admiration and envy. His photographs are great. And by the way, "No!" I don't even know Bryan--except through his great books.
Of course, with all of those kind words said (and I meant them), you might also want to look at my book on exposure Exposure Photo Workshop: Develop Your Digital Photography Talent--I think they make good companion pieces. The book has now been translated to Polish, Spanish and Chinese and is available as a Kindle download Exposure Photo Workshop: Develop Your Digital Photography Talent Please also see my latest book Jeff Wignall's Digital Photography Crash Course: 2 Minute Tips for Better Photos.
Jeff Wignall
Author, The Joy of Digital Photography
[...]
29 of 29 found the following review helpful:
4.5 Stars Actually Apr 17, 2006
By Shinseng
Ever want to take your fancy camera off of Auto mode and explore those other mysterious settings: M, A, S? Ever struggle with understanding how to achieve a proper exposure? Then this is the book for you! Clear, concise and filled with gorgeous photographs by the author, this is the book on exposure I wish I'd had when I first began taking pictures a couple decades ago. Peterson jumps right in teaching the reader about what he terms the "photographic triangle" - how shutter speed, aperture and ISO (film speed) relate to one another and how they can best be used to not only make a correct exposure, but a "creatively" correct exposure. So why would I give this awesome book only 4.5 stars instead of 5? Because while Peterson hammers home the concept of the photographic triangle, the sample photographs contain information about aperture and shutter speed but no mention of what ISO he used. Considering how these settings directly effect one another it was a little disappointing to not have that information made available. Hopefully he will include this information in future editions. Still, don't let that minor quibble steer you away from this highly recommended book.
One minor point worth mentioning: to get the most from this book you MUST have a SLR (single lens reflex) camera - digital or film. Today's popular point and shoot cameras have lenses that make selective depth of field nearly impossible (Peterson has a two page explanation as to why this is). While you can still get great pictures from a point and shoot, your creative options are severly limited if you want to, for example, isolate a subject against a blurry background. As the majority of this book is on not only proper exposure but using it creatively, I think quite a bit of information would be useless to those without an SLR camera.
265 of 305 found the following review helpful:
 Overrated, but decent Mar 08, 2006
By Mark Cukier
"http://www.almostchef.com"
OK, I'm going to have to give this a 3 just so my rating will stand out from all the 5's out there. I was let-down quite a bit by this book. I am a fairly-beginner photographer, perhaps maybe lower-intermediate. And, in all honesty, most everything in this book was kind of "blah" information. My biggest gripe is the following: the book is called "Understanding Exposre"... however, it should be called "Pointers for Exposure". Because, the best pieces of information that the author gives are not really explained (and, hence, they're not to be "understood" by the reader, but to be taken as gospel) but rather they're followed by statements such as "I learned this from my many years of photography, and trust me this works"! And that's a big problem for me-- not because I don't appreciate a great tip about exposure, but more because I was expecting to learn some valuable basics that would arm ME with the tools necessary to deduce, for a given lighting situation, how to best meter the light and determine the exposure. Instead, I've been given a laundry list of things to memorize for a given situation. Which, I guess, is great in the end-- and which is why my "REAL" rating for the book is a 4-- but just be forewarned that you will not really walk away from this book with a great UNDERSTANDING, though you may walk away with some good tips. Just my 2c.
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The
Importance Of Lighting In Interior Design
by Jessica Ackerman
Everyone knows how important
paint color, furniture choices and artwork are to
interior design. One aspect of design that is often
overlooked, however, is lighting. Lighting not only
affects the brightness of the room, but it can also
change the way a paint color looks, cast shadows in ways
that make the room seem smaller and have an impact on
the presentation of art work.
There is no light like
natural light. If you are buying, building or
remodeling, opt for as much natural light as possible.
Oversized windows and skylights are two ways to get the
most natural light. Of course, not everyone is in the
position to be able to do that, so you'll have to work
with what you have.
How much natural light do
you get in your room? If the room in question faces
north, you won't get as much natural sunlight as you
would in a southern facing room. Rooms that face south
get bright, natural light throughout the day. Rooms that
face east will only have good natural light in the
morning hours and western facing rooms will have the
most light during the afternoon.
Once you are familiar
with how much natural light is in each room, you'll be
able to make informed choices about what additional
lighting may be necessary. Keep in mind that rooms with
little or no natural light will need artificial lighting
- even during the day - in order to look their best.
Here are some types of lighting to consider.
1. Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is
perfect when you want to showcase a piece of art or a
special piece of furniture or other item. Since light
draws the eye, it will bring attention to the features
in your room that you wish to highlight.
2. Hanging Light Features
Chandeliers and smaller
hanging lamps can be beautiful as well as functional. A
trip to the local home improvement store will quickly
show you how overwhelming the choices can be. You'll
want to select lighting that blends in with your
existing dÃÂécor. For example, a crystal chandelier in a
country themed dining room probably isn't the best
option. If you don't choose carefully, your lighting may
stick out like a sore thumb and become more of an
eyesore than a lovely accent.
3. Recessed Lighting
Recessed lighting is a
good choice for a room that needs extra light throughout
the day. Because the lighting won't interfere with the
existing decor, it can work in almost any room. It
provides abundant light without taking up a lot of space
or interfering with other aspects of the room.
4. Lamps
Using lamps are a way to
add not only additional lighting, but also punches of
color. If possible, see how much light the lamp gives
off before leaving the store. Many lamps serve as
decoration more than as a light source and give off very
little light. If you love the lamp, but it doesn't give
off quite enough light, consider changing the shade
which will usually solve the problem.
When decorating your
home, remember how important lighting is, and give it
the same thought and attention you give to the other
details of decorating your home.
About the Author
Jessica Ackerman is the
featured author at Wall DÃÂécor and Home Accents. Shop today
for great deals on
metal wall sculpture ,
home
accents and more unique wall dÃÂécor products.
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