Understanding Exposure

Recently finished Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition) by Bryan Peterson. I found this book really useful to me - I'm just a newbie photographer - so having Peterson explain things like the relationship between film sensitivity, aperture and shutter speed was exactly what I needed to hear. His explanation of correct exposures verses creatively-correct exposures made a light go off in my head. Similarly his division of different apertures into story-telling exposures, singular theme exposures and "Who Cares?" exposures, along with his discussion of shutter speeds - freezing the action, panning, and implying motion was succinct and useful.

Learning how TTL metering works, 18% grey, being able to correctly exposure everything from sunrise to sunset, snow, lots of green etc etc etc, all filled in gaps in my knowledge. Peterson takes photos that I like, and uses examples of his own work plentifully in this book. I like both his writing style and his photographic style. I've taken to writing some of his hints on 4x6" index cards to carry when out photographing. Out of the many books on photography I have read, this one is the best.

On a scale of 1 to 5, this book is a must read.

photos | 03 Mar 2005 | #