Product Description

Scott Kelby, author of The Digital Photography Book, volume 1 (the world’s best-selling digital photography book of all time), is back with a follow-up to his volume 2 smash best seller, with an entirely new book that picks up right where he left off. It’s even more of that “Ah ha—so that’s how they do it,” straight-to-the-point, skip-the-techno-jargon stuff you can really use today to make your shots even better.

This book truly has a brilliant premise, and here’s how Scott describes it: “If you and I were out on a shoot and you asked me, ‘Hey Scott, I want the light for this portrait to look really soft and flattering. How far back should I put this softbox?’ I wouldn’t give you a lecture about lighting ratios, or flash modifiers. In real life, I’d just turn to you and say, ‘Move it in as close to your subject as you possibly can, without it actually showing up in the shot.’ Well, 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.”

Each page covers a single concept on how to make 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.

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 nearly 200 more 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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #376 in Books
• Published on: 2009-07-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 264 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780321617651
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

About the Author
Scott Kelby is the world’s #1 best-selling author of computer and technology books, as well as Editor and Publisher of Photoshop User magazine, and President of the National Association of Photo–shop Pro–fessionals (NAPP). He’s the co-host of the highly acclaimed Photoshop User TV, and teaches digital photo and imaging workshops around the world. Scott is an award-winning author of more than 50 books, including The Adobe Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers, The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers, and Scott Kelby’s 7-Point System for Adobe Photoshop CS3.

Customer Reviews

Essential
"The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3" is another fine addition to the series, but unlike many of Scott Kelby's books which usually stand on their own, to get the most out of this book you really, really should have bought and read the previous two volumes. For example, the first two chapters, "Using Flash Like a Pro, Part 2" and "Using Your Studio Like A Pro", are direct continuations of chapters in Volume 2. Both are excellent chapters and give much needed depth to the subjects which were introduced in the previous volume.

Probably the most useful chapter, certainly for me and for anybody who is looking to expand beyond the lens which came in the box with their SLR, is Chapter 3 "The Truth About Lenses". Here Scott goes through every type of lens and when they should be used plus a whole load of additional tips on lenses in general. A very, very good introduction to a tricky, technical subject which will help prevent unnecessary, costly purchases.

Away from the technical stuff, Scott then goes into the familiar pattern of grouping tips into subject types - products, outdoors, people and sports. What I really like about these chapters is that Scott remembers not to only include some great photography advice, but also "common sense" advice. Some people might think that these tips are "obvious", but when you're just starting out, and your brain is going into overload trying to remember which lens to use, what f-stop to go for, etc. it's quite easy to forget the simplest things. So thanks Scott for always thinking about the context in which the majority of readers are going to be coming from.

After a couple of more general chapters - I love the "What I Pack..." series of tips - "The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3", concludes with the now traditional photo recipe section: short, direct, simple advice on how to replicate some great shots by the author.

A lot of thought and work has gone into these books: their small size means you throw them in your bag without complaining, the photos in the books (all shot by Scott) are fantastically inspirational, the additional web resources (like the short videos) help explain the trickier details, and the "Gear Guide" is absolutely invaluable if what you really want to do is take great photos as quickly as possible and not have to spend ages shopping online.

Whilst still aimed at the beginner, I can't believe that no photographer won't get something out of this book, even if it's just one or two tips or bits of advice. And at only $15 that's a pretty good return on your investment. For a beginner... it's a no-brainer.

Five Star With Reservations - The Good, Bad & Repeat Info.
Okay, first a couple of quick disclaimers...
1. I'm a huge Kelby fan and think his prior two volumes are both fun to read and packed full of great information.
2. I like the biggest "bang for my buck".
3. I'm not a pro and not a complete amateur either but fall somewhere in between. If I find it too simplistic, professionals and serious shutterbugs are likely to be very disappointed. If I find it too complex, novice readers are likely to do so as well. That might provide a good measure as to whether this book is right for you or not.

Now, on to the actual book itself. Like many others, I ordered this on a pre-release status and anxiously awaited the delivery at which point I consumed the entire book quickly at one sitting. Readers of Kelby's other books will recognize the same friendly style, conversational tone and jokes.

For those that are wondering if Kelby can really "do it again"...the answer is a resounding - "sort of". Here's Why...

First, the Basics and the Bad....

This book is of the same general length and writing style as the two prior books however, prior readers will immediately recognize some of the content used as "filler" or a bit of "fluff" here and there. For example, one of the pages/tips is dedicated to "cleaning" the item before shooting, another instructs to "remove distracting elements" from the picture...duh! Does that really constitute a tip? I think not. Likewise, there are several more tips dedicated to how to use your camera (Canon and Nikon users) for things like dust cleaning or turning off the beep...personally speaking, if I wanted that information I would simply read my owners manual.

Other less than impressive tips included using a tripod for tack sharp product shots plus some information that is basically a repurpose of content from prior books such as which essential filters to purchase or to use a neutral density filter. It is also somewhat disappointing to see that some tips consist of nothing more than 1 very short paragraph or as little as 1-2 sentences in their entirity.

Finally, the chapter on how to select the right lens is perfect for those seeking to purchase a DSLR or new to buying but most experienced users will find this a bit too simplistic for an entire chapter. Essentially it describes each lens type (ie, zoom, macro, fisheye, etc...) then when to use each. It also includes how to clean your lens, how and why to use manual focus, the difference between prime vs zoom etc...

The Good...

Having said all of the above, I still rate the book highly due to the engaging and readable format, excellent examples... and of course, what we all come here for...the actual tips. There are some good ones scattered throughout that more experienced users will likely appreciate - although far fewer than in prior books. Overall, this book seemed more introductory in nature than the other two volume's; still, there are plenty of great reminders and always some true golden nuggets that make all the difference like getting creative with the white balance, how to get that star effect without a filter (there - you saved the cost of this entire book plus never have to hassle with that filter again just by reading that page alone!, how to create those great reflections so popular in product shots plus much more.

Bottom Line...

Good book and well worth the low price tag. Best suited for beginners but serious shutterbugs are still likely to find a few gems. Not quite up to the same standard as the first two volume's but perhaps the most useful of all three for complete novice users or those currently shopping for a camera/lens etc...

Targeted more for the general user (for example, Lensbaby coverage) rather than pro or serious camera buff but everyone is likely to find something they like that make the purchase price and time well worth the effort.

HIGHLY recommend for new users or those purchasing a new camera/lens etc...

Kelby does it again with a great book
I'm starting to *think* I know what I'm doing when it comes to photography. I took that as a sign that I should go back to basics and learn from ground zero. I know from previous experience that Scott Kelby writes really impressive books (his Lightroom book, for example, is awesome), and this continues the same tradition.

The problem with learning photography in general is that it's intimidating. Most books will describe esoteric theory, and that drives most people nuts. If I'm any representation of a normal photographer, I'll look at a photo and go "that's awesome - how did they do that?" and want a nice example without having to dive into theory and other things. I just want to take the best pics possible that I can with what I have.

The layout of the book is rather simple - like a cookbook. There's a great photo, and then a description of how that photo was taken. The strength of each example is that it's not only easy to follow, but it explains enough theory for you to understand concepts and apply that in other situations. Most books don't do that - they'll tend to lose you on specifics.

Kelby's books are written with the beginner in mind and would even reach into those with intermediate skills. I don't think that seasoned professionals would learn much from these books, but they're worth their weight in gold. The Digital Photography book series is what I recommend to those who are interested in doing more with their cameras and photos. Not all of us can be professional photographers, but we can make our images look better than they are now.