Tony Northrup's DSLR Book: How to Create Stunning Digital Photography

by Tony Northrup

In this book, Tony Northrup (award-winning author of more than 30 how-to books and a professional portrait, wildlife, and landscape photographer) teaches you both the art and science of creating stunning pictures. First, you will master these basic concepts:

* Composition
* Exposure
* Shutter speed
* Aperture
* Depth-of-field
* ISO
* Natural light
* Flash
* Posing
* Troubleshooting bad pictures
* Using raw files
* Studio lighting
* Night photography
* HDR
* Macro/close-up photography

Then, you will learn the pro's secrets for photographing these subjects:

* People (candid, casual, formal, and underwater portraits)
* Weddings
* Pets
* Wildlife (mammals, birds, insects, fish, and more)
* Landscapes
* Cityscapes
* Sunrises and sunsets
* Flowers
* Forests, waterfalls, and rivers
* Fireworks
* Stars

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction, Reference, Art, Ebooks, Textbooks, Self Help

502 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 11, 2011

About the author

Award-winning author and photographer Tony Northrup has published more than 30 how-to books and sold more than a million copies around the world. His photos have been featured on magazine covers, book covers, CD covers, TV shows, calendars, and much more. Tony studied photography at the New England School of Photography and the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. He runs a stock and portrait photography business with his family, Chelsea and Madelyn, out of his home studio in Waterford, CT. He shoots travel and nature photography everywhere he goes.

Reviews

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello fellow Goodreads pals! I'm so happy to see that so many of you enjoyed our book. If you have any suggestions on how to improve the book or want some feedback on your photography come chat with Tony Northrup and me on facebook. facebook.com/northrupPhotography
Happy snapping!
Chelsea Knowles

[Eduardo Romero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books on Photography I've seen. It's full of practical advice , exercises , good theory and examples . It's one of the go-to books for amateur photographers, and afterwards you can interact with the online community. Tony and Chelsea also have reviews and news in a kind of podcast on YouTube.

It comes with videos and a thriving community on Facebook. You don't really have to follow it from cover to cover, you can jump in to the chapters you need more help with. They keep updating it and they make the updates and fixes available to anyone who purchased the book.

And You get it an any format they have it available once you buy it (PDF, mobi, Kindle, etc.). It's very good.

They also have a good book on gear that goes well with this one Tony Northrup's Photography Buying Guide How to Choose a Camera Lens Tripod Flash More Tony Northrup's Photography Books.

[Victor Alvarez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This can be a good book for beginners and intermediate photographers who want to learn or revise technical aspects of digital photography. The various aspects of DSLR photography are well summarised and explained. The linked videos are a good complement to the text and the author is definitely a good communicator.

However, it is not my cup of tea for various reasons:

I find the title deceiving (or marketing-oriented). The possibly excessive focus on equipment and technical knowledge will help readers creating technically correct but not "stunning" photographs. I found the teaching method appropriate but I didn't feel enthusiastic about the examples. Since the adjective stunning leaves room for personal interpretation, you can check out Tony Northrup's photography work and form your own opinion about it.

In my view, the structure is confusing. I.e. I don't understand why you'd like to explain the use of flash before shutter modes, aperture and depth of field. I'd personally argue the reader would first want to feel comfortable shooting in manual mode before using a flash.

Although the book includes chapters for different types of photography, it is evident that the take is that of a portrait photographer. In that sense, I'd recommend it more for photographers with an orientation for portrait, family and wedding photography. If you are not already familiar with any of the other types of photography, this book and the complementary videos can provide an entry-level and technically oriented introduction.

Finally, but importantly, the book lacks of wildlife ethics. Animals are treated as a target for taking a good photograph with no concern about using flash, feeding, caging or taking and moving them to a more advantageous position for your capture. As a researcher, nature and wildlife advocate, I found very disappointing that the author encourages readers to take this attitude.

[Ilie Dobrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps it is the most complete guide for amateurs who tend to perfect themselves day in and day out. I must say that it is a purely technical guide, so you will not find inside it any subjective assessments or aesthetic considerations. Its exactly what a novice is looking for to take satisfactory pictures with a DSLR.

[Yonathan Zarkovian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought the ebook version and read it on the iPad. The iPad version contains all the videos inside so they play instantly. The videos are a great help and compliment the text very well.

The book is written in a simple style which is easy to understand. The info in the book applies to DSLRs of all manufacturers.

I've read a few books for beginner photographers and this one is at the top. Even today, September 2013, the book is still updated. There is now an official forum for the book: sdpcommunity. Tony and Chelsea are active there and it's incredible to have the option to ask the author directly if you don't understand something.
There are great, helpful people at sdpcommunity who are glad to leave feedback on photos.

Of course there is also the Facebook group of the book which is definitely active, so SDP is a lot more than just a constantly-updating book. It's a ticket to an entire community of photography enthusiasts and professionals. It's a ticket to an ever-expanding amount of information. And it's only 10 bucks.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book. It has good information, but it also has a lot of sell: go to their site, join their facebook group, pick up their other book - did I even see a link to buy their t-shirt or am I imagining that? I thought the videos would be a way of driving home points they make in the book, but they have supplemental information that isn't in the book. I picked up a book to read a book, not to hop on the computer every other page. And to have to go online in order to get a simple checklist is excessive to me; just include it in the book. Finally, the information on white balance wasn't fully accurate which made me question the accuracy of other information.

[Simon Gianoutsos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a superb book that has been great to refresh my photography knowledge. I last read a photography book about 10 years ago and technology has moved on a lot since then. This book is up-to-date and very pragmatic. Thoroughly recommended.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you could absorb everything in this book in one read, you would suddenly be a master photographer, perhaps one who never took pictures because he didn't know where to start.

Most of the info in here I have already learned over 30 years of amateur photography. Some are common sense. Some are specific to Nikon and Canon DSLRs (I learned a few things about the settings on my D50). Some are debatable, such as use of a UV filter vs. a hood to protect your lens. I still haven't figured out the exposure chart, where shutter speed, ISO, aperture, noise, camera shake, subject motion, and possibly shoe size are all incorporated into a single 2D chart, though I make those tradeoff decisions every time I shoot.

The best use of this book would be as a reference. For instance, if you know you are going to a zoo, read the chapter on photographing animals (which has several valuable tips about zoo shooting). If you are getting comments from your snapshot subjects that they look fat or otherwise distorted, read the chapter on portraiture.

I read most of this on a classic Kindle, and finished up on the Kindle app on an Android smart phone. You will get more out of this book if you have a color display, and internet access to see the high-resolution copies of the pictures, and to watch the videos.

I'd recommend this book as a reference to folks getting a DSLR or advanced point and shoot for the first time, and to veteran amateurs to fill holes in their understanding of what they may have been doing unconsciously.

[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book, for a reasonable price. I was lucky enough to get it while it was on the free list, but will recommend it to my friends as well. This is a very clear and comprehensive book on photography. My father was a professional photographer and gave me my first lessons on an old box camera before he'd let me near his more expensive ones. Over the years I had forgotten many of the lessons he taught me, but this book brought them back. Now that we live in a digital age, being a good photographer is easier because you don't need to worry about wasted film or whether your shots came out the way you wanted. This book gives clear, easy instructions. It also has many pictures as examples of what to do, and what not to do. There are embedded videos as well, and links, to make things absolutely clear. Even if you only take a few minutes to read through the basics, you'll be taking better pictures!

[Andreea Ratiu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learn so much from this book! The videos and examples are great. I felt inspired to practice myself and this helped me a lot.

[Austin Storm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent beginner's guide / reference.

[Ellery Hamann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a the perfect book for someone starting off in photography who doesn't know anything. That was me when I bought my first DSLR and found Tony and Chelsea on Youtube about 5 months ago. I was immediately drawn in with their amazing youtube videos going over everything and anything you could think of in photography. They're also both very charming and funny people. Their personality comes through in their videos and in the book.

I read this on ekindle which worked great because it comes with endless hours of video tutorials. As someone who is visual learner and needs things shown to me, the video format is perfect. So many times in the book I'd not quite know what was meant, then I'd watch the video and it would make sense. It's really a brilliant idea to combine video and text in this way.

The chapters are very neatly organized. You begin with several chapters introducing basic concepts like how to compose (things like the rule of thirds), and then you move on to things like lighting (what is the golden hour, what is hard light, etc). Then problem solving, and how to make changes to settings. The second half of the book then focuses in on different types of photography you may or may not be interested in neatly separated by different chapters. For example, portraits, macro photography, weddings, wildlife, animals, landscapes, under water photography, etc. I found it easy to read carefully the parts I'm interested in (portraits, for example) and skim over the ones I'm currently not interested in (underwater photography, for example.) Nice thing is this book works like a source you can come back to again and again at any time to review. For example, if someday I'm in the Alps and want to take photos of the landscapes, I can refer to the chapter on landscapes and get the equipment I need and read how to take stunning photos and be ready to go.

Chelsea and Tony literally know how to take pictures of anything and everything. They have really done it all and have the cameras and equipment for literally every kind of photograph you can think of and have years and years of experience. They demonstrate that in this book and in their videos. It's really quite incredible.

Throughout all of these chapters, for the entire book, there are short little "tip" sections highlighted in a special color. I found that to be very helpful - it was like someone highlighted it for me saying this is very important. There are also suggestions for different exercises to try out. Lastly, there are little quizzes to test you on the material you just read, although I chose not to do them because that's not my learning style, I can imagine it being perfect for some readers.

The writing is also quite humorous at times and they manage to keep things interesting despite the content being dense photography jargon. They struck a really nice balance with that. It's overall very well written and well organized with bullet points and use of italics and bold, etc. The style is very accessible and easy to read.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, this book comes with a private facebook group where people can post one photo a day with the camera settings and get feedback from group members all of whom have also purchased this book and presumably read it. It's a group of very talented photographers. It goes to show that people who read this book really do learn because it is just that good! The group members have taught me a lot. People are also very civil and follow the clearly laid out rules. I've learned so many things through getting different kinds of feedback from them on my photos. Although the group is mostly people posting wildlife and landscape and portraits, people have been responsive to my street photography and helped me with it generously.

Because of the facebook group and this book and the videos, I've learned an unbelievable amount in the past 5 months. I've gotten lots of positive feedback and have amazed my friends with the photos I've shared on social media.

You really can't go wrong with this book. If you read this and practice, you will be making amazing photos. Thank you Tony and Chelsea!!

[Kiba Snowpaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Introduction:
Greetings, denizens of HowlStrom. It is I, Kiba Snowpaw, the Alpha Ice Wolf, protector of our icy realm. As the long winter embraces our world, I find solace in the art of capturing moments, freezing them in time much like our eternal winter. Today, I share my insights on an ebook that has illuminated the path of digital photography for me, penned by the renowned Tony Northrup.

Basic Plot Summary:
Tony Northrup's masterpiece is not just a book; it's a comprehensive guide that intertwines the art and science of digital photography. From the basics of composition, exposure, and shutter speed to the intricacies of studio lighting and night photography, Northrup leaves no stone unturned. The book further delves into specialized photography techniques for various subjects, from candid portraits to majestic landscapes and the elusive wildlife.

Analysis/Evaluation:
In the vast icy plains of HowlStrom, capturing the ethereal beauty requires more than just a keen eye. Northrup's guide serves as a beacon, guiding both novices and seasoned photographers through the labyrinth of digital photography. The blend of theory, practical advice, and exercises ensures a holistic learning experience.

Characters:
While this guide doesn't revolve around characters in the traditional sense, Tony Northrup emerges as a mentor figure. His voice resonates throughout, guiding, advising, and sharing invaluable insights. The reader can almost feel his presence, guiding them through each chapter, much like a seasoned alpha guiding his pack.

Structure:
The structure of the book is akin to a well-laid out journey. It begins with foundational concepts, setting the stage for more advanced techniques. While some, like Victor Alvarez, found the sequence a tad unconventional, I believe this structure allows for flexibility, letting readers navigate based on their comfort and needs.

Impact:
Much like the rare auroras of HowlStrom that leave an indelible mark on one's soul, this book has profoundly impacted my perspective on photography. It's not just about capturing a moment; it's about telling a story, evoking emotions, and immortalizing the beauty that surrounds us.

Hook and Thesis:
What sets this book apart is its multi-dimensional approach. Northrup doesn't just rely on text; he incorporates videos, fostering a dynamic learning environment. This multimedia approach, combined with the author's expertise, makes the book an invaluable resource for budding photographers.

Praise and Critique:
The book has garnered praise for its comprehensive content and practical approach. Eduardo Romero lauds it as one of the best photography books, highlighting the interactive online community and the constant updates. However, some critiques, like those from Victor Alvarez, point out a perceived excessive focus on equipment and technicalities. Alvarez also raises concerns about the book's approach to wildlife photography ethics.

Evaluation:
Navigating the world of digital photography can be daunting. However, with Northrup's guide in hand, the journey becomes enlightening and enriching. The blend of theory, practical exercises, and multimedia resources ensures that readers are well-equipped to capture the world through their lenses.

Comparison:
In the vast expanse of photography literature, Tony Northrup's DSLR Book shines bright, much like the North Star guiding lost travelers in HowlStrom's icy nights. Its comprehensive approach, combined with the author's expertise, sets it apart from other guides.

Conclusion:
As the Alpha Ice Wolf of HowlStrom, I've traversed our icy plains, capturing its beauty and essence. With Tony Northrup's DSLR Book as my companion, I feel empowered to not just capture but to narrate the tales of our realm through my photographs. For anyone embarking on the journey of digital photography, this book is the guiding light you seek.

May the frosty winds of HowlStrom carry the tales of our world, and may our moments be forever frozen in time, much like the images we capture.

[Renée · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had a lot of practical how-to information on the fundamentals of photography, though there are sections that are slightly out-of-date. Though that's not what took away from the book for me, as books will always inevitably go out of date as time passes and practices develop.

The author inserted gender stereotypes (e.g. "male clients will always like dirty jokes" and references to how women should only pose in "feminine" ways) that I did not appreciate at all. It was a reminder for me of the fact that the photography industry in the west has been primarily affluent white men looking at their subjects through a lens with no need or desire to humanize them. It made it difficult for me to take the author seriously as someone whose perspective on the art of photography is worth hearing, as he seems to be so limited in his view on other things.

I also want to +1 what other reviewers have said that this book felt very "salesy" - join my FB group, buy this equipment, etc. Also, the example photos were pretty lackluster - I get that his whole thing is that "these are actual photos I took" but that did lend itself to the overall feeling that he was selling himself more as a photographer rather than focusing on the practice of photography itself.

I would not recommend this book, as I am concerned that in reading it, they would absorb the subtle misogyny that comes packaged within. There are better authors out there who can write about photography without having to add toxic masculinity into the mix. I'd prefer to read and recommend those authors instead.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been searching for a helpful book about digital photography and I believe I’ve found one! Tony Northrup's DSLR Book: How to Create Stunning Digital Photography by Tony Northrup is very clearly written, well organized and thorough. It includes an overview of camera functions, problem solving and chapters for specific subjects including; portraits, landscape, animals, macro, underwater and more.

As an avid bird-watcher who has recently started trying to capture bird photos, I found the introductory features, problem solving and animal chapters to be the most helpful. My only complaint is the comment about using audio to lure birds closer. It is disruptive to their lives, even when it seems otherwise, especially during the breeding season. In addition it is illegal to use audio recordings with threatened and endangered species and in many parks. Please refer to the American Birding Association Code of Ethics for more details.

http://listing.aba.org/wp-content/upl...

Overall, I highly recommend reading this book.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is more than just a book. The authors have also created an online community around it, where members can share and discuss the photographs they've made in light of the guidance in the book; and there's a YouTube channel that's regularly updated with information about techniques and equipment. There are also tutorial videos available to registered readers. Tony has a relaxed, approachable style on video and this comes across in the book too.

Sensibly, the book starts with a chapter on tips and tricks learned from years of experience and presented together for the reader to consume in a few minutes. Later there are more detailed explanations reinforcing these: the most important rule is the simplest: take lots of photographs.

Like many, I'm an enthusiastic amateur: I'm not likely to start buying bodies and lenses costing $1000, or even $500. But there's still much in here for me to use, no matter what camera I have: composition, lighting, using natural light; as well as how to make use of shutter speed and aperture to create different effects and moods.

It's informative without being condescending, helpful without oversimplifying; a useful, practical book, with lots of additional material. Definitely a worthwhile purchase.

[Arshad Pooloo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tony Northrup is among the very first YouTube channels from where I learned how to manipulate my DSLR. Overall it is a good book and good value. Basically, this is Pay What You Can Edition which is free. The book is interactive so there are tons of things to learn. It is fair to say that the book gets all the basics right, it also explains the technical aspects of visuals well and is filled with supporting visual elements that you can compare and look for details. It is a bit outdated but can't complain here since technology moves fast. Loved the tutorials and guides for specific styles/conditions (Night Sky, star trails...). Is this the best book on photography? No, there are tons of others out there and a lot of YouTube channels, even Tony's own YouTube channel can help you with the beginner stuff. You do not have to absolutely buy this book. But like me, if you find that there are "Pay what you can editions" being given around for free then sure, get a copy and practice some of the stuff especially if there are particular styles you wish to experiment with such as astrophotography or simply learning to stitch several pictures together in the processing phase.

[Fatih · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little more focus on composition would have been better. I expected more videos about how to find good compositions. The chapter about compositions was too short, and they were only standard techniques.

I also found that the videos mostly retell what's inside the book, but in other words. It would have been better if the videos were more hands-on, like walking around somewhere and explaining how to spot good compositions.

In general this book focuses more on the basics only and being technical correct instead of stunning and creative, it is a good book for those who don't know the basics. I entered this book with knowing a bit about composition, the triangle of exposure, raw editing etc and was a bit disappointed. Guess I should look for a book that focuses more on composition, since that is a skill in which I am lacking right now. I did love the tips about portraits though, I guess the writers of this book are more focused on shooting portraits than anything else?

I also registered the book two weeks ago so I can enter their Facebook groups but never got any approval or info.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative and easy to understand

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, and it really got me excited to learn more and more. While I usually stay away from ebooks, I went with it for this because of all the videos. It was great to read the intros to each subject, and then have the video there to explain more and show examples. I especially enjoyed the videos of Tony and Chelsea working in Photoshop and Lightroom, and I plan to purchase their guides about those subjects next! Lastly, while I didn't expect to use the Facebook group, I've actually found myself going in there multiple times a day to view photos and read through everyone's comments - even posted my own pic for the first time today!

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A superb introduction to photography of every imaginable variety. This is less of an abstract treatise on the concepts of photography and more of a cookbook for photographers. The different sections cover the basics of what is necessary from a practical perspective that encourages experimentation with a solid basis of core techniques and suggested settings for any situation. I would probably rate this book 5 stars if I had a physical copy - it's the kind of book one leafs through, dog-ears, and grabs off a shelf to share, and while e-readers are superb in many ways, they are still not as good as physical books when it comes to serving as a reference.

Nevertheless, an excellent guide, and highly recommended.

[Alina Malina · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s one of the best books I’ve read on photography. All you need to know to nail a good shot without getting crazy and going too deep into details (though there ARE quite a lot of details!).
Hundreds of useful tips about:
• Why do you get blurry, dark or bad pictures
• How to use composition to take great photos
• How to set your shutter speed to freeze action or blur motion
• How to control your aperture to blur or focus the background
• How to set your ISO for bright and dark environments
• How to take pictures at night, including fireworks, stars, and meteors
• How to photograph sunrises, sunsets, landscapes, cityscapes, flowers and more!

Highly recommended for beginners and Intermediate level.

[Al Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the BEST book I've read on photography

I have read many books regarding different aspects of photography. This book is like a full course and overview of anything you might want to use for your new dslr. Of course no single book can cover everything in complete detail but this one comes close
The author's light and casual style underlines his obvious love and dedication to the craft.
After many years of going out and taking pictures I now feel better prepared to making some memorable images

[Hussein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overall. The complimentary videos are definitely helpful. With almost 230 pages, it lacks enough breadth and examples and definitely lacks a guide on what equipment to purchase. The author wants you to buy his guide separately. That’s definitely a big draw of this book. This renders the books fragmented and incomplete and the reader might feel being taken advantage of. I hope the author fixes those flaws in his next editions. A more complete book seems to be that of DK complete course of photography.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just took the plunge into digital photography with the purchase of a Nikon D7500. After watching a number of YouTube videos from Tony and Chelsea Northrup, I picked up this great reference book. This has fantastic advice and a number of items to practice the skills provided in each chapter. I look forward to revisiting the chapters as I venture out to make photographs and improve my own skills by applying the lessons in the book.

[Michele Dunkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely the BEST digital photography book I've read. It is engaging, broken down for the newest photographer, yet with such precision and detail that it is the perfect reference manual even for the seasoned photographer. It is contemporary, with QR codes enabling the reader to go directly to the referenced and related videos supporting the text, which gives depth to the learning experience. I loved this book and HIGHLY recommend it!

[John D Richardson]

I hate being forced to write or recommend. If it rocks my boat I would definitely write or recommend. This process locked my kindle up for days.

Just what I said. This whole process sucks. I pay for something to read. I don’t think I have to be forced into a review and then have my kindle app Locked down until I do it. I hate this author not because He isn’t good but because of your crap requirements

[Blair Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Northrup and his wife Chelsea, a former model (one could argue she is a *current* model) present the best DSLR photography book one could hope for. Written and conceived to be read in electronic format (color please) because of its hotlinks on frequent updates, this manual is all one needs to start and perfect their photography skills. A must have, a must read and above all, a must *re* read.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want ideas on how to improve your digital photography game or just learn how to effectively use a digital camera, this is a great book. And the Kindle edition is awesome! The tutorial videos that add to the text make it a wonderful learning tool. The Facebook group you get to join as a book owner is great, too!

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful resource!!! After reading through a little fast, now returning again and again to bookmarked (Yes, I have the ebook and card reader , too) sections. Tony and Chelsea Northrup 's videos came up first on Google search and by far the easiest to follow and thorough explanations I have found.

[Arnold Kellos Jr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Tony and Chelsea do a great job in this book presenting techniques and concepts using real world examples. Tony has a gift for explaining things so the average photographer can understand and use the lessons to further their ability to see the shot and know how to setup the camera to capture the vision.