The Digital Photography Book: The Step-by-Step Secrets for how to Make Your Photos Look Like the Pros

Description

Learn how to take professional-quality photographs using the same tricks today's top photographers use (surprisingly, it's easier than you'd think)! This is it--the latest version of the #1 best-selling digital photography book ever! It's the award-winning, worldwide smash hit that has been translated into dozens of different languages, because it's the one book that really shows you how to take professional-quality shots using the same tricks today's top pros use (and surprisingly, it's easier than you'd think). Here's how Scott describes this book's brilliant premise: "If you and I were out on a shoot, and you asked me, 'Hey, how do I get this flower to be in focus, with the background out of focus?, ' I wouldn't stand there and give you a photography lecture. In real life, I'd just say, 'Put on a long lens, zoom in tight, set your f-stop at the lowest number you can, focus on the flower, and fire away.' That's what this book is all about: you and I out shooting where I answer questions, give you advice, and share the secrets I've learned just like I would with a friend--without all the technical explanations and techie photo speak." This isn't a book of theory, full of confusing jargon and detailed concepts. This is a book on which button to push, which setting to use, and when to use it. With more than 200 of the most closely guarded photographic "tricks of the trade," this book gets you shooting dramatically better-looking, sharper, more colorful, more professional-looking photos every time. Each page covers a single concept that makes your photography better. Every time you turn the page, you'll learn another pro setting, tool, or trick to transform your work from snapshots into gallery prints. If you're tired of taking shots that look "okay," and if you're tired of looking in photography magazines and thinking, "Why don't my shots look like that?" then this is the book for you. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1: Pro Tips for Getting Sharp Photos Chapter 2: The Scoop on Lenses Chapter 3: Shooting Landscapes Like a Pro Chapter 4: Shooting Travel Like a Pro Chapter 5: Taking Portraits Like a Pro Chapter 6: Using Your Flash Like a Pro Chapter 7: Shooting Weddings Like a Pro Chapter 8: Shooting Sports Like a Pro Chapter 9: Shooting Other Stuff Like a Pro Chapter 10: Pro Tips for Getting Better Photos Chapter 11: How to Print Like a Pro Chapter 12: Photo Recipes to Help You Get the Shot Copyright Dedication Acknowledgments Other Books by Scott Kelby About the Author Contents Chapter One Pro Tips for Getting Sharp Photos If Your Photos Aren’t Sharp, the Rest Doesn’t Matter Seven Things You’ll Wish You Had Known . . . . . . Before Reading This Book! Two More of Those Things One Last Thing Getting “Tack Sharp” Starts with a Tripod A Ballhead Will Make Your Life Easier Don’t Press the Shutter Button Itself Forgot Your Cable Release? Use a Self Timer Stop Camera Shake by Shooting Wirelessly Don’t Raise Your ISO When You’re on a Tripod Secret Weapon for Sharper Hand-Held Shots Tuck in Your Elbows for Sharper Shots Turn Off Vibration Reduction (or IS) Zoom In to Check Sharpness How to Pick Your Own Focus Point If What You’re Shooting Moves, Do This . . . Sharpening After the Fact in Lightroom Sharpening After the Fact in Photoshop Why I Recommend Aperture Priority Mode What F-Stop Should You Use? Chapter Two The Scoop on Lenses Which Lens to Use, When, and Why When to Use Super-Fast Lenses When to Use an “All-in-One” Zoom Lens When to Use a Super-Wide-Angle Lens When to Use a Fisheye Lens When to Use a Macro Lens Why Some Lenses Have Two F-Stops Use a Teleconverter to Get Even Closer You Need to Know About Lens Compression How to Focus Your Lens to Infinity Shoot at the F-Stop You Bought the Lens For The Deal on Lens Hoods You’re Probably Going to Lose Your Lens Hood Keep Your Rear Element Clean Avoid Dust and Other Junk Chapter Three Shooting Landscapes Like a Pro How to Create Stunning Scenic Images The Golden Rule of Landscape Photography This Is Definitely Tripod/Cable Release Time My Favorite Lens for Landscapes Which F-Stop to Use for Landscapes Keep from Destroying Part of Your Image How to Add Depth to Your Landscape Photos Where to Put the Horizon Line The Secret to Shooting Sunsets For Landscapes, You Need a Clear Subject Where to Focus for Landscape Shots Getting the Star Filter Effect Look for Clouds to Hold the Color Composition: Using Negative Space Composition: Using Leading Lines A Timesaving Pano Trick The 7 Deadly Sins of Landscape Photography Why You Need a Polarizer Using a Graduated Neutral Density Filter Shooting Waterfalls Get the PhotoPills App Chapter Four Shooting Travel Like a Pro How to Come Back with Images You’re Really Proud Of In This Case, Less Gear Is More My Favorite Travel Lenses Shoot the Cliché Shots (and Show Them First!) Shoot the Details to Suggest the Whole Hiding Tourists, Cars, Buses, Etc. Another Trick for Hiding Tourists How to Avoid Blurry Travel Shots There’s a Picture in There Somewhere Working People into Your Travel Shots Getting People to Pose Hire a Model (It’s Cheaper Than You’d Think) Look for Vivid, Contrasting Colors Look for Simplicity Don’t Forget to Shoot the Food Create a Sense of Timelessness Consider Location Scouting First Shooting without Tourists Take a Platypod Instead of a Tripod Chapter Five Taking Portraits Like a Pro How to Make People Look Their Very Best in Pictures My Go-To Lens for Portraits My Other Favorite Lens (85mm f/1.8) Avoid Wide-Angle Lenses Which F-Stop (Aperture Setting) to Use How and Where to Focus Capturing Genuine Expressions Where to Position Your Camera Positioning Your Subject in the Frame Don’t Leave Too Much Space Above Heads Popular Tip for Framing Portraits Blurring the Background Behind Your Subject Getting Great Light Outdoors Shooting in Direct Sunlight Using Reflectors and Which Color to Use When to Use a Black Reflector When to Use a Reflector and How to Aim It Using Window Light Using Seamless Backgrounds Using Painted Backdrops Taking Great Photos of Newborn Babies Chapter Six Using Your Flash Like a Pro If You’re Not in Love with Using Flash, That’s About to Change Pop-Up Flash: Use It as a Weapon Why You Need an Off-Camera Flash Don’t Use TTL. Set Your Flash to Manual Mode Get Your Flash Off-Camera Don’t Use Your Pop-Up Flash as a Trigger Use a “Real” Wireless Controller How High to Set Your Flash Power What Flash “Groups” and “Channels” Are For Use the Right Shutter Speed or You’ll Get This I Start with This F-Stop Set Your ISO to Its Cleanest Setting Make Your Light Soft and Beautiful The Softbox I Use to Make the Light Soft Where to Place Your Flash for the Best Results Get Even Softer Light Super-Cheap Way to Make Beautiful Light You Might Have to “Bounce It” Why We Add Gel with Flash Outdoors When to Add a Second Flash (and Why) Brighten the Background Behind Your Subject Rear Sync Rocks (& Why You Should Use It) The Advantages of Using Flash in Daylight The Instant Black Background Shooting Sunset Portraits with Flash Chapter Seven Shooting Weddings Like a Pro How to Get Professional Results from Your Next Shoot Create a Shot List Shooting in Low-Light Situations (Like a Church) Another Big Helper When Low-Light Shooting Three Lenses I Take When Shooting Weddings Backlighting Your Bride Finding Beautiful Light for the Bride Formals: Where to Aim Formals: Don’t Cut Off Joints Formals: How High to Position Your Camera Change Your Vantage Point to Add Interest Shooting the Details: Which Ones to Shoot Try an “Unplugged” Wedding The Mini Macro Lens Perfect for Detail Shots Using Flash at the Reception Go Super-Wide for a More Epic Feel Why You Might Want a Second Shooter Dramatic Bridal Portrait #1 Dramatic Bridal Portrait #2 Chapter Eight Shooting Sports Like a Pro How to Get Professional Results When You Shoot Your Next Game Which Lenses to Use Adding a Teleconverter to Get Really Tight How the Pros Focus for Sports Change Your Focus Mode for Sports Which F-Stop to Use for Sports The Right Shutter Speed for Sports Auto ISO Makes Sure You Freeze the Action Shooting at Night or Indoors? Raise Your ISO! Shooting in Burst Mode Using a Remote Camera Our Goal: Capture the Peak Moment of Action The Two Most Popular Sports Shots Pros Know the Sport & Shoot the Details Pan to Show Motion It’s All About the Crop! Two Eyes and a Ball Chapter Nine Shooting Other Stuff Like a Pro How to Shoot All That Other Stuff We Wind Up Shooting Don’t Shoot Down on Flowers Don’t Wait for Rain—Fake It! Flowers on a Black Background Use a Macro Lens to Get Really Close Which F-Stop Works Best for Macro Turn Autofocus Off for Shooting Macro Shooting Flowers with a Zoom Lens When to Shoot Bracketed How to Shoot a Bracketed Shot for HDR Including the Moon and Keeping Detail The Trick for Shooting a Cityscape at Night Making Your Own Product Photography Table The Advantage of Using Strip Banks Using Foam Core and Creating Reflections Shooting Cityscapes at Dusk Shooting Light Trails Shooting Fireworks Photographing Animals in a Zoo Focus Stacking for Sharper Focus A Tip for Shooting on an Incline Better Than a Self-Timer for Group Shots If It’s Cold Outside, Bring Extra Batteries Chapter Ten Pro Tips for Getting Better Photos Tricks of the Trade for Making Better Shots and Better Decisions Is It Better to Underexpose or Overexpose? Want to Be Taken Seriously? Start Editing One Way to Get Better Faster WHIMS Will Keep You Out of Trouble Which Format to Shoot In (RAW, JPEG, or TIFF)? Handy Uses for Your LCD Monitor When to Switch to Spot Metering You Need to Copyright Your Photos Shoot Multiple Shots in Low-Light Situations What Looks Good in Black & White? Shoot Landscapes with Cloudy White Balance Rotate Tall or Rotate Image or Both? Avoid Signs Because They Draw Your Eye What People See First in Your Photos Keep from Accidentally Erasing Memory Cards Moving Your Point of Focus Chapter Eleven How to Print Like a Pro At the End of the Day, It’s All About the Print Make Your Life Easier: Print from Lightroom If Your Prints Come Out Too Dark What Print Resolution to Use Sending Prints to a Photo Lab How Many Megapixels Do You Need? Do Not Buy an 8x10 Printer Printing Lab-Quality 13x19s Printing 17x22s—The Pros’ Paper Size Choice Which Paper Should You Print On? What Determines Which Style of Paper? Getting Your Monitor to Match Your Printer Download the Color Profiles for Your Paper Sharpening Your Images for Print Printing on Canvas Skip the “Edge-to-Edge” Printing Thing Making Custom Layouts in Lightroom Chapter Twelve Photo Recipes to Help You Get the Shot The Simple Ingredients That Make It All Come Together