Life Guide To Digital Photography

Photography has been the business and the passion of LIFE since the original weekly magazine's inception in 1936, and it continues to be the business and passion of LIFE Books and LIFE.com in the new millennium. But photography has surely changed during these many decades. The rigs and gear of old have given way-first slowly, then all at once-to sleek miracle machines that process pixels and have made the darkroom obsolete. The casual photog puts eye to lens, sets everything on auto and captures a photograph that is . . . perfectly fine. One of LIFE's master shooters-in fact, the final in the long line of distinguished LIFE staff photographers-was Joe McNally, and he has always believed that with a little preparation and care, with a dash of enthusiasm and daring added to the equation, anyone can make a better photo-anyone can turn a "keeper" into a treasure. This was true in days of yore, and it's true in the digital age. Your marvelous new camera, fresh from its box, can indeed perform splendid feats. Joe explains in this book how to take best advantage of what it was designed to do, and also when it is wise to outthink your camera or push your camera-to go for the gold, to create that indelible family memory that you will have blown up as large as the technology will allow, and that will hang on the wall forevermore. As the storied LIFE photographer and photo editor John Loengard points out in his eloquent foreword to this volume, there are cameras and there are cameras, and they've always been able to do tricks. And then there is photography. Other guides may give you the one, two, three of producing a reasonably well exposed shot, but Joe McNally and the editors of LIFE can give you that, and then can show you how to make a picture. In a detailed, friendly, conversational, anecdotal, sometimes rollicking way, that's what they do in these pages. Prepare to click.

When LIFE published the first edition of this book in 2010, Scott Kelby, Editor-in-Chief of Photoshop User magazine (and a guru in the world of digital shooting), wrote, "Joe McNally has put together the LIFE Guide to Digital Photography, which is packed full of tips, tricks, how-to, and beautiful pictures from Joe's thirty-plus-year photo career. If you've ever experienced one of Joe's workshops or seminars, you know he's a fantastic teacher, and this book is an extension of that. While he does write about the basics of photography, if you know Joe, you know that he's found a way to work his own sense of humor and familiarity in with all the nuts and bolts to make it an entertaining read." Thousands of photo fans agreed, and eagerly joined Joe on his happy journey through the pixelated world of modern-day photography. In so doing, they learned from one of LIFE's master shooters-in fact, the final in the long line of distinguished LIFE staff photographers-who encouraged them that, with a little preparation and care, with a dash of enthusiasm and daring, anyone can make a better photo: Anyone can turn a "keeper" into a treasure. It has since become clear to Joe and the editors of LIFE that their Guide to Digital Photography was built to last-that its tips and tone had struck a chord with photography enthusiasts everywhere. One thing it wasn't, however, was built to fit in your camera bag when you were heading into the field. Now it is! Here's the digest-sized version, filled with the same wonderful collection of McNally photography, beautifully illustrating the points Joe is making. Everything you need to know about light and lenses, about color or composition, is in these pages. And now, when you're just about to click and you wonder "What would Joe advise?" the answer is at your fingertips.

An illustrated introduction to digital photography, examining hardware such as cameras, computers, scanners, and printers and the relationship between them; looking at image-editing software, tools, and techniques; featuring step-by-step instructions for taking professional-quality photographs; and discussing special-effects options.

Now that you’ve had your DSLR for a while, are you ready to take a much closer look at what creating a great image is all about? It’s all about light! The ability to see, influence, modify, control, and create light will take your images from snapshots to great shots! In Lighting for Digital Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots, photographer and bestselling author Syl Arena begins with a primer on light itself—how to see its direction, intensity, color, contrast, and hardness—and quickly moves on to discussions of shooting both indoors and outdoors in the many different conditions of natural or man-made light. Then the book digs in to begin creating light with photographic lights, whether that’s small flash or big strobe, the pop-up flash on your DSLR or continuous lights. Follow along with Syl and you will: Learn the basics (and beyond) of light modifiers that make light bigger and softer, such as umbrellas, softboxes, beauty dishes, and diffusion panels Understand how to control and shape the light itself with flags, grids, snoots, and the zoom function on your flash Appreciate the color temperature of light (whether that’s the sun, a light bulb, or a flash), and how to influence it with white balance settings on your camera and colored gels on your flash Learn how to take great pictures across many different genres, from product and still life images, to simple (and not so simple) portraits and group shots With Lighting for Digital Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots, you’ll learn not only how light behaves—you’ll learn all you need to know to get started on the journey of creating and controlling light in order to make great shots. And once you’ve got the shot, show it off! Join the book’s Flickr group, share your photos, and discuss how you get great shots at flickr.com/groups/lightingfromsnapshotstogreatshots.

Furnishes an overview of digital photography, covering such topics as cameras, exposure, lighting, shutter speed, depth of field, and resolution--and tips on how to avoid hours of photo-editing by taking great photographs the first time.

Explains the basics of digital cameras, the principles of digital photography, how to organize and manage images, editing images, printing pictures, and creating slideshows, calendars, and greeting cards.

Suddenly, anyone with a cell phone is a photographer. This book takes the basics of digital photography and makes them the tools for creative, interesting, and artistic picture-taking. Illuminating the most popular of 4-H projects, Daniel Johnson instructs beginners in the basics of composition, lighting, and the use of flashes--among other fundamentals of capturing a picture that’s more than just “flash.” With step-by-step, illustrated directions, along with spectacular examples, this book is the perfect starting point for 4-H’rs taking up digital photography--and for anyone who wants to learn how to take superior digital pictures.