Introduction
I have written quite a few camera-specific books in the From Snapshot to Great Shots series (six in total). Unfortunately, I can’t write one for every camera out there, but what I can and did do is take all of the great information from those other books and place it into this book. If you already own one of my books, you might want to take a pass on this one since it will seem very familiar. If, however, you don’t have one of the earlier books, then this one is for you.
I have tried my best to give everyone reading this book a good foundation of photographic knowledge and then build on it in order to create better photographs. If you still aren’t sure if this book is for you, read the Q&A below.
Q: DOES THE MATERIAL IN THIS BOOK APPLY TO ANY CAMERA?
A: You will probably take away some good stuff no matter what camera you have, but to get the most benefit you need something that will let you take control. The automatic modes are okay but most of the material in this book is geared towards taking control over specific camera functions such as shutter speed and ISO. To really get the most out of the book you will need something like a digital SLR or, at the very least, an advanced point-and-shoot.
Q: IS EVERY CAMERA FEATURE GOING TO BE COVERED?
A: Nope, just the ones I felt you need to know about in order to start taking great photos. It would be pretty difficult for me to cover every possible feature in every camera (actually it would be near impossible). What I did want to write was how to harness general camera functions and photographic principles to truly benefit your photography.
There may be times in the book where I mention a camera function that might not have the same name for your specific camera, like the Shutter Priority mode. If you have a Canon, you have the same shooting mode; it’s just referred to as Time Value (Tv). The function, however, is the same for all cameras. I tried to be as generic as possible but you may still have to do a little investigating to associate your camera’s terminology with that used in the book.
Q: SO IF I ALREADY OWN A CAMERA MANUAL, WHY DO I NEED THIS BOOK?
A: The manual does a pretty good job of telling you how to use a feature or turn it on in the menus, but it doesn’t necessarily tell you why and when you should use it. If you really want to improve your photography, you need to know the whys and whens to put all of those great camera features to use at the right time. To that extent, the manual just isn’t going to cut it. It is, however, a great resource on the camera’s specific features. You should use it like a companion to this book.
Q: WHAT CAN I EXPECT TO LEARN FROM THIS BOOK?
A: Hopefully, you will learn how to take great photographs. My goal, and the reason the book is laid out the way it is, is to help you understand the basics of photography and all the elements that you need to really start creating great images. From there, you can begin to utilize your knowledge of exposure as it relates to different situations and scenarios. By using the features of your camera and this book, you will learn about aperture, shutter speed, ISO, lens selection, depth of field, and many other photographic concepts. You will also find plenty of large full-page photos that include captions, shooting data, and callouts so you can see how all of the photography fundamentals come together to make great images. All the while, you will be learning how your camera works and how to apply its functions and features to your photography.
Q: WHAT ARE THE ASSIGNMENTS ALL ABOUT?
A: At the end of most of the chapters, you will find shooting assignments, where I give you some suggestions on how to apply the lessons of the chapter to help reinforce everything you just learned. Let’s face it—using the camera is much more fun than reading about it, so the assignments are a way of taking a little break after each chapter and having some fun.
Q: SHOULD I READ THE BOOK STRAIGHT THROUGH OR CAN I SKIP AROUND FROM CHAPTER TO CHAPTER?
A: Here’s the easy answer: yes and no. No, because the first four chapters give you the basic foundation that you need to know for creating proper exposures. These are the building blocks for making photographs with your camera. After that, yes, you can move around the book as you see fit because the later chapters are written to stand on their own as guides to specific types of photography or shooting situations. So you can bounce from portraits to shooting landscapes and then maybe to a little action photography. It’s all about your needs and how you want to address them. Or, you can read it straight through. The choice is up to you.
A: One last thought before you dive into the first chapter. My goal in writing this book has been to give you a resource that you can turn to for creating great photographs with your digital SLR. Take some time to learn the basics and then put them to use. Photography, like most things, takes time to master and requires practice. I have been a photographer for more than 25 years and I’m still learning. Always remember, it’s not the camera but the person using it who makes beautiful photographs. Have fun, make mistakes, and then learn from them. In no time, I’m sure you will transition from a person who takes snapshots to a photographer who makes great shots.