You only need one technical book for photography, to teach you exposure and basic camera operation (I'll second the recommendation for the National Geographic Field Guide). Once you figure out what the controls do, then the only way to improve is to shoot a lot and then look at the photos at home and think why you do not like them. The only other thing to help you is not books like "teach yourself how to make great portraits of your dog" or so on, but photographer's books and other visual input.

For example, if you like nature shooting then get a book from Lanting or Marent and then analyse each photo, trying to work out where the light came from, how the exposure might have been adjusted, framing, etc. If you like fashion then get something like Testino's or Avedon's or other such books and do the same.And so on for other types of photography.

And magazines like National Geographic, Vogue and so on are great for visual input.

I also recommend getting some of the books by Freeman Patterson. They are great!

Start at the library; study books of photographs; look carefully at the lighting, the composition, etc.

Keep a journal (I use a steno book) of each photograph, and consciously try to make each photograph beter, in some way, than the last.

Also, keep in mind Robert Capa's dictum: "If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough."

Lastly, remember that you can look at your subject from any point of the surrounding circle; move around, get closer, get lower, get higher. Then start posting.

Larry

a book that i found very helpful was Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson

Erotic magazines will also do . Think of "where your eyes leads to..."


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Any in particular that you recommend Jedi Master?

I found John Shaw's "Landscape Photography" and "Nature Photography" for both exposure tips and composition.

I ditto the idea about a journal. I keep a journal of "Lessons Learned" (military SOP) that I read before I go on shoots, especially if it's been a while. Some tips will ingrain to habit more quickly than others. Examples that I've written in my journal are "always check ISO upfront; turn VR off on tripod; etc." I just use a small Rite in the Rain pad that slips in the outside of my camera bag.

Exposure is easy - composition is much more the life long journey. Although exposure is fun when you know the basics and pay the thinking game of how to deal with difficult light conditions such as using the spot meter to shoot military jets.

I shot the DC fireworks from the Marine Corps Memorial in Arlington this weekend. My biggest joy was adapting quickly during a 15 minute shooting opportunity to solve the problem of properly exposing the monument without overexposing the fireworks. (I was shooting bulb with 2-3 second exposures and would fire in the slight gaps to give the monument time to expose properly before the fireworks exploded.) My photos aren't award winners and I'm mad at myself for a couple mistakes but I did get a several great shots and I love the mental challenge especially in a dynamic situation where you get it right or go home empty handed in a very short time.