Cover Image: Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs

Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs

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Member Reviews

So many people are dismissive of the basics of anything but if you haven't grasped the basics of a subject you don't have the building blocks to go further.

This lovely little book concentrates on the basics of good photography. it doesn't spend time wittering on about nonessentials it just concentrates on explaining the fundamentals so that anyone can take good photos from day one.

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A good book for beginning photographers but not sure if it would be beneficial for photography enthusiasts who have a desire to learn more technical aspects, such as using manual mode. I believe that in order to be an accomplished photographer, one really needs to understand the science of manual mode and all the adjustments necessary for a good exposure.

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This was an informative read and helpful guide that teaches you basics of photography and gives you the tools you would need to hone in on your hobby and improve.

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So good I bought it twice. Bought the actual book after reading this. Useful, helpful and worth having. I'm not a photographer, I just love taking photographs. This is worth reading whatever your level.

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Great book, full of very informative information and examples. Highly recommend this photography book!

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Really simple and easy to follow directions and diagrams. Pictures included to show how to take better pictures. This wasn't over technical or overflowing with too many words (we are talking about better visuals right?) It was nice to see images to reference. Overall this was helpful and so easy to read.

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Lately I've been playing with the thought of learning photography. I mean really learning, not just buying a better camera that knows everything by itself, and then simply hope for the best.

My grandfather and my aunt were both hobby photographers and I've always admired their work ever since I was a kid. I actually feel like I do have the eye for it, at least, too, but I've always been too lazy to learn the technical stuff. Something was always more important to do. (And honestly, before now I could never afford a worthy camera.)

In the last couple of months I've started to get in the mood for it, though. I hated the all-automatic shit my snap-shot camera made during our holidays/honeymoon. I finally feel like that I'm mature enough to learn the how-to, and to take responsibility for my own pictures.

I still have next to no time for my hobbies, though, so it's pretty tiring to learn new stuff. That means I have to be, and stay motivated. And for that purpose, this little book was perfect.

It doesn't teach more than you definitely need to know when you only start out with photography. It says only the essentials. It explains things very easily and don't expect more from you than you're ready and able to do. And what's more, it inspires: it makes you actually WANT to try out things, to experiment with things, without the pressure of doing professional stuff. It tellls you that it's okay to take bad photos. That it's okay that you're yet in a learning curve, and you can't yet set everything yourself up. And I find that so important!

Those who will really get into it, will read about and learn anything that they need to. But at first, the most important stuff is to enjoy it all. To learn what you're capable of. To be encouraged. And that's what this book does so well.

I rate it 5 stars, and I recommend it to all who just started out, or are about to start photography!

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I received this book through netgalley. This in now way shaped my opinion or rating of the book.

I loved the book and would highly suggest to beginner photographers that want to learn more about photography and get better at it.

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Clear, succinct instructions and descriptions with photos that give appropriate demonstrations of each chapter. Henry Carroll delivers a great manual for new photographers and a solid refresher for the professional. Keep this book handy until you've mastered each skill and technique.

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Very interesting book has a lot of useful information well worth a read thanks for the chance to read this book

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If you're looking for a great little book on photography, then this is it. Practical advice for beginners or even seasoned veterans.

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The Philosophy of Photography

As the author states in the introduction of the book, this is not a work that focuses on the technical aspects of photography. Yes, there are sections on exposure, focal lengths, and lenses, but the book is more about fostering the development of an artistic eye. To aid in that, the author has a selection of photographs that he uses as an example to discuss topics like framing, symmetry, different types of light, and the dangers of perfection. The book is actually a set of mini essays about these topics and others. I would almost call it philosophical in nature, as it does get you to think about your perception of the world and what you can capture with a camera. I love how the book starts, where he just shows a box with a hole in it, saying that this is your camera. I think he wants to take away any fear of the complexity of modern cameras and show as well that the focus of this book is really on the photographer, not the camera. If you are into photography at all, you will most likely find this book and its collection of essays and striking photographs an interesting read and much food for thought.

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This is an excellent guide for newer photographers! It is understandable without a lot of technical knowledge, which is nice. I think that students (and adults) will enjoy this book.

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Another great title for my return to art-making. The digital boom has dampened my love of photography (digital isn't as warm as film, but now it seems too hard to deal with film and processing etc.) and this book reminded me of why I love it and how to work in this new age of photography.

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I count photography among my passions and I'm always looking for ways to enhance my shots. Henry Carroll's book has certainly been a fun, entertaining and helpful read.

I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for giving me a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

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I’ve struggled with photo composition for a while, and this book was really helpful for me.
I appreciate how easy to understand everything was.
However, I kind of hate how clickbait-y the title is.

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"Read This if You Want to Take Great Photographs" by Henry Carroll is the perfect book to read if you're new to photography. Carroll provides excellent examples of illustrations from other seasoned photographers along with detailed descriptions on how to utilize composition, your light, exposure, and lenses to capture that perfect photo. I enjoyed this book and would love to have a copy in my library reference collection.

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This is a really handy guide for taking the best photographs. Regardless of your intentions when it comes to photography whether it’s casual Instagram photos, photojournalism, holiday snaps or a different variety of the plethora of photography styles. This book provides a handy overview of composition, caption your subject, angles, how to work with your subject, landscape shooting etc., it really does have everything you need without it being overly heavy in information and thus becoming daunting rather than enjoyable. I liked the addition of contemporary and classic photography and photographers, and it was thoroughly enjoyable to see the multitude of angles one can take with photography.

Definitely recommend this whether you are new to photography, experienced, a hobbyist, a professional or just looking for an interesting read. This will definitely serve you well! It really is an interesting read!

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Great book for a photographer to add to their collection. It's simple to understand which is important when you are a newbie trying to get into the photographer world.

Highly recommend!

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I really enjoyed this read. The book was written in an easy-to-understand format, breaking down why each photograph "worked" and was considered beautiful, taking us through the menus on our camera and being darn right conversational and informational! Definitely recommend - though take some time to work with your camera while you read so you don't forget everything immediately!

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