I’m just starting this list of books that have been helpful to me. There are Amazon links included.
Photography Books
Art of Photography-Bruce Birnbaum
This book reads like a text book. It’s an exhaustive text. This book really got me thinking about the process of creating art through photography. Photography is not just about snapping a photo and hoping for the best. The setup, composition, lighting, exposure and development of the digital negative all matter. I especially enjoyed the chapters on development of the negative and creation of the print. Even though most of book mentions film photography the message applies to a digital work flow as well. Not even the film photographers print photos straight out of the camera. If you’re a fan of photography and want to expand your horizons, this is a great start.
On-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Wedding and Portrait Photography-Neil van Niekerk
I really had no idea how to use my on camera flash until I picked up this book. I always thought on camera flash photos looked liked flash photographs. Then I picked up this book, it got me thinking about the way I use my flash and what I needed to learn to get better shots when you have no other choice but to use a flash. Wedding photographers, in my humble opinion are on camera flash pros. Receptions are usually dark places. Neil van Niekerk really explains is approach in a way that that made sense to me. He extensively discusses snoots and other flash modifiers that is helpful especially if you’re not sure what to buy.