Best books for beginner travel photography and Photoshop

Hi everyone,

 

I have been a lurker here for a number of years, just picking up a tip here and there. I am really only a travel

photographer, so unfortunately my skills drop off between trips. I have some decent gear (Digital Rebel, IS zoom

lens, various filters and accessories), but it's basically just high end point-and-shoot. I am taking some good

trips over the next year, so I really want to improve my skills.

 

I'm looking for a recommendation for (1) a book (or video set, or other learning tool) that is a great way to

really learn how to take pictures, and (2) a book (or video set, or other learning tool) on how to edit my RAW

pics in Photoshop. Right now, I'm mostly using an auto setting, shooting what looks good to me, mucking around

with curves in CS3, and that's it. I am guessing one recommendation is probably to take a class, but my irregular

schedule really doesn't make that possible.

 

Please let me know about your favorite learning tools. I think Kelby's Photoshop book is right for me, but for

the basic "taking pictures" part, there's so much out there I don't know where to start.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Tom

Hi Tom,

 

You don't edit RAW files, they are only information files, not image files. What you are working with on screen is a virtual image constructed out of the information in a RAW file and that becomes an editable, (if needed) image file after you save\export your work to whatever file format you choose.

 

I too have Photoshop CS3 for doing all of the effects and other gimmicks with plug-ins etc., but I also have Adobe Lightroom 2, which I prefer to use with RAW files, when I don't feel like I need to do too much of anything else to something I am nearly satisfied with.

 

I recently downloaded and am in the process of 30 day testing out a program called SilkyPix, which so far seems to give me much better results than either Photoshop or Lightroom when working with RAW files.

 

I'm a member of a local camera club, (status novice) and I get to learn a lot from folks who have a great deal of experience, but for learning on my own time I found Lynda.com who offers a lot of training videos for all levels of photography and the few I have purchased so far have been very helpful.

 

Google - Lynda.com

Ansel Adams (who, of course, worked with film) has an excellent series of three books on photography. I've been taking shots for years, working the the darkroom, and still refer to these gems. Try Amazon and get them paperback, maybe used.

 

If an Adams exhibit ever comes your way, go see it!

The Ansel books can be had for pretty cheap on the used market, so I will definitely add them to the library. But it looks like they contain a lot of info that for the most part will be irrelevant to digital photography, particularly with respect to darkroom, chemicals, etc. Is there a more modern reference that is considered the 'go to' for new photographers?

The best book I would recommend to every beginner is Scott Kelby's "The Digital Photography Book". I have learned a lot just reading this book. It's simple and straight forward. I have also read the 2nd Volume. This is a pretty goot start.