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The Digital Photograpy book by Scott Kelby ia much better and easier to understand. Average Book. I bought both books after reading good reviews.
Instead of saying, "The smaller the number, the faster the shutter speed," he says "Larger (denominator) numbers = faster shutter speeds (usually)." .Seriously.He spends much time dwelling on his very strong preference for you to own a DSLR, as though no other camera will do. What he fails to mention is that you have to PAY to do so.Other low-raters of this book have said that Miotke's photos are mediocre and uninspiring, and I couldn't agree more. I didn't find a single photo with the "WOW." factor, and many of them looked like snapshots. And many people just plain can't afford them.He also repeatedly mentions his website and encourages entering your photos in competitions there.
He has several comparative photos that are helpful and he always gives camera settings.I wouldn't buy another book by this author, and would probably avoid the BetterPhoto series altogether, as better photos are not what I found here. I counted no less than 17 pictures of his son (multiple shots for comparative purposes were counted as one), so it appears that the "proud daddy" syndrome got the better of him. I've found MUCH better photos by amateurs on Flickr. But that's elementary, and others do it better. He totally muddles the explanation of shutter speed--the most straightforward of the three parameters--by assuming that the reader does not understand fractions. DLSR's have enough drawbacks that many of their owners also buy a sub-SLR or P&S when they don't feel like hassling with lenses and a suitcase. One would think that a pro photographer writing a book on photography would use his best work to illustrate not only his own abilities, but the potential that might be realized.
At least the kid is cute.On the flip side, he has some good tips for obtaining the correct exposure in challenging situations, such as when the subject is backlit. I own several beginner and intermediate books on digital photography, and this is probably my least favorite.Miotke does a reasonable job of explaining the basics for the beginner. Except that there are several models of sub-SLRs that offer full manual control and take pictures that rival a DSLR (Panasonic FZ35 [my personal favorite], Sony HX1, Canon SX20IS, etc). The shot on page 15 is just horrific.
This is an excellent instruction book that covers aperture,iso, and shutter speed in great easy to understand terminology. It is primarily written with the more expensive digital cameras that can control exposure in mind, but it does give hints for the type cameras without controls.
Once you are done reading this buy Scott Kelbys Book. respects the readers intelligence and does not treat one like a 3 year old. with some great tips. The book has a great re-read value too. Buy this book. content is precise and to the point. I enjoyed reading it a lot.
The description and explanation are very understandable. This Digital Photography book has begun one of my favorite companions to learn how to get nice shots and deal with difficulties. I have started to study Introduction to Digital Photography and my teacher recommended it to everyone.
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