Book Reviews

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.

More and more birdwatchers are capturing images of their favorite subject using digital techniques. But having the equipment is only half the battle to achieving stunning bird images. A good knowledge of your equipment, an understanding of both photography and field craft, and a firm basis in postproduction techniques are also essential if you want to capture and create high-quality bird photographs. All these topics are covered in this portable guide to bird photography. Although small enough to fit in a jacket pocket or camera bag, The Bird Photography Field Guide introduces and instructs on each stage of the digital photography process, describing all the necessary equipment, discussing specialist field-craft techniques, and showing you how to manipulate and enhance your photos. In this excerpt David Tipling shares his thoughts on perhaps one of the most important aspects of the craft—seeing and using light.—Editor

In Fashion Flair for Portrait and Wedding Photography (304 pages, Course Technology, ISBN: 978-1-4354-5884-0, $34.99) Lindsay Adler shows photographers how to apply the concepts of fashion photography, including preparation, styling, props, lighting, posing, and post-processing, to their portrait and wedding photography. This practical guide demonstrates how to prepare for a shoot, including choosing the location, wardrobe, hair, makeup styling, and poses, as well as considering the lighting and equipment. You’ll also find in-camera techniques, fashion lighting essentials, Photoshop techniques, and a variety of other tricks to achieve the fashion flair aesthetic. Also included are business and marketing tips, including useful social networking sites, products, and services to help you maximize the fashion flair approach and make it work for you. Chock full of great shots and extensive how-to and lighting diagrams, this can easily serve as a study and workbook that will help elevate anyone’s portrait and wedding work. In this excerpt we’ve chosen just a few of the many lighting diagrams and tips found in the book.—Editor

The NEW Joy of Digital Photography, now revised and updated, is a complete guide to all the essential aspects of taking, sharing, and editing digital images—with information on the most recent technological advances.

Examining all aspects of digital photography, from how to use your camera to lighting and compositional considerations to downloading your pictures and enhancing color, author and photographer Jeff Wignall presents easy-to-grasp explanations of technique, introductions to exciting new imaging technology, fun diagrams, and spectacular pictures in a creative, inspirational approach. Here’s a short excerpt that might give you a sense of what this 288-page book offers.—Editor

Doug Box’s Flash Photography: On- and Off-Camera Techniques for Digital Photographers; by Doug Box; Amherst Media; $34.95; (ISBN: 978-1-608952-58-8)
Many beginners find that learning to properly use flash can be a complicated task. This guide takes the mystery out of the process by providing a wide variety of helpful tips and tricks for both on- and off-camera flash. Professional photographer Doug Box explores everything from bounce flash and light modifiers to sync cords, slaves, and wireless triggers. He also provides advice on working with flash in mixed lighting situations and using flash to create perfect portraits. Box supplies all the information you’ll need to harness the power of light and take your images to the next level.

The following is a brief excerpt from Photographer’s Survival Manual: A Legal Guide for Artists in the Digital Age. While it’s great to spend all your time making great images, the reality of the photo business and the legal aspects of the trade are an essential part of the knowledge required to succeed. Written by experienced photo pro Jack Reznicki and trial lawyer and member of the NY Bar Ed...

The Art of a Wedding: How to Get Award Winning Photos at Every Wedding!; by Cherie Steinberg Coté of CherieFoto; www.bridaltipsbycheriefoto.com; $14.95.
In this informative eBook Cherie Steinberg Coté explains to brides why choosing the right photographer and knowing what you want is...