Black And White: From Snapshots To Great Shots Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
Now that you’ve bought that amazing new DSLR, you need a book that goes beyond the camera manual to capture stunning images. For digital photographers interested in black and white, this guide will help beginning- and intermediate-level shooters conquer the fundamentals and take amazing shots. Pro photographer John Batdorff starts with the basics, including composition, light, contrast, exposure, and when to choose black and white. He covers all the key camera features (regardless of what type of DSLR you have) that affect your image, including the shutter speed’s ability to freeze and convey motion, and the aperture’s direct correlation with depth of field. Once you’ve captured those great shots, John takes you step by step through the color conversion process to black and white in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom using simple presets. He also covers the enhancements and features that can be added using Nik Silver Efex Pro software–from presets to control points using U-Point Technology. Follow along with your friendly and knowledgeable guide and you will: Learn to see in black and white by understanding contrast, texture, and lighting Understand all the best tricks and techniques for getting great black and white action shots, landscapes, and portraits Create your own digital workflow by understanding the basics of post processing in Lightroom, then go beyond the basics with Nik Silver Efex Pro Share your images and learn tips on printing and presenting your work online And once you've got the shot, show it off! Join the book's Flickr group, share your photos, and discuss how you use your camera to get great black and white shots at flickr.com/groups/blackandwhite fromsnapshotstogreatshots.
Series: From Snapshots to Great Shots
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Peachpit Press; 1 edition (July 30, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0321774574
ISBN-13: 978-0321774576
Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 0.4 x 9.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #439,275 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #11 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography & Video > Black & White #614 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > Visual Arts > Photography #806 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography & Video > Digital Photography
The book Black and White: From Snapshots to Great Shots is well written and lacking the usual acronyms you may find in forums and blogs. It took me weeks to figure out what OOF and IQ meant. Regardless, I know there were complaints about how this book (and DVD) were geared toward Lightroom and Nik Silver Effects Pro and their complaints are justified. However, I use both of them as well as Adobe Elements 10 and a few Topaz Labs plugins so I don't have the same complaint. John Batdorff presented the use of this software with some of his own images which he also described how he captured them and I thought he did it very well in both the book and the DVD but it helps if you are familiar with this type of software. My only complaint about the book and DVD is too much time is spent on 'whats in my camera bag'. I have one other book from PeachPit press that does the same thing and it's a waste of time. One thing I don't use Canon or Nikon gear, I use Pentax. In fact I have a Pentax K-5 and a K-7, along with a number of lenses that I have acquired over the past several years and I'm very satisfied with them. And I have no intention of switching to CaNikon because this sort of thing is at best a promo and that also includes the type of software being used. Finally, if you don't have this software this book and DVD won't do you any good. Personally, I like both software packages very much but don't go out and buy it because it's recommended. You will have to determine what your needs are and to have both packages will cost several hundred dollars, something to consider. Lots of stuff out there, do research!
I typically do not write reviews for items I purchase. However, after reading through this book I felt compelled to do so. Black & White | from snapshots to great shots is simply one of the most applicable books I have read pertaining to photography. John does a marvelous job of explaining some real key points of B&W photography, in a very simple way so that it is easily understood and can be easily applied. What I found particularly helpful, is the fact that the book is not only about "in camera" captures. It covers post process, sharing and a little marketing as well. All of this is extremely helpful to someone like myself, who is new to photography, and really looking to gain exposure. Ha ha, no pun intended... (okay, maybe a little) I would highly recommend this book to all photographers whose niche is B&W photography as well as those looking to gain some ideas on expanding their creativity.
An outstanding book! For anyone that is trying to get started in black and white photography or is just looking to improve their skills and learn something new, this is a great place to look. John, in his very readable writing style, takes you from the very basics, like what type of equipment you need, through all the details of "getting the shot", and finally through post processing, printing and sharing using Lightroom and Nik's Silver Efex Pro.Best points: -The scope of the topics covered. This book literally takes you from what to look for when purchasing gear all the way through to making prints. -Each topic is covered in a very understandable, concise manner. -The "Poring over the picture" sections are great. They give you insight into the more important aspects of the image; what the photographer was thinking when the shot was taken, why he chose the gear he used, etc. -The author. You would be hard pressed to find a more accessible photographer. His writing style, obviously honed though years of writing his blog, is incredibly readable as well. It reads more like a conversation than a text book and maintains your interest even through some of the more technical topics.Now for the bad points: -Really, my only gripe is the amount of focus on Lightroom and Nik's Silver Efex Pro 2. If you don't use these pieces of software (I use Photoshop pretty much exclusively) you might not be able to follow some of the walk-throughs word for word. The concepts presented are still valid though and can be used with other software if you have the ability to find the workarounds. It was helpful to see the process in other software though. My next software purchases will definitely be Lightroom and Silver Efex Pro 2. Way easier than my current work-flow.Conclusion: Buy the book already! The knowledge and information here are too good to pass up.
This is a good book for shooting and processing black & white digital images. John goes through the whole process an explains it pretty clearly. This book is fore those using Lightroom and possibly Nik Silver Efex. I don't have the Nik software yet but will use this book as a reference. I have already applied some of the tips he suggests in Lightroom and like the results.
I own a LOT of photography books, and I mean A LOT! This is the first one that I have read cover to cover............twice! I still use it as a reference on a pretty ongoing basis. The book is very clearly written and progresses in a logical manner covering everything from the what and why to convert images to black and white, to a detailed work flow for getting the look that projects your vision. The book is quite easy to read. The volume contains enough basic information for the novice and enough detail and tips to engage an experienced amateur. I found the chapters on how to "see" in black and white particularly useful, especially when this is coupled with the technical data for the sample photographs. John presents his workflow in a concise, logical manner. He carefully lays out not only what he wants to achieve and how to achieve that, but also why he takes a particular path with a given image. Check out his website [...] to see some of spectacular images he has created that appear as examples in his book. If you are at all serious about honing your skills in black and white photography, you must have this book! If you will use this book as much as I have, you should consider taking it to an office supply store for spiral binding. For a few bucks, they'll slice off the glued binding, punch the holes and snake through a spiral binding that will allow you to lay the book flat and significantly decrease the wear and tear on it!!
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