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- Think Before You Shoot: The Art of Taking Creative Pictures Reviewed by Norm Goldman of Bookpleasures.com
Think Before You Shoot: The Art of Taking Creative Pictures Reviewed by Norm Goldman of Bookpleasures.com
- By Norm Goldman
- Published March 10, 2022
- Photography
Norm Goldman
Reviewer & Author Interviewer, Norm Goldman. Norm is the Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com.
He has been reviewing books for the past twenty years after retiring from the legal profession.
To read more about Norm Follow Here
Publisher: GOFF BOOKS
ISBN: 978-1951541781
My first exposure to the world of photography occurred when I was a very young boy. My folks had given me as a birthday present, a Kodak Baby Brownie. I loved this little camera! According to Kodak, all you had to do was push the button, and voila, the camera did the rest. Photography certainly has come a long way since the Brownie with the advent of digital photography
Santino Zafarana, author of Think Before You Shoot: The Art of Taking Creative Pictures, likewise was introduced to this magnificent world when his uncle Salvatore Dolce presented him with his first Brownie. Later, he received a Rolleiflex for his fifteenth birthday. The difference between him and myself is that he became an accomplished photographer, while I still struggle to take a decent photo. I can probably attribute my failure to not thinking about the subject’s content beyond whether it appeals to me aesthetically.
Choosing a good book on photography instruction can be quite a challenge, particularly when there are so many to consider.
Zafarana teaches you
how to "think before you shoot" by remembering what you're
looking at, why the image captivates you, what elements stay in the
image, and how you may convey all you see to the viewer.
Zafarana demonstrates
twenty-one different photography techniques. These provide you a new
perspective and an overview of the main instruments that professional
photographers use when shooting.
The breadth of topics
addressed in this book stands out, as it delves into the ins and outs
of procedures that will aid in the creation of visually attractive
photos.
These include using the correct depth of field, foreground vs. background, basic proportions/rule of thirds, controlling motion, understanding framing, frame within a frame or looking through things, understanding good essential lighting, shadows, reflections, point of view, awareness of your background, the art of silhouettes, the best places to crop for portraits, texture, patterns, and repetition, still life, portraits using window and door light, low light or nigh lighting, texture, patterns, and repetition
Each method is
demonstrated using large, crisp, and informative color images that
add visual interest and inspiration. Many of them elicit emotions and
may even trigger memories.
You'll have to agree
with Zararana when he says, "This book is a visual feast, an
offering both for people who adore fine art and those who realize the
mind behind the creation," after poring over the excellent
advice and lovely photographs.
Zafarana is not only a
gifted photographer with years of experience, but he is also an
excellent instructor, teaching and mentoring at the Creative
Phography Workshops in Los Angeles, which he co-owns with his wife,
Tracey Landworth. Much of the information in the book is based on his
eighteen years of experience as a teacher and mentor.