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Free ebook on photography available
Mar 26, 2014 17:41:44 #
A free ebook on photography is available in PDF format at:
http://www.davidsalomon.name/PhotoBook/PhoAd.html
Once this book is published, the free version will disappear.
The book discusses many topics of photography and cameras in general. It is mostly easy reading and the few technical sections can be skipped.
Feel free to comment.
Here is a summary of topics:
Basic concepts behind photography, light, the eye, color, and geometrical optics. The latter topic includes refraction, prisms, and lenses.
How a basic digital camera works, including a discussion of basic photographic terms such as exposure, f-stop, depth of field, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and auto-focus.
The principal types of digital cameras. This includes digital-single-lens-reflex (DSLR), twin-lens-reflex (TLR), digital-single-lens-mirrorless (DSLM and MILC), rangefinder, bridge, compact (point-and-shoot), and special types of cam- eras such as ultraviolet, infrared, 360␣ panoramic cameras, and 3D cameras.
Chapter 4 describes two compact cameras and shows how to use them in many practical situations. The intent here is to convince the reader that the compact cameras currently available are not significantly inferior to their more sophisticated (and also bigger, heavier, and more expensive) cousins the DSLRs and MILCs. The reader will learn, among others, how to obtain a shallow or a large depth-of-field (Section 2.6) by controlling the aperture size and how to handle situations with high dynamic range. (HDR, Section 4.6, is a measure of the lightest to the darkest tones in an image. HDR is important where the subject had very bright and very dark parts and we want all their details to appear in the final image.) How to shoot when motion is detected (Section 4.11), how to shoot a time-lapse sequence of images (Section 4.3), and how to mount detachable wide-angle and telephoto lenses in addition to the original, non- interchangeable lens of the camera. The chapter also shows how many Canon compact cameras, even old models, can be given a new life and coerced to perform miracles such as the following: (1) Work in shutter-priority and aperture priority modes, (2) output raw image files in addition to the standard JPEG, (3) work with very fast (in some cases up to 1/8000 s) and very slow (up to 64 s) shutter speeds, (4) display RGB color histograms, (5) detect motion, (6) take a group of exposure-bracketing photos, and (7) use the built-in timer to reduce camera shake and vibrations.
A detailed discussion of the important concept of high dynamic range (HDR). The term dynamic range is defined, the HDR problem is explained, and it is shown how to shoot a sequence of bracketed HDR images either handheld or with a tripod. The chapter continues with descriptions of the two main approaches to HDR, namely exposure fusion and tone mapping.
Appendixes include a timeline of photography, listing the chief events, developments, and people who contributed to this fascinating field.
A glossary of photographic terms. A list of the important features buyers should look for in compact cameras. This material is especially relevant to those who are looking to purchase such a camera. Legal issues that should interest any photographer or would-be photographer. Several technical topics that require mathematics.
http://www.davidsalomon.name/PhotoBook/PhoAd.html
Once this book is published, the free version will disappear.
The book discusses many topics of photography and cameras in general. It is mostly easy reading and the few technical sections can be skipped.
Feel free to comment.
Here is a summary of topics:
Basic concepts behind photography, light, the eye, color, and geometrical optics. The latter topic includes refraction, prisms, and lenses.
How a basic digital camera works, including a discussion of basic photographic terms such as exposure, f-stop, depth of field, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and auto-focus.
The principal types of digital cameras. This includes digital-single-lens-reflex (DSLR), twin-lens-reflex (TLR), digital-single-lens-mirrorless (DSLM and MILC), rangefinder, bridge, compact (point-and-shoot), and special types of cam- eras such as ultraviolet, infrared, 360␣ panoramic cameras, and 3D cameras.
Chapter 4 describes two compact cameras and shows how to use them in many practical situations. The intent here is to convince the reader that the compact cameras currently available are not significantly inferior to their more sophisticated (and also bigger, heavier, and more expensive) cousins the DSLRs and MILCs. The reader will learn, among others, how to obtain a shallow or a large depth-of-field (Section 2.6) by controlling the aperture size and how to handle situations with high dynamic range. (HDR, Section 4.6, is a measure of the lightest to the darkest tones in an image. HDR is important where the subject had very bright and very dark parts and we want all their details to appear in the final image.) How to shoot when motion is detected (Section 4.11), how to shoot a time-lapse sequence of images (Section 4.3), and how to mount detachable wide-angle and telephoto lenses in addition to the original, non- interchangeable lens of the camera. The chapter also shows how many Canon compact cameras, even old models, can be given a new life and coerced to perform miracles such as the following: (1) Work in shutter-priority and aperture priority modes, (2) output raw image files in addition to the standard JPEG, (3) work with very fast (in some cases up to 1/8000 s) and very slow (up to 64 s) shutter speeds, (4) display RGB color histograms, (5) detect motion, (6) take a group of exposure-bracketing photos, and (7) use the built-in timer to reduce camera shake and vibrations.
A detailed discussion of the important concept of high dynamic range (HDR). The term dynamic range is defined, the HDR problem is explained, and it is shown how to shoot a sequence of bracketed HDR images either handheld or with a tripod. The chapter continues with descriptions of the two main approaches to HDR, namely exposure fusion and tone mapping.
Appendixes include a timeline of photography, listing the chief events, developments, and people who contributed to this fascinating field.
A glossary of photographic terms. A list of the important features buyers should look for in compact cameras. This material is especially relevant to those who are looking to purchase such a camera. Legal issues that should interest any photographer or would-be photographer. Several technical topics that require mathematics.
Mar 26, 2014 18:06:27 #
Thanks for posting this LuckyJim... sounds interesting. I will try a download.
Mar 26, 2014 18:29:55 #
geolaval wrote:
Thanks for posting this LuckyJim... sounds interesting. I will try a download.
I've downloaded it and scanned through it diagonally. At first glace I find it dry and quite technical in many of the sections. It seem well suited to anyone interest in the detailed why and what for. It is quite close to what you describe and in that respect I am certain that many will appreciate it. Finally, after download and a quick read, I could not find it in any of my download files
Mar 26, 2014 20:41:52 #
Mar 27, 2014 10:39:03 #
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