Monday, October 20, 2008

Complete Idiots Guide to Photography Essentials


This is the second book in my review of six new titles in the Complete Idiot's Guide series including Backyard Adventures, Photography Essentials, Weird Word Origins, Snack Cakes, Fighting Fatigue, and Fun FAQ's! Read along with me on this fun variety of topics while I give you my two bits on them as well as a giveaway or two! Enjoy!

Also known as how to be Picture perfect!

I love to take pictures. Really, I do. And I have learned a secret that works for me. Want to know what it is? Use a digital camera and take a zillion or more shots because it is a numbers game...sooner or later, you will end up with some really great shots!

Wait...what? You wanted something a little more scientific than that? Well, then A Complete Idiot's Guide to Photography Essentials is just what you need. See, most of us are not highly skilled photographers..I have just shown you that I am not.:) But these days, you can buy a good camera that will produce high quality images without having to break the bank IF you know what to do with your camera.
A Complete Idiot's Guide to Photography Essentials was written by professional photographer Mark Jenkinson who happily shares tips and tricks for:
  • • Understanding all aspects of the features and controls on a digital or film camera and how they affect the nature and quality of photo images
  • • Making the best use of manual, aperture priority, and shutter priority settings on the camera
  • • Shooting moving objects
  • • Getting great, defined shots in bright light or nighttime settings
  • • Adjusting depth of field to zoom in on objects in sharp focus and blurring the background to emphasize the subject
  • • Improving composition and lighting
Mark has had an estimated 30,000 photographs published in virtually every major magazine in the world and has had photography exhibitions at major market galleries and art institutes across the country. Currently, Jenkinson teaches photography at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and works in the areas of editorial, corporate, and advertising photography. He has won numerous awards for photography, including the Meade, AR 100, and Society of Publication Design awards for corporate and editorial photography.

Mark has gone out of his way to make this book helpful and understandable to even the most novice of us. His writing style is clear and concise, with plenty of graphics to demonstrate what he means. On page after page, he provides a specialized Pro Tip to educate you as you go. He gives you the basics on the science behind how a camera works (which I found incredibly helpful) and helps you see your place in the event you are trying to photograph. It made so much sense! He even gives you tips on editing your images after the fact, how to adjust for moving objects, even tips on storing your images once you are pleased with the outcome.

I really felt like I was in a photography class, I learned so much. Again being paperback and only 200 and some pages long with loads of pictures, it was really an easy read. Released in May of 2008, A Complete Idiot's Guide to Photography Essentials will hopefully provide you with as much helpful and friendly knowledge as it did me., allowing me to go beyond my previously mentioned technique and capture the moment in just a few shots.

The book usually retails for $24.95 and can be found at Amazon as well as your local bookseller.
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Win a Copy Here!

The Prize: A copy of A Complete Idiot's Guide to Photography Essentials

How You Can Win:
Leave me a comment here letting me know what you like to do with your photos. That's it!

Would like to up the odds of winning?

To earn more entries, you may do one or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra entry. Please leave a separate comment for each one.

  • Subscribe to my feed.
  • Add me to your Technorati Favorites and I will do the same in return.
  • Mention this giveaway and Book Week on your blog with a link back here.
  • Place my button in your sidebar.

This giveaway is open to US addresses only. Good luck!

Who is eligible:

You must have a US mailing address. You don't have to be a blogger to win, just supply a valid e-mail address. Make sure to leave me that email address though because if I cannot get a hold of you, you cannot win!

When the giveaway ends:

The giveaway will run now through October 27th at Noon CST. I'll pick the winner using Random.org as soon as possible after that. You may choose to check for your nickname at Prizey.Fetch, a cool site that compiles winners in one convenient place:



Winners will have 3 days to reply before another winner is selected.

Bonne Chance!!

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Be sure to check out my other blog, 3 P's in a Pod!

16 comments:

Jess said...

My photos tend to end up on my computer's desktop background, since I tend to live on my computer.

Though now I have an empty room to fill, so I need to frame some...

Anonymous said...

I am a bigtime scrapbooker so my photos all make it onto pretty page designs!
doot65{at}comcast[dot]net
Elizabeth

Anonymous said...

I added you to my Technorati favorites (no need to fave me)
doot65{at}comcast[dot]net
Elizabeth

Anonymous said...

I'm subscribed too.
doot65{at}comcast[dot]net
Elizabeth

Unknown said...

I love to share my photos with family and friends, gotta show off the kids! :)

Michele said...

I love to scrapbook my photos!!

Thanks so much!!
Michele R.(CA)
luvkittysmeowmail@gmail.com

Michele said...

I made you a favorite in Technorati!!

Thanks so much!!
Michele R.(CA)
luvkittysmeowmail@gmail.com

Michele said...

I'm a subscriber!!

Thanks so much!!
Michele R.(CA)
luvkittysmeowmail@gmail.com

Michele said...

I'm a subscriber!!

Thanks so much!!
Michele R.(CA)
luvkittysmeowmail@gmail.com

Dee said...

I LOVE taking pictures! I got a rebel for mothers day and wish i could do better with it! I would LOVE to read this book! I scrapbook!

Stacey Moore said...

i would love to be able to take great outdoor pictures of my little loves!!

Stacey Moore said...

we subscribed!
thanks!
moore.g@insideconnect.net

Stacey Moore said...

we have your button!
thanks!
moore.g@insideconnect.net

Football and Fried Rice said...

Girl, I NEED this!! I can't believe I have stumbled across this!1 I love to scrapbook and I love to blog our family photos - but I really want to learn to take some that are frameworthy!

sara_mcclintock[at]yahoo[dot]com

Peggy said...

I love taking pictures and making scrapbooks for family members.I also send pictures and give as gifts in a pretty frame
matternu@aol.xom

I subscribe

Unknown said...

Contest CLOSED. Thanks for dropping by!