DIYPhotography.net

I'll be the first to admit, Photoshop and I don't get along as well as I wish we had. And it's not because I'm a purist or anything. If possible, I'd try to get the good stuff SOOC (Strait Out Of Camera), but the truth is, almost all my pictures go through some level of retouching. Near the end of the post you can see how this portrait of Mika looked before applying some retouching. (Click for larger view)

Recently I got a copy of Professional Portrait Retouching Techniques (long name, I know). And While I don't usually review books, let alone Photoshop books, the book helped me make a huge jump in my post-processing, I hope that by sharing my thoughts on it can help others too. Click to continue ›

There are many great photo books out there. I love reading photo books. Both the ones that tell you how to take great photos and the ones that has great photos. And of course the ones that do both.

A while back I had a post that summed up DIYP readers recommendations about photography book, and I decided to take it a step further. There is a new section on the site called The Book Shelf (Food for Your Brain) It will be constantly linked from the main page and refer to a repository of books that I recommend. (Not surprisingly they have high correlation with the list from the post I mentioned). The list will grow bigger the more book are reviewed on DIYP.

To be completely transparent I'll note that the links on the list are marked with my tag, so when you buy a book from that list I get a small percentage of the sale, while there is no impact on the book price. Buying books from that list is a great way to support DIYP. Click to continue ›

I just put down Joe McNally's The Moment It clicks. It clicked. I don't really know how to catalog this book, it is not a learn-photography-techniques book, not a biography and not a Manifesto. Or maybe it is a little bit of all three.

When coming to review it I didn't really know how to break the book down, there is some structure to it created by having four different chapter and some sections, but it didn't for feel right to go part by part and review it. instead it felt right-er to review the whole thing as a whole. Click to continue ›

The Essential Guide To Portrait Photography is a new eBook from the home of Digital Photography School, with produced by Darren Rowse. Thank you.

I love this blog, so I am happy that they have an eBook out.  I got a copy (well, an eCopy) I have read it and I love it.

To be completely transparent on this, I got my review copy for free.

Review and giveaways after the jump.

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A PJ book? Are we talking about a new Pajamas book? A rising Photo Journalist?

Our friends over at Photojojo lunched the Photojojo book. It is a book loaded with great projects for the DIY addict.

For a long time now, I've been reading the PJ newsletter. It is a great source to get project inspiration and  some great ideas to lay with once you are sitting at home wondering what to do with all those great pictures you took.

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About a month ago I asked DIYP readers what were your favorite books? A month (and a new home) later I am sharing this list with you.

It is not surprising that the list features both great classic books as well as some new one and some great hidden gems. Thanks for all the readers that participated and took the time to share their thoughts.

The number of books out there can be stunning, so it may be interesting to see what other photographers think about some of the books out there, and get a direction. 

I picked up 10 of those books and reviews that I felt gave a good reason to go out and buy a book:

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I just love a good photography book. Call me old fashioned, but for me reading a good book leaves surfing the net eating dust.

It was quite a while since I shared one of the books that had a tremendous impact on my photography - Light: Science and Magic.

It was mostly because the book talked true to the techie in me. While I knew some of the principles discussed in the book, I did not know why they worked. I was also not familiar to many of the theories discussed in the book. Well, after reading it my (photography) life was never the same.

Here is a question to you. What was the photography book that impacted or inspired you the most? It can be a photo album, a learning kind of book like Light: Science and Magic a biography, or any other book that is about photography. Share with us in the comments.

and in case you are wondering, it is my son up there, I'm trying to give him an early start.

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I love cards. When I was young I collected cards. Cards of anything and everything. I used to collect Rambo Cards, Fame cards (yes I did), The Garbage Gang cards, you name it. I even collected science cards.

I got to reunite with my old trading cards love when Trade Secret Cards came up with a photographer Strobist deck.

So, what is this Strobist Deck? Zeke Kamm, whom you may know from Nice Photo Mag compiled a set of 24 cards. Each card face has an image, and each card back has a quick how to and lighting diagram.

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I believe that the best way to understand lighting is to experiment with it. But understanding the basics of light and the general scheme of things can help you set foot in the right track. This is why I think reading lighting books is a great way to improve your photography.

Today I would like to review on of those books, Matters of Light & Depth by Ross Lowell.

Just before I dive into the content of this book, I'd like to say something about style - Ross has plenty of it. The book got a smile on my face more than once. With titles like Light of Passage, Light Philosophy, and Shedding Light, you take in valuable lessons while not feeling too serious.

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A few weeks back, I did a post about lighting a portrait from different angles - the portrait cheat sheet card. As part of the project I also posted the setup shot for creating the card allowing DIYP readers into my leaving room.

If you went supersize into my studio my wife's living room, you could see two pictures on the right corner. This, of course besides the usual mess and child goo left all over the floor.

Tuffer who is apparently moving to Brussels got intrigued by the mystery of my living room and asked what those pictures are. (Feel free to ask more questions about my living room. it is a wondrous place)

Those are pictures from a photography album called Fruits by Shoichi Aoki which deals with a Japanese fashion called (surprise, surprise) Fruits.

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