The New Complete Guide to Night and Low-Light Digital Photography: Updated Edition; by Lee Frost; Amphoto Books; $29.99; (ISBN: 978-0-8174-4968-1)
Don’t let low-light conditions cause you to miss another photographic opportunity. This informative guide solves that problem by providing information on gear choices, such as how to pick the right digital camera, lenses, filters, flash, and accessories for the job. Lee Frost then explores the fundamentals of understanding light, metering, exposure, and digital image processing. This wide selection of tips, tricks, and techniques are paired with sample images to make learning fast and easy.
Photography and the Art of Seeing: A Visual Perception Workshop for Film and Digital Photography, Fourth Edition; by Freeman Patterson; Firefly Books Ltd.; $24.95; (ISBN-10: 1-55407-980-2)
Author Freeman Patterson created this guide as a workshop designed specifically to train you to see artistically, to allow your eyes to pick out those special colors, shapes, and fine details that others would normally miss in order to find the art in the everyday objects that surround us. He provides a variety of tips and examples that help you think creatively and find ways to express your imagination in a unique and purely visual way. This is a wonderful resource for those who desire to expand their horizons and take their photography to the next level of creativity.
Black and White Step by Step; by Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz; $9.99; e-book; www.rogerandfrances.com.
This is one of the many new e-books from noted photography team Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz. Overflowing with plenty of sample images, the book begins with a review of the basics like choosing the right camera and lens, film, using 35mm, medium and large format, exposure, and filters. It then moves on to explain basic and advanced film development, chemicals, printing materials and technique. Hicks and Schultz provide a wealth of pro-quality advice and easy-to-understand lessons that are certain to help you not only understand but master black-and-white photography to take your work to the next level.
Lighting and Photographing Transparent and Translucent Surfaces: A Comprehensive Guide to Photographing Glass, Water, and More; by Dr. Glenn Rand; Amherst Media; $34.95; (ISBN-13: 978-1-58428-244-0) Dr. Glenn Rand is a professional photographer and professor of photography at the Brooks Institute. His years of experience have been transformed into a guide that...
Bay Photo Lab’s BayBooks are high-quality digital press printed photo books for any occasion. They are available in various sizes and in square, horizontal, or vertical formats with hard or soft full-wrap photo covers. There are 48 cover material choices and hundreds of customizable page templates to help you easily build a one-of-a-kind album.
Nik Software’s Snapseed is a photo application designed specifically for the iPad. It enables you to create amazing photos with a wide variety of filters and tools. Filter choices include Grunge, Vintage, and Drama. Snapseed features U Point technology in touch devices, bringing precise selective adjustments to change lighting, color, and more by simply touching and swiping the screen. Snapseed allows users to enhance, edit, and share their photos via social networks, e-mail, and even print via Apple’s AirPrint Wi-Fi printing standard. Snapseed for the iPad is available on the App Store (www.niksoftware.com/buysnapseedipad) for $4.99. Tutorial videos are available at: www.niksoftware.com/snapseed.
In keeping with our wedding theme this month, our Roundup entries cover the albums beat. Keep in mind that Roundup is not a test report per se, but a place where we get to provide information supplied by manufacturers on new products and services.—Editor
Kingston Flush Mount Albums Custom-made Kingston Flush Mount Albums can be created in three different ways: as a...
Nik Software Color Efex Pro 4
This is the latest version of Nik’s popular digital photographic filters for image retouching and enhancement. Color Efex Pro 4 is easy to use and offers a new generation of technologies and features that help you to create stunning effects. It has stackable filter combinations, visual presets, filter recipes, and new filters such as Detail Extractor, Vintage Film Efex, and Image Borders. The software also includes a History Browser, improvements to imaging algorithms, greater performance, and enhanced usability. The Color Efex Pro 4 Complete Edition contains 54 filters for a suggested retail price of $199.95. The Select Edition contains 25 filters for $99.95. You may also upgrade to the Complete Edition from any edition of Versions 2.0 or 3.0 for $99.95.
In this month’s Roundup we offer an introduction to a sampling of backdrop companies with products ranging from cloth to paper to virtual. Space prohibits us from covering their often extensive product lines, so we encourage you to follow up by contacting them directly. Many offer online as well as printed catalogs.—Editor
Titanium Cloth Backdrops & Candy Floors
Backdrop Outlet’s durable Titanium Cloth backdrops are made from a wrinkle-free, fleece-like fabric that provides vivid color. The Candy Floors are durable, lightweight, and easy to switch out. Use them both for vibrant, realistic-looking backgrounds.