Table of Contents

Preface...................................................viii
Chapter 1: Getting Started...........................2
Introducing the Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Getting Your Camera Ready . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Focusing and Setting the Exposure . . . . . . . . . . .6
Taking Your Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
What Will You Photograph? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Some Basic Guidelines to Get You Started . . . . . . . . .9
Photographing People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Photographing Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Chapter 2: Camera.....................................14
Basic Camera Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
The Shutter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
The Shutter and Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
The Shutter and Motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Conveying Motion in a Still Photograph . . . . . . . . . .22
The Aperture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
The Aperture and Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
The Aperture and Depth of Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Using Shutter and Aperture Together . . . . . . . .28
Choosing a Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Keeping the Camera Steady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Photographer at Work
Photojournalist James Nachtwey . . . . . . . . .34
Chapter 3: Lens........................................36
From Pinhole to Lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Lens Focal Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Normal Focal Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Long Focal Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Short Focal Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Zoom Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Special-Purpose Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Focusing Your Lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Manual Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Automatic Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Focus and Depth of Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Controlling Depth of Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Zone Focusing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Focusing on the Hyperfocal Distance . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Guidelines for Buying a Lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Getting the Most from Your Camera
and Lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Photographer at Work:
Documentary Photographer
Mary Ellen Mark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Chapter 4: Exposure, Sensors, and Film....66
Exposure Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Equivalent Exposures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
How Exposure Meters Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
In-Camera Exposure Meters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Automatic Exposure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
How to Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
An Overall Reading of a Scene with Average Tones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Using Different Types of Meters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Metering High-Contrast Scenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Exposing for Specific Tones and Bracketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Hard-to-Meter Scenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Responding to Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Silver and Pixels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Selecting and Using Film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Exposure Latitude and Dynamic Range . . . . . . .80
How Much Can Exposures Vary? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Film and Sensor Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Speed and ISO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Grain and Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Using Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Polarizing Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Extending Beyond Visible Light . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Infrared Photographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Using Exposure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
Photographer at Work:
Advertising Photographer
Clint Clemens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Chapter 5: Developing a Negative.....................92
How to Process Black-and-White Roll Film . . . . . . . . . .. . . .94
Equipment and Supplies Youll Need . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Processing Chemicals
and How to Handle Them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Chemical Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96

Processing Black-and-White Roll Film Step by Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

How Film Processing Affects Your Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Exposure and Development: Under, Normal, Over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Chapter 6: Printing in a Darkroom......................108
Black-and-White Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Equipment and Supplies for Printing . . . . . . . . . . .110
The Enlarger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Printing Papers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Making a Black-and-White Print Step by Step . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .116
A Contact Sheet: A Whole Roll at Once . . . . . . . . . .116
Setting Up an Enlargement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
A Test Strip for Your Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
A Trial Printand Then a Final Print . . . . . . . . . .121
Processing a Black-and-White Print . . . . . . . . . . . .122
Evaluating Density and Contrast in a Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Controlling Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
Graded- and Variable-Contrast Papers . . . . . . . . .128
Dodging and Burning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Cropping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132
Archival Processing for Maximum
Permanence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133
Toning for Color and Other Effects . . . . . . . . . .134
Chapter 7: Color.........................................136
Color: Additive or Subtractive . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
Color Photographs: Three Image Layers . . . . .139
Color Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Color Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Color Changes throughout the Day . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Color Casts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
Color Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
Filters to Balance Color with Film . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Making a Color Print From a Negative . . . . . . .148
Equipment and Materials Youll Need . . . . . . . . . . .148
Exposing a Test Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149
Judging Color Balance in a Print Made from a Negative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Photographer at Work:
Another Angle on Sports
Walter Iooss, Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
Chapter 8: Setting up a Digital Darkroom.........154
Hardware and Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156

An Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
Capturing Detail: Resolution and Bit Depth . . . . . .157
Photographs Are Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
File Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
Color Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160
Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162
Color or Black and White? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162
Histograms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
Anatomy of a Digital Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
Three Histograms for Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165
Importing Your Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166
Downloading from a Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166
Making a Scan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167
Setting Up a Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168
Workflow Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169
Photographer at Work:
Digital Storyteller Pedro Meyer . . . . . . . . .170
Chapter 9: Image Editing.............................172
Digital Post-Processing: Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174
Choosing Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174
Your Work Area and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175
An Image-Editing Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
A Step-by-Step Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176
Adjusting Color and Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178
Different Approaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178
Using Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179
Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180
Adjusting All or Part of an Image . . . . . . . . . .182
Selection Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182
Using Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183
Other Editing Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
High Dynamic Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
Filters for Special Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185
Sharpening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186
Retouching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .187
Compositing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Photographer at Work:
RetouchShoppe
Scalese and Villarreal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190
Chapter 10: Digital Printing......................192
Printers and Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194
Printer Choices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194

Drivers and RIPs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195

Profiles and Soft Proofing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196
Papers and Inks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197
Printing Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
Panoramic Photographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
Printing in Black and White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200
Displaying Your Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
The InternetGallery and Resource . . . . . . . . . . .202
Ethics: How Far Can You Go? . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203
Chapter 11: Organizing and Storing Your Work.....204
Image Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206
Size Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206
Metadata: Data About Your Files . . . . . . . . . . .207
Software to Keep You Organized . . . . . . . . . . .208
Archiving Digital Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209
Archiving Film and Prints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
Chapter 12: Print Finishing and Display.........212
Spotting to Remove Minor Flaws . . . . . . . . . . .214
Mounting a Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215
Equipment and Supplies Youll Need . . . . . . . . . . .215
Dry Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216
Cutting an Overmat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Framing and Glazing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
Chapter 13: Lighting.................................220
Direction of Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222
Degree of Diffusion:
From Hard to Soft Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224
Available LightOutdoors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226
Available LightIndoors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227
Artificial Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228
Lights and Other Lighting Equipment . . . . . . . . . .228
Qualities of Artificial Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .229
The Main Light: The Dominant Source . . . . . . .230
The Fill Light: To Lighten Shadows . . . . . . . . .232
Lighting with Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234
Flash Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235
Basic Flash Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236
Manual Flash Exposures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238
Automatic Flash Exposures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239
Fill Flash: To Lighten Shadows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240

Controlling Background Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . .242

Simple Portrait Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244
Multiple-Light Portrait Setups . . . . . . . . . . . . .246
Lighting Textured Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248
Lighting Reflective Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249
Lighting Translucent Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250
Using Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .251
Photographer at Work
Dance Photographer Lois Greenfield . . . .252
Chapter 14: Extending the Image..........254
Using Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256
Pictures Very Large and Very Small . . . . . . . . . . . .256
Multiple Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258
More is Better . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258
Fabricated to be Photographed . . . . . . . . . . . .260
The Photograph as Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .262
Using Projections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264
Making a Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265
Alternative Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .266
Cyanotype Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .266
Platinum and Palladium Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267
Gum Bichromate Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .268
A Sabattier Image: Part Positive, Part Negative . . . . . .269
A Photogram: A Cameraless Picture . . . . . . . . . . .270
Pinhole Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .272
How to Make a Close-Up Photograph . . . . . . .274
Close-Up Exposures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275
Copying Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .276
Chapter 15: View Camera........................278
Inside a View Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280
View Camera Movements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .282
Rise and Fall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .284
Tilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .286
Swing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288
Using a View Camera to Control the Image . . .290
Controlling the Plane of Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .291
Controlling Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .292
Equipment Youll Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .294
What to Do Firstand Next . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .295
Loading and Processing Sheet Film . . . . . . . . .296

Chapter 16: The Zone System.................298

The Zone System Scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .300
Using the Zone Scale While Metering . . . . . . .302
Placing a Tone, Seeing Where Other Tones Fall . . .302
How Development Controls Contrast . . . . . . . .304
Putting It All Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .306
Roll Film and Color Film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .307
Chapter 17: Seeing Photographs.............308
Basic Choices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .310
Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .310
Framing the Subject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .312
Backgrounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .314
Basic Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .316
Spot/Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .316
Shape/Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .318
Emphasis/Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .320
More Choices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .322
Using Contrasts of Sharpness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .322
Using Contrasts of Light and Dark . . . . . . . . . . . .324
Placing the Subject within the Frame . . . . . . . . . . .326
Perspective and Point of View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .328
Looking atand Talking About Photographs . . . . . . . . . . .330
Showing Your Work to Editors and Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .332
Chapter 18: History of Photography...............334
The Invention of Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . .336
Daguerreotype: Designs on Silver Bright . . . . . . . . . . . . .337
Calotype: Pictures on Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .338
Collodion Wet-Plate: Sharp and Reproducible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .339
Gelatin Emulsion/Roll-Film Base: Photography for Everyone . . . . . . . . . . . . . .340
Color Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .341
Early Portraits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .342
Early Travel Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .344
Early Images of War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .345
Time and Motion in Early Photographs . . . . . .346
The Photograph as Document . . . . . . . . . . . . .347
Photography and Social Change . . . . . . . . . . . .348
Photojournalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .350
Photography as Art in the 19th Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .354
Pictorial Photography and the Photo-Secession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .355
The Direct Image in Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .356
The Quest for a New Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .357

Photography as Art in the 1950s and 1960s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .358

Photography as Art in the 1970s and 1980s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360
Digital Photography Becomes Mainstream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .362
A Gallery of Contemporary Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .364
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .380
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .391
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .396
Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .400
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .402