What is the best basic photo book?

[JBrunner]

For someone utterly new to photography, who doesn't know a stop from a speed and wants to learn, what are your recommendations on best basic book out there, new or old?

 

[Curt]

The Ansel Adams photo series. If they get throught that then they are serious, if not any old issue of Popular Photography will do.:munch:

 

[df cardwell]

Slam Dunk:

Dead Link Removed

Dead Link Removed

Black & White Photography, A Basic Manual, Third Revised Edition
Henry Horenstein, Rhode Island School of Design.

Still the best * ever * after all these years !

It works for 8th graders, college students, grown ups, of every description.

It is especially good for fixing the INSTRUCTORS !

 

[DannL]

1. Photography by Barbara Landon and John Upton ISBN 0-673-52223-7

2. The Encyclopedia of Photography, 20 volumes, hard back. Greystone Press 1963

3. Life Library of Photography, 17 volumes, hard back. Time Inc. 1970

4. Basic Techniques of Photography - An Ansel Adams Guide. J P Schaefer, ISBN 0-8212-1882-4

 

[Pinholemaster]

What I use to teach all my 'Introduction to Photography' college courses.

Henry Horenstein's "Black & White Photography: a Basic Manual (third edition, revised)"

Inexpensive and very thorough. Used by high schools and colleges for decades. Clearly written. He teaches photography at the Rhode Island School of Design.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-White-P...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210650431&sr=8-1

 

[Shawn Rahman]

I would not recommend the Ansel Adams series for absolute beginners. I think it delves WAY too much into technical details that are far too advanced for beginners.

I think the Horenstein book is far better for as an overall basic tutorial.

 

[Ian Grant]

Another steady seller used by many college & University courses:

Basic Photography, Michael Langford, Focal Press

followed by Advanced Photography, Michael Langford, Focal Press.

Ian

 

[zenrhino]

A hearty second on the Horenstein books. The first one is surprisingly easy to learn from and the second one is suprisingly meaty.

 

[Lee L]

Ditto the Horenstein.

It's advanced enough for college, but sufficiently well written that it was very good for a couple of bright 6th graders I taught a couple of years ago. Very clear graphics and clearly demonstrative example images.

Lee

 

[Curt]

The best solution is an afternoon with someone who knows how to teach. That would be better than trying to get it out of a book.

 

[Steve Roberts]

For someone utterly new to photography, who doesn't know a stop from a speed and wants to learn, what are your recommendations on best basic book out there, new or old?

For someone starting from scratch, Hedgecoe's many and varied books are certain to provide something suitable. I rather suspect that an absolute beginner who delved into some of the books already mentioned would rush to take up stamp-collecting instead!

Steve

 

[sionnac]

Slam Dunk:

Dead Link Removed

Dead Link Removed

Black & White Photography, A Basic Manual, Third Revised Edition
Henry Horenstein, Rhode Island School of Design.

Still the best * ever * after all these years !

It works for 8th graders, college students, grown ups, of every description.

It is especially good for fixing the INSTRUCTORS !

Last line - very funny! I wholeheartedly agree with this recommendation.

 

[ajmiller]

On our reading list at Uni is Photography by Bruce Warren and, despite its hefty price, I think it's an excellent reference for all photographers.

amazon link here

- Tony

 

[2F/2F]

I like "Photography" by Upton and Upton, or London and Upton, depending on the edition. It is often found in used book stores or thrift stores for very cheap, ad can also be bought new. Last I checked it was in its 6th edition. It is fairly thick, but divided up into easily digestible chunks.

After that, I like Horenstein's "Color Photography; A Working Manual". He is more famous for his black and white book, which is highly recommended by many. I have not personally read it, so I can't say.

If you want to get into very good detail, the 80's Editions of the Camera, the Negative, and the Print might be a good starting point. More important than Adams' photographic contributions were his literary ones, IMHO. They are always exceptionally well written, though often lacking in detail.

 

[Jim Chinn]

I agree with Photography by Upton and Upton. The newer editions cover digital imaging but if you are at this time simply interested in film and wet printing the older additions should be fairly inexpensive on a used book site such as Alibris.

 

[df cardwell]

Last line - very funny! I wholeheartedly agree with this recommendation.

Personal Confession.
Henry's little book made me a MUCH better teacher.

Be sure to get the WorkBook as well !

Easier than going to RISD !

.

 

[Michael W]

The Ansel Adams Neg/Print/Camera books are good but too dense for a beginner I think.
The Horenstein's are great esp for someone intending to print in a B&W or colour darkroom.
I like some of the old Time/Life photo series books. I don't have them all but if there is an intro one I'd check it out.
I really like 2 books by John Shaw & Boyd Norton respectively that have titles roughly like 'Nature Photography Guide'. They are well illustrated & written & cover all the basics to slightly more advanced concepts. I think a beginner needs a book with lots of good photos.

 

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

1. Photography by Barbara Landon and John Upton ISBN 0-673-52223-7

2. The Encyclopedia of Photography, 20 volumes, hard back. Greystone Press 1963

3. Life Library of Photography, 17 volumes, hard back. Time Inc. 1970

4. Basic Techniques of Photography - An Ansel Adams Guide. J P Schaefer, ISBN 0-8212-1882-4

Any edition of Upton is an amazing companion. What's interesting is that the older editions have better pictures than the new ones! So if there was only one book to choose from, I would go with Upton.

I second the LIFE library as well, and would add the Kodak Encyclopedia of Practical Photography. I prefer the Kodak encyclopedia for the technical information (best vulgarization work ever) and the LIFE for the more artistic/cultural approach.

 

[John Koehrer]

David Vestal's long out of print "Craft of Photography" and "The Art of Black and White ENLARGING".
The best thing about the Vestal books is they're written in plain english and explain that your results may be different than what you see in the book.
He provides guidlines not hard & fast, not to be violated rules.

 

[donbga]

David Vestal's long out of print "Craft of Photography" and "The Art of Black and White ENLARGING".
The best thing about the Vestal books is they're written in plain english and explain that your results may be different than what you see in the book.
He provides guidlines not hard & fast, not to be violated rules.

Once again I have to vote for Vestal's two books. They are very easy to read, not over burdened with the author's POV.

These two are great starters even though they may seem a bit dated these days not to mention they are easy to find on the net at almost no cost.

 

[df cardwell]

I bought Vestal's "Craft" when it came out. It was a great mentor,
building on 4 or 5 years of good experience. I later used it as a teaching text. It is superb,
and it is still in my 'reading stack', not my storage shelf.

For a first text, Horenstein is better. He reaches a variety of ages, temperaments, and interests.
Henry will get anybody with a little desire up and running.

Best of all, it is about making pictures, not selling Henry.

.

 

[craigstin]

Try using http://www.smilebooks.com/create-a-photo-book.php . They provide step by step guidelines that will help you to create a beautiful basic as well as advanced photo book easily.

 

[Ian Grant]

Try using http://www.smilebooks.com/create-a-photo-book.php . They provide step by step guidelines that will help you to create a beautiful basic as well as advanced photo book easily.

Welcome to APUG. I think when you read the thread from the start you'd see that the OP was asking quite a different question

Ian

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.167 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102 UP.Link/6.3.0.0.0)

The little yellow Kodak book for better 35mm photography. Fits in a pocket and is a great reminder reference well past beginner-dom.

 

[Markok765]

APUG is a pretty wicked photo book

I also enjoyed 'the 35mm handbook'