Moving Beyond Point and Shoot

Ok so point and shoots have their place such as in my purse for our fun days out when I don't really need all that a dslr has to offer. However when you get beyond automatic settings and move into a camera with settings and lenses it really is a whole new world of photography made available to you. If you've been wanting to move from that fun little point and shoot to something a bit more advanced but are feeling intimidated try reading a book about it. Such as Essential Elements of Portrait Photography by Bill Israelson. His book is a great little guide to take you into the dslr world without feeling so intimidated by it. He covers a lot of the basics of equipment, camera function, and composition in regards to portrait photography. If you are so inclined to purchase this book you can find it here:
Amherst Media
here
Amazon
or here
Barnes & Noble

All Is Not Lost

I'm going with a different sort of title for this post. It could be about nearly anything but it is a review of the book Lighting & Design for Portrait Photography by Neil van Niekerk. So why the title of this post then? This book will help you find the image you didn't think was possible given the scenario. Take a drab parking lot and make it into something from a fairytale. It covers a ton of different possibilities for images with options for lighting, equipment, posing and composition along with a bit of post work. My favorite part is the inclusion of the images that led to the final image as well as a pull back shot of what he was working with for a setting. You will be amazed when comparing the two but you definitely know he's legit when you see them.
If you want to own this amazing book you can find it here:
Amherst Media
here:
Amazon
or here:
Barnes & Noble