Wildflower Photography

Wildflower Photography - The Complete Guide

By Steve Berardi. An e-book in PDF format.

I first came into contact with Steve Berardi when I read his previous e-book "Examples". He bravely asks for feedback from the readers, and I provided him with some.
He must have liked what I said because he asked me to preview this second edition of "Wildflower Photography"

For those of you who purchased the first edition of Wildflower Photography, there should be something that will make you smile in your email...

Now, onto the book itself.

Delivered in .pdf format, the book features a clearer typeface, updated content and even more photographs used in more examples.

The book starts slowly enough, getting you into the right frame of mind by laying out your equipment list, explaining why this equipment is needed, and then showing you how to set-up your camera, some guidelines on finding a "good" flower to photograph and how to set up your tripod - you are probably saying to yourself "I know how to do that!" - but remember, this is in the context of photographing wildflowers, so there could well be some differences.
Then we are into a discussion of aperture, and how to use the different apertures for different effects.
This aperture chapter segues smoothly into a discussion of exposure, and how to pick the right exposure for the situation, with one of the easiest to follow explanations of the histogram I have come across, related back to an actual wildflower shot. Don't get me wrong, this isn't pitched at the raw beginner level, but it is easy to follow.

In Part 2, we get to more advanced stuff. The topics covered are Maximising Sharpness, Lighting and how to control it for your shot and then some lighting theory along with a pointer or two on where to get more in-depth lighting theory information.

Part 3 covers the obligatory "Post-processing your Photo in Photoshop". Many things are explored here, all directly relevant to getting your photograph looking its best. I learned a new technique called "Focus Stacking" which is one way of getting a sharp picture by taking several and "stacking" them together.

Nearing the end of the book we find a dozen or so fully commented examples of the authors photographs along with URLs to larger versions on Flickr. These commented examples are all well worth reading.
Here is an example of one:

And another:



The wrap up, with some good advice on being a "good citizen" and how to "Take only Photographs" , and a quick reference guide neatly puts a finishing touch to a second edition that is well worthy of the "new and improved" label.

The Verdict?
A well-written, evenly-paced walk through a field of photos that will have you appreciating the care, attention to detail and dedication that it takes to get a good wildflower shot. And along the way you pick up some nuggets on colour theory and a few reasonably advanced post-processing tips. Where's the downside?

Please Note: I am always make it clear in any review I do which are affiliate links (for which I get some pennies if you buy the book through this link) and which are not - and I can then leave the choice up to you.

These first two are affiliate links, the third one takes you to the photonaturalist web site, where you can purchase the book without going through the affiliate links.

Click here to view more details (NOTE: Affiliate Link)
For a link to Steves' earlier work, Click here to view the details (NOTE: Affiliate Link)
The photonaturalist.net website. (non-affiliate link)

Hot Shoe Diaries

The Hot Shoe Diaries
Big Light from Small Flashes: Creative Applications of Small Flashes.

By Joe McNally
Edition is “New Riders - Voices That Matter” series and was bought from Amazon.

If you were looking for the definitive answer to your lighting queries, bypass this book.

If you are looking for an anecdotal brain dump of a large number of shoots that involved colour, light, locations, themes and a photographers attempt to capture some of that as best he can, then you are in the right place.

Joe McNally is up-front about his intention in this book - “This is not a book of certainties. It is not a manual. It is, as the title states, a diary” - and as such the most important bit in the book is the first chapter entitled “This Is Not the Manual”.
In it Joe McNally explains just what is being offered, what you can expect to find in each “diary page”, and more importantly, what isn’t there so that your expectations are shaped towards what the book offers - and not what you may have thought it offers.

So, what have I gained from reading this book?
I think, apart from looking at things more in terms of light, it is the feeling that there is a shot there no matter what the lighting conditions. Flat sky, flat light? Look at what drew you to photograph the scene in first place, then use the camera and flash together to accentuate what you feel is important in the scene - and if you don’t feel anything is important in the scene, then why are you photographing it? I will approach the “photo opportunities” I receive now with a different mind set - a mind set that looks at the light and the colour much more than I used to - and hopefully, with practice, I will come away with more pleasing (to me, anyway) photographs.

The writing style of Joe McNally is casual, fast paced, emphatic and enjoyable. He drew me in for the ride and more than once I was reading in bed and found myself still reading long after the light should have gone off.

The verdict?
A thoroughly enjoyable read which will alter the way you approach a photo shoot by altering the way you think about light.
Trust me, it’s a keeper.

Project 12 - Overview

I read a lot. Sometimes it is computer technical books, sometimes it is a novel, sometimes a photography how-to.

I have opinions about what I read.

Each month I will have an opinion on a photography book, and if I have the time, between those will be reviews of other books I have read.

Again, this is a commitment, so hopefully I can keep up with it - and learn something along the way.