The Digital Photography Book: Part 1, Second Edition

The Digital Photography Book: Part 1, Second Edition

by Scott Kelby
Released May 2013
Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
ISBN: 9780133443455

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Book description

This is it—the #1 best-selling digital photography book ever! It’s the award winning, worldwide smash hit, written by Scott Kelby, that’s been translated into dozens of different languages, because it’s the one book that really shows you how to take professional-quality shots using the same tricks today’s top digital pros use (and surprisingly, it’s easier than you’d think).

This updated, second edition of the bestselling digital photography book of all time includes many new images; up-to-date information on gear, pricing, and links; and a new chapter from the author on the "Ten Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I Was First Starting Out in Photography."

Here’s how Scott describes this book’s brilliant premise: “If you and I were out on a shoot, and you asked me, ‘Hey, how do I get this flower to be in focus, with the background out of focus?,’ I wouldn’t stand there and give you a photography lecture. In real life, I’d just say, ‘Put on your zoom lens, set your f-stop to f/2.8, focus on the flower, and fire away.’ That’s what this book is all about: you and I out shooting where I answer questions, give you advice, and share the secrets I’ve learned just like I would with a friend—without all the technical explanations and techie photo speak.”

This isn’t a book of theory—full of confusing jargon and detailed concepts. This is a book on which button to push, which setting to use, and when to use it. With over 200 of the most closely guarded photographic “tricks of the trade,” this book gets you shooting dramatically better-looking, sharper, more colorful, more professional-looking photos every time.

Each page covers a single concept that makes your photography better. Every time you turn the page, you’ll learn another pro setting, tool, or trick to transform your work from snapshots into gallery prints. If you’re tired of taking shots that look “okay,” and if you’re tired of looking in photography magazines and thinking, “Why don’t my shots look like that?” then this is the book for you.

Table of contents

  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Dedication Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Other Books by Scott Kelby
  6. About the Author
  7. Contents
  8. Chapter One. Pro Tips for Getting Really Sharp Photos
    1. The Real Secret to Getting Sharp Photos
    2. The Other Most Important Secret
    3. Perhaps Even More Important Than That!
    4. If You Skip This, Throw Away Your Camera
    5. If You Do This Wrong, It Will Lock Up
    6. It’s Time to Get Serious
    7. Getting “Tack Sharp” Starts with a Tripod
    8. A Ballhead Will Make Your Life Easier
    9. Don’t Press the Shutter (Use a Cable Release)
    10. Forgot Your Cable Release? Use a Self Timer
    11. Getting Super Sharp: Mirror Lock-Up
    12. Turn Off Vibration Reduction (or IS)
    13. Shoot at Your Lens’ Sharpest Aperture
    14. Good Glass Makes a Big Difference
    15. Avoid Increasing Your ISO on a Tripod
    16. Zoom In to Check Sharpness
    17. Sharpening After the Fact in Photoshop
    18. Did You Resize That for the Web? Then Resharpen!
    19. Hand-Held Sharpness Trick
    20. Getting Steadier Hand-Held Shots
  9. Chapter Two. Shooting Flowers Like a Pro
    1. Don’t Shoot Down on Flowers
    2. Shooting Flowers with a Zoom Lens
    3. Use a Macro Lens to Get Really Close
    4. Can’t Afford a Macro? How ’bout a Close-Up?
    5. When to Shoot Flowers
    6. Don’t Wait for Rain—Fake it!
    7. Flowers on a Black Background
    8. Flowers on a White Background
    9. The Perfect Light for Indoor Flower Shots
    10. Where to Get Great Flowers to Shoot
    11. Stopping the Wind
    12. Consider Just Showing One Part
  10. Chapter Three. Shooting Weddings Like a Pro
    1. Tricks for Low-Light Shooting in a Church, Part 1
    2. Tricks for Low-Light Shooting in a Church, Part 2
    3. Do You Really Need the f/1.4 Lens?
    4. Getting Soft, Diffused Light with Flash, Part 1
    5. Getting Soft, Diffused Light with Flash, Part 2
    6. Use Your Flash at Outdoor Weddings
    7. Finding That Perfect Bridal Light
    8. Don’t Spend Too Much Time On the Formals
    9. Formals: Who to Shoot First
    10. Formals: Build Off the Bride and Groom
    11. How to Pose the Bride with Other People
    12. The Trick to Keeping Them from Blinking
    13. Formals: Where to Aim
    14. Formals: How High to Position Your Camera
    15. Formals: Don’t Cut Off Joints
    16. Formals: The Trick to Great Backgrounds
    17. Reception Photos: Making Them Dance
    18. Your Main Job: Follow the Bride
    19. Shooting the Details (& Which Ones to Shoot)
    20. Change Your Vantage Point to Add Interest
    21. What to Shoot with a Wide-Angle Lens
    22. Keep Backup Memory Cards on You
    23. Back Up Your Photos Onsite
    24. If Shooting JPEGs, Use a Preset White Balance
  11. Chapter Four. Shooting Landscapes Like a Pro
    1. The Golden Rule of Landscape Photography
    2. Become Married to Your Tripod
    3. Shoot in Aperture Priority Mode
    4. Composing Great Landscapes
    5. The Trick to Shooting Waterfalls
    6. A Tip for Shooting Forests
    7. Where to Put the Horizon Line
    8. Getting More Interesting Mountain Shots
    9. The Trick for Warmer Sunrises and Sunsets
    10. Turn on “The Blinkies” to Keep More Detail
    11. How to Deal with the Dreaded Blinkies
    12. How to Show Size
    13. Don’t Set Up Your Tripod. Not Yet
    14. The Trick to Getting Richer Colors
    15. What to Shoot in Bad Weather
    16. Atmosphere Is Your Friend
    17. Getting Rid of Lens Flare—The Manual Way
    18. The Landscape Photographer’s Secret Weapon
    19. Keeping Your Horizons Straight
    20. Shooting on Cloudy Days
    21. Tips for Shooting Panoramas, Part 1
    22. Tips for Shooting Panoramas, Part 2
    23. Tips for Shooting Panoramas, Part 3
    24. Faking Panoramas
    25. Why You Need a Wide-Angle Lens
    26. Want to Take Things Up a Notch? Shoot Low
  12. Chapter Five. Shooting Sports Like a Pro
    1. Pro Sports Shooting Is Dang Expensive
    2. Which Lenses to Use
    3. This Lens Rocks for the Money
    4. Stability for Shooting Sports
    5. Don’t Plan on Changing Lenses
    6. Set Your White Balance for Indoor Sports
    7. Shoot at a 1/1000 Sec. Shutter Speed or Faster
    8. Shooting at Night or Indoors? Raise Your ISO!
    9. Getting Burned by Indoor Lighting
    10. Shoot Wide Open
    11. Shooting in Burst Mode
    12. RAW or JPEG for Sports Shooters?
    13. Pan to Show Motion
    14. Pre-Focus to Get the Shot
    15. Shoot Vertically for More Impact
    16. Don’t Be Afraid to Crop Your Photos
    17. You Need Two Eyes and a Ball
    18. Don’t Always Focus on the Winner
    19. Composing for Sports
    20. The Pros Know the Game
  13. Chapter Six. Shooting People Like a Pro
    1. The Best Lens for Portrait Photography
    2. Which Aperture to Use
    3. Using Seamless Backgrounds
    4. Using Canvas or Muslin Backgrounds
    5. The Right Background Outdoors
    6. Where to Focus
    7. Where to Position Your Camera
    8. Positioning Your Subject in the Frame
    9. Tip for Framing Portraits
    10. Getting Great Light Outdoors
    11. Getting Great Light Indoors
    12. Taking Great Photos of Newborn Babies
    13. Great Sunset Portraits
    14. Better Natural-Light Portraits with a Reflector
    15. Aiming Your Reflector
    16. Use a Reflector When the Lighting Is Flat
  14. Chapter Seven. Avoiding Problems Like a Pro
    1. Pro Tips to Avoid White Balance Problems
    2. Cold Weather Shooting Means Extra Batteries
    3. Don’t Change Lenses in Dusty Weather
    4. Apply for Permits to Shoot with Your Tripod
    5. Be Careful What You Shoot
    6. A Tip for Shooting on an Incline
    7. The Other Reason Pros Use a Lens Hood
    8. Keeping Your Lens Out of Trouble
    9. Limit Your LCD Time to Save Battery Life
    10. Bracket If You’re Not Sure About Exposure
    11. Avoid Red Eye
    12. Remove Red Eye
  15. Chapter Eight. Taking Advantage of Digital Like a Pro
    1. Level the Playing Field: Press That Button
    2. The LCD Monitor “Gotcha!”
    3. Edit as You Shoot to Get More Keepers
    4. Take Advantage of the Blinkies
    5. The Viewfinder “Border Patrol” Trap
    6. No Penalty Fee for Experimenting
    7. Don’t Cram Too Much on One Card
    8. Take Advantage of Poster-Sized Printing
    9. You’re Probably Going to Lose Your Lens Hood
    10. Is It Better to Underexpose or Overexpose?
    11. Keep from Accidentally Erasing Memory Cards
    12. Which Brand of Camera Should You Buy?
  16. Chapter Nine. Taking Travel & City Life Shots Like a Pro
    1. How to Be Ready for “The Shot”
    2. Shoot Kids and Old People. It Can’t Miss
    3. Hire a Model (It’s Cheaper Than You’d Think)
    4. What Time to Shoot
    5. Look for Bold, Vivid Colors
    6. Shooting Travel? Visit 500px.com First
    7. Don’t Try to Capture It All: Shoot the Details
    8. The Best Shot May Be Just Three Feet Away
    9. Shoot the Signs. You’ll Thank Yourself Later
    10. Showing Movement in the City
    11. For Maximum Impact, Look for Simplicity
    12. The Monopod Scam
    13. What to Do When It Has Been “Shot to Death”
    14. Including the Moon and Keeping Detail
    15. Shooting Fireworks
    16. If You Have a Laptop, Take It With You
    17. Want a Rooftop Shot of the City? Try This
    18. Getting “Nearly Tourist-Free” Shots
  17. Chapter Ten. How to Print Like a Pro and Other Cool Stuff
    1. The Advantages of Shooting in RAW
    2. How to Process RAW Photos in Photoshop
    3. Compare Your LCD to Your Computer Monitor
    4. Organizing Your Photos with Lightroom
    5. How Many More Megapixels Do You Need?
    6. Printing Lab-Quality 8x10s
    7. Printing Lab-Quality 13x19s
    8. Printing 17x22s—The Pros’ Choice
    9. Which Paper Should You Print On?
    10. What Determines Which Paper You Use?
    11. Getting Your Monitor to Match Your Printer
    12. Download the Color Profiles for Your Paper
    13. Selling Your Photos as “Stock” Online
    14. A Quick Peek at My Gear
    15. There Are Three Other Books in This Series
    16. Learn More with Me Each Week on The Grid
  18. Chapter Eleven. Ten Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me
    1. #1: Buying a More Expensive Camera Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Better Photos
    2. #2: You Need to Sharpen After the Fact
    3. #3: The Pros Take Lots of Bad Photos
    4. #4: Learn Exposure Compensation
    5. #5: Don’t Worry About Manual Mode
    6. #6: Today You Should Probably Shoot Wide
    7. #7: Nothing Has Impact Like a Print
    8. #8: Ignore Your Histogram
    9. #9: Figure Out What Type of Photographer You Are
    10. #10: Do What It Takes to Get the Photos You Want
    11. #11: You Need a Portfolio
    12. #12: Stop Reading Books About Photography
  19. Chapter Twelve. Photo Recipes to Help You Get “The Shot”
    1. The Recipe for Getting This Type of Shot
  20. Index

Product information

  • Title: The Digital Photography Book: Part 1, Second Edition
  • Author(s): Scott Kelby
  • Release date: May 2013
  • Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
  • ISBN: 9780133443455