50 Lessons for Stronger Photographs – The Visual Toolbox

Another book from Craft & Vision, they are coming thick and fast but at only £9.40 for so much useful information and inspiration a bargain

“These are the lessons I wish I’d learned when I was starting out.” – David duChemin  if David says this then it really means something, he is a world beating photography teacher read what this man says and improve your photography

 

 

The Visual Toolbox is packed with lessons about the tools of the photographic language – the camera, the lens, and the more important stuff like visual language, composition, and learning to see. Most of those lessons are accompanied with real-life, honest-to-God assignments to get you out there learning how to make stronger photographs, not just learning to use a camera.
The Visual Toolbox is 201 pages long: a big, gorgeous, PDF eBook, filled from front to back with the stuff that will make you more comfortable with the tools of your craft and more fluent with the language of this art. It’ll take you past images that are sharp and well-exposed, to photographs that are alive and say something.
View the Table of Contents.
Lessons include topics like isolation, scale, balance and tension, abstraction and expressionism, seeing light, understanding visual mass and energy, using negative space, using your lenses more expressively, exploring the effects of perspective on your image, and so much more. Then it’s your turn and if you’re looking for practical hands-on ideas to really solidify this stuff, those are there too.

 

Check out more about this book here

Free Photography ebooks from Craft & Vision

We really do think that the Craft & Vision books are exceptional value, the best way to improve your photography is by learning more about the subject. You probably come on our courses but you might want more to fill the times when we are on holiday, maybe you just don’t live in Oxford (poor you) so our courses are not possible for you. If you want a taste of these really brilliant ebooks there are some which are free for you, go here to grab a couple Have a look at some of the other titles while you are there

 

The Visual Storyteller – new ebook

Over here at OSP Towers we love Craft & Vision ebooks, fantastic value stuffed with really useful tips, tutorials, ideas and beautifully illustrated. The latest in the series is by Oded Wagenstein and is about  “Creating Stronger Stories and Better Photographs” something very dear to our creative hearts

 

 

Some of the most powerful photographs tell – or imply – a story. Of course, not all of them do, but the ones that do seem to engage us in ways others don’t. Capturing a sense of story in our photographs isn’t easy, but it’s a good way to make our photographs stronger. Oded Wagenstein is a young Israeli photographer with a surprising number of publishing credits to his name already, and is a regular inNational Geographic Traveler (the Israeli edition). The Visual Storyteller is his first eBook with Craft & Vision and it’s an excellent introduction to incorporating story into our photographs.

Storytelling is a rich subject and Oded’s eBook is a great primer for anyone wanting to either wrap their brains around this topic, or to begin selling their work to editorial markets, which is where Oded makes his bread and butter.

Beautifully laid out, The Visual Storyteller takes you from a discussion about what makes a good story-telling photograph, and the basic elements of storytelling, to how we incorporate that knowledge into our work. He goes on to discuss gear, light, composition, approaching people, and how to get your photographs published, including an interview with Daphne Raz (National Geographic Editor-in-Chief).

Beginners and intermediate photographers who travel with their cameras, or have an interest in pursuing work as travel photographers, will enjoy this 78-page eBook.

 

To buy this wonderful ebook for, $5, yes $5 or in real money £3.10 go here

Time Lapse Photography – Podcast with Dave Delnea

In this month’s podcast, Matt Brandon speaks with Vancouver-based photographer Dave Delnea about his newest Craft & Vision eBook, Timelapse: An Introduction to Still Photographs in Motion. Matt & Dave discuss the details of timelapse photography, and the nuances of stitching those still images together to create a movie. Hear the podcast here

Craft and Vision Free ebook

We love Craft & Vision ebooks, they are so full of pertinent and useful information, are lavishly illustrated and are so damn cheap. This one goes one better, it is FREE

More Great Ways to Make Stronger Photographs – This 45-page PDF eBook is completely free, consider it a random act of kindness to the photography community we so passionately serve. Inside you’ll find articles by 6 Craft & Vision authors, and 9 unique ways to improve your photography. You’ll also discover an exclusive promotional offer, we call it theC&V Starter Kit, where you can save USD $16 and get four amazing products.

Get this really great new ebook here for FREE

Lightroom 4 ebooks

We are about to start our new course on Lightroom 4 (we have places, if you are interested please email). This is a fantastic program and one we use every day, it is invaluable if you shoot RAW for conversion purposes and a really great piece of library software to organise your images, I would be lost without it. There are a couple of ebooks we recommend from the Craft & Vision stable, we also like Craft & Vision very much, if you want to see all of their publications click on the box on the right of this page.

Essential Development

20 Great Techniques for Lightroom 4

Lightroom keeps changing, and most of us don’t have time to dig around under the hood to learn it all. Essential Development is no-holds-barred guidebook that can help you explore, modify, and dig deep into the Lightroom 4 tools you need to make your post-processing efforts more productive and produce the final images your portfolio deserves! The eBook is divided into 20 chapters, focused entirely on the Develop module, covering topics such as: Understanding The Histogram, Making White White, Beauty Retouching, Dodge & Burn for Beauty, Cross Processing, Achieving a Filmic Look, Image Toning, Tilt Shift, Effective Sharpening, and Correcting Lens Issues. Click on the pages above to buy at $5 (£3.

Lightroom 4 Unmasked

A Complete Guidebook to Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

 This one is a big ebook and costs a bit more $20 (£12.70) but this is a complete guide to Adobe Lightroom 4 and we know you’ll love diving into this beefy book. At 312 spreads this PDF is full of high-resolution screenshots, step-by-step instructions, and the tips, tricks and ideas that make digital darkroom work productive and more enjoyable. If you’re looking to learn Lightroom 4 and need a resource to help you do that quickly, or you’ve just upgraded and need to get up to speed, this is a great value. Click here to buy this and download it immediately

7 eBooks Every Photographer Should Read

I am a great believer in learning from others and  ebooks are by way the easiest and cheapest way of learning assuming you can’t make it to Oxford and attend one of our courses

I found this useful post on photographyblogger.net I would add to their list anything by the excellent Craft & Vision people

Here is what PB say:

While there are countless eBooks out there on photography, it can be a daunting task to filter through them all. Which books are worth their price tag, and will you walk away with the knowledge you need to improve your photography?

We set out on a photography eBook expedition to bring you a collection of guides that deliver – ones that will enhance your craft and widen your knowledge, so you can focus on enjoying your photography. Whether you’re buying for yourself or for the photographer in your life, these 7 eBooks can take your photography to the next level. See the full post and list of ebooks here

This is one sample from the post

Ten

If you’re looking to enhance your photography – that is, take what you have to another level – Ten is a solid source of inspiration that will help you grow as a photographer. Author and humanitarian photographer David duChemin is well-known for his eBooks, which are sold through Craft & Vision. Although he has authored many, his eBook Ten has earned a reputation as being a staple for photographers who have learned how to use their camera and are searching for that next step.

The eBook outlines ten ways to improve your craft, and none of them involve purchasing more gear. At $5, it’s already well worth the price – but as an added bonus, each step is followed by a creative exercise to help get you into the mindset needed to further your craft.

 

Best Photography Ebooks

I love photography books, I have many, mostly monographs by specific photographers but I also have a few ‘how to do it’ books. The trouble with the latter is that once you have mastered what is on offer the book is a bit redundant. The cost is part of this concern but also that any book published this week was probably written 2 years ago and in the days of digital everything moves more quickly than that.

I have bought ebooks since they were first available, I really like take instruction in this way, I find the quality of reproduction a joy and if you manage to hit upon a series or writer you like and trust then even buying a number of books costs next to nothing.

I am a great advocate of the Craft & Vision ebooks, these cover technical and visual matters in clear and well presented publications and cost only about £3.25, at that price I feel it is worth taking a chance but I have to say I have never been disappointed by a Craft & Vision ebook. Have a look at what they have here

Here are some of their ebooks

Making the Print  Printing Techniques For the Digital Photographer (A Masterclass) Martin Bailey

Beyond Thirds A Photographer’s Introduction to Creative Composition Andrew S. Gibson

Up Close A Guide to Macro & Up Close Photography Andrew S. Gibson

Close To Home Finding Great Photographs in Your Own Backyard Stuart Sipahigil

Vision is Better Free the Mind, Free the Camera David duChemin

See the full catalogue of ebooks here, remember they are only £3.25 each or cheaper if you buy 5 or more

Learn Lightroom 4 ebook

I am regularly asked if we run a course on Lightroom and it is something we plan but if you can’t wait for our return from Australia to OSP towers you might want to buy this very cheap ebook and get started yourself. I have always been super impressed with Craft & Vision books and have bought just about everyone they put out. They are full of excellent technical detail, inspiring ideas and are beautifully illustrated.

LIGHTROOM 4 UNMASKED
This is a complete guide to Adobe Lightroom 4 and we know you’ll love diving into this beefy book. At 312 spreads this PDF is full of high-resolution screenshots, step-by-step instructions, and the tips, tricks and ideas that make digital darkroom work productive and more enjoyable. If you’re looking to learn Lightroom 4 and need a resource to help you do that quickly, or you’ve just upgraded and need to get up to speed, this is a great value.

This rather expansive ebook with 312 pages costs just £12 or $20, get further details and purchase here

Ed Verosky – blog and newsletter

Morning, or afternoon or even evening depending on when you receive/read this….  I get the regular email newsletters from Ed Verosky who has an excellent blog site with tips and tutorials predominately about portraiture. Aimed at the professional or aspiring professional, the blog has many great ideas. I like what Ed has to say, he often makes sense, here is a sample from his last newsletter which I completely agree with …

“I think it’s true that you can accomplish so much more, in general, by shooting creatively, trying to make each shot count, and trying to get things right “in the camera,” as they like to say. Going for good exposures that only require fast, standard batch processing through your Lightroom or Aperture software is usually the best approach. When dealing with high-volume situations, like weddings and portraiture sets, it’s necessary. Can you imagine trying to “fix” individual images when you have several hundred to work with? I realize it’s easier said than done, but strive for an ideal of no fixing in post. Enhancing is another story, and great to do if you have time.”

In the courses we run at The Oxford School of Photography we always recommend getting it right in the camera, we teach that the attitude of ‘it’ll do, I can fix it in Photoshop‘ is a mistake.

Have a look at Ed’s various sites, newsletter and blogs I am sure you will find it useful and interesting, here is a picture he discusses in his latest newsletter