Review: Digital Photography Book Vol. 3

This series is truly progressing. And I think Scott as a photographer (Photographer, not as a Photoshop Wizard) has also improved tremendously since volume 1. Just one prime indication: in vol. 1 many pictures used to illustrate the tips are from istockphoto, rather than the author’s own takes. Here in volume 3, I remember only the two pages on Underwater Photography are from istock, the rest are either by Scott himself or his assistants.

The really useful tips have increased widely from Vol 1, Vol 2, to Vol 3. The chapter on Sports Photography in this book, for example, is meatier and useable. The studio shots are also more complicated and more varied. There’s even a devoted chapter for Product Photography (new chapter)   Just to cite two pages of solid tips: there is one regarding experimenting on white balance, and another on getting that starry effect from sunshine. You’ll feel the sincerity in the informal teaching. Imagine: there’s even one recommending to shoot puddles during travelling. Well that’s been a technique not straightly being said in many books on Urban Photography, but you see it indeed every now and then on portfolios of “good, creative”  travel photos. 

 The studio shots and setups are great, and the guides to getting these shots are very clear. There are even more inputs on manipulating sofboxes.   The instructions are now longer, no feeling of being rushed. The accompanying website is also very useful and on a teaching mode. Other useful bits: a clear line drawn between continuous and hot-shoe flashes, a whole chapter on lenses (not afraid to take a stand and recommend what he actually uses). I also like how Scott shows what he packs for wedding, portrait, travelling shoots.

One of the unintended consequence though: Scott’s recommendation for gears is getting more and more EXPENSIVE. From just discussing the several sizes of softbox in volume 2, we know have strip banks, grids, ring lights, beauty dish, cubelite, triflectors,… and these are just from one chapter!   I think that’s the point, however. If you are serious a photographer, your expense will also increase. You have to spend to get to the next level.

This is a very good book to complete the selection. But if you’ve started at Vol 3, best to just go back to Vol 2… then skip Volume 1. You’ll feel shortchanged by Vol 1, and most tips in there are repeated in the last two volumes. I have no idea what is left to discuss for volume 4, except perhaps even more expensive gears, more serious location shoots, more complicated “recipes."

One other thing: Scott should also be congratulated for the choice for the girl model. Very expressive, very versatile, very pretty.  :-)  

I rambled too much here. But in a nutshell Im just saying, this book is easily the best in the series... so far.