Composition: From Snapshots to Great Shots

by Laurie Excell

Overview

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. That’s where Composition: From Snapshots to Great Shots, Second Edition, comes in, teaching you the fundamentals of composition—the creative arrangement of elements in the shot, and the way a viewer’s eye travels through an image—so you can get great shots no matter what gear you use.

In this book, author and professional photographer Laurie Excell starts with the basics of composition—such as the popular rule of thirds—and illustrates how elements like color, shape, angles, and contrast work to create compelling images. In the process, she covers all key camera features that affect composition (regardless of what type of DSLR you have), including the ability to freeze and convey motion depending on what shutter speed you choose, and the correlation between aperture and depth of field.

In addition to dozens of brand-new images and more in-depth coverage on topics such as patterns and textures and arranging elements in a frame, this revised edition features several completely new chapters. These will include a chapter of step-by-step examples that highlight the compositional technique used to get just the right shot; a new chapter on black-and-white photography; and a chapter on what to do after the shot—enhancing and editing the images in post-processing.

Beautifully illustrated with large, vibrant photos, this book will help you bring your own unique artistic expression to any situation whether taking portraits, action shots, landscapes, or events, teaching you how to take control of your photography to get the image you want every time you pick up the camera.
 
The book includes coverage of Lightroom for image management; Nikon Capture NX2 for RAW processing; Photoshop for image processing; and NIK and OnOne software for creative effects.
 

 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780133813807
Publisher:	Pearson Education
Publication date:	04/10/2014
Series:	From Snapshots to Great Shots
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	264
File size:	52 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

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

Chapter 1: Equipment
The Equipment You Use Directly Affects Your Photographic Style. How You Use It Defines Your Creativity!

Chapter 2: Exposure Triangle
ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed: Their Relationship to Each Other and to Light

Chapter 3: Light
Light Is the Key Element in Image Making

Chapter 4: Design Elements
Lines, Shapes, Patterns, and Textures Make Up the Visual Path That Leads Your Eye Through the Frame to the Point of Interest

Chapter 5: Color and Emotion
Understanding Color and Its Role in Evoking Emotional Responses

Chapter 6: Composition Guidelines For Great Shots
Guidelines for the Pleasing Arrangement of Elements Within the Frame

Chapter 7: B&W
Learning to See in Black and White

Chapter 8: Beyond The Rules
Breaking the Rules of Composition to Achieve Great Shots

Chapter 9: Light, Camera, Action
Putting it All Together…Planning & Executing of Photographic Opportunities

Chapter 10: After The Click
Creative Use of the Tools Available in the Digital Darkroom to Convey Your Vision