Photography Beyond Auto: Switch off auto mode and take better, more original photos

by Chris Gatcum

Take Control of Your Camera... but Only When You Have ToWhen you first buy a camera it's great to just shoot away, taking advantage of all the sophisticated automatic features of 'full auto' mode. Real photographers are able to take better photos because they understand what their cameras's auto mode is doing, and when to over-rule it and let creativity reign. This book will make you a real photographer.

SimplePhotography Beyond Auto is an easily accessible guide which will set you free.

ConciseUnlike other books, Photography Beyond Auto does not attempt to explain every switch, dial and button on your camera, or explore precisely where each pixel comes from. It concentrates on the key creative controls, including exposure, focus and colour; essential skills that'll enable you to take the sensational pictures that Auto mode simply can't.

Time-savingAuto mode does a good job a lot of the time, so Photography Beyond Auto will help you understand, in easy-to-understand terms, why camera auto makes the decisions it does, and whether they will help or hinder your creative vision.

InspiringFilled with creative examples that'll make you want to get shooting straight away.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction

145 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 6, 2015

Reviews

[Supersinajin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a short and understandable explanation on how to improve your photography through manual exposure, focus and colour.
Fun tone and nice visuals, it makes a recommendable guide to switching of auto.

[Larry Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear if only basic information. Good refresher if you are already familiar with basic photography techniques, a good introduction for the newbie.

[Alex Olteanu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for beginners, but I recommend playing with your camera a few times before starting this book.

[Andy Bilotti · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just go to page 30 and see the paragraph about aperture stops and light. Totally incorrect and wrong advise. It says stopping down from f 8 to 11 let's in more light instead of less. Absolutely a ridiculous mistake making question the authors knowledge.

[Ben Elliott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the informal tone and plentiful example photos, but multiple egregious errors makes it hard to recommend!

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked thus up to help me take better photos and more control of my new digital camera (not a DSLR). I found it to be a concise overview for digital photography. Well written and easy to understand, especially for someone new to "real" photography like myself.

[Donald Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't a tutorial, but rather just showing you what can you do.

[Annemieke Windt · Rating 5 out of 5]

clear, concise and at times funny. great pics too.