Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
 Lee Frost just delivers May 11, 2008
This is a great little book. Yes it does largely apply to film, but it doesn't take much know-how to translate the info into digital setting. The camera just takes the picture, after all, and it's the person behind the eyepiece who makes the image. Lee Frost gives very good advice, and this book is well worth the money. Highly recommended.
 unremarkable book May 11, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The many positive reviews do not reflect how I have found the book.
If you are an amateur like me who wants to seriously learn how to take better photographs this is not a worthwhile book.
It addresses the various styles of photography (landscapes, wildlife, interiors, people) and makes you aware of numerous fundementals that exist in photography, but as the book valiantly wants to cover everything it actually teaches you little about anything.
Too little information, teachnique, detail or help is given on any subject and you end up feeling as if you've just read a closed book.
Compared to the other jack-of-all-trade offerings out there it is decent, but it still feels as if it could have been cut and pasted from anywhere.
If you want to be aware of the various fundementals of photography it will do that, but I don't think it teaches anything and you will be discarding it very soon.
 More of a reference book July 10, 2007
21 out of 21 found this review helpful
I now own 3 books by Lee Frost which surprises me because I was not a big fan of the first one I received as a present (Photos that sell). This one however is much better in my oppinion because it concentrates more on how to take good pictures rather than what you should use.
First, forget the idea that this is a handbook as it's almost A4 in size. The first section of the book contains chapters on lighting, composition, focusing, colour and the darkroom (ok so a darkroom is not relevant to digital photographers but it is a short chapter).
The second section of this book is what I was looking for as a digital photographer as it has usable chapters on how to photograph people, landscapes, nature scenes and movement effects. By concentrating on the content of the images rather than the equipment used, Lee shows what makes a good photo, not just one that's technically perfect.
Reading this book inspired me to go out and take more pictures which is what a good photography book should do.
Great stuff! March 19, 2007
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
This really is an inspiring book, worth returning to again and again, the photographs alone are worth buying this book for!
Whether you shoot film or digital the information in this book is excellent, clearly and simply written with good examples and interesting photographs which demonstrate his point... Lee Frost is top class I recommend you buy all his other books, I intend to!
 Aimed at the film rather than digital photographer February 1, 2007
40 out of 51 found this review helpful
Whilst I blame myself for not choosing more carefully, I have only given this book one star because I feel that it is out of date in that it makes no mention of digital photography or processing.
There are over 200 photographs, all of which were taken on film and mostly on large format cameras. Nearly all involve long exposure and small aperture, using a tripod, cable release, and filters. There is advice on film selection, print-toning, hand-coloring prints, creating lith prints etc. in a 'wet' (as opposed to digital) darkroom. The author does take himself and his subject very seriously.
Of course many of the ideas and examples can be used to advantage by the digital photographer. Nonetheless the book is aimed at the serious film photographer who is willing to spend time in researching locations and then set off before dawn with tripod, selection of lenses, filters etc to get that perfect light. If that is you then the book may well suit you.
For people like me who simply want to take more interesting photographs with their digital camera, but without devoting the rest of our lives to the hobby, then there are probably better choices.
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