I recently asked three readers of Weekly Photo Tips to review instructional books specific to the camera they shoot.
The books are from "Stay Focused Press", todays book is for the Canon XSi, and the review is done by reader Chris Scott.
From Chris:
"Like so many of us that get a new DSLR camera, we fail to read the owner’s manual and go straight to the gear to start using it. This book is aimed at the majority of new camera users that do the same thing.
Starting off, it goes over the three tenets of exposure: ISO, shutter speed and aperture. Diagrams and example photos are given to differentiate what each one means to the exposure. Depth of field is also explained and how that is created or minimalized.
For those that have used a camera before and understand photography basics, you then move onto the rest of the book. Like a troubleshooter’s guide to photos, you are given solutions to a large variety of scenarios and problems that arise.
Photographers would find this book the most rewarding if they picked up the camera, started shooting, and then viewed the photos afterwards. Upon reviewing your shots, you might see a blurry photo, or one out-of-focus, or another one that’s really orange-looking taken inside. You would then look up that specific issue in the last nine chapters of the book and find out what you could have done to improve the shot and not make that mistake next time. Want to take pictures of your kid’s soccer game? It has a whole section to prepare you with what you need to know to take the best possible shots.
The value of this book is its hands-on practicality. It doesn’t waste time with the delving into photography history or the scientific concepts behind aperture. It goes directly to the point and gives you the best information possible - with ample illustrations - of how to pick up your Canon Rebel XSi and know what you are doing."
You can get you own copy of the "Canon XSi" guide as a hard copy book ($22), a PDF ($19), as an iPone/iPod app ($4.99), or for your iPad ($9.99).
Thanks Chris and thanks Stay Focused Press.
