5 comments about Taryn Simon: An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar.

1. This book creates its own space in a way only a few can do. Its images are (almost all) just right - including the right size. They aren't large but they invite intense observation and they look terrific.



2. This subject matter and the photos are interesting, but as a book it is lacking. The book is what I would call 'pretentious', in that there is alot of space wasted in the pages to make it look more 'arty'. Waste of paper is waht I call it. The photos are also too small for the available paper space. All in all, good intentions, but the publisher seems to have ruined it. Not recommended.



3. For people who are interested in photo art Simons Book ist a must have. Her intelligently chosen situations - the hidden and unfamiliar - remind me in their cool and calm way of being photographed the work of Edward Hopper. Simon absolutely knows how to catch the right moment and the right light. You get a view deeply below the surface of our modern civilisation.
   Beside of this, the book is of great heavy quality, it's worth its price.
   Well done, Taryn!



4. It's really amazing all the work and effort that was put into creating these images. I saw her show at The Whitney like the other reviewer, and i really enjoyed her work so i bought the book on amazon (I'm not trying to plug amazon, but it was a lot cheaper here than other places i looked) The photographs absolutely stand on their own, but the captions are extremely important to the images. The book is simple, as are the images, but it is definately unique and unfamiliar.



5. Having seen the small exhibition at the Whitney Museum devoted to this body of work (It's currently on view there until early June.), I strongly believe that this book confirms what many people - myself included - have thought of fellow Brunonian Taryn Simon's work ever since she made her spectacular debut with "The Innocents" a few years ago. "An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar" demonstrates that she has become one of our most important documentary photographers, stretching her artistic terrain to encompass much more than the fine environmental portraiture that she demonstrated so well in "The Innocents". Stylistically, Simon is indeed all over the map, but she still has made memorable color images which pay homage to work from the likes of Lewis Baltz, Richard Mishrach, Walker Evans and Richard Avedon to name but a few (I might add too that like most of these photographers, Simon works primarily with a large format camera, using availiable light only to photograph her subjects.). If there is a serious artistic criticism to be made of her latest body of work, then it's probably one related to her sequencing of images (It's a point that I've remembered vividly well from an intermediate photography course I had taken years before, which was taught by distinguished photographer Harold Jones, the founding director of both New York City's Light Gallery and the University of Arizona's Center for Creative Photography.) - though this may be more the fault of her editors than of Ms. Simon herself. If you're unfamiliar with Simon's memorable imagery, then "An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar" is a superb place to begin your artistic journey.

4 comments about Roy Stuart: Volume 1 (Roy Stuart (Hardcover)).

1. This is a collection of erotic moments captured in pictures, by someone who actually seems to think this sort of thing should be fun. Yes, it gets a little kinky, and not all the bodies are glamor-perfect (not the problem one might think, as all the model choices seem very carefully considered), but Stuart doesn't seem so much interested in pushing the erotic envelope as finding out what's in it. And he's a pretty good photographer, in case anyone's wondering.



2. Considering the single-issue price of your modern adult magazine, this is an absolute bargain. Many hundreds of big glossy photographs of pathological sexuality, usually female-oriented and occasionally queer-minded, of both high artistic and deliriously prurient merit. If you're starting a Roy Stuart library, begin here.



3. im not sure what the previous reviewer expected - perhaps "the bald and beautiful" but what stuart does extremely well is he is able to capture the raw natural form of some very lovely women. so know what you are going for .. dont get a guinness when all you like is bud!



4. This is by far the WORST photography book i bought - EVER !
   All the models are EXTREMELY HAIRY.
   Really bad taste.
   The book is so bad that I left it in my hotel room in NY as It didn't even worth carrying that weight.

5 comments about Practical Artistry: Light & Exposure for Digital Photographers (Practical Artistry).

1. Being fairly new to the arena of digital photography, beyond point and shoot cameras, I often found myself underwhelmed with a lot of the pictures I have been taking. I understood what all of the settings on my camera did, and what their effects on the resulting image where, but things just weren't coming together for me. This book has helped me understand that digital photography, really is a process. From choosing the scene, and exposing for the portions that are important, all the way to loading the RAW image into processing software to put on the "finishing touches." While it doesn't teach you how to go out and shoot an award winning photo, it does give you the knowledge you need to correctly use your camera and computer as a tool to create that photo.
   
   Each Chapter of Mr. Davis' book reads very well, and provides interesting dialog that doesn't seem to speak over my head. It's written in a clear concise manner that goes into just enough detail to help you understand why each step is important. I'm sure that each chapter in this book could probably be a book on its own. There are times that I found myself wishing to know more about a particular topic in the book, but adding such content to it would probably take away from the flow as a whole. The many sidebars in the book give you that extra bit of information you may be looking for, or just urge you to do more research on your own.
   
   In my opinion, the best part of this book is all the wonderful examples that Mr. Davis provides in his discussion. For every concept, idea, and method that is discussed in the book there is at least one, if not multiple images detailing the application of each. Each image has an explanation of why the particular setting in discussion was chosen, along with all of the other settings used to compose each image. Simply browsing through the images and their narrative alone is inspirational and fun.
   
   I often found myself reading this book with my camera on one side of me, playing with each setting as I read about them, and a book about my particular camera on the other side. I would often take breaks between each chapter to explore the ramifications of changing each setting on my camera and learning how it affects different outcomes.
   
   All in all, I would say this book is aimed at people exactly like myself. New to photography as something more than just a point and shoot for the family scrap book, and eager to learn more. It contains just enough detail to help you understand what's going on inside the little box without boring you, and provides real life examples the illustrate them. It provides a window into the mind of a professional photographer willing to share important informational details into what makes a picture good.



2. In the old days (before cameras had built-in light meters) every photographer had to understand the relationship between ISO, shutter speed and aperture. Then cameras got automated and photographers began to forget about this relationship. But any photographer who wants to advance in his or her skill as a photographer had better learn about this trio. This book is aimed at teaching this subject and its corollary, the nature of light.
   
   After a general chapter on understanding exposure, the author deals with aperture, shutter speed, ISO (and the related topic, noise), light, and finally the digital darkroom. The author writes in clear easy to understand style, and the book is illustrated profusely with the author's pictures. Each picture is annotated with the image's shooting information and any special exposure considerations the author had.
   
   Any book on exposure that I read aimed at digital photographers must pass a litmus test: Does the author show how to use the histogram? Unfortunately, other then a brief two-paragraph reference, Davis does not. Nor does he discuss the overexposure indicator (the "blinkie"). There is no reference to exposure compensation.
   
   Some of the author's comments are a bit misleading. He says to always turn off vibration reduction when using a tripod unless the lens has a special tripod mode, which suggests that there may be some kind of tripod setting on a lens. But at least some lenses sense the lens is mounted on a tripod and thus can be left in image stabilization mode on a tripod. (To be fair, Davis does say to check the documentation.) He says ISO 1000 captures 10 times the light of ISO 100. While that is true, the faster speed only results in an increase of 4 and one third f/stops which is the traditional way that photographers consider exposure. It's too bad the author didn't try to be a little more precise about the relationship of f/stops and exposure, which some photographers refer to as reciprocity. He says that adjusting a single RAW image is better then processing in HDR for a large dynamic range. Often multiple processing of a raw image can capture the range of light in a scene. But sometimes the range of light exceeds the range that can be extracted from a single raw image.
   
   Sometimes the author misses the opportunity to discuss important considerations that an amateur should know, as when, in his discussion of depth of field, he fails to point out that for a particular image size of a subject, the depth of field is the same for a particular f/stop regardless of focal length; or that bright light can be controlled with neutral density filters; or that the fall off of light from a flash can create dark backgrounds.
   
   As part of my campaign against the use of the word "artistry" in book titles, I'll just note that the closest the author comes to teaching artistry is to suggest that controlling exposure can lead to more creative pictures.
   
   It's a shame that a book with so many beautiful pictures does such a poor job of explaining such an important topic. Readers interested in a better explanation should consider "Exposure and Lighting for Digital Photographers Only (For Only)" by Michael Meadhra and Charlotte K. Lowrie.



3. Davis' book provides something for every type of photographer, from beginner to advanced. He not only presents good, helpful details on exposure and lighting controls for each image in the book, but includes a number of inspiring images that should encourage readers to experiment with different subject and techniques. And there are lots of images! He covers many lighting situations: landscapes, night shots, macros and some studio shots (though not as much studio examples as I would have liked).
   
   The book may seem a bit thin for the topics covered (176 pages), but Davis covers all the necessary details in a comprehensive, easy-to-read manner. Davis' book can be a bit of a "tease"; I realize that this is not a book about Photoshop (thank heavens!), but there are occasions when Davis invokes some unique post-processing (such as when he blends an image that's been treated multiple ways for white balance), but he doesn't give any details.
   
   If you have any questions about lighting and exposure, or creating images like the ones Davis show in the book and on his blog, get this book! You won't regret it.



4. Are you a digital photographer who is looking for a creative way to explore your world? If you are, then this book is for you! Author Harold Davis, has done an outstanding job of writing a book that treats the techniques of classical photography and the tools of the digital artist holistically.
   
   Davis, begins by explaining that the aperture (one of the three components of an exposure) refers to the size of the opening in the camera lens. Then, the author discusses how it is important to have a good general sense of how aperture relates to the depth of field. Next, he discusses how the shutter speed does not set a speed; but rather, this setting controls a duration of time; specifically, the duration of time that the shutter is open. The author also discusses digital's powerful and flexible ability to dial in light sensitivity. He continues by showing you how correct creative exposures can be used to expose for one area of a subject, with the understanding that other parts of the photo will be adjusted in post-processing. Finally, the author discusses post-processing in the digital darkroom.
   
   This most excellent book aims to present the best practices of the craft of photography in the context of the digital era. But, more importantly, the author designed this book for you on a number of different levels.



5. First, in the interest of full disclosure, I must note that a) having recently discovered Harold Davis' blog, I have already become a fan, and b) through the blog I was fortunate to receive a complimentary copy of this book for review. Secondly, this is not, by far, the first book on exposure and lighting I have read!
   
   Light & Exposure is a terrific resource for any photographer from the beginner to the advanced amateur. While I suspect that the true "pro" photographer will find this book too elementary for his/her purposes, nonetheless there are a plethora of those little "pro" tips that sneak in and make this book worthwhile for any photographer to read. For instance, the fact that when you are shooting a reflection, the camera to subject distance is much greater than the distance to the object making the reflection (Davis uses a water drop in his example, but any reflective surface applies here) and that affects your decision on depth of field. Obvious - sure. Had I ever thought of it before? Nope.
   
   This book is filled with terrific photos to illustrate each concept. One of my pet peeves is instructional photography books which provide little or no technical info on the pictures. Here, each photo is annotated with full exposure information (including ISO setting, often not specified in other books), lens/focal length data, etc. Davis explains his exposure choices, as you would want and expect in a book on this subject which is enormously helpful in learning. The photos alone are worth the price of the book, even if you don't read the technical data.
   
   Each topic is handle in a brief, but effective manner, with enough information to obtain understanding without so much that information overload occurs. Interestingly, Davis manages to address concepts of exposure thoroughly and yet in an entirely different manner than Peterson's classic "Understanding Exposure;" if you've read that book, you'll find Light & Exposure a worthwhile and complementary read, giving a new and different perspective.
   
   If I have one complaint, it would be with a few technical issues, that may well not bother other readers overly much. For instance, while mentioning the minimal depth-of-field obtained in macro photography, Davis does not explain why this is the case, and explanation that would be of benefit to the beginning or amateur photographer who stands to gain so much from reading this text. The sidebar on "focal length" equivalence of lenses on digital SLRs with non-full frame sensors hits one of my personal tripwires, as I would have preferred to see this discussion focus (pun NOT intended) on the correct description of of the dependency of lens angle of view on image size (or crop factor, if you prefer) rather than the incorrect implication that the focal length of a lens depends on the camera on which it is mounted. However, these are minor points, and do not detract from the overall value of this excellent text.
   
   One final point: some photography books are written in such a dry style as to be unreadable. Light & Exposure is an enjoyable read; I carried it with me to work so I could sneak in a chapter whenever free time arose.

5 comments about Shooting & Selling Your Photos: The Complete Guide to Making Money with Your Photography.

1. After taking several hundred photos on a recent trip to Mexico I decided that many of the shots were saleable. As I'd already shot my photos I now needed some information on selling them. That was the motivation for getting this title.
   
   Zuckerman has some wonderful photos peppering this book. They are compelling and well reproduced. Put I really didn't find that it helped me understand how to sell my photos - especially as they're more geared toward the travel market. I just don't have an interest in setting up a display at an art fair, nor in making an internet site to sell my photos.
   
   This is really more of a picture book, having more images than text. I admit I enjoy looking at the pictures, but for me it didn't take me where I wanted to go thus my 3 star rating. Mainly this book appears to be geared toward people who are much more into photography than I.



2. My husband loved the information in the book but wasn't quite as impressed with the photos.



3. All in all, I think this is a good book for those wanting to actually sell photographs, not those who want to learn how to take a good photograph. The reader shold keep that in mind. Jim covers a lot of thoughts that are necessary to get published. If that's your goal, then this book will help you greatly.
   
   Digital - While I would have liked to see more coverage, keep in mind that this book was published in 2003 and likely written in 2002. And Jim consistenly uses medium format cameras. At that time, digital had not progressed as far for those types of cameras, primarily from a cost/benefit perspective. If Jim were more of a 35mm user, I'm sure we would have seen more coverage.
   
   Photo information - I would have liked more information on the photo locations and how the photos came to be taken. There is explanation on many, but I wish it was provided for more of the photos in the book.
   
   Portfolio ideas - I liked his suggestions of potential shoot locations and ideas. It really got me thinking and I've made a long list of ideas to try in 2008.



4. Excellent book for Photographers!! As a new photographer, this is a great book. I found the information so helpful and truly easy to understand!



5. This is a great introduction to selling photography by one of the very best in the business. Jim Zuckerman is very diverse in his stock photography subject matter and that diversity shows through in the wide range of knowledge he shares in this book. The best coverage is on selling photography at art shows and advice on submitting article and calendar proposals to publishers. If you're specifically interested in stock agencies, I highly recommend Lee Frost's Photos That Sell (see my review on that book). Mr. Zuckerman's advice on stock libraries is a good introduction but Lee Frost devotes most of his book to the topic. The photography in the book is of course wonderful, but I would have liked to have seen the author share more information about which images were his best sellers, how many times each image has sold and where, and other details which Lee Frost shares in this book in many cases. However, this is very solid introduction to selling photography and I recommend it.

5 comments about Mountain Light: In Search of the Dynamic Landscape, Tenth-Anniversary Edition.

1. Galen's images are inspiring, but the real value of this book is the wealth of topics, inspiration, and creative thinking presented in the articles.
   This is NOT a coffee-table book. It is one you should take the time to read and digest. If you're an outdoor photographer you will appreciate the energizing effect of Galen's writing. A rare gem among countless other "pretty pictures but not much substance" offerings.



2. This is a must read for anyone who likes to shoot landscape photography. This book doesn't go into a lot of technical details, and the author assumes the readers have a basic knowledge of how SLRs operate, but rather it deals more with the "why" of photography and "when", which I found to be very interesting and thought provoking. Galen Rowell shares his insights about mountain light and how his mind works when he is out with a camera along with what photography meant for him, and it changed my approach to landscape photography. He also shares his unsuccessful stories, which is not very usual for these types of books, and it's good to see that even for photographers of his level things have never come easy. Luck is a big part of it all, and he has a great essay there on how to be in a better position for its appearance. In addition, this book is full of his outstanding landscape art, and that alone is worth whatever the price you will pay for it.



3. This is a book about making meaningful landscape photographs. This is not a book about which f/stop to use or how to adjust your depth of field or exposure. There are a ton of those types of books on the market. This book is about vision, learning to see and connecting personally with your images.
   
   If you're comfortable with the mechanical aspects of your camera and are struggling with "technically well executed but lifeless images" this is your guide.
   
   I highly recommend it.



4. It's a great book ! you'll find all you need about photographing up in the mountains ! Galan Rowell was a great person ! A book worth reading by anybody who enjoys photography at high altitude.



5. This is a beautiful book..full of amazing photos and will inspire you to take pictures like Galen.

5 comments about Gentleman: A Timeless Fashion.

1. 
   Don't waste time on this book, too grandiose but too little useful advice ... A price of US$ 5 would be sufficient for the content, lots of waffle ... Better to give this a miss unless they are the only book of the genre available in the market ... not impressed with this at all.



2. This book is actually a must have for the true gentleman, it has all the knowledge that a men need to know to be in perfect shape for every ocassion, from the shaving, the hair, the beard, all of the clothing, the shoes, and a perfect explanation and some recomendations for every item, the only little problem is perhaps that because the author is from England, many of the brands mentioned are in fact from England and in some parts of the US maybe a little hardto find, but definitly are worth the trouble to look for them, all are really very high and luxury brands worth every penny paid for it.



3. This is a nice book if you're looking for a history of men's clothing and why certain clothing styles are the way they are. It is not a "how to" guide to building a wardrobe. The book is a nice adition to a library that already has other men's style guides....but don't let it be your only one.



4. I should say that this is first and foremost a coffee table book.
   
   The main contention seems to be whether this or Flusser's book is the "quintessential" guide to men's style. It seems to me that this is a false dichotomy. Flusser (and might I recommend Antongiovanni's "The Suit") is a *guide to* men's style. "Gentleman" is a book *about* men's style. There is a subtle distinction here. I think it could best be described as the difference between a Time-Life book about WWII and "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich". The one might be prettier, easier to read, and give you a decent overview of the subject, but if you want to get into the nitty gritty of numbers and details, you want to go with the "real" book.
   
   "Gentleman: A Timeless Fashion" is a great book to keep on your coffee table and flip open occasionally, but if you want real, useful information about men's style and tailored clothing, go with Flusser or Antongiovanni.



5. Compared to A.F.'s books, this guide to men's clothing is not very useful unless you have a lot of money. However, the photos and anecdotal information are great, and it is a fun book to browse. If you enjoy men's clothing, you won't regret owning it.

5 comments about The DAM Book: Digital Asset Management for Photographers (O'Reilly Digital Studio).

1. Overall, this is a good book that thoroughly covers all the essentials of putting together a system and practices to organize and preserve your photo collection.
   
   On the hardware side, he shows excessively expensive harddrive setups, when 2TB Western Digital MyBooks are dropping under $500. (Such statements are always relative to the date they're made -- 18 months from now that might be 4TB for $400.) I do agree with some comments he makes about RAID not being such a hot idea. The increasing size of individual drives is making the time it takes to reconstruct a failed drive in a RAID configuration reach absurd levels. When it took five or more drives to assemble 1TB, RAID seemed pretty clever. It's time has passed.
   
   On the software side, he pushes Bridge plus iView MediaPro. That may have been the hot setup when the book was published, but Lightroom is gaining converts at a high rate. A 2nd edition revised to center on Lightroom would be good. At the very least, he'd need to explain exactly what Bridge + iView MediaPro can do that Lightroom can't and why it matters. I believe Lightroom alone offers a much less convoluted system then that combination.
   
   Finally, for a book whose entire point is organizing and preserving photos, it has a curious hole. If your photo archive is all of your family's pictures, as opposed to a wedding photography business, how do you ensure it will outlive you? He makes a few remarks about how having things well organized will make it easier for your family, but that's it. Thinking about such things proves I'm getting to be an old fart, but it strikes me as a major omission in a book on this subject.
   
   My criticisms shouldn't detract from my original statement -- it's overall a good book. Even if I don't follow his exact hardware and software recommendations, he made me think through whether my combination was completely sound. I've changed how I was doing some things, and changed some of my ideas about what I plan to do in the future, as a result. It's the best and most thorough book on the subject available to date.



2. If you're an amateur or a professional getting into digital photography you need to sit down and read a book like this. Managing your photographs (your "assets") is necessary and it will help you find, print and publish your work.
   
   This book isn't 100% up to date but the book's web site is a nice supplement with active discussions.



3. This is a must-have book for photographers who are amassing a large collection of photos.
   
   I needed to read it 2 times before getting a feel for how to impliment it.
   
   Great strategies and it has now changed my workflow completely and for the better
   
   Money very well spent (although it cost me many thousands more since I also updated my computer, server, and softward to impliment this)
   
   Regards, Dean



4. This is a good book. It is very helpful in determining how to organize photographs. It also is a give a good review of Bridge. It would be nice for the book to be up dated to cover CS3.



5. I found this book to be an excellent resource to help you to understand how all the pieces fit together.

2 comments about Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi/400D For Dummies (For Dummies (Sports & Hobbies)).

1. Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi/400D For Dummies
   
   I am pleased to be able to recommend this book to other shoppers. It's an all in one explanation for those like me who need a little help in understanding their Canon EOS 400D. The layout of the book is excellent and each aspect of the camera and its operation is clearly explained. It gets the thumbs up form me! 10 out of 10



2. I was given a Canon Rebel XTi as a Mother's Day gift. I absolutely love the camera but the manual modes were way over my head! When I received the book I began reading chapter by chapter. It is set up very simply & easy to follow. I went from not being able to even understand manual modes to taking gorgeous photos within minutes! The f-stops, shutter speed, & ISO were explained in a way that just made it "click" in my head. Great book!

1 comments about Surfing Photographs from the Seventies Taken by Jeff Divine.

1. this is an amazing book- some of the best surf pictures (in my opinion) during one of the most visually inspiring era's of surfing. the pages are arranged in such a way so as to not distract you from their content, the printing is awesome and there's not a single shot not worthy of a poster size above your bed. this book will not harsh your mellow- it will make you want to move to lucadia, ride only a single fin & get a job wrapping surf wax for .25 cents per bar....

5 comments about Lighting Photo Workshop.

1. Love this series of books, having a lesson if you will, followed by an assignment. All of the books that I have seen give you a good level of detail to describe the underlying details without getting too technical and very well written.



2. I own this book and "Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson". Both books are outstanding with regards to emphasis on Basic Exposure Techniques. Chris Bucher has provided plenty of illustrations, and wherever applicable he has commented on camera technique and ability of post processing to fix incorrect exposures. Plenty of systematic exercises to practice technique. Book is well-priced, and every enthusiast will benefit from a few tips. Very well priced. Must have for an amatuer...



3. Chris Bucher's LIGHTING PHOTO WORKSHOP tells how to use the camera to capture atmosphere and images through a better understanding of light's properties and how the camera works to incorporate it into special effects. From working with natural light to creating mood with artificial light, chapters use plenty of color photo examples - packing nearly every page - as they explain how light can be mastered. The author's commercial photography work lends a business approach to a guide recommended for any general photography collection.



4. Chris Bucher's Lighting-Photoworkshop book is a great guide for any photographer looking to learn understanding and controlling lighting in photography. It starts you off with the very basics of lighting and works you in to more advanced techniques. Anyone can take a picture, but understanding where your light is coming from and how to use it separates the good from the bad.
   This book starts you off with the technical side of lighting so you can fully understand what you are doing. It then explains almost every lighting situation (a bright sunny day, an overcast day or even artificial lighting) you can encounter and how to use certain things to your advantage. It also explains specific examples from anything to nature to people photography. I found myself excited to try the assignments and apply them towards my photography.
   As a graduate from the Brooks Institute of Photography, this book was a great refresher course in a lot of the lighting techniques I have learned. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to take their photography to the next level.



5. Nowadays, a person with a modern camera can expect that most of the time, with a minimum of knowledge, he or she can point the camera at a subject and get an acceptable image. To get something more than acceptable it helps to have a little knowledge of how a camera works, and to apply that knowledge.
   
   Ansel Adams, one of the great photographers of history advised photographers that controlling the light in a photograph was a key to success and wrote three books to teach folks how to do just that. Anyone interested in getting more than just acceptable pictures would do well to follow Adams' advice and learn about lighting and exposure. "Lighting Photo Workshop" is aimed at filling that need for the beginning photographer. The book starts out by explaining the basic elements of lighting, including exposure; by then discussing the role of photography equipment in lighting; and then by considering outdoor and interior light. It finishes up with discussion of specific situations, including portraits, action, landscape, travel, close-up and low light photography.
   
   The workshop portion of the book consists of an assignment at the end of each chapter with instructions to post the digital image to a dedicated web site where other photographers may or may not offer comments on one's photograph.
   
   How-to books can vary in the amount of detail and explanation they give to technical subjects. This book is clearly aimed at the most fundamental level, and if all the reader wants is a rudimentary introduction to lighting concepts, this book will do the job. On the other hand, if one wants a thorough explanation, even if it means reading about technical details that will require concentration to comprehend, and techniques that it will take a while to get used to applying, this book may prove too simple.
   
   Consider for example the discussion of exposure. There is a precise relationship between shutter speed, aperture and media sensitivity that can be measured by a mathematical formula. How one applies that formula depends on the effect that one wants (e.g., do you want to stop motion, or have everything in sharp focus from near to far). This precise relationship is not explained sufficiently. Or consider photography equipment. In his discussion of studio lights, the author discusses strobes but not continuous lighting. One of the most valuable tools that many digital cameras provide to control exposure is a histogram, which is a graph of the distribution of light values. The book devotes a few short paragraphs to this subject.
   
   For the individual who wants a simple introduction to photographic lighting this book will prove adequate. Photographers desiring to use light more creatively would do well to read a more advanced book, like "Exposure and Lighting for Digital Photographers" by Michael Meadhra and Charlotte K. Lowrie.