D200 and Lighting -- Do you know a good book ......

<p>Hello Forum and happy new year!</p>

<p>I'm looking to get some books or DVD's. What do you would suggest about mastering the D200 and another book about the lighting and proper use of light and flash, etc. and finally a book about tips and tricks of digital photography.</p>

<p>I checked and read reveiews about the following books, please share your experience on these or if you know any better one. Thanks.<br>

- <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-D200-Digital-Field-Guide/dp/0470037482/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231610188&sr=1-1">Nikon D200 Digital Field Guide</a><br>

- <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Lantern-Guides-Nikon-D200/dp/1579908861/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231610188&sr=1-2">Magic Lantern Guides: Nikon D200</a><br>

- <a href="http://www.amazon.com/PIP-Expanded-Guide-Nikon-D200/dp/1861084447/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231610188&sr=1-3">The PIP Expanded Guide to the Nikon D200 </a><br>

- <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-D200-Dbook-Interactive-Photography/dp/1933952148/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231610188&sr=1-4">The Nikon D200 Dbook: Your Interactive Guide to DSLR Photography</a> ( I don't like this one )<br>

- <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Light-Science-Introduction-Photographic-Lighting/dp/0240808193/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231610309&sr=1-1">Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting</a> (I've read many good reviews about this)<br>

- <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Photography-Book-Scott-Kelby/dp/032147404X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231610414&sr=1-1">The Digital Photography Book</a><br>

- <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Betterphoto-Guide-Digital-Photography-Amphoto/dp/0817435522/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231610479&sr=8-3">The Betterphoto Guide to Digital Photography </a></p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

 

<p>Light, Science and Magic! Read it and understand it and you will be a lot better off in understanding lighting in general. Very good book. </p>

<p>Lighting is lighting. Same for any camera. Buy separate books.</p>

<p>I've read all those books except the Light:Science and Magic. My experience is that they are all targeted at pure beginners and they offer even the most intermediate photographer nothing really new. You're best bet is just to ask a pro or a seasoned photographer your questions. I find this board much more valuable than a book. Most of those books are just a waste of money IMO.</p>

<p>Light - Science & Magic is not targeted at pure beginners, and it is very focused on a methodology for thinking about light. Highly recommended.</p>

<p>Light- Science and magic is a Text. If you're serious of about learning lighting, get it (it'll teach more than you want probably) . As far as your D200, just read your manual. If you want to learn about basic photography, I would get John Hedgecoe's book on introduction to digital photography. It's very comprehensive. </p>

<p>For lighting, Chris Bucher's Lighting Photo Workshop. It is directed at the beginner/intermediate. A good place to start. For the in depth understanding, the physics, the why, Light Science. Then you may want to have control over your light using flash- its not as difficult as with film because you see the results as you photograph and can modify til its what you want, not making calculations and hoping til the film is developed (at some cost per try- 1's and 0's are free) that your calcs were right. Take a look at Strobist web site-free- and Lowell's Matter of Light and Depth. Most can be found on Amazon and often used. Check the table of contents there to see if it fits your needs. For the d200, magic lantern has some good suggestions and is an easier read than the manual. An example given, is you would't read the car manual to teach yourself to drive.<br>

Two other things I would suggest to improve your d200 images quickly, a good composition book, Freeman's Composition book addresses photography only and after it, Design Basics by Lauer, out of print but available used, is outstanding and goes in depth into photo/painting composition.<br>

Remember, the camera phase is only the capture, there is the post processing that also allows for much creativity. Kelby on line training is fabulous at $20/month unlimited access. He makes learning photoshop painless, and for shooting, has Joe Mcnally and David Ziser on lighting, 8 courses, Moose Peterson 2 courses on landscape, plus basic photoshop to raw, layers and extractions. A photo best buy. A word of caution, dont subscribe unless you have plenty of time, because you will effortlessly spend alot of time with it.<br>

To put this all together, shoot, shoot, shoot but then evaluate. Submit to this site or if there is a local club that does regular critiques, it would be invaluable. The critiques not only of your work but the volume of that of others will really help. Dont forget the resources of this site for your questions. There fabulous photographers on this site. Sounds like you share our passion and folks here are more than willing to help. I shoot a d200 so if I can be of any help, feel free to email me. Technology continues to evolve from it, but I was just looking at Galen Rowells Firefall image and noted he got that with Kodachrome 25. He didnt have 1600 iso and did just fine. He probably didnt have your 5 frames per second burst, auto focus, auto exposure in 1973 either. Heck you just inspired me to get off my tail and head to the mountains to get some shots myself, thanks. </p>

<p>Hi Bob Bill. Thank you for all the great info. You are correct, what I need is more than just a recap of the Nikon's user manual which some of published book are indeed. I sure will get the composition and Matter of Light and Depth book. I never read anything about composition and for sure will be new and interesting to me. I hope you enjoyed your trip to mountains and got yourself tons of unique pictures !!! Thanks again.</p>