Professional Photo Books.com

It’s hard to learn photography from a book. Reading how ISO and shutter speeds effect exposure is a far cry from having to do it yourself. Learning the basic skills of photography takes a lot of time and dedication. Becoming a professional requires even more commitment. Some books are all about the technical, others more about the photographer and his relationship with his camera and object. But everyone can find something useful; whether a technical tip or creative inspiration, when they browse through a great photography book.

Listed below are just a few titles if you are looking to do a little reading.

“On Photography” by Susan Sontag
“On Photography” is actually a collection of essays that Sontag wrote expressing her views on the evolving role of photography and the photographer in society. It won the National Book Critics’ Circle Award in 1977.

“The Negative” by Ansel Adams
“The Negative” is the second book in Adams’ Photography Series, preceded by “The Camera” and followed by “The Print.” Very much a technical guide, the book discuses various photographic techniques: the use of artificial and natural light, film and filters, creating the appropriate exposures and (now the less relevant) darkroom equipment and techniques.

“The Digital Photography Book” by Scott Kelby
“The Digital Photography Book” is written to be user-friendly, and attempts to avoid much of the jargon that confuses amateur photographers. With nearly 200 photographic tricks, Kelby presents the reader with a straight-forward how-to guide to taking great shots.

“Understanding Exposure” by Brian Peterson
“Understanding Exposure” is a step up from Kelby’s book, written for photographers (both serious amateur and professional) who already have a good grasp on photographic techniques, but are looking for ways to get more creative with their cameras. The book even accounts for the differences in shooting with a film or digital camera.

“The Art of Photography” by Bruce Barnbaum
Often described as the most “readable, understandable and complete textbook on photography,” “The Art of Photography” offer insights and knowledge for photographers of any skill level. Barnbaum takes the how-to guide a step further by actively discussing the philosophical, expressive, and creative aspects of photography, in addition to the technical.

Tags: For The Photographer by Embassy Pro Books
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Just about every photographer, whether seasoned professional or budding amateur, has some sort of online portfolio. It’s the easiest way for potential clients to view your work and get a sense of your skill level, style and experience as a photographer. But having a great online portfolio is more than just posting a bunch of pictures online and calling it a day. Your website should accurately reflect who you are as a photographer and you should treat it with as much care as you do when putting together a physical portfolio.

Here are few things to keep in mind when designing your website:

Flash isn’t always the best idea
Flash is great for presenting the actual photos, but don’t build your whole website on it. Some web and mobile browsers (like the iPhone) can’t view flash and you don’t want to limit who can and can’t see you work. Search engines like Google have hard time finding 100% flash sites as well, and you want to make sure you pop up when someone is searching for a photographer.

Make your contact information easy to find
If visitors have to dig through your site to find an email address or studio phone number to reach you, chances are they won’t bother. Just like your contact information is on all your business cards and included in your printed portfolio, you want it on your website. Maybe you even create a “Contact Me” form so potential clients can reach out to you without ever leaving your site.

Layout is important
Just like you carefully arrange the photos in your printed portfolio, you should also organize the photos on your website. You want your work to tell a story and put your best foot forward. You should also keep the overall website design simple so as to not distract or clash from your photography. Keep fonts and colors simple and elegant. The site is all about your photography, not what crazy design you have going on in the background.

Include a customer review section
Nothing helps inspire confidence like a “Hear What Past Clients Have to Say” section. Hearing from previous clients who were impressed and happy with your work goes a long way in convincing a visitor that you are the photographer for them.

Tags: For The Photographer by Embassy Pro Books
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It happens to every creative personality now and again. And while it is usually referred to as “writer’s block,” photographers are just as susceptible to a creative slump as writers or painters or musicians. It can be incredibly frustrating to feel like you are at a loss for ideas and lack inspiration. When all your photography skills are being used for clients, but you can find nothing to do on your own, it’s easy to lose sight of why you love photography.

But there is no need to panic should you find yourself in this situation. Here are a few ways to get back in the mood and back to shooting (for you!):

Check out movies that have won awards for cinematography
Movies really are just moving pictures. Every year different films are recognized for their cinematographic achievements. Take the afternoon to watch a few of these films and see how the masters of moving cameras handle their shots.

Find an outdoor event
Things like parades, demonstrations and outdoor concerts are sure to draw a lot of people, which means a lot of characters for you to capture. It’s always fun to people watch and it’s great to see how they act when they don’t know a lens is on them.

Shoot at different times of the day
Dawn and dusk are photographer favorites because the lighting is the most dynamic. But if you find yourself always shooting as these times, they begin to lose their “special” feeling. Try night photography to see how the same place looks totally different when the sun goes down.

Shoot in black and white
It’s interesting to see how different the world looks, and what you need to do as photographer to correctly capture it, when your shoot in black and white. We see in color, but to capture and manipulate a BW image can give you a whole new perspective on what makes a dynamic shot.

Check out the local zoo
Animals always make for an interesting photo session. Since you have no control over what they will do (if anything) you just have to sit tight and wait. They can be just as expressive as humans but their bodies are so different that it’s easy to get inspired by their color and texture.

Tags: For The Photographer by Embassy Pro Books
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