John Shaw's Closeups in Nature

Description

There's more than one way to shoot a frog, as Shaw demonstrates in this splendid book, a thorough course in practical field techniques for closeup photography using a 35mm single-lens reflex camera. Although hobbyists who want to capture the flowers in their garden can glean ideas for composition or the best time of day to photograph, this detailed work is intended primarily for the serious amateur or professional. Success in closeup photography, Shaw maintains, depends on control, and he advocates meticulous experimenting and testing of equipment and supplies before one attempts to photograph in the quickly changing, unpredictable conditions of the field. Shaw (The Nature Photographer's Complete Guide to Professional Field Techniques) is an excellent teacher, establishing a common vocabulary with the reader, presenting lavishly illustrated new material that builds on previous knowledge, repeating important concepts and techniques for emphasis. He believes that technical competence frees the photographer to concentrate on esthetics, and his inspiring pictures are beautiful artworkfields of flowers that evoke impressionist paintings, delicate dogwood blossoms reminiscent of Oriental designs, rare glimpses of snowflakes or raindrops on a yew needle. Photography Book Club main selection.