My favorite photography books - The Photography of Andy Sorensen

These are just some of the photography books that you'll find on my shelf. It seems I'm always reading a new one or two. When I find a favorite, you can rest assured it will be listed here.

If you find a book here you would like to purchase, just use the Amazon link at the bottom of the page to conveniently order your book from Amazon. Enjoy!

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Andy Sorensen (ajstudio) >
Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera
by Bryan Peterson

This is a must have book for the beginning photographer, and the one I recommend every beginner own. It even comes in handy for those of us who have been at it for awhile. Bryan takes the language of photography and makes it easy to understand. And the book has been updated for digital photography, but also covers the necessary information for those who want to shoot film. As you read this book, you'll begin to have those 'now I understand' moments and begin to see how the pros come up with the pictures they take. Have no doubts, this book covers the fundamentals of photography like no other. If this book is not sitting on your shelf, it should be, particularly if you ever hope to master the medium of photography.

Order 'Understanding Exposure' from Amazon

Andy Sorensen (ajstudio) >
Light, Science & Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
by Fil Hunter and Paul Fuqua

To be fair, I haven't finished this book yet. But I don't know if I'll ever learn all it has to share. If there is a book on photographic lighting that could be called the Bible of Lighting, then this would have to be the book. No, you won't find any fancy setups. This is not a recipe book of lighting. There are others that fall into that category, and I'm certain I'll recommend one or two. But this book is in a class all by itself. It will provide you an education on just how light and photography merge. Instead of guessing, you'll be armed with a textbook of knowledge. Whether you shoot with available light, or flash, this my friend, is a book you won't be disappointed with.

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Andy Sorensen (ajstudio) >
Closeups In Nature: The Photographer's Guide to Techniques in the Field
by John Shaw

Who hasn't heard of and who hasn't seen the work of John Shaw. He has to be one of the most published nature photographers alive today. Sure, he uses Nikon - nobody is perfect. But his work speaks for itself. And to think, such a talented photographer shoots digital today! This is one of his older titles, but the techniques and practices put forth in this book will take you into the wonderful world of macro photography. Techniques outlined in this book, I use today. And you can too. This one ought to be in your hands if you ever hope to shoot quality closeups.

By the way, my snowflake photos incorporate some of the techniques found in this book.

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Andy Sorensen (ajstudio) > Nature Photography Field Guide
by John Shaw

John Shaw is the author of 6 books that cover the art of nature photography. Each volume is illustrated with his fantastic work, giving you excellent examples from which to learn how it is done right. This book is a course for the beginner, covering all the basics of nature photography. Many other books out there try to do what this one does, but none really ever rise to the challenge. If you have a camera that you hope to grab award winning nature shots, then you have to start somewhere and this is the book you'll need. Even the seasoned veteran shooter can benefit from this book as Mr. Shaw covers all the fundamentals like no one else can. Written in the age of film photography, this book has been updated and will prove beneficial in the photographer's library. The beautiful Shaw photographs themselves are reason enough to own this book as they'll generate inspiration to get out there and shoot your own gorgeous photos.

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Andy Sorensen (ajstudio) >
The Photographer's Assistant
by John Kieffer

One might be surprised I would list this book. The reason is it covers the profession of photography like none other. You would buy this book for possibly several reasons. 1. You want to be an assistant. 2. You want to hire an assistant and desire to know what to expect. 3. It covers all the bases on what it takes to run a working studio.

If you want to become a pro, this book gives you a path on how to go about it. Be an assistant first and learn from a pro. Eventually armed with that info, you can go open your own studio. If you are a pro, you can take this book and get even more insight into the business and learn what you should expect from an assistant, if and when you need to hire one.

I recommend this book for those wishing to make photography a career. Armed with the knowledge in this book, you'll have a much better chance of success. It provides an excellent road map to help you find your way into a working photography career. Another must-have book

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Andy Sorensen (ajstudio) >
Photoshop CS2 Workflow
by Tim Grey

If you are going to work with a program as sophisticated as Photoshop, then you almost have to have a guide. Tim Grey is one of the first Photoshop gurus I can think of that will NOT lead you astray and provide information that isn't valuable. If you intend to work with Photoshop to process your photos, this book is the working bible you need. If you read the reviews at Amazon, it clearly is a book that will prove valuable to the digital photographer who uses Photoshop. My advice is - buy it and you'll avoid many time consuming errors and mistakes at learning the ins-and-outs of CS2.

Order 'Photoshop CS2 Workflow' from Amazon

Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera

by Bryan Peterson

This is a must have book for the beginning photographer, and the one I recommend every beginner own. It even comes in handy for those of us who have been at it for awhile. Bryan takes the language of photography and makes it easy to understand. And the book has been updated for digital photography, but also covers the necessary information for those who want to shoot film. As you read this book, you'll begin to have those 'now I understand' moments and begin to see how the pros come up with the pictures they take. Have no doubts, this book covers the fundamentals of photography like no other. If this book is not sitting on your shelf, it should be, particularly if you ever hope to master the medium of photography.

Order 'Understanding Exposure' from Amazon