The Life Pocket Guide To Digital Photography

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.

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.

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.

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.

Even film diehards have a tough time resisting the instant gratification of the digital camera. Today's digital cameras are more affordable then ever before, and they deliver high quality images that are a snap to share. Plus, you can take risks with a digital camera you never would with a film camera. You waste nothing; there's no film required, and because you only print the pictures you need, digital photography is cost effective and environmentally friendly. But to take full advantage of a digital camera, you need to be an experienced photographer and an expert at digital photography too. With more than 15 years of experience as a photojournalist, author Derrick Story brings you Digital Photography Pocket Guide, 3rd Edition. For everyone who owns or will own a digital camera (and that pretty much means everyone!), this is the perfect on-the-go guide for taking top-notch digital photos. In this third edition of the bestselling pocket guide, Story expands on the basic photography techniques that he introduced in earlier editions, including an explanation of each camera component and what it does, tips for choosing just the right settings for your needs, and much more. This indispensable guide covers everything from how to shoot sports action, close ups, and night shots, to dealing with image resolution, archiving, and memory cards. Affordable and portable, Digital Photography Pocket Guide, 3rd Edition offers full-color photographs, screen shots, and line art illustrating all the topics in the guide's three main sections ("Digital Camera Components," "Standard Camera Functions," and "How Do I?"). Contents are labeled A to Z for quick reference. There's also a comprehensive table of contents and index so you'll waste no time flipping to the specific information you need--whether you want to transfer images, make a QuickTime movie, or just figure out what purpose that mystery setting on your camera serves. There's even a section of easy-to-read reference tables for quick look-up of white balance settings, exposure compensation, camera mode explanations, and plenty more.

Wonderfully easy-to-use, concise, portable enough to stash in a camera bag, and packed with all the basics on taking digital photos: this invaluable pocket guide is everything you’d expect from a digital imaging leader such as Kodak. Filled with first-rate information, it covers everything from choosing the right digital camera to selecting accessories, from saving digital images to sharing photos with friends and family over e-mail. Find out all the basics on file formats, downloading pictures, taking better portraits, and improving image composition. This guide will help photographers get superior results from their digital camera, and even those new to digital—and intimidated by technology—will find themselves shooting with confidence.

The top-rated and top-selling photography ebook since 2012 and the first ever Gold Honoree of the Benjamin Franklin Digital Award, gives you five innovations no other book offers: Free video training. 9+ HOURS of video training integrated into the book’s content (requires Internet access). Travel around the world with Tony and Chelsea as they teach you hands-on. Appendix A lists the videos so you can use the book like an inexpensive video course.Classroom-style teacher and peer help. After buying the book, you get access to the private forums on this site, as well as the private Stunning Digital Photography Readers group on Facebook where you can ask the questions and post pictures for feedback from Tony, Chelsea, and other readers. It’s like being able to raise your hand in class and ask a question! Instructions are in the introduction.Lifetime updates. This book is regularly updated with new content (including additional videos) that existing owners receive for free. Updates are added based on reader feedback and questions, as well as changing photography trends and new camera equipment. This is the last photography book you’ll ever need.Hands-on practices. Complete the practices at the end of every chapter to get the real world experience you need.500+ high resolution, original pictures. Detailed example pictures taken by the author in fifteen countries demonstrate both good and bad technique. Many pictures include links to the full-size image so you can zoom in to see every pixel. Most photography books use stock photography, which means the author didn’t even take them. If an author can’t take his own pictures, how can he teach you? In this book, Tony Northrup (award-winning author of more than 30 how-to books and a professional portrait, wildlife, and landscape photographer) teaches the art and science of creating stunning pictures. First, beginner photographers will master: CompositionExposureShutter speedApertureDepth-of-field (blurring the background)ISONatural lightFlashTroubleshooting blurry, dark, and bad picturesPet photographyWildlife photography (mammals, birds, insects, fish, and more)Sunrises and sunsetsLandscapesCityscapesFlowersForests, waterfalls, and riversNight photographyFireworksRaw filesHDRMacro/close-up photography Advanced photographers can skip forward to learn the pro’s secrets for: Posing men and women. including corrective posing (checklists provided)Portraits (candid, casual, formal, and underwater)Remotely triggering flashesUsing bounce flash and flash modifiersUsing studio lighting on any budgetBuilding a temporary or permanent studio at homeShooting your first weddingHigh speed photographyLocation scouting/finding the best spots and timesPlanning shoots around the sun and moonStar trails (via long exposure and image stacking)Light paintingEliminating noiseFocus stacking for infinite depth-of-fieldUnderwater photographyGetting close to wildlifeUsing electronic shutter triggersPhotographing moving carsPhotographing architecture and real estate