How to Photograph Your Life: Capturing Everyday Moments with Your Camera and Your Heart

by Nick Kelsh

Full-color photographs highlight an authoritative guide to using one's camera to create great photographs, exploring more than forty picture-taking scenarious--from weddings and portraits to landscape and family--along with essential photographic techniques, tips, and tricks and special sections on travel photography and using a digital camera. 20,000 first printing.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction, Reference

112 pages, Spiral-bound

First published April 1, 2003

Reviews

[Jill]

It didn't go into great detail about the functions, since all cameras are different, but it teaches how and when (and when not to) to use some of the main functions like auto exposure, auto focus, and auto flash. What I liked about it is that it shows side-by-side examples of photos that contain common mistakes, and the same situation shot with better judgment that turns into a fantastic photo. Another cool thing is that all the photos in the book were shot with a regular old point-and-shoot digital camera, nothing fancy or expensive.

[Nancy G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practical tips for improving the quality of photos. I am inspired and already started experimenting with photos in my garden. Fun to read with clear examples.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical and easy to follow advice from a professional photographer to improve your photographs no matter what type of camera you use.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great how to book. It doesn't go very much into the technical details of photography but is more a practical look at the composition of shots so you can take better pictures with whatever camera you have. In fact, the guy used his wife's point and shoot to take all the pictures in this book. It was quite informative and I think if I had read it 15 years ago I would have much better pictures.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book and Kelsh's How to Photograph your Family are the two books that really made it simple for me to understand how to improve my photography skills. His tips, suggestions and skillful angles and ideas opened my eyes immensely and truly helped me learn how to snap a better photo...even with a simple point and shoot camera.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for anyone that wants tips on how to take great pictures using any point and shoot camera, for those of us that can't fork out $1000 for an SLR body (the fancy onces that use the interchangeable lenses, as some would call them).

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the everyday picture-taker. Lots of good ideas of how to compose better people/lifestyle pictures... like getting down to the level of children if shooting children, stand on a chair to shoot a table of people so the flash is more evenly exposed, etc.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a simple "how to" photography book. It's simple to read and simple to apply the knowledge to your picture taking. Every photo in the book is taken with a point and shoot so it's not a technical camera book but rather a "taking better pictures" perspective. Well worth the time I spent in it.

[Deirdre K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read an interview with Erin Cobb where she recommended this book. She said it was for beginners, but I so admire her, I got it anyway. Very well done, nicely organized, but she wasn't kidding. Would be a great gift for someone who just got their first SLR.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best non-technical photography book ever.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be read by everyone who will ever take a picture with a camera. Great dos and don'ts for the everyday photographer.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super quick book and great advice to improve those awful snapshots that everyone takes and forces other people to look at :) I would recommend this to anyone who takes pictures.

[Melynna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped my make my pictures way, way better overnight. This is a must read for amateurs who want to take beautiful pictures.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! That is all I have to say. Now, if only it were as easy to take better photos as Nick says it is. I am going to be spending some quality time with the manual for my camera.

[Keena · Rating 4 out of 5]

very inspiring for an amateur photographer!

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent basic guide to photography, engagingly written and beautifully laid out.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great, straight forward, one idea at a time for better photographs.