The iPhone Photography Book

9 reviews for The iPhone Photography Book

1. 

   Gloria February 16, 2021

   How could we not want to know all there is to know about this device we carry with us absolutely everywhere? And who doesn’t love Scott Kelby‘s photography books? He’s not only unusually useful in the information he gives us, he is entertaining as well. I’ve probably read most of his books.

   In scanning the issues he covers in chapter 1, I’m already impressed: he tells us not to pinch to zoom the camera and to keep the flash turned off, among many other tips. Like I said, Kelby always gives us practical advice.

   Funny how long I’ve had and used my iPhone camera and still did not realize that you could lock focus. Thank you, Scott Kelby!

   The author reminds us that we can shoot things as closest 3 inches away, which opens the door to lots of fun macro-like pics.

   Since we all take millions of photos of our family and friends, I’m so glad that Kelby put a detailed, useful section on portrait taking with the iPhone. Brilliant tip I appreciated: you can use video mode to take a still shot that will fill the entire screen, showing much more of the scene you are shooting.

   And the author doesn’t stop at telling us how to use the camera in a technical sense, he gives lots of excellent scoop on how to take better pictures generally. You get a lot for your money with this book. It really is a primer on how to take better photographs with any camera, and in particular with iPhones.

   So glad that Kelby goes into detail on shooting panoramic images. I do that with my phone but don’t always get a result I like. So happy to finally have a primer on that. Toward the end Kelby tells us how to organize our photos, which is something all of us can use. I think most people take hundreds and hundreds of photos and the good ones can get lost in the shuffle. Kelby tells you how not to have that happen.

   He also gives a couple of very useful chapters on how to edit your Photos on the iPhone itself and a list of apps that will help you develop even better pictures. At the very end, he gives several “photo recipes“, including how better to shoot your pets. He talks about lighting, but also about the patience to wait for your dog to make the right expression. I find patience is critical in any photography area, but especially when shooting life creatures.

   Kelby‘s writing is so accessible and he’s got a wealth of experience; everyone who uses an iPhone camera, or wants to learn how, should read this book.

2. 

   loneyrw (verified owner) March 23, 2021

   Having just read Scott Kelby’s new version of The Digital Photography Book and thinking that more and more that I am contemplating ONLY taking my iPhone 11 Pro for a camera on vacations, I figured, this might be a good read to maximize it’s potential. I was right – this is an excellent resource to up your game for iPhone photography.

   I’m a very experienced iPhone user, and there are numerous tips that I already knew. But even so, Scott taught me some features that were staring me in the face that I just didn’t use. Talking about using video mode for stills, the magnifying glass in Control Center for super macro shots and changing to 16:9 aspect ratios.

   For some people, the section on portraits may be slight overkill. I do own a set of reflectors for my general photography, but I’m guessing that most iPhone users wouldn’t make such purchases, as the whole idea of using an iPhone as your main camera is to keep your kit minimal. And yet, who can complain that the author has given us too much information. There are a ton of tips for improving portraits, and that is what many users will use their phones for.

   I take a fair number of panoramic photos, and thought that I knew pretty much how to shoot them well. Even here, Scott throws in a few gems that will improve your pics. The rest of the book is replete with recipes on how to nail certain types of photos and how to edit those you’ve already captured. In all, this is a very complete guide to both photography in general and your iPhone in particular.

   Kelby‘s writing is concise and entertaining. You can pick this book up, read a few pages, try a few tips and then put it down for further reading later. It’s not one of those books where you’ll have to go back to reread sections to get back in the groove. I tend to bookmark my favorite pages and reread those when I’m finished, so I don’t forget them.

   If I had to point out one irritant with the book it’s that some readers will find the chapter introductions (which are meant to be humorous) to be a waist of reading time. They don’t bother me as I rather enjoy Scott’s humor, but even here it is hard to fault the author as he tells you right at the start of the book to skip the intro’s if you find them a waist of your time.

   In summary, this book delivers fully on it’s title. If you use an iPhone for photography, you will be a better photographer after reading this book. I don’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

3. 

   wepsphoto April 2, 2021

   Scott Kelby’s The iPhone Photography Book is a very different book from his many Photoshop/Lightroom and lighting texts. Generally writing for enthusiasts and pros, Kelby abandons the goal of providing a cerebral book and instead inspires the love of “technical-free” photography by embracing the iPhone’s simplicity, ease of use and “AI”, functions that enthusiasts and pros might scorn.

   What surprised me was that scope of the book- the techniques of shooting with an iPhone make up only the first of the twelve chapters. The remaining eleven offer a beginner-level course in general photography, exploring composition, portraiture, posing, landscapes, and more. Post-production, image organization and iPhone camera accessories are examined, all with the sole purpose of empowering the iPhone owner to make the very most of what is arguably the most popular feature of the “phone”.

   Like most of his books, Kelby limits his segmented topics to a single or double-page spread- there’s a very goal-oriented, no frills approach to explaining each tool, concept and method in the book. This makes for a quick read and a wonderful reference manual for those seeking to learn a new technique or to figure out a newly discovered feature.

   It’s very impressive that Kelby has managed to write a single book for virtually all iPhone models- while iOS updates standardize the interface, features will vary based on each phone’s hardware and Kelby does his best to be inclusive of older models as well as the most current iPhone 12s.

   If there’s an area of weakness in the book it’s the chapter that explores third-party photo apps for the iPhone. Kelby himself only utilizes a handful of iPhone photography apps, namely Adobe Lightroom, TouchRetouch, and a bit of Pic Stitch. Lightroom is (relatively) expensive as a subscription app and most iPhone users will be better served by Snapseed as an additional app- the preference for reveals the more advanced leanings of Kelby. There could be an entire text dedicated to iPhone photo software so it should not be a surprise that few are mentioned, but the choice of focusing on Lightroom may be less than practical for most readers.

   Ultimately, The iPhone Photography Book is a superb read for someone seeking not only to understand the photography tools offered by the iPhone but to also want to become a more thoughtful and skilled photographer.

4. 

   Luis Mazier (verified owner) April 6, 2021

   The iPhone Photography Book is great purchase. The chapters flow through nicely. The tips offered are very useful. The book covers tools for all versions of the iPhone. The information is presented in chapters by topic: portraits, landscape, apps to use, and equipment you can use. You cannot go wrong with this purchase.

5. 

   maek.gale (verified owner) April 10, 2021

   I have always liked Scott Kelby’s writing. I grabbed the kindle version first then got an awesome deal on the paperback. So far I have read it three times and I keep reviewing the recipes.

   Thanks Scott!

6. 

   Lisa Rose (verified owner) April 20, 2021

   I’m a big fan of all of Scott Kelby’s books and the amazing practical tips he packs into them. I was hesitant at first to get this one as I thought I’ve already picked up many of the iPhone photography tips out there but figured if Scott is writing a book about it I’m sure I’ll learn something new. I picked up a ton of new tips to implement right away. I got the print and ebook bundle. This is a very user-friendly book that would also make a great gift.

7. 

   jefforns May 1, 2021

   First off let me say I don’t have an iPhone…..I am an Android user so I was skeptical when I picked up this book. As it turns out all of the brilliant information that Mr. Kelby imparts is usable on my phone. I also take very few images on the phone, mainly because I haven’t been sure it could compete with my DSLR”s. For very few special photography project the phone competes quite nicely, If you haven’t read any of Scott Kelby’s books you are missing out on a great read; humorous and filled with useable information and ‘how tos’. Almost everyone carries a cell phone today and you owe it to yourself to learn how the camera works and what it can produce.

8. 

   Michael Sigler (verified owner) November 1, 2021

   Like all of Scott Kelby’s books, this one is excellent. He has never let me down.
   It is like going to a well known business or restaurant -you know what level of service to expect.
   With the improved camera on the iPhone 13 it is the perfect time for this book. Thank you Scott Kelby.

9. 

   hlslaw (verified owner) March 28, 2022

   I love this book. I have learned so much about how to use my iPhone camera to capture great photographs. The last time I traveled to Rome, i only used my iPhone as a camera. Now I will be able to take better photographs through the tips and techniques I am learning in Scott Kelly’s iPhone Photography book. Thank you!