Improve Photography

The is by far one of the best books that I have read on improving photography. What it is not: It does not deal much with equipments or is not meant to be a field guide. What it is: It is one of the comprehensive books on compositional ideas. Even though it is published many years ago, the compositional rules still apply. This book definetely improved my photographic skills. Recommended. It is sad that the publisher does not print this book anymore.

Richly illustrated with hundreds of how-to photographs, nearly all of which are in colour, this book lives up to its title. Forty-two sections in six chapters begin with the most important topic, purpose, and describe in detail the topics of composition, perspective, colour, lighting, movement, and finally, a brief description of the mechanics of the (film) camera. Although there is some discussion of film and the technical aspects of photography, the bulk of the contents is concerned with the more universal elements of observation and of awareness by the photographer. This book is a tremendous help to the beginner who wants to take good photos, and to the intermediate-level photographer who wants to take better photos. It is best summarised in its subtitle, A Guide to Seeing and Making Better Pictures. *Note: this book contains some nudity.