Anyone able to recommend a book that has good step by step guides - along the lines of changing one setting at a time in different variations, then moving up and doing a couple of things at the same time etc? This is for a Fiji Finepix S5700 which has manual settings which i want to learn more about, but have the problem of never having time to read in depth material about shutter speeds, whiteness and the like cover to cover before going out and spending an entire day taking pics.

So, any good step by step stuff for gradually learning and being able to see actual results rather than just read about what should happen?

Cheers

Robbo

I'd recommend one i got from my local Turn Around charity shop called 35mm photography by Steve Bavister. ( published 2004)
It shows you in fantastic detail how to take photographs. The one thing i like about it is the step by step comparison photo's.

Like your asking for depth of field , it will show you 8 photo's on the same subject with different settings. I prefer being shown like that rather than reading books that resemble VCR manuals :hihi:

There's also a thread here (http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=294035) about training and learning resources. All sorts of stuff from basics upwards.

Thanks for the advice - will try and find the book and read that thread :thumbsup:

I mentioned in another thread some time ago that many charity shops have lots of books on 35mm film photography, and a lot of the information in them is relevant to digital too - the basic concepts of shutter speeds, depth of field, aperture selection etc, not to mention composition are just as relevant to digital as they are to film. There may be chapters in some of these books that you will never read, (eg - should you use reversal film or print film, which black and white film for which shot etc) but you will probably find a lot of useful information in almost any 35mm camera guide.

Understanding Exposure - Bryan Peterson

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Understanding-Exposure-Photographs-Digital-Camera/dp/0817463003/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221159418&sr=8-1

Is an excellent book to get, after the step by step book of course.

Langford's strting photography would be a good book to start with, he also does an advanced one. Also DK do a book called Digital photogrpahy msterclass which is an easy read and builds skills up bit by bit

One of our roles as a magazine is to review books so we have seen many (most) that have been written. I would naturally recommend my own The Guide To Great Photography (http://www.guidetogreatphotography.co.uk/) but it's sold out and we only have expensive limited edition hardbacks left. Of all the books currently on the bookshops you can't go wrong with Michael Freeman, John Hedgocoe or Tom Ang. One I particularly like is Complete Guide to Digital Photography (http://www.ephotozine.com/learn/bookreviews/Complete-Guide-to-Digital-Photography/b74).
Have a look at our reviews section (http://www.ephotozine.com/learn/bookreviews) for more.

Once upon a time I owned "Basic Photography" and "Advanced Photography" by Michael Langford. They're fantastic - quite technical, but the more you read the more you understand.

Then I lent them to someone....

Umm....

Still. Well worth getting!

i recommend understanding exposure - it was brilliant for me who is on your position not so long ago! - i have come a long way and can now adjust setting s without thinking to hard and without chimping too much!