Ibarionex Perello - Canon 5D Mark III: From Snapshots to Great Shots (Dylan Evers Library)

From Snapshots to Great Shots

Ibarionex Perello

Canon 5D Mark III: From Snapshots to Great Shots
Ibarionex Perello

Peachpit Press
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Copyright 2013 by Peachpit Press

Acquisitions Editor: Rebecca Gulick
Development and Copy Editor: Elizabeth Kuball
Production Coordinator: Myrna Vladic
Compositors: David Van Ness, Myrna Vladic
Proofreader: Patricia Pane
Indexer: Valerie Haynes-Perry
Interior Design: Riezebos Holzbaur Design Group
Cover Design: Aren Straiger
Cover Image: Ibarionex Perello
Back Cover Author Photo: Ted Waitt

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The information in this book is distributed on an As Is basis, without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of the book, neither the author nor Peachpit Press shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained in this book or by the computer software and hardware products described in it.

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13-digit ISBN: 978-0-321-85685-2
10-digit ISBN: 0-321-85685-6

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Printed and bound in the United States of America

Para Raquel, Pablo y Margarita. Te quiero con todo mi corazon.

I consider myself very blessed to make a living practicing something I love. Photography has been in my blood since Mike Cohen of the Boys Club of Hollywood introduced me to it. From the moment that I saw an image reveal itself in a developing tray, I have been captivated by the possibilities that photography promises and often delivers.

My journey has been the result of being able to take advantage of opportunities as opposed to some well thought-out plan. As I result, I consider myself very lucky to be able to make a living from using a camera and putting words on a page. But Im under no illusion that Ive achieved this on my own. Its clear to me that any achievements that I may lay claim to are the result of the many people who have supported and encouraged me, even when I wasnt sure I was deserving of it.

There are many people to thank for helping me walk this path, not least of whom is my wife, whose continued support and love is invaluable to me, though I may not always acknowledge it. She is my rock.

Im very grateful to my family, particularly my parents, whose sacrifices Ive appreciated even more as Ive gotten older. Its their hope for a better life that has helped make my accomplishments, such as this book, possible.

My friends continue to be important in my journey as a photographer. From them I continue to derive inspiration and the pleasure of their company. People including Martin Bailey, Emilio and Elena Banuelos, Dana Barsuhn, RC Concepcion, Jeff Curto, Tony DiZinno, Charlie Holland, Seth Joel, Dennis Keeley, Eric Kim, Tony Luna, Chris Marquardt, Martin Taylor, Marco Torres, and Everard William have been gifts to my life, and I thank them for their continued friendship.

The Peachpit Press team has been great to me and Ive truly enjoyed collaborating with them on each successive project. Rebecca Gulick, Ted Waitt, Elizabeth Kuball, Sara Todd, Gary-Paul Prince, Scott Cowlin, and the rest of the staff are the best team anyone could ask for.

Lastly, I want to thank the many people who have been helped in some way through the work that I do as an author, a teacher, and a podcaster. Though I will never meet all of them, their accepting what I have to offer helps to make some of the special moments in my life possible. I am humbled and grateful for all of it.

Buying a new camera is always exciting. Of course, you get the thrill of holding a new piece of photographic equipment and appreciating its styling and functionality. But the real excitement comes from the promise that it offers to your photography. Its how this new tool will help you to fulfill your vision that makes such an investment truly worthwhile.

This book on the Canon EOS 5D Mark III aims to tell you much more than just how to set a particular control on your camera. Instead, I share the when, why, and how to help you make the most of this exciting DSLR. I think there is no better way to do that than by sharing with you how I use the camera and how it makes a difference in my own photography.

This book is not a comprehensive and exhaustive guide to every feature that the 5D Mark III offersyou have the users manual for that. Instead, I focus my attention on those controls and features that I believe make the biggest difference in my photography and, hopefully, in yours. Regardless of whether you shoot portraits, travel, landscapes, sports, or still life, the words and images that I share in this book will help you gain confidence in how to make great photographs.

Whether this is your first DSLR or youre upgrading from a previous model, this book will provide you a valuable context for the many features found on the 5D Mark III. But before I delve into the meat of things, I want to answer some common questions that I believe will help you to make the most of what this book has to offer.

The users manual provides concise information on how to enable or change a particular control or function, but its often lacking a sense of when and why you would want to use a specific feature. Though the manual may give some general examples of when you might want to use evaluative metering versus center-weighted metering or Auto White Balance versus a custom white balance, it isnt really rooted in the kinds of images that people like you and me make every time we bring the camera to our eyes. This is what youll find in this book.

Because Im writing much of what I share based on my own personal experience with the 5D Mark III, youll find a point of view that youd never find in a users manual. Its the kind of information that Id provide you if we were out together shooting together.

As such, its important to remember that although this is the way I use the camera, it isnt necessarily the way you should use it. Every photographer is different. However, I think youll find that my discussion of the camera and its features and how it impacts my photography will make the camera more accessible to you. This will eventually evolve into a level of confidence that will allow you to handle and use the camera in a way thats unique to you and the way you make images.