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)
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