A curious little book showing you how other photographers have used things such light or shutter speed to create interesting photos. It explains the aperture, ISO, shutter speed and exposure compensation alongside how to compose the picture, be it in thirds, balance or up close are just a few examples.

I certainly will be approaching my camera differently next time I get it out, using the Shutter priority (S/TV) and Aperture priority (A/AV) settings more than Manual (M)

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

Read this if you want to take great photographs is a small book with so much content for starters in photography. It doesn't go into all the technical nitty-gritty but covers the necessary steps in an easy to follow way. Loved it!

I can see why this has divisive reviews: it really is a very condensed, easy-to-follow, quick read meant to get someone immediately enabled into taking better photographs. The concepts are cleanly laid out, with large print, and easy to follow, eschewing a LOT of information in order to not overwhelm. But it is also shallow - great for the casual person who doesn't want to fool around with the camera fiddling and losing shots but would like to have more interesting 'snapshots'. Yes, a LOT of information is left out and the advice won't be useful in all situations. But there is enough here to help novices use their cameras better. No, this isn't intended for someone who bought a fancy new $XXXX DSLR. Rather, it's great for pocket cameras and even for cell phones since it covers composition and lighting issues.

Imagine this as a quick start guide that comes with an electronic item. It gives just the basics, quickly, with some images, but won't tell you enough to really be good with the item, only better than if you are using it with no information at all and just guessing. That's not a bad thing and this will be exactly what a large group of readers really want/need. Most only want to give the topic 10 minutes and finish the book and get better shots (better light, compositions, and subject). I would say you will get 'better' photographs, though not 'great' ones with just this booklet.

Those who are thinking of a career in photography, want to learn more about the art, and to get the images like those pictured in the book, there's always more in depth books that do a superb job of fully covering topics such as Composition/Creativity ( The Photographer's Mind: Creative Thinking for Better Digital Photos by Michael Freeman) and the basics (the incomparable Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera by Bryan Peterson). Those books are about spending time chapter by chapter to fully understand how to take great photographs but can be overkill/overwhelming to the novice/layman.

For me, I'd give my grandmother or my teen daughter this book - nothing but the basics since neither would be interested in long texts explaining photography and neither use anything but a cell phone or a pocket camera. But for my sister and husband, both eagerly digested the above books on the topic so they could use my DSLR to its full extent. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

Henry Carroll's book, "Read This if You Want to Take Great Photographs," is a masterclass on photography. It is picture for every beginner with a new SLR who wants to learn how to take photographs. Carroll goes through so many different aspects of photography, of camera settings, lenses, light, shutter speeds, exposure, aperture, and so many other intricacies to explore as you learn how to take great photographs.

The book has numerous examples too that show you what you are looking for and what he is talking about. He explains each concept extensively, summarizes it, and then depicts an example to prove his point. There is a lot of tips and great information to help you grow in your photography skills.

I received this eBook free of charge from Laurence King Publishing Ltd via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I did not receive any fiscal compensation from either company for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

3.5🌟
I am a complete novice when it comes to non-auto mode photography. This concise book expresses the basic modes & phrasing of photography in an easily accessible, simple way. I found that it made something daunting feel attainable and digestible. I also appreciated the tone not being too heavy and the inclusion of several examples of beautiful photography to demonstrate particular techniques.

I wish, however, that it had gone a little further into some of the technicalities, for example in the FAQ at the back it touches on metering modes. I wish that it delved a little further into intermediate territory rather than focusing on truly beginner concepts at this price point to give added longevity.

The parts of the book which focus on composition and improving your photographs from an artistic rather than mechanical point of view for me were mostly useless and the tone of certain bits a bit too self help "you can do it!" style. In a modern age of cameras in our phones many of us have been taking photographs, albeit auto focus phone photographs, for many years at this point and are familiar with most of, if not all of this. If these sections had been more condensed, or accompanied by more intermediate techniques I would have felt to be a better well-rounded book for me. I would recommend it only as a (good) very basic manual for the uninitiated or those that struggle with simple photographic composition.

[This eBook was given to me via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]

A great easy to follow guide to taking better photos, this was perfect for me as someone who isn't tech or an expert in photography, easy to follow tips for anyone to follow.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

who doesn't love this series? as a photographer myself, i could not stop reaading. I feel like i truly learned a lot!

This is a great, user-friendly, guide to photography. It will be great for newbies, but I think it will also serve photographers who have the technical details down and need a step back to remember why they're taking photographs in the first place. It explains the technical basics, but it prioritizes the creative aspects. It's easy to get bogged down in technicality when learning how to use a camera, losing sight of artistry and creativity that will make a picture unique in the first place. This book explains the basics of composition, the same basics one would learn for painting, with clear examples. Then it explains the camera settings, also in a very straightforward manner, always putting the concept of creative choices first. Now, with composition and technical basics out of the way, it goes into lighting (and color) and the effects and moods it can create. Finally, it gets into lens choose, and remembering to look with your eyes first. Very practical, and very approachable.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think this was a really great overview of what you need to know to get started in photography. I liked the provided examples, even though I had seen some of those photos before. I read it on my Kindle Fire, so I could see them in full color.

Pretty good reference material for someone to the slightly newer stage of photography. Looked at things from different perspectives than other photography help books I've read.

ARC kindly provided by Netgalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed below are purely my own.

Rating: 5/5

I really enjoyed this book in that it was easy to follow and helped me understand a lot of my camera settings a whole lot better. I had always placed my camera settings on automatic, and now I feel confident enough to try manually changing some of the settings. I had previously picked this book up at a Barnes and Noble and wanted to purchase it, but was being rushed out the door. I am glad I now got a chance to review it. I will definitely be looking for it at my library.

This was a great little book! I'm someone who is trying to take nicer photos but I don't have access to a super expensive camera, just my phone so the tips and tricks Carroll gave were definitely helpful.

It's a little bit technical, but not too confusing. Once you think about it, the mechanics involved in taking a photo can be pretty simple -- or rather, easy once you know how to do it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Laurence King Publishing Ltd for the free copy in exchange of an honest review.
Great for beginners and those just wanting some different ideas. Simply written and easy to understand. Love the short chapters and the pictures to back up the advice and show what each chapter is about.

I really enjoyed this simple guide to photography. This book is definitely geared towards new photographers. I've been shooting for 10 years and already understood most of the concepts Carroll talked about. The photo examples really help you to understand what the author is talking about. He explains everything in simple language. If you've just bought a camera, this is a great place to start.

This is a really good guide for people who are interested in taking better photographs but are not techies. Carroll uses clear language and lots of photographic examples to demonstrate how to use all the settings on your camera - - and that includes your phone camera. Well worth buying and reviewing periodically.

Good pointers on how to take photographs. Gives photo examples and gives some troubleshooting advice. Quick to give information - gives enough information.

Basic photography book. Didn't think it was great, but didn't hate it either. Just average for me. Someone that didn't know anything about photography might be helped by it.

I take a lot of pictures with my phone and/or camera but it's been a while since I've taken photographs ... yes, there's a difference. I like reading books about photography and using cameras.

This book is directed to beginners to give them a high level explanation of the different things they should know about their camera:

* Composition - framing, symmetry, getting close, leading lines, etc.
* Exposure - modes (program, shutter, aperture and manual), ISO, exposure compensation, etc.
* Light - hard, soft, natural, artificial, etc.
* Lenses - wide angle, telephoto, prime, macro, etc.
* Seeing - dangers of perfection, a different point of view, etc.

While it is directed to beginners, I don't think there is enough information to fully educate a beginner. But it lets them know that there is so much more to know so they can move on to read other books, websites, etc. and get out there and practice and figure it out for themselves.

Though I didn't learn anything new, it was a good reminder that I've gotten lazy. I always shoot in "P" mode (program, which the author approves of) but it's been a while since I've shot in "A" (aperture) mode (I used to all the time).

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If one is looking to take his/her first steps into photography then Carroll's book is probably the best starting point; it gives the reader a quick grounding in the numerous aspects that truly make photography an art form..