10 Photography Books You Should Be Reading February 26, 2016 – Posted in: Photography
Warmer weather is fast approaching and that means photography adventures, trips, and outdoor sessions are closer than you may think. To help you kick your photographic aspirations into high gear we’ve compiled a list of our top ten books you should be reading, right now! We don’t expect you to tackle all ten at once (kudos to you if you do!); but we do encourage you to poke around and select a book or two that appeals to you. Let’s get those creative juices flowing just in time for photography season!
P.S. if you use the coupon THANKSROCKY you’ll save 35% on your entire order!
- Art of Photography: An Approach to Personal Expression | Bruce Barnbaum
The Art of Photography: An Approach to Personal Expression has been described as the most readable, understandable, and complete book on photography. The book uses 100 beautiful photographs, numerous charts, graphs, and tables to help presents the world of photography to beginner, intermediate, and advanced photographers. If you’re seeking to make a personal statement through the medium of photography, this is the book for you!
- How Do I Do that in Lightroom? | Scott Kelby
The method behind this book is simple. When you need to know how to do something in Lightroom, all you have to do is turn to the page (it’s easy—each page covers one topic), and boom! The solution is there at your fingertips. Plus, the instructions are written simply and clearly, as if author Scott Kelby were explaining the process casually to a friend, helping you get back to editing your images fast.
- One Flash! Great Photography with Just One Light | Tilo Gockel
If you’re looking for a book that will help improve your photography and encourage you to practice the craft at the same time, this is the book for you! One Flash! teaches the secrets to capturing beautifully lit images by first providing a crash course in flash photography, followed by a series of 26 hands-on workshops. These workshops cover photographing everything from people to objects to food, and include special techniques. It’s a clear, fun, great way to learn!
- The Complete Guide to Macro and Close-up Photography | Cyrill Harnischmacher
The Complete Guide to Macro and Close-up Photography is your one-stop resource for creating great macro images! You’ll read explanations of all the concepts behind close-up and macro photography, the best equipment to use, shooting techniques, hands-on shooting tips, and guidelines for post-processing your macro images!
- More Than a Rock | Guy Tal
More Than a Rock is highly recommend for anyone searching to make a deeper connection with their photographs. This book offers a series of emotional essays that encourage thought and solicit a wide range of reactions. Covering everything from art and creativity to photography, nature, and life, Tal’s writing allows the reader to feel the sensations needed to make passionate photographs.
- The Visual Palette: Defining Your Photographic Style | Brian Matiash
The Visual Palette is organized into three sections: composition, post-processing (what author Brian Matiash has coined, “Stylization and Editing”), and sharing. Each chapter tackles a concept, such as compositional rules (and when to break them). Then Matiash shares “My Story,” with a specific, anecdotal example of that concept in action. Finally, there is a “Your Story” segment with prompts and exercises, in which Matiash empowers and motivates the reader to examine their own work or practice a new technique in order to further develop their own photographic style!
- Capture One Pro 9 |Sascha Erni
In Capture One Pro 9 photographer Sascha Erni teaches readers everything they need to know in order to quickly get up and running with Capture One Pro. Whether you’re moving to Capture One Pro from Aperture or Lightroom, or just beginning to learn image editing with Capture One Pro 9, this book will teach you how to get amazing results while avoiding frustration and wasted time along the way.
- Capture The Magic | Jack Dykinga
Learn to create interesting, well-composed images! In this book, author Jack Dykinga encourages us to look at photography as a way to communicate. Through a series of anecdotal lessons and photographic illustrations, readers will learn new ways to create interesting and powerful compositions that communicate their intended messages.
- The Art, Science and Craft of Great Landscape Photography | Glenn Randall
Whether you want to venture into the mountains for once-in-a-lifetime shots of raw nature, or simply hone your landscape photography skills from the safety of your back deck, this book explains the art, science, and craft of creating astounding landscape images. The Art, Science, and Craft of Great Landscape Photography teaches photographers how to convert their visual peak experiences—moments of extraordinary natural beauty that evoke a sense of wonder and awe—into stunning images that elicit the same emotion in their viewers.
- Why Photographs Work | George Bar
Every photographer, from weekend enthusiasts to professionals, can learn by studying the “greats.” In Why Photographs Work, George Barr analyzes 52 striking images by some of the world’s top photographers. Accompanying Barr’s analysis of each image is an explanation by the photographer describing the circumstances of making the image, including not only the how, but also the why. This book is sure to inspire photographers of all levels!
Want more? You can view all of our titles here. Plus, check out our new searchable menu under the “Books & Shop” tab on the homepage. We’re here to make finding the right book for you simple and fun. Enjoy!