Customer Rating: Summary: Why undermine your readers' trust? Comment: As someone who has dabbled in photography for a number of years and proficient in f-stops, aperture and the rest, I was looking for a book that gave some good tips on getting more professional-looking pictures. When I stumbled on this, I was intrigued but dubious thanks to the comments about the author's humour. As noted in another review, it does get tiresome (at least to the British palate). In the end, the reduced price hooked me - I wouldn't have paid the RRP for it.
That said, although I found only a few things I wasn't aware of already, the book is nicely presented and underlines things you know but maybe don't always put into practice. So - if you can stand the humour - I think this is a reasonable buy, with the following proviso.
Sadly, in my view, the author commits one unforgivable error of judgement - in at least two places he blatantly says things that are untrue. As I read each of the examples of this, I felt puzzled because what he was saying seemed unlikely, at best. When he then went on to say it was untrue, I just felt very let down (with, admittedly, a slightly smug smile to myself that I hadn't believed it). It meant that everything else that I was reading had to be treated as though it could be incorrect. For a book that purports to teach, this is unforgivable. Customer Rating: Summary: An Amazon no brainer. Comment: Wonderful, enlightening, and indispensable little book. Little, but every one of the content pages is a self-contained tip [over 200 tips in all]. You'll have this book for one day and be taking better shots, thinking more creatively and becoming a better photographer. It's that simple. Unless you are a seasoned pro [or Scott Kelby] add to basket now. A classic Amazon no brainer buy. Customer Rating: Summary: Easy read Comment: great value for money at the price that I picked it up for. Not sure about the humour but if you can see past this then well worth a read. If like me you're trying to a bit more than just a point and click shooter then this will give you some good, and easily accessible, tips. Customer Rating: Summary: Best photography book ever Comment: This is the best photography book I have ever purchased.
Self contained pages telling you how to get the shot.
No nonsense, no complications, no need to understand intricate instructions.
A word of caution. It has cost me a fortune! Because all of Scott's suggestions about how to get better images are actually very sensible but once you start buying better hardware - tripod, mount, lenses, printers, software, filters, flashes....you have spent a lot of extra money.
However, it is all great advice and it pays off.
I have many more really good shots on my computer after reading Scott's book/s (actually you will eventually buy the second book so you might as well get it straight away)
I have recommended this book to everybody I know who is interested on photography from beginner to interested amateur. Most have purchased and everybody is very pleased with the advice.
It makes ordinary people into much better photographers.
Phil Gordon
Newcastle upon Tyne Customer Rating: Summary: Fantastic! Comment: I have just bought this book and only really to get my free postage on my order - but what a great book! I only have a passing inerest in photography but often wondered how people got shots like they do. This book is presented in an easy to understand format and don't take any notice about the negative remarks about humour - it's there for a reason, to fix the ideas in your memory. I'm going to order the second volume as well.
