Make Great Photos

Make Great Photos

by Alan Hess
Released October 2018
Publisher(s): Rocky Nook
ISBN: 9781681983936

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Book description

In Make Great Photos: A Friendly Guide for Improving Your Photographs, photographer and author Alan Hess teaches you the basics of photography by breaking down the topic into easy-to-understand sections. Learn a whole range of photography basics, from photo setup to image editing. 

Learning the basics of photography can seem like a daunting task. At first glance, there is a whole new world of terminology to digest and tons of numbers to master. It can be confusing, frustrating, and overwhelming. It’s no wonder many people set their cameras to Auto and hope for the best in whatever situation they’re shooting, whether that’s a child’s soccer game, a birthday party, or a vacation. Unless luck strikes, the resulting images are usually not very good. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Enter Make Great Photos: A Friendly Guide for Improving Your Photographs. In this book, photographer and author Alan Hess teaches you the basics of photography by breaking down the topic into its fundamental parts.

In the first section of the book, Alan explains what makes a great photo in the first place, examining a selection of images and working through why each one is successful. He then dives into chapters that cover the photographic choices every photographer needs to make. These choices boil down to just three main topics: light, focus, and composition.

In the second part of Make Great Photos, Alan addresses specific shooting situations—categorized into travel, sports and action, events, and people—discussing the challenges that each scenario poses and how to conquer them. Finally, you’ll learn the top five basic edits you need to know to make your images pop when you share them online.

At the end of chapters, there are thoughtful exercises and assignments that push you to learn and grow in your photography. These fun activities help you fully absorb the lessons throughout the book so you can head out with your camera and capture great images.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Acknowledgements
  6. Contents
  7. Introduction
  8. Chapter 1: What Makes a Great Photo
    1. Proper Exposure
    2. Soft Light and Hard Light
    3. Proper Color
    4. Time of Day
    5. Shutter Speed
    6. Aperture and Focus
    7. Focal Length / Lens Choice
    8. Compositional Basics: Rule of Thirds
  9. Chapter 2: It’s All About the Light
    1. Why Light Is Important
    2. Exposure
    3. The Four Basic Exposure Modes
    4. The Scene Exposure Modes, and Why I Don’t Use Them
    5. Metering Modes—How Your Camera Measures the Light
    6. Exposure Compensation Made Simple
    7. How Sensitive Is Your Camera to Light
    8. ISO as Your Secret Weapon
    9. Digital Noise Isn’t a Problem . . . Anymore
    10. Digital Noise Reduction
  10. Chapter 3: Getting Things in Focus
    1. The Different Focus Modes Explained
    2. Focus Points
    3. AF Areas
    4. Back-Button Focus Explained
    5. How Shutter Speed Controls Motion
    6. Aperture and Depth of Field
    7. Tripods Versus Handholding
    8. Timers and Remotes
    9. Making Sure Your Images Are Sharp
  11. Chapter 4: Composition
    1. Lens Basics
    2. Composition
  12. Chapter 5: Travel Photography
    1. What Does It Take to Make a Great Travel Shot
    2. Getting Started
    3. Case Studies
    4. Secret Weapons
    5. Advanced Tips and Tricks
  13. Chapter 6: Sports and Action Photography
    1. What Makes a Great Action or Sports Shot
    2. What Does It Take to Make a Great Action Shot
    3. Case Studies
    4. Secret Weapons: Lens Rental and Cropping Later in Software
    5. Advanced Tips and Tricks
  14. Chapter 7: Event Photography
    1. What Does It Take to Make a Great Event Photo
    2. Getting Started
    3. Case Studies
    4. Secret Weapons
    5. Advanced Tips and Tricks
  15. Chapter 8: Photographing People
    1. The Different Types of Lighting
    2. Lighting Modifiers
    3. The Starting Point
    4. Case Studies
    5. Secret Weapons
  16. Chapter 9: Sharing Your Images
    1. The Best File Format to Use
    2. Five Edits You Can Make on Your Smartphone to Get Better Images
  17. The Insider’s Guide to Photography Terms

Product information

  • Title: Make Great Photos
  • Author(s): Alan Hess
  • Release date: October 2018
  • Publisher(s): Rocky Nook
  • ISBN: 9781681983936