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Essential Jul 28, 2009 (56 of 59 found this helpful)
"The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3" is another fine addition to the series, but unlike many of Scott Kelby's books which usually stand on their own, to get the most out of this book you really, really should have bought and read the previous two volumes. For example, the first two chapters, "Using Flash Like a Pro, Part 2" and "Using Your Studio Like A Pro", are direct continuations of chapters in Volume 2. Both are excellent chapters and give much needed depth to the subjects which were introduced in the previous volume.
Probably the most useful chapter, certainly for me and for anybody who is looking to expand beyond the lens which came in the box with their SLR, is Chapter 3 "The Truth About Lenses". Here Scott goes through every type of lens and when they should be used plus a whole load of additional tips on lenses in general. A very, very good introduction to a tricky, technical subject which will help prevent unnecessary, costly purchases.
Away from the technical stuff, Scott then goes into the familiar pattern of grouping tips into subject types - products, outdoors, people and sports. What I really like about these chapters is that Scott remembers not to only include some great photography advice, but also "common sense" advice. Some people might think that these tips are "obvious", but when you're just starting out, and your brain is going into overload trying to remember which lens to use, what f-stop to go for, etc. it's quite easy to forget the simplest things. So thanks Scott for always thinking about the context in which the majority of readers are going to be coming from.
After a couple of more general chapters - I love the "What I Pack..." series of tips - "The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3", concludes with the now traditional photo recipe section: short, direct, simple advice on how to replicate some great shots by the author.
A lot of thought and work has gone into these books: their small size means you throw them in your bag without complaining, the photos in the books (all shot by Scott) are fantastically inspirational, the additional web resources (like the short videos) help explain the trickier details, and the "Gear Guide" is absolutely invaluable if what you really want to do is take great photos as quickly as possible and not have to spend ages shopping online.
Whilst still aimed at the beginner, I can't believe that no photographer won't get something out of this book, even if it's just one or two tips or bits of advice. And at only $15 that's a pretty good return on your investment. For a beginner... it's a no-brainer.
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Five Star With Reservations - The Good, Bad & Repeat Info. Jul 29, 2009 (40 of 44 found this helpful)
Okay, first a couple of quick disclaimers...
1. I'm a huge Kelby fan and think his prior two volumes are both fun to read and packed full of great information.
2. I like the biggest "bang for my buck".
3. I'm not a pro and not a complete amateur either but fall somewhere in between. If I find it too simplistic, professionals and serious shutterbugs are likely to be very disappointed. If I find it too complex, novice readers are likely to do so as well. That might provide a good measure as to whether this book is right for you or not.
Now, on to the actual book itself. Like many others, I ordered this on a pre-release status and anxiously awaited the delivery at which point I consumed the entire book quickly at one sitting. Readers of Kelby's other books will recognize the same friendly style, conversational tone and jokes.
For those that are wondering if Kelby can really "do it again"...the answer is a resounding - "sort of". Here's Why...
First, the Basics and the Bad....
This book is of the same general length and writing style as the two prior books however, prior readers will immediately recognize some of the content used as "filler" or a bit of "fluff" here and there. For example, one of the pages/tips is dedicated to "cleaning" the item before shooting, another instructs to "remove distracting elements" from the picture...duh! Does that really constitute a tip? I think not. Likewise, there are several more tips dedicated to how to use your camera (Canon and Nikon users) for things like dust cleaning or turning off the beep...personally speaking, if I wanted that information I would simply read my owners manual.
Other less than impressive tips included using a tripod for tack sharp product shots plus some information that is basically a repurpose of content from prior books such as which essential filters to purchase or to use a neutral density filter. It is also somewhat disappointing to see that some tips consist of nothing more than 1 very short paragraph or as little as 1-2 sentences in their entirity.
Finally, the chapter on how to select the right lens is perfect for those seeking to purchase a DSLR or new to buying but most experienced users will find this a bit too simplistic for an entire chapter. Essentially it describes each lens type (ie, zoom, macro, fisheye, etc...) then when to use each. It also includes how to clean your lens, how and why to use manual focus, the difference between prime vs zoom etc...
The Good...
Having said all of the above, I still rate the book highly due to the engaging and readable format, excellent examples... and of course, what we all come here for...the actual tips. There are some good ones scattered throughout that more experienced users will likely appreciate - although far fewer than in prior books. Overall, this book seemed more introductory in nature than the other two volume's; still, there are plenty of great reminders and always some true golden nuggets that make all the difference like getting creative with the white balance, how to get that star effect without a filter (there - you saved the cost of this entire book plus never have to hassle with that filter again just by reading that page alone!, how to create those great reflections so popular in product shots plus much more.
Bottom Line...
Good book and well worth the low price tag. Best suited for beginners but serious shutterbugs are still likely to find a few gems. Not quite up to the same standard as the first two volume's but perhaps the most useful of all three for complete novice users or those currently shopping for a camera/lens etc...
Targeted more for the general user (for example, Lensbaby coverage) rather than pro or serious camera buff but everyone is likely to find something they like that make the purchase price and time well worth the effo
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Kelby does it again with a great book Jul 29, 2009 (16 of 18 found this helpful)
I'm starting to *think* I know what I'm doing when it comes to photography. I took that as a sign that I should go back to basics and learn from ground zero. I know from previous experience that Scott Kelby writes really impressive books (his Lightroom book, for example, is awesome), and this continues the same tradition.
The problem with learning photography in general is that it's intimidating. Most books will describe esoteric theory, and that drives most people nuts. If I'm any representation of a normal photographer, I'll look at a photo and go "that's awesome - how did they do that?" and want a nice example without having to dive into theory and other things. I just want to take the best pics possible that I can with what I have.
The layout of the book is rather simple - like a cookbook. There's a great photo, and then a description of how that photo was taken. The strength of each example is that it's not only easy to follow, but it explains enough theory for you to understand concepts and apply that in other situations. Most books don't do that - they'll tend to lose you on specifics.
Kelby's books are written with the beginner in mind and would even reach into those with intermediate skills. I don't think that seasoned professionals would learn much from these books, but they're worth their weight in gold. The Digital Photography book series is what I recommend to those who are interested in doing more with their cameras and photos. Not all of us can be professional photographers, but we can make our images look better than they are now.
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Third Book is the Worst Aug 3, 2009 (21 of 25 found this helpful)
I thoroughly enjoyed the first in the series. The second book was even better. But, the third book seemed a bit forced.
The author's goal of building upon each book was true in some sections. But, an entire chapter dedicated to lenses in the third volume was definitely something that seemed beneath me. The section on product photography was also 20 or so pages telling the same story. How to format a memory card, the importance of firmware updates, etc. all seem like Volume 1 material, not Volume 3.
There are many different times in the book that Scott Kelby references his website for more information, which makes me wonder if this book was more of a vehicle for his website. Why not just include the information in the book instead of making me put a book down and going off to some URL.
That said, the entire 3 part series are still a wonderful selection, and on their own make you an expert in any type of situation. I'm sure the author, if he knew that these books would be so succesful, would have indexed them differently. But, I already felt like an expert after volume 2, and felt like I didn't learn very much from volume 3.
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letdown :( Sep 13, 2009 (7 of 7 found this helpful)
After reading the first two books, I cannot help but feel that this one is a disappointment. Very little information was really useful for the amateur or beginning/intermediate photographer as the focus went to product and professional studio recommendations. If you are a person learning photography (or a hobbyist) you wouldn't use those chapters extensively (they mostly recommend what additional equipment to buy, which can expensive and of limited use for the non-professional) and if you are a pro, I would think you already know most of what is mentioned there. Then, the lenses chapter was very thin on information and its contents consisted mostly of knowledge that someone reading his third book would already know, given that most people would have read the other two volumes (and probably any number of magazines, blogs, etc). While the other two books are really good (especially the first one, which I would highly recommend), I wish I wouldn't have bothered with this one. It will sell, but I dare say that it would happen on the merit of the first series not on its own value.