Photography book reading list

You’ll notice that nowhere in this reading list will you find YouTubers who spout more about the journey to get their favorite coffee, than actual quality information about the art and science of making images.

1. 1. 1. 1. National Geographic Photography Field Guides (series)
            If you’re a Zoomer looking to learn about photography, you might not know about National Geographic the way that previous generations do. National Geographic photographers approach the art from a different perspective.
            Here’s the updated version that of the original field guide: https://amzn.to/3FthL4U
            
         2. Ansel Adams: The Camera
            Ansel, the god of landscape photography, wrote some of the best imaging reference materials. These fundamentals don’t change.
         3.  Ansel Adams: The Negative
            While we don’t use film the way that photographers used to decades ago, the deep understanding of how the process worked is immensely useful when you combine this with the other two books in this Ansel Adams series.
         4. Ansel Adams: The Print
            Instead of creating a print by hand in a darkroom we now use post production software. The mathematics and techniques explained by the grand master himself are still used, at speed, with post production apps like Adobe’s Photoshop.
         5. Old School Photography: by Kai Wong
            Apparently, there is a resurgence in using film cameras … and film! in these modern times.
            The quintessential photographic reviewer on YouTube, Kai Wong, wrote this book. He teaches how to do the fundamentals of the formerly massive film industry, that have been essentially lost to time as digital sensors have taken over the market.

            

         6. Captured by the Light. By: David Ziser
            While this is a must-have for anyone looking to get into the wedding photography business, David goes long with the fundamentals of lighting. “Sony fanboys” and “Instagram photographers” beware, this isn’t the book for you. Here you will learn about crafting the lighting to give you purposeful and heirloom-quality imagery.
         7. The Digital Photography Book(s): a series. By: Scott Kelby
            Modern photography master Scott Kelby explains the strategic side, and gets behind the scenes with his series of using DSLR cameras. 99% of DSLR content translates directly over to using a modern mirrorless camera. Scott is a high-end sports photographer who uses his expertise across the realm of photographic and video content making. Even with that high-end background, Scott keeps everything grounded and relatable for amateurs looking to level up their skillset.