Composition From Snapshots to Great Shots

by Excell, Laurie S.; Batdorff, John; Brommer, David; Rickman, Rick; Simon, Steve

• ISBN13: 9780321741325
• ISBN10: 0321741323
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-11-17
• Publisher: Peachpit Press

Summary

Now that you've bought an amazing new DSLR, you need a book that goes beyond the camera manual to teach you how to take great shots. One key component to that is understanding composition--the creative arrangement of elements in the shot, and the way a viewer's eye travels through an image. WithComposition: From Snapshots to Great Shots,the author starts with the basics of composition--such as the popular rule of thirds--and continues with exploring how the elements of color, shape, angles, and contrast work to create compelling images. The book covers all key camera features that affect composition (regardless of what type of DSLR you have) including shutter speed's ability to freeze and convey motion, as well as aperture's direct correlation with depth of field. Throughout the course of the book, the reader will gain an understanding of composition, which will allow them to bring their own unique artistic expression to any situation whether taking portraits, action shots, landscapes, or events. Beautifully illustrated with large, vibrant photos, this book teaches you how to take control of your photography to get the image you want every time you pick up the camera.

Author Biography

Laurie Excell is a professional wildlife and nature photographer. Her images have been published in Outdoor Photographer, Outdoor  Photography (UK), Photoshop User, Elements Techniques, and Layers magazines. She leads popular wildlife photography adventures in North America and is an instructor at Photoshop World. Prior to working as a professional photographer, Laurie spent more than two decades in photographic sales, helping pros and hobbyists decide which equipment suited their particular needs. See her work at laurieexcell.com.
 
John Batdorff is an award-winning landscape and travel photographer who splits his time between Chicago and Montana. He is the author of Nikon D7000: From Snapshots to Great Shots (Peachpit), and his work has been featured in the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole. He loves the outdoors and traveling, and sharing his images with others. See his work and read his popular photography blog at www.batdorffphotography.com.
 
David Brommer is a New York City based photographer, who currently works as the B&H Photo Event Space Manager. Well versed in photography from pixels to platinum, David has built up a body of work centering on portraits of fringe society. David operated the gallery Suspect Photography in Seattle during the 90s and continues to explore new technology and old techniques. See his work at seattlesuspects.com.
 
Rick Rickman is a Pulitzer Prize-winning Southern California photographer with 30 years experience. His work has been featured on many covers of Time and Newsweek magazines. His project and documentary work has appeared in publications such as National Geographic, Life, Sports Illustrated, and Smithsonian. Rick has traveled the world covering Olympic competitions, wars, and political upheavals as well as innumerable social interests and events. His abilities cross over every photographic discipline, and his greatest motivator is the challenge presented by each opportunity. He excels in creating unique images that excite the eye and captivate the mind. See his work at: rickrickman.com.
 
Steve Simon has been passionate about documenting the beauty and drama of the human condition for his entire photographic life. The author of four photography books with works in major museum collections around the world, he has had solo shows in New York, Buenos Aires, Toronto, and Montreal, and his work has been featured at the Visa Pour L’Image Photojournalism Festival in Perpignan, France. He is on the Apple Aperture Advisory Board and faculty of International Center of Photography (ICP) and School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York. He has lead workshops all over the world, including Mentor Series, Macworld, PhotoPlus Expo, and Gulf Photo Plus in Dubai. His forthcoming books include: Steve Simon's Nikon Dream System (Lark) and The Passionate Photographer (New Riders). See his work at stevesimonphoto.com.
 

Table of Contents

Introduction
Chapter 1: Equipment
Chapter 2: Exposure Triangle
Chapter 3: Light
Chapter 4: Lines, Shapes, and Patterns
Chapter 5: Color
Chapter 6: Spatial Relationships
Chapter 7: Black and White
Chapter 8: Sports and Composition
Chapter 9: Beyond the Rule of Thirds
Chapter 10: The Compositional Dance
Index