Tuttle - Art of everyday photography: move toward manual and make creative photos

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Dear Reader,

You are holding this book in your hands because you have a passion for photography and you wish to improve your knowledge and skills so that you can make the best, most beautiful photos possible. Notice I said make and not take as there is a distinct difference between the two. This book is all about making photos. When you take a photo in full Auto mode, the camera makes all the decisions for you. Sometimes this serves your creative vision (if youre lucky), but often it doesnt. This is because your camera does not have a brain and does not know what your creative intentions are. It doesnt know, for instance, if you want to blur your background for a portrait, freeze motion for an action shot, or create a long exposure to capture motion progression.

This book is infused with my passion to teach you how to get your DSLR out of full Auto mode and to best use and control its features to make artful photos that are a realization of your creative intentions.

In , Ill take you from full Auto mode to full Manual mode, exploring everything in between. Well talk about exposure (how aperture, shutter speed and ISO work together), metering modes, lenses and choosing appropriate ones for your needs, the types of light and how best to shoot with each kind, dealing with tricky lighting situations, white balance, tips for getting tack-sharp photos, composition possibilities, breaking rules for creative reasons, and useful accessories.

In to many types of photography. This book is all about choices. You get to learn at your own pace and shoot in any mode that is most comfortable for you at the time. There will be lots of helpful tips to support you along the way, to meet you right where you are, as well as encourage you to grow in your craft. You will actually start to see improvement in your photography immediately, just by applying a few new tips from this book. And the more you learn and apply, the better your photos will become. Always remember that shooting from the gut is and always will be the most important factor in making photographs that capture beauty and truly move people. If you knew how to best use your tool in conjunction with your artistic intuition, think how amazing your photography could be.

Ive checked out photo upload data from Flickr, and guess what I found? Can you name the photographic device that most of the uploads come from? You would be correct if you said a mobile phone. I myself am an avid iPhoneographer as well as a DSLR photographer and enjoy both tools for different reasons. Because so many of us shoot with a mobile device, I have made sure to devote portions of this book to mobile photography.

Mobile photography tips and techniques are actually woven throughout this book, and youll meet not only talented DSLR contributing photographers but many mobile photographers who are top-notch in their field. Please note that I have made a conscious decision to use the term mobile photography as opposed to iPhoneography, for the sake of being all-inclusive, whether you use an iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, an Android device such as a Samsung Galaxy smartphone or a Windows phone like the Nokia Lumia 1020.

The reality is that most photography apps out there are produced for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad devices. The number of photography apps for other devices remains low, and the number of photography apps made with versions for both Apple and Android (known as a universal app) is even lower. This could change, and for that reason, I will stay away from classifying apps as being either for Apple mobile devices, Androids or a Windows phone. The speed of technology is sometimes unpredictable.

In addition to information on mastering the technical aspects of your DSLR to make better photos, I also give a plethora of helpful tips and techniques you can apply to your photography, whatever your camera type or device. We will explore a variety of photography styles such as portraiture, still-life and food photography, landscape and nature, and everyday life and travel. You can get access to additional photography and photo-editing tips at CreateMixedMedia.com/artofeverydayphotography.

You have a passion for photography and you shoot from a soulful place deep within you. Its just like any other artlike dancing, painting or playing a musical instrument. The need to create and express oneself is there, and all you need is a medium for expression. Once you have mastered and are in full control of your instrument, you can use it to best convey whats in your heart. With photography, that means making photographs of what matters deeply to you, in a refined, creative and powerful manner.

Warmly,

Susan

Look and think before opening the shutter. The heart and mind are the true lens of the camera.

Yousuf Karsh

You dont take a photograph, you make it.

Ansel Adams

Your camera is a tool, plain and simple. When it comes to making stunning photographs, you, the photographerwith your artistic eyematter the most. You are ultimately what will make all the difference between a technically good photo and a stunning photo infused with something that is hard to put into words but has the power to strike the viewer in the emotional gut. Whether you shoot with a digital SLR, point-and-shoot or mobile phone, it is paramount that you understand how to best use your tool to help you realize your creative vision.

This chapter focuses on getting to know your DSLRthe basics of how it works, an introduction to your DSLRs various exposure modes, demystifying the exposure triangle (aperture, shutter speed and ISO), an introduction to your cameras built-in light meter and information on why its useful, and a helpful survey of lens types.

Mobile photography tips will be woven in throughout, and well take a breather halfway through the chapter with my Top Tips for making awesome photos right now! No matter your device or skill level, you can apply these top tips to your photography today and see immediate improvements in your photos. At the end of the chapter well take our first steps away from your DSLRs full Auto mode and begin the journey of learning how to use all that your DSLR has to offer in order to make more creative photos.