O'Reilly logo

Stay ahead with the world's most comprehensive technology and business learning platform.

With Safari, you learn the way you learn best. Get unlimited access to videos, live online training, learning paths, books, tutorials, and more.

Start Free Trial

No credit card required

Exposure: From Snapshots to Great Shots, Second Edition

Exposure: From Snapshots to Great Shots, Second Edition

by Jeff Revell
Publisher: Peachpit Press
Release Date: March 2014
ISBN: 9780133760231
View table of contents
Start reading

Book Description

In this exciting update to the first edition of Exposure: From Snapshots to Great Shots (9780321741295)—which has sold over 20,000 net units since its 2010 release—Jeff Revell fully refreshes the book to include new images and new techniques.

Now that you've bought an amazing new DSLR, you need a book that goes beyond the camera manual to teach you how to take great shots, and that begins with understanding the fundamental principles of great photography. With Exposure: From Snapshots to Great Shots, popular photographer Jeff Revell starts with the basics of light, including how it works, and how to see it. In order to leverage this new understanding of light in your photography, Jeff walks the reader through one of the most important photographic principles—the exposure triangle: ISO, shutter speed, and aperture. Learning to apply these three elements together is the gateway to both technical and creative control of your photography. The book covers all key camera features that affect exposure (regardless of what type of DSLR you have) including Aperture Priority mode, Shutter Priority mode, and Exposure Compensation. Throughout the course of the book, the reader will gain an understanding of exposure for many different situations, such as taking portraits, action shots, landscapes, and more. Additionally, Jeff covers techniques that many DSLRs now have helpfully built into their hardware, such as panoramas, in-camera HDR, and even time-lapse photography.

Beautifully illustrated with large, vibrant photos, this book teaches you how to take control of your photography to get the image you want every time you pick up the camera.

Table of Contents

  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Contents
  6. Introduction
  7. 1. What Is Exposure?
    1. Learning the Basics
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. The Basic Definition
    5. How Is Exposure Calculated?
    6. Over- and Underexposure
    7. What Is a Proper Exposure?
    8. Chapter 1 Assignments
  8. 2. Exposure Tools
    1. How Your Camera Determines Exposure...and More
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. Measuring Light
    5. Metering Modes
    6. The Value of the Histogram
    7. Check Your “Blinkies”
    8. Setting the Correct White Balance
    9. Using the Right Format: RAW vs. JPEG
    10. Chapter 2 Assignments
  9. 3. Shooting Modes
    1. Picking the Right Shooting Mode for the Job
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. Program Mode
    5. Shutter Priority Mode
    6. Aperture Priority Mode
    7. Manual Mode
    8. A Few Words about Automatic Modes
    9. Chapter 3 Assignments
  10. 4. See the Light
    1. Understanding the Properties of Light and How to Use It
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. Types of Light
    5. Quality of Light
    6. Direction of Light
    7. Chapter 4 Assignments
  11. 5. On the Move
    1. The Tricks to Shooting Sports and More
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. Stop Right There!
    5. Using Shutter Priority Mode to Stop Motion
    6. Using Aperture Priority Mode to Isolate Your Subject
    7. Using Auto ISO the Right Way
    8. Keep Them in Focus with Continuous Focus and Focus Point Selection
    9. Manual Focus for Anticipated Action
    10. Keeping Up with the Continuous Shooting Mode
    11. A Sense of Motion
    12. Tips for Shooting Action
    13. Chapter 5 Assignments
  12. 6. Say Cheese!
    1. Settings and Features to Make Great Portraits
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. Automatic Portrait Mode
    5. Using Aperture Priority Mode
    6. Metering Modes for Portraits
    7. Using the Exposure Lock Feature
    8. Focusing: The Eyes Have It
    9. Classic Black and White Portraits
    10. The Portrait Preset for Better Skin Tones
    11. Use Fill Flash for Reducing Shadows
    12. People on the Move
    13. Tips for Shooting Better Portraits
    14. Chapter 6 Assignments
  13. 7. Landscape Photography
    1. Tips, Tools, and Techniques to Get the Most Out of Your Landscape Photography
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. Sharp and In Focus: Using Tripods
    5. Selecting the Proper ISO
    6. Selecting a White Balance
    7. Using the Landscape Picture Enhancement
    8. Taming Bright Skies with Exposure Compensation
    9. Shooting Beautiful Black and White Landscapes
    10. The Golden Light
    11. Where to Focus
    12. Easier Focusing
    13. Making Water Fluid
    14. Directing the Viewer: A Word about Composition
    15. Shooting Panoramas
    16. Chapter 7 Assignments
  14. 8. Mood Lighting
    1. Shooting When the Lights Get Low
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. Raising the ISO: The Simple Solution
    5. Using Very High ISOs
    6. Stabilizing the Situation
    7. Focusing in Low Light
    8. Shooting Long Exposures
    9. Using the Built-In Flash
    10. Compensating for the Flash Exposure
    11. Reducing Red-Eye
    12. Rear Curtain Sync
    13. Flash and Glass
    14. A Few Words about External Flash
    15. Chapter 8 Assignments
  15. 9. Creative Compositions
    1. Improve Your Pictures with Sound Compositional Elements
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. Depth of Field
    5. Angles
    6. Point of View
    7. Patterns
    8. Color
    9. Contrast
    10. Leading Lines
    11. Splitting the Frame
    12. Frames within Frames
    13. Chapter 9 Assignments
  16. 10. Advanced Techniques
    1. Impress Your Family and Friends
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. Spot Meter for More Exposure Control
    5. Shooting High Dynamic Range (HDR) Images
    6. Manual Mode
    7. Avoiding Lens Flare
    8. Using the Sun Creatively
    9. Macro Photography
    10. Customize Your White Balance
    11. Shoot in Bursts for Steadier Images
    12. Shooting through Obstructions
    13. Zoom During Exposure
    14. Chapter 10 Assignments
  17. 11. Pimp My Ride
    1. Upgrades and Accessories to Expand Your Camera’s Creative Potential
    2. Filters
    3. Tripods
    4. Cable Release
    5. Macro Photography Accessories
    6. Hot-Shoe Flashes
    7. Diffusers
    8. Camera Bags
    9. Bits and Pieces
    10. Conclusion
  18. Index