Beyond Snapshots: How to Take That Fancy DSLR Camera Off "Auto" and Photograph Your Life like a Pro

by Rachel Devine, Peta Mazey

Ready to Capture Your Story with Beautiful Photos?
 
Let professional photographers Rachel Devine and Peta Mazey show you how to use that fancy DSLR to photograph the story of your life, from falling in love and having a baby, to the everyday moments that are no less precious. You’ll learn:
 


   • Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
   • How to take portraits of your children, friends, pets—even yourself
   • How to capture light to make your photos more dramatic
   • How to make colors pop, eyes sparkle, and skin tones more realistic
   • How to capture the uniqueness and wonder of your family, friends, and world
 
After all, why trust your memories to regular snapshots when with just a little knowledge, you can create beautiful photographs?
 
Be inspired to see the beauty around you, every day.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 20, 2012

Reviews

[reading is my hustle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am an intuitive photographer. I have always enjoyed taking photos and often end up the de facto "photographer" at most events. However, the moment I hear ISO, aperature, shutterspeed, or composition my eyes glaze over. If someone asks me how I got a particular shot? No idea. I either get the shot or I don't.

I saw this book come across the desk at the library and thought maybe. For some reason, the idea of taking a photo in manual mode appealed to me on that particular day. Now? I am all about taking photos in manual mode. True Story.

I liked this book's style.
The writing, the organization, the photographs.
Huzzah!

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Non-Ficton; Photography
5 stars

Beyond Snapshots is a great book for anyone who has invested in a new digital SLR camera only to be overwhelmed by all the modes, functions and lens choices.

Each chapter of this book highlights an individual feature of the camera and then gives instructions for when, why and how to use it in your own photography. With plenty of great images and encouragement, Devine and Mazey open the door to understanding and utilizing all the creative options the camera is capable of so you can finally capture the images you seek with confidence.

This is definitely a "must-have" book for all digital SLR beginners or those wanting to improve their own photography.

Highly Recommended.

*As a side note: I have both the paper and digital copy of this book. Because of the improved photo quality and ease of use, I prefer the paper version.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview of the basics of exposure and tups on how to shoot various subjects. Really helped me get started shooting on manual with confidence! Took off one star because it's a book written by straight women who are moms, for straight women who are moms. It definitely has a slant towards taking photos of kids and babies, which is not everyone's jam. However it was a really helpful book!

[Holly Booms Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent easy-to-understand explanations about common camera settings like aperture and ISO and how they affect depth of field, composition, and lighting. Very well written and very useful in getting yourself off the manual setting on your DSLR.

[Kathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful. Clearly written. Upbeat and encouraging.

[Alison Hirst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great photo ideas

We got a DSLR and I have struggled to consider some of the settings, loved looking at the photos of the different techniques

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have three cameras ... a Canon point-and-shoot that is usually in my purse, a Nikon D5100 DSLR along with some lenses, and a Nikon CoolPix (that's in between the two) that I use often. Needless to say, I take a lot of pictures. Gord and I took some classes last year to learn how to (1) use our cameras in other than auto mode and (2) take photographs, not just pictures.

I'm still an amateur and like reading photography books to see what professionals take pictures of and how they do it.

This book is divided into the following chapters:

* Picking up your Camera - ISO, shutter speed, aperture, lens and focus length
* Get to Know the Light
* Now Shoot Something - focus, compose, reviewing, etc.
* You are not Done Yet - software programs
* What Love Looks Like - couples, single subjects, aging, children family and pets
* Milestones and Firsts - weddings, babies, etc.
* Documenting Family Life
* Sharing Yourself
* Life is in the Details - around the house, people, nature, food, possessions, craft projects, etc.
* Seeing the World (or Just Your Own Hometown) - landscapes, scenery, shooting at night, etc.
* Seasons of Change
* All Together Now - informal gatherings, larger group events and group portraits

There is a description of a variety of things and a high level how-to. There are tons of pictures and what I liked is that the ISO, F-stop, shutter speed and focal length are listed with every picture.

I thought this was an excellent book for beginners and beyond.

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2013/09...

[Lola D · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading this book before I got my camera. The information about aperture, shutter speed, light, exposure etc was clear and I felt like I was ready for the camera when it arrived.

Then I got my camera. After about 45 minutes with the manual I had figure out how to change some settings and started taking pictures. They were awful. I mean, completely black, blurry, weird colors. The biggest problem was that my house is apparently dark and the book said keep the ISO as low as possible so I was trying everything else first. Which was really my fault, not the authors'. I didn't have much better luck outdoors.

I laughed when they said don't look at your screen after every picture. That might work if you kind of know what you are doing but for me it would be complete waste of time to try to take pictures with seeing how it's working.

I felt like I outgrew the picture taking advice I two days and needed more information.

I wasn't interested in processing part yet.

Part 2 of the book was what to take pictures of, which seemed pretty obvious to me. I love looking at other people's photos so I don't need to be told the beauty in everyday objects. Not much in this section was useful but I did love looking at their photos.

I think this is a comforting and inspirational book but actual photography advice was not enough for me.

[Gary Paulson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book for beginning photographers that attempts to get readers to move the camera off 'auto' and into 'manual' mode.

Although I agree with this quote:
"The goal of taking the camera off auto is not just to take a correct exposure, but to create an image that conveys certain feelings and emotions. By choosing the combination of camera controls, you become the artist."
I was disappointed when so many of the photos seemed more like snapshots that there was no real reason to move off auto.

Manual mode is not something I feel comfortable with after more than 2 years shooting and have had to learn Aperture mode and Shutter Speed mode before I would ever consider moving on to Manual mode

I do agree with their point that it is important to "learn some photography basics and become the boss of your camera."

[Mrs C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got a review copy of this book and it delivered beyond my expectations. I own a couple of books on how to manipulate the shutter and aperture, but this book goes into more fun details that doesn't feel like a chore to read. For example he has short sections on how to photograph different subjects like food, possessions, nature, people etc. and then at the end he even included a section on photographing based on the seasons (really cute and different). If I could go back and purchase just one book to get me going, I will definitely buy this book first and not even worry about buying other non-pro books just to get me started on using my dslr.

[Ethan Fleck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was super-impressed with this one, the voice of the author came through well and it made the read very relatable and enjoyable. It goes beyond simply "Here are the best settings and detail you're looking for in shots" and it came more to heart by saying" Here are the reasons you should want to take great photos and here are some practices you need to incorporate into everyday shooting because these are what I, as well as others, have had success with." Definitely recommend for beginner to Intermediate shooters.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this. Such a good read even though its basic. i enjoyed the personal, friendly take on things. This book would be really helpful for the beginner and could even be appreciated by the experienced. I'm kind of ashamed to admit I almost didn't bother with it because I wasn't at all impressed by its cover. There's such wonderful photography inside- the cover photo is the least impressive of the lot. I guess you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Even a photography book. Haha.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the book that finally made using the manual settings on my camera click for me. It's full of great information in easily understood language with lots of example photos. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is that it included a section on post-processing that was exclusively built around Photoshop. That did me no good since I don't have the program nor do I plan to buy it. But otherwise, it's a seriously helpful how-to guide for digital photography beginners.

[Monologues · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. I think it's a good intro book if you are new to DSLRs and want to get to the next level. Most DSLR cameras nowadays have so many settings and options that it can be overwhelming for newbies. Also it gives you a good general understanding of all the different types of photography out there. Recommend it.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was great and I'm going to buy a hard copy I can mark up. the authors describe some pretty technical, yet basic, elements of photography clearly.They go on to provide many examples throughout the book that highlight how to use that technical knowledge in a variety of situations. This is a great read even if you don't have a DSLR, you'll still pick up some good tips and ideas.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty good primer for the complete beginner. The examples and projects cited are also relevant for everyday photography, especially for those who would like to capture moments closer to home, family, and friends. This makes it a very good book to start with then for those who would like to ease themselves into photography without an overwhelming emphasis on jargon.

[Kaysha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although it is not the first photography book I have read, I still feel like I learned a lot. For a lot of the things (aperture, ISO, etc) I feel like repetition helps me remember all of the rules. For other aspects of photography, I like getting the viewpoints of different authors. It seems like everyone does things just a little bit differently and I like the variety!

[Lee Farris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for someone who is interested in photography but has a lot going on that would prevent them from taking an in-depth class. All of the information that was presented was done in an easy to understand straight forward way.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

It got a little repetitive at the end, and I could do without obvious suggestions such as "take pictures during the holidays", but the first 3/4 of the book had great information that was easy to understand.

[Emily Tsesmeloglou · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was helpful at giving basics of the technical aspects of dslr cameras, but my pictures are coming out worse. While this book had good information and creative ideas, I think a class would be more suitable for beginners like me.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd imagine this book would be great for beginners which I am not. I was looking for some inspiration and didn't really find in here still, the list of businesses and helpful websites at the end helped me find some other resources closer to what I needed.

[Joel Vega · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice book for beginners

Very simple reading for beginners. Plenty of ideas for taking photos. The reading experience was never boring. Lots of photos were also provided within the book to have a better idea on the camera settings needed to shoot different kind of things.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Life is in the details."

[Leslie Godwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

pretty good, some helpful pointers,
left off at page 114 where they discuss how to capture the essence of couples

[Terryann · Rating 4 out of 5]

an accessible and readable book of tips on how to get a better photo out of your cheap digital camera.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very readable and beginner-friendly intro to manual settings.

[Amy Brown (amylikestoreadalot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I collect how to photography books (wish I actually read them more!)...and here's another one I will be purchasing! Love the photos in here and the tips look good! Now...to dust off my camera!

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly written. Lots of good insight.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started really good, but then went into more of what I already know.

[Michal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great for inspiration ideas. The basics on "how-to" are not as simple as others, but lots and lots of tips on creating beautiful shots.