Nature Photography Book

[max g.]

Can someone recomend a nature photography book for someone who is a

beginer but does know how to release the shutter, if you know what I

mean.

 

Thanks,

Max.

[majk]

I suggest John Shaw's Nature Photography Field Guide.

[max g.]

Thanks for your responce, but I just read a review saying that his book is mainly to do with equipment, and not as much wildlife or nature itsels, is this tru?

 

Thanks,

Max.

[markci]

True, but that's the way nature photography books are. Gear, technique and some of the aesthetic aspects, usually.

 

If you want a natural history book, there are plenty of those out there. But they're natural history books, not photography books.

[andrew_somerset1]

John Shaw's books are about the best at explaining the fundamental techniques that you will find. He takes a clear-headed, no-nonsense approach to explaining how to tale nature photos. This involves gear, but the focus is really on what the gear will do for you.

[cutley]

I agree... John Shaw's books are very good.

 

One thing to watch out for is that John spends a lot of time praising the top-of-the-line equipment. Don't sweat it if you're equipment doesn't "measure up"; I look at a lot of photos here and the vast majority are made with less than top-of-the-line equipment.

[dan_fromm2]

Look, you're facing two quite disjunct problems. Learning photographic technique and learning about your subjects. There's more to technique than pushing the button.

 

For photographic technique, as opposed to an inventory of the kit the author uses, A. A. Blaker's book Field Photography is outstanding. It was written before auto-TTL flash and autofocus had arrived, so says nothing about them or gear that have them.

 

Since I don't know what you want to shoot in nature, I can't make recommendations about guides to coping with/controlling (as possible) your subjects. Decide what you want to work at shooting, then go to the library to learn about it/them.

 

Cheers,

 

Dan

[Glenn McCreery]

My recommendation is "The Art Of Outdoor Photography" by Boyd Norton for 35mm photography. More advanced would be "Field Photography" by Alfred Blaker, and "Natural Ligtht Photography" by Ansel Adams (out of print, but available used) for large format black and white, but containiig useful and eloquently written information for any photographer.

[andrew robertson]

If you haven't read it already, Ansel Adams' trilogy, The Camera, The Negative, and The

Print are a must. Each one is relatively short, but contains a wealth of information. Adams

has a way of explaining concepts in a detailed, easily understood manner and I think these

three books should become part of every serious photographers library.

 

He doesn't tackle nature per se, but if you want to shoot deer(for example), it might serve

you better to learn about them by studying a book about deer rather than a book of

photos of deer.

[thomas_turk]

Yes Dan, The many photos here with less than top of the line gear are at best, mediocre...When a scneider or hassy.zeiss shot on fuji or agfa ultra comes on, all those conditioned on the dull, dreary, dead, enuded digital.canon keep getting knocked over, with comments such as, wow how did u get that color, what program on yr computor to enhance the color, wow too saturated, too garish...Better pay a leeeettle more and get contax and zeiss.. see phot4u.dk for some 1000 plus stunning zeiss contax fuji shots...

[thomas_turk]

Typo, I meant response to Craig..

[marc_goyan]

a really good one that I found was The National Audubon Society Guide To Nature Photography(Revised Edition) By Tim Fitzharris