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dicko3000 · 09-13-2011, 12:48 PM

Hello all,

Not sure if this is the correct place to post - I'm new to this forum, and pretty new to photography for that matter.

I have had my K-x for a year now and cannot afford to take any courses and find trawling the internet time consuming and tedious.

I am hoping to find a book that will cover the basics of digital photography and includes a good section on post processing. I don't want to get a book just on photoshop (although I own it).

Other areas I have been wondering about are:

recommended settings for various situations
tips for flash photography
filters - when to use and why
inspiration for photo projects

So can anyone help with a recommendation. I hope that is not too vague. I already own one book (the complete photography manual -McWhinnie) but it is out of date and I don't want to waste my money

psychdoc · 09-13-2011, 01:04 PM

Originally posted by dicko3000

and pretty new to photography for that matter

If you are new to photography, go to the library and check out this book:
Understanding Exposure by Peterson.

It obviously is not a comprehensive book on all things photography. But it is the one book that helped me the most.

**Kammerer** · 09-13-2011, 01:07 PM

Originally posted by psychdoc

If you are new to photography, go to the library and check out this book:
Understanding Exposure by Peterson.

It obviously is not a comprehensive book on all things photography. But it is the one book that helped me the most.

+1. Understanding Exposure is a perfect first book on photography.

**Ash** · 09-13-2011, 01:22 PM

And complement your learning with basic tutorials from online resources such as here: Learning basic photographic techniques - PentaxForums.com and "Understanding Exposure" by Peterson and taking pics with my Kit Lens - PentaxForums.com

sweetpapa · 09-13-2011, 01:40 PM

I also recommend Understanding Exposure. What impressed me is that it's very readable with lots of example photos to demonstrate the techniques that are discussed in the book.

bimjo · 09-13-2011, 01:44 PM

I learned on The Photographers Handbook by John Hedgecoe. Lots of stuff to keep you occupied for at least a week.

dicko3000 · 09-14-2011, 01:35 AM

Thanks for the tips all! I will certainly check out Understanding Exposure and The Photographer's Handbook. It seems like I will need more than one book

Any other suggestions for specific help with post-processing?

dicko3000 · 10-05-2011, 08:32 AM

Originally posted by psychdoc

If you are new to photography, go to the library and check out this book: Understanding Exposure by Peterson. It obviously is not a comprehensive book on all things photography. But it is the one book that helped me the most.

Purchased this book and really appreciate the recommendations! It is brilliant. It's really helping me understand the basics and has inspired me to try all sorts of new things. Shame I just broke my K-x I think I was really improving

bimjo · 10-06-2011, 07:32 AM

Originally posted by dicko3000

Purchased this book and really appreciate the recommendations! It is brilliant. It's really helping me understand the basics and has inspired me to try all sorts of new things. Shame I just broke my K-x I think I was really improving

There's always something…

atupdate · 10-06-2011, 09:03 AM

Originally posted by dicko3000

Thanks for the tips all! I will certainly check out Understanding Exposure and The Photographer's Handbook. It seems like I will need more than one book

Any other suggestions for specific help with post-processing?

There are some good free web-based resources on post processing and photography in general.

For post processing, About.com has tutorials for several different softwares. I've used several from the Paint Shop Pro series.

About Graphics Software - Tutorials Reviews Tips and Help for Working with Graphics

Ron Bigelow has more Photoshop info than a normal person could ever hope to comprehend in a lifetime.

Ron Bigelow Photography Articles

Both the Techniques and Tutorial sections at Luminous Landscape are worth a look.

The Luminous Landscape

A fun one for learning the relationship between aperture, shutter speed and ISO is the camera simulator at SimCam.
The SimCam: Film and Digital Camera Simulator - Photonhead.com

Tim

dicko3000 · 10-07-2011, 06:13 AM

thanks tim will check those out, feel i'm about ready to tackle post now, especially as i wont be taking any pictures for a while!

atupdate · 10-07-2011, 07:15 AM

Originally posted by dicko3000

thanks tim will check those out, feel i'm about ready to tackle post now, especially as i wont be taking any pictures for a while!

Check out the Post Processing Challenge. It will give you PP practice and several variations on the same picture.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/mini-challenges-games-photo-stories/16134...enge-49-a.html

Tim

dicko3000 · 10-08-2011, 01:15 PM

will give it a shot, it is pretty amazing how much you can get out of a shot with PP!

09-13-2011, 12:48 PM	#1
dicko3000 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: London Posts: 26	A good book to learn digital photography? Hello all, Not sure if this is the correct place to post - I'm new to this forum, and pretty new to photography for that matter. I have had my K-x for a year now and cannot afford to take any courses and find trawling the internet time consuming and tedious. I am hoping to find a book that will cover the basics of digital photography and includes a good section on post processing. I don't want to get a book just on photoshop (although I own it). Other areas I have been wondering about are: recommended settings for various situations tips for flash photography filters - when to use and why inspiration for photo projects So can anyone help with a recommendation. I hope that is not too vague. I already own one book (the complete photography manual -McWhinnie) but it is out of date and I don't want to waste my money

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09-13-2011, 01:04 PM	#2
psychdoc Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Bham Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 949	Originally posted by dicko3000 and pretty new to photography for that matter If you are new to photography, go to the library and check out this book: Understanding Exposure by Peterson. It obviously is not a comprehensive book on all things photography. But it is the one book that helped me the most.

09-13-2011, 01:07 PM	#3
Kammerer Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Hampton Roads Photos: Albums Posts: 367	Originally posted by psychdoc If you are new to photography, go to the library and check out this book: Understanding Exposure by Peterson. It obviously is not a comprehensive book on all things photography. But it is the one book that helped me the most. +1. Understanding Exposure is a perfect first book on photography.

09-13-2011, 01:22 PM	#4
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	And complement your learning with basic tutorials from online resources such as here: Learning basic photographic techniques - PentaxForums.com and "Understanding Exposure" by Peterson and taking pics with my Kit Lens - PentaxForums.com

09-13-2011, 01:40 PM	#5
sweetpapa Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 64	I also recommend Understanding Exposure. What impressed me is that it's very readable with lots of example photos to demonstrate the techniques that are discussed in the book.

09-13-2011, 01:44 PM	#6
bimjo Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Pasco, WA Posts: 967	I learned on The Photographers Handbook by John Hedgecoe. Lots of stuff to keep you occupied for at least a week.

09-14-2011, 01:35 AM	#7
dicko3000 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: London Posts: 26 Original Poster	Thanks for the tips all! I will certainly check out Understanding Exposure and The Photographer's Handbook. It seems like I will need more than one book Any other suggestions for specific help with post-processing?

10-05-2011, 08:32 AM	#8
dicko3000 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: London Posts: 26 Original Poster	Originally posted by psychdoc If you are new to photography, go to the library and check out this book: Understanding Exposure by Peterson. It obviously is not a comprehensive book on all things photography. But it is the one book that helped me the most. Purchased this book and really appreciate the recommendations! It is brilliant. It's really helping me understand the basics and has inspired me to try all sorts of new things. Shame I just broke my K-x I think I was really improving

10-06-2011, 07:32 AM	#9
bimjo Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Pasco, WA Posts: 967	Originally posted by dicko3000 Purchased this book and really appreciate the recommendations! It is brilliant. It's really helping me understand the basics and has inspired me to try all sorts of new things. Shame I just broke my K-x I think I was really improving There's always something…

10-06-2011, 09:03 AM	#10
atupdate Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dayton, OH Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,724	Originally posted by dicko3000 Thanks for the tips all! I will certainly check out Understanding Exposure and The Photographer's Handbook. It seems like I will need more than one book Any other suggestions for specific help with post-processing? There are some good free web-based resources on post processing and photography in general. For post processing, About.com has tutorials for several different softwares. I've used several from the Paint Shop Pro series. About Graphics Software - Tutorials Reviews Tips and Help for Working with Graphics Ron Bigelow has more Photoshop info than a normal person could ever hope to comprehend in a lifetime. Ron Bigelow Photography Articles Both the Techniques and Tutorial sections at Luminous Landscape are worth a look. The Luminous Landscape A fun one for learning the relationship between aperture, shutter speed and ISO is the camera simulator at SimCam. The SimCam: Film and Digital Camera Simulator - Photonhead.com Tim

10-07-2011, 06:13 AM	#11
dicko3000 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: London Posts: 26 Original Poster	thanks tim will check those out, feel i'm about ready to tackle post now, especially as i wont be taking any pictures for a while!

10-07-2011, 07:15 AM	#12
atupdate Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dayton, OH Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,724	Originally posted by dicko3000 thanks tim will check those out, feel i'm about ready to tackle post now, especially as i wont be taking any pictures for a while! Check out the Post Processing Challenge. It will give you PP practice and several variations on the same picture. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/mini-challenges-games-photo-stories/16134...enge-49-a.html Tim

10-08-2011, 01:15 PM	#13
dicko3000 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: London Posts: 26 Original Poster	will give it a shot, it is pretty amazing how much you can get out of a shot with PP!

A good book to learn digital photography?

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