Photography books and reviews

Books recommended and reviewed by Keith Cooper

Many of the books further down the page are the personal recommendations of Keith Cooper (they are on his bookshelf and well thumbed). They should be available at any good bookstore, so do have a look.

Keith’s own book about using tilt/shift lenses is now available.

Keith has also included other book reviews covering different aspects of photography and aimed at different levels of expertise.

Videos: Keith has a number of book reviews in his 600+ videos on YouTube.

For a full index of all videos on YouTube, there is a categorised index page here:

Index: All of Keith’s YT videos

Old photography books from 2nd hand bookshops make up a big part of his book collection – just because it’s film doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from looking at good photos…

See the main blog page for Keith’s photography articles and reviews

Publishers: Contact Keith if you’ve new and relevant titles you’d like considering for review

Keith’s photography book reviews

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• Video: Photographic styleIf you don't feel you have a photographic style, should you be concerned? Ways of getting more out of your photography without feeling you are missing out. Looking at some photos and books which might help.
• Book Review: Mastering Lighting and Flash PhotographyBook Review: Mastering Lighting and Flash Photography by Richard Bradbury. Equipment, lighting and technique for photographic lighting
• Book Review: Isle of Skye – Photographer’s guideBook Review: Isle of Skye and NW Scotland - Photographer's guide by David Hickey. Locations, maps and tours with detailed photographic tips and suggestions covering equipment, photography and image processing.
• Book Review: 52 Assignments Landscape PhotographyBook Review: 52 Assignments, Landscape Photography. A collection of 52 project ideas relating to Landscape photography. Lots of suggestions to help expand your photography and experiment.
• Book Review: Everything about taking PhotographsBook Review: 'Everything you always wanted to know about taking better photographs', '50 images and 50 explanations' by Antony Zacharias. £12.99 Ammonite press October 2019
• Book Review: 52 Assignments Street PhotographyBook Review: 52 Assignments, Street Photography. A collection of 52 project ideas helping you explore different aspects of street photography. Challenge your photo comfort zones.
• Book Review: Hasselblad and the moon landingBook Review: Hasselblad and the moon landings. photographs and the story of the cameras that didn't return from the Apollo moon landings

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Photography business related books

• Book Review: The photography exercise bookBook review and video: The photography exercise book by Bert Krages. Training your eye to shoot like a pro. Subjects to study and photograph that will help train your photographic vision and produce the photos you want (and know why)
• Book review – Marketing and promotionBook Review: The Photographer's Guide to Marketing and Self-Promotion (Maria Piscopo) Reviewed by Keith Cooper, professional commercial photographer and author of many of our business related articles. Includes short video review
• Book Review: Starting Your Career as a Freelance PhotographerBook review: Starting Your Career as a Freelance Photographer (Tad Crawford, Chuck DeLaney) Just how do you run a photography business. What things do you need to address? How will you market and sell your services, and make your business last.
• Book Review On Being a PhotographerKeith Cooper reviews the book 'On Being a Photographer: A Practical Guide' by Bill Jay and David Hurn ISBN-13: 978-1888803068

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Videos: Photography books, ideas and inspiration

• Can you learn photographic composition? What works for you? Book Review: Mastering Composition
• Book Review: Dawn to Dusk – Mastering the Light in Landscape Photography
• Looking for black and white photography ideas, Sources of inspiration for when stuck for ideas
• Two downloadable books which changed my photography. What are sharpness, depth of field & lens tilt
• Time & light Taking photos of just one location – looking at a 50,000 picture collection Book review
• £2.50 well spent! Photo books from thrift/charity shops – still good for improving your photography
• Book review: Landscape photo workshop [Bauer & Hoddinott]
• Book Review: People I shot – who shot me in return. Fundamentals of photojournalism [Lewis-Hodgson]
• Book Review: After Dark Photography – light painting and related techniques
• Helping the bored photographer – old books for new inspiration
• Book Review: 52 photo Photography assignments book series from Ammonite Press
• Book Review: The Photography exercise book, by Bert Krages
• Book Review: The Photographer’s Guide to Marketing and Self-Promotion by Maria Piscopo
• Book review: Mastering lighting and flash photography – Richard Bradbury
• The joy of old photography books – inspiration for when you just don’t feel like taking some photos
• Book review: Photographers guide to the Isle of Skye

Why old photo books can be so useful

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Some of Keith’s favourite books

These are older books that don’t have full reviews, but are still favourites on Keith’s bookshelves. Always worth looking out for in 2nd hand lists if you can’t find them new.

Landscapes

A marvellous book by Terry Hope, that brings together a collection of works by different photographers with their own comments.

Read it and you will soon be reaching for the camera…

ISBN: 2880464803 (UK edition)
ISBN: 1883403685 (US edition)
Landscapes

The Print

A classic from Ansel Adams.

Many techniques and concepts are applicable to the production of digital images.

ISBN: 0821221876
The Print

Photoshop for Photographers – Martin Evening

Learn many of the features of Photoshop — written from a photographer’s perspective. Comprehensive and clearly written. The section on colour management (valid even for black and white) is particularly clear in its coverage of an area that many find mysterious. Includes CD with additional material.

There are versions from Photoshop 6 through to CC and I think I’ve many on the bookshelf.

• Adobe Photoshop 6.0 for Photographers
• Adobe Photoshop 7.0 for Photographers
• Adobe Photoshop CS for Photographers
• Adobe Photoshop CS2 for Photographers
• Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers

A Tree, a Blade of Grass

Collection of colour photographs by Shinzo Maeda. Images of the Japanese landscape.

It’s a book that I never tire of just picking up and browsing. I really do look forward to visiting Japan one day…

ISBN: 3822896551

• A Tree, a Blade of Grass

Mastering Digital Printing

“The Photographer’s and Artist’s Guide to High-Quality Digital Output” An extremely comprehensive guide to what can be achieved in the digital realm. Covers all the major technologies and techniques. Excellent choice for both amateurs and pros alike.

By Harald Johnson

ISBN: 1929685653

• Mastering Digital Printing
• Mastering Digital Printing 2nd Edition

Real World Colour Management

I often get asked for suggestions about learning more about the nuts and bolts of Colour Management.

My usual suggestion is Bruce Fraser’s Real World Colour Management.

My own copy is well thumbed. It’s my first port of call if I’m asked a question and I feel I don’t quite understand an issue well enough to be absolutely sure of an answer.

• Real World Color Management
• Real World Color Management 2nd Edition

Real World Camera Raw

Very thorough look at what you can do with the Adobe Raw Importer in Photoshop CS. Includes lots of info on how to automate raw processing, and getting the best from any particular image.

By Bruce Fraser (who is much missed)

ISBN: 032127878X

• Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop
• Real World Camera Raw with Photoshop CS2
• Real World Camera Raw with Photoshop CS3

Photoshop Masking & Compositing

Possibly ‘the’ book on masking. An essential element of much photo manipulation.

Photoshop Masking & Compositing (VOICES)