Every page of this book offers good advice and useful tips. While Mr. Davies uses Nikon and Olympus equipment his techniques and suggestions are not brand specific. I could easily identify the equivalent equipment offered by the manufacturer I prefer (Pentax). Before I even finished this book I had tried several of the techniques Mr. Davies demonstrates. I was surprised at how simple taking sharp macro images could be, even using equipment I already had on hand, when following the steps in this book. It is the best specialized photography book I have read in some time. It is now on my reference shelf next to Clive Nichols' Photographing Plants & Gardens. The Complete Guide to Close-Up & Macro Photography
If many hold that John Shaw's Closeups in Nature is the Bible, then this is an excellent compendium to it!I found that this book is pegged at the intermmediate to advanced amateur level. The pictorials are lush and the explanation simple, yet giving reference to the more complicated concepts which was what I was looking for.The pictures are an inspiration - making me want to go out and put in practice what I have learnt. This is the ultimate test of success in any book. Some excellent examples of this come from Art Wolfe, John Fielding, George Lepp ...If I were asked to name 2 books that top my list (and I have bought or looked through almost all there is - since this is my passion!) which speak of macro, I would name John Shaw's and this one!
One of the very few books I bought just by looking at the cover (don't you agree the cover is very appealing?) and I'm glad I'm not disappointed (and in hard cover too!), the images are bright and colorful, less focus on flora but it's okay, the techniques are fairly the same. Much of the technical info can be found in basic photography books but Paul has emphasized certain points for macro work so it can actually double up as one to a certain extent. In fact the chapters are laid out much like a basic photography book.Simple to understand and yet detailed enough to keep advanced amateurs reading but to really duplicate the efforts one really needs to have the luck and patience. In fact some of the images are micro techniques already.Unfortunately it did not really enhanced my knowledge on macro (I give 5 stars for the superb presentation and usefulness to a beginner). If you want more technical info on macro like mixing accessories, then read up John Shaw's Closeups in Nature instead. This book is more focused on flora and is also excellent in its own right.
This book got me into the world of macro photography. It's mainly directed to the 35mm owners, explains all the basics - DOF, depth of focus (did you know it's not the same?), diffraction and many more.. How to reverse a lens? What can you do with an extension tube? or a converter? How to correct exposure? All answers inside, illustrated with stunning photos. Under every photo in the book you can find all the required details, including the gear used. Really practical, highly recomended.
This is a good book for people interested in close-up and macro photography, its advice is helpful and clear. However, you should consider the volume by Ronan Loaec and Gilles Martin instead. It is somewhat deeper into the subject, but the main reason I recommend it is because Davies' photographs, while perfect, look amateurish compared to Martin's ones, especially judging the artistic aspects.
I've read many books on close-up and macro photography. This one is different from the others, and perhaps the best of the lot. The stunning features of Davies' book is the author's compositional skill (the photos are fabulous), and his ability to relate the technical aspects of macro and close-up photography to the reader. Among his artfull techniques is his extensive use of wide-angle lenses for close-ups. How many other works on the subject explore this possibility? This alone justified purchasing the book for me, since I now make frequent use of the technique.
Though he doesn't mention it in the text, notice how often he under-exposes slide film by about one stop in many of his images. This is one other useful technique I picked up from the book.
I really reccomend this one.
I must say i am completly satisfied with the book. It cover all aspects of macro fotography,hardware, lighting, aperture,flash etc. It also goes into extreme detail in explaning other factors including exposure, calculations and so on. It tells you how to do macro photo in different scenarios.Amazon just happen to have this book in stock cheaper than my local bookstore.
If one wants to explore and record the beauty of close up objects, this is one anyone should have. Interesting, educational, inspirational and beautiful, this book deserves the praise it is receiving. From the author of Nature's Palette: There's More to See, Michael Impellizzeri.'
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