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BOOKS ABOUT PHOTOGRAHY

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November 13, 2020

Looking for the perfect Christmas gift for not a lot of dough? Read on, or just watch our video.

Books. Remember them? Real books. With pages that you can dog ear, and words that you can highlight and PICTURES! Books that you can refer back to time and time again.

We have them at Horn Photo. GO STRAIGHT TO BOOKS

Rocky Nook Books specialize in photography. All types of photography. Are you just starting out in photography? Or are you an experienced shooter? Do you want to learn about how to take breathtaking landscape photos? Or how to pose your kids for a family portrait? Rocky Nook photography books has what you need.

Do you have someone on your Christmas list that loves photography? Keep on reading on.

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Rocky Nook loves making beautiful educational books for creative people. They are an independent publishing company known for creating the industry’s best books for helping photographers of all levels improve their skills in capturing those moments that matter. They are a small (but mighty) seven-person team that loves creating beautiful books that help people master the technology, find inspiration, and hone their craft in order to create better pictures.

Rocky Nook books are written by the experts in the field. There are lots of photos and examples of their work. What is a book on photography without lots of pictures, right? There are over 140 different Rocky Nook books. We have about 50 of them in a wide variety of subjects.

We asked our good friend Lew Held, professional photographer, owner of Nor-Cal Photo Supply, and National Sales Manager for Rocky Nook to tell us his favorite books. Watch the video!

‍Here are Lew’s picks.

1. Understanding how to use flash

Lighting is everything when it comes to photography. It can make or break the picture. Often times, the addition of an off-camera flash can really enhance your image. Many photographers are intimidated or confused about how and when to use flash. These books will take away all confusion about using flash to create better images.

*The Off Camera Flash Handbook*- by Vanessa Joy

If your past attempts at learning flash have all ended in failure, then The Off-Camera Flash Handbook is about to change everything for you. For years, photographer Vanessa Joy has been using off-camera flash to create gorgeous portraits that look like they were shot in the most beautiful natural light at the perfect time of day. Well, guess what?That consistent look was not created thanks to the most amazing luck with the weather. No. It was created by a pro photographer who mastered her use of off-camera flash. And with her down-to-earth and practical explanations, that’s exactly what Vanessa teaches you in this book.

*Crafting the Natural Light Look* - by Sandra Coan

Sandra Coan spent years honing her ability to use artificial light to recreate the look of beautiful, natural light. And now, with a simple one-light approach, she produces “natural” light whenever and wherever she likes, creating great portraits in any situation, at any time of day or night.It’s an approach that has led to a successful career spanning two decades and a signature look to her work. Sandra shares her knowledge and techniques so that you can learn to quickly and dependably create the look of natural light in your own portraiture. Sandra’s tone is conversational and easygoing. Sandra’s method is straight forward and easily actionable.

2. Landscape photography books

How often have you seen other peoples pictures of landscapes, and they don’t really match your photos of landscapes. You can be at the same spot on the same day, even perhaps using the same settings. Why do some landscape photos pop and others seem flat? These two books will teach you the tips and tricks to make your landscapes look like what you are seeing with your eyes.

*The Art, Science and Craft of Great Landscape Photography* - by Glenn Randall

Glenn Randall explains the art, science and craft behind creating stunning landscape photographs. He describes his three-step process for composing a photograph and show show good composition is an organic process that begins with rules but ultimately transcends them. Randall then explores the science behind successful landscape photographs, which requires understanding key concepts from geography, optics, vision, and psychology.

*Light on the Landscape* -by William Neill

Drawing from the tradition of Ansel Adams and Galen Rowell, William Neill covers in detail the core photographic fundamentals such as light, composition, camera angle, and exposure choices, but it also deftly considers those subjects that are less frequently examined: portfolio development, marketing, printmaking, nature stewardship, inspiration, preparation, self-improvement, and more. The result is a profound and wide-ranging exploration of that magical convergence of light, land, and camera.

3. Posing kids for portraits

How cute are your kids or grand kids? Probably a whole lot cuter when they’re not posing for a photo with that contrived smile. This book help you with posing kids of all ages, and gives you examples of different types of poses.

Kids get so impatient when having their portraits taken. The more you are prepared, the faster you can have a successful session. The kids are happier, and so are you.

Whether you just want to take some memorable portraits of your kids, or you are taking portraits of children who are putting together a portfolio for commercials, local theater or modeling, this book will help you immensely:

*The Posing Playbook for Photographing Kids* - by Tamara Lackey

Anyone who has photographed children knows: kids don’t really do posing. But, as the photographer, it’s your job and your responsibility to deliver lasting,impactful images in which kids look great. More importantly, the goal is to create photographs of kids that are authentic, engage their spirit, and convey their unique personalities.

So how do you get beyond the “cheese” smile? How do you harness the wild energy of a kid who won’t stop moving? How do you create energy and dynamism with a kid who just seems…bored and not into it? How do you do all that and achieve a compelling composition with flattering light and the proper exposure?

Tamara Lackey teaches you her strategies and techniques for successfully posing and photographing children.

Tamara tackles the real-world challenges you’ll face when photographing children. Tamara discusses photographing children in the studio, in urban settings, on commercial and fashion shoots, in outdoor natural settings, and in groups. At the end of each of these chapters, she provides a handy reference guide of poses to fuel and inspire your shoots.

4. Best Selling Hardcover Books

Any serious hobbyist photographer in your life will truly appreciate either of these books. They can be used for reference, and even make impressive coffee table books.

Both are hardcover, and written by outstanding photographers in their field. They have been our most appreciated authors, having written a number of other books for Rocky Nook.

The most successful portraits take us well beyond the surface of how someone looks and show us the inner essence of who someone is. They reveal character, soul, and depth. And while technical expertise is undoubtedly important, it’s not the light, camera,or pose that creates a great portrait. It’s you, and it’s the connection you create with the subject that makes all the difference.

In Authentic Portraits, photographer Chris Orwig teaches you that the secret to creating meaningful portraits is simple: curiosity, empathy, kindness, and soul…plus a bit of technique. While Chris spends significant time on the fundamentals of “getting the shot”—working with natural light, nailing focus, dialing in the correct exposure, effectively posing and directing the subject, intentionally composing the frame—he also passionately discusses the need for personal development, creative collaboration, and connection with the subject. Because who you are directly and deeply affects what you create, and it is only through cultivating your own inner light that you will be able to bring it out in your subjects.

*The Heart of the Photograph* - by David duChemin

100 Questions for Making Stronger More Expressive Photographs.

Photographers often look at an image—one they’ve either already created or are in the process of making—and ask themselves a simple question: “Is this a good photograph?” It’s an understandable question, but it’s really not very helpful. How are you supposed to answer that? What does “good” even mean? Is it the same for everyone?

In The Heart of the Photograph: 100 Questions for Making Stronger, More Expressive Photographs, photographer and author David du Chemin helps you learn to ask better questions of your work in order to craft more successful photographs—photographs that express and connect, photographs that are strong and, above all, photographs that are truly yours.

From the big-picture questions—What do I want this image to accomplish?—to the more detail-oriented questions that help you get there—What is the light doing? Where do the lines lead? What can I do about it?—David walks you through his thought process so that you can establish your own.

The Heart of the Photograph is not a theoretical book. It is a practical and useful book that equips you to think more intentionally as a photographer and empowers you to ask more helpful questions of you and your work, so that you can produce images that are not only better than “good,” but as powerful and authentic as you hope them to be.

5. Books on how to use your camera

Rocky Nook has a series of books on specific cameras written by David Busch, the world’s #1 best selling camera guide author.

Filled with detailed how-to steps and full-color illustrations, these books describe every feature of your sophisticated camera in depth, from taking your first photos through advanced details of setup, exposure, lens selection, lighting, and more. It relates each feature to specific photographic techniques and situations. Also included is the handy camera “roadmap,” an easy-to-use visual guide to your camera’s features and controls. Learn when to use every option and, more importantly, when not to use them, by following the author’s recommended settings for every menu entry. You’ll quickly have full creative mastery of your camera’s capabilities, whether you’re shooting on thejob, taking pictures as an advanced enthusiast pushing the limits of your imagination, or are just out for fun.

6. Think - - Christmas!

Rocky Nook books make wonderful Christmas gifts for the photographers in your life. There are so many to choose from. Here are just a few of the topics: