Understanding Exposure - is it pish? (rant)

aberal

aberal

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Is understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson a load of old cack?

I'm of the view that it's old fashioned, overblown, overestimated, overhyped, overblah...tripe. I've read 2/3 of it 3 times and every time got bored before I could finish. I mean...how many times can you read "I set the aperture size to X and the shutter speed to Y and quickly blah, blah, blah... " before you start to fall asleep? The man turns simple things, like "I scratched my arse" into 3 or 4 pages worth of wordy verbal diarrhoea. 10 pages worth of "I took my hand and moved it quickly to my rear end so as to..etc etc " all to make you and me buy a book which on the face of it appears erudite and informative. Whereas in reality it's filled with filler pish. It was written for the 35mm age and no matter how much the publishers try, it offers very little for us digital photographers that couldn't be covered on a very small web page or proverbial digital stamp. IMHO

So there...(rant over)
 
Perfect book for a complete novice IMO. I know, because I didn't have the first clue what aperture was and how it related to DoF when I picked it up (before I got the camera), and I knew exactly what it was and how it realted to shutter speeds, DoF, ISO and what not after I put it back down.

I would hate to read it now, and I've only been doing this for 6-7 weeks.
 
35mm handbook by Mike Freeman is better. He has a digital version of this out now too.
 
aberal said:
Is understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson a load of old cack?
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I wouldn't put it quite like that, but I don't rate it at all either. For a start, how anyone can write a whole book about exposure is beyond me, although a lot of people have - presumably in the interests of making a simple subject complicated so that they can sell books. The flowery language he uses, and the surreal examples, are bizarre.

And having filled an entire book, you might expect a large section about understanding the histogram wouldn't you, since this is about all you need to know about with a digital camera. However, the section on digital is half a dozen pages tacked on the end, with no reference to the histogram at all :eek:

It seems to be one of those books that gets recommended because somebody else on a chat formum recommended it. And we all know how unreliable those places are :D
 
if he bothered to explain what metering he used in his example it wouldn't be so bad but he's far to vague.......which led to much :bang: and :( for me when i was starting out
 
davekiddle said:
No! :cool:
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Let's ask The Sky Brothers.

Perhaps Brother Blue Sky, or Brother Backlit Sky, not forgetting Brother Dusky Blue Sky, and last but surely not least, Brother Reflecting Sky.

What?! :eek:

The guy is either on medication, or he should be.
 
i got this book 3 days ago and i must admit he does say some funny things in it

but theres some real relevant points ive learnt and im only a third way through it, however trying not to be picky but im not really a big fan of some of his photos... gulp!

i totally agree about the digital relevance and the lack of it though, any reccomendations of a good book?
 
lew said:
i got this book 3 days ago and i must admit he does say some funny things in it

but theres some real relevant points ive learnt and im only a third way through it, however trying not to be picky but im not really a big fan of some of his photos... gulp!

i totally agree about the digital relevance and the lack of it though, any reccomendations of a good book?
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The bible?.... :coat:


Best book I read, was the D200 survivors guide, or something along those lines. I found as I had the camera, it was 100% relevant and coupled with THIS PLACE (which is better than an entire library dedicated to photography), I felt I really got lots out of it.

G.
 
I had a look at it recently. Incredibly blown out and the methods discussed are very simplistic, I can see it being great for a first time D-SLR user, but other than that, nothing that you can't find out quickly online with reading a few consice articles.
 
EdinburghGary said:
The bible?.... :coat:


Best book I read, was the D200 survivors guide, or something along those lines. I found as I had the camera, it was 100% relevant and coupled with THIS PLACE (which is better than an entire library dedicated to photography), I felt I really got lots out of it.

G.
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:lol:

i thought i might of had that coming to me
 
HoppyUK said:
Let's ask The Sky Brothers.

Perhaps Brother Blue Sky, or Brother Backlit Sky, not forgetting Brother Dusky Blue Sky, and last but surely not least, Brother Reflecting Sky.

What?! :eek:

The guy is either on medication, or he should be.
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:cuckoo: we're all "brothers" :lol:
 
I think it's a great book........................as a door stop.




Seriously though it is for a complete novice.



Jessops should get their staff to read it.
 
tiler65 said:
Jessops should get their staff to read it.
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:lol::lol::lol:

I've got it at home, and bought it a few weeks after buying my first DSLR.

Yeah it's heavy on the slather, but really helped my understanding....mainly because the extensive use of the english language is done in words of 2 or less syllabels (spelling?).

I can't fault it as a guide for beginners, so IMO there's no need to slate it when you're at a "higher" level, everyone has to start somewhere :clap:
 
sgt_pepper46 said:
:lol::lol::lol:

I've got it at home, and bought it a few weeks after buying my first DSLR.

Yeah it's heavy on the slather, but really helped my understanding....mainly because the extensive use of the english language is done in words of 2 or less syllabels (spelling?).

I can't fault it as a guide for beginners, so IMO there's no need to slate it when you're at a "higher" level, everyone has to start somewhere :clap:
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:agree: I bought it just after I got my first DSLR, so it was helpful in understanding what aperture/shutter speed to use for different kind of shots.

But now, it is sitting somewhere in my living room.
 
aberal said:
Is understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson a load of old cack?
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It's certainly the most over-hyped book on these forums IMHO. And as a beginner (I read it 6 months into my photographic journey), I had already learnt more just by posting and reading on here. Yep... load of old cack.
 
sgt_pepper46 said:
:lol::lol::lol:

I've got it at home, and bought it a few weeks after buying my first DSLR.

Yeah it's heavy on the slather, but really helped my understanding....mainly because the extensive use of the english language is done in words of 2 or less syllabels (spelling?).

I can't fault it as a guide for beginners, so IMO there's no need to slate it when you're at a "higher" level, everyone has to start somewhere :clap:
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existent said:
:agree: I bought it just after I got my first DSLR, so it was helpful in understanding what aperture/shutter speed to use for different kind of shots.
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:agree: Totally agree with these two posts. It is what it is, and it's obvious what level it's targeted at. I really don't understand the point of 'bashing for bashing's sake' threads like this.... :shrug::shrug:

Merry Christmas everyone... :D
 
Terrible book. Wordy, obtuse and completely ignoring the tools/features available with modern digital cameras.

How on earth can it take 30 pages to say that large apertures isolate a subject and small apertures keep the entire scene in focus? In contrast, the section on film vs digital is just five pages long and seems to say more about film than it does about digital. It makes no mention of histograms, or the impact of different crop factors on choice of aperture, for example, but 30 flippin' pages on DOF otherwise. What's worse, the "digital" section is bolted on at the back, almost as an afterthought. If anything, the whole book should have been written from the digital viewpoint, including a description of metering patterns and how/when to use them, plus histograms, and film should have had a nod at the back, assuming anyone cares.

The book is full of padding, but fails to serve the needs of the modern digital newbie. NOT recommended.
 
I had it recommended to me on here when I first got my DSLR.

It really helped me. I found that after reading it I understood the relationship between the three pillars of photographhy (shutter speed, aparture & iso) all fell into place.

i didn't go reckon much on the flash section though, confused the hell out of me and by then I'd found Zack Arias and David Hobby.
 
Rob.Marsh said:
I had it recommended to me on here when I first got my DSLR.

It really helped me. I found that after reading it I understood the relationship between the three pillars of photographhy (shutter speed, aparture & iso) all fell into place.
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You might have learned all that in ten minutes, and free of charge, here - http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=414088

This might be a little too succinct for a complete newb, but it is much closer to zoning in on the problem and tackling it head on, without a load of froth and waffle - http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/how-to/shooting/digital-exposure-tips-from-the-pros.html. What is needed is something in between the two extremes, but a lot closer to the short form than the padded version.

Other useful references....

- http://daystarvisions.com/Docs/Tuts/Meter/pg1.html
- http://www.apogeephoto.com/march2005/jaltengarten32005.shtml
 
Perhaps, but sitting reading a book at leisure, rather than online is far nicer.

Plus I had been online and read numerous pages.

I think this is a marmite book. Some like it, some don't. The digital argument is a weak one IMHO, as the principles of photography remain the same.

It helped me, I didn't think it was a bad book.
 
Interesting, after seeing glowing recommendations on TP recently about the book I ordered it at the beginning of the week, collected it yesterday and read the first few ‘basic’ chapters of the book on the train last night/this morning.

From what I’ve read so far, ok its basic (having been in photography for a good few years) but I did find, for me, that it was doing more for the ‘creative’ aspect of photography. However, if the book continues in the same vain not sure I’ll get to the end of it!!
 
As i have mentioned before, thought it was a lousy book written by a self important and pretentious yank

His missus is very pleasing on the eye though
 
Can't really offer an opinion, I've never read it despite having a veritable library at home :)

Seem to have managed without it somehow ;)
 
I was very disappointed in that book.
 
Perhaps this thread should have a poll. Something like....

- I am a noob. I find the book informative and interesting. I have learned a lot. Recommended.
- I am a noob. I find the book difficult to follow and haven't learned much. Not recommended.
- I am not a noob. I think the book is great for beginners. Recommended.
- I am not a noob. I think the book is full of waffle and poorly written. Not recommended.

If someone can suggest more useful options then go for it.
 
I'm in the nearly cack camp. I bought it after the usual recommendations from equally clueless beginners on here. It did help me understand the basics, but when I tried to apply his metering techniques it all went to crap. Why? Because he barely makes reference to the fact he uses center-weighted metering most of the time. On top of this he suggest beginners keep their cameras set to matrix/evaluative metering, which pretty much completely negates everything he says about metering in the book!
 
Glad I haven't bought it then. Funnily enough understanding exposure hasn't really changed since the days of my first 35mm camera back in the late 1950's I still get it wrong now as I did then, usually by pressing the shutter without looking at what I've set the cmera at :D
 
It's a basic book aimed at understanding the fundamentals of photography , yes it could do without the waffle, but it teaches the fundamentals in a manner that doesn't drown newcomers in the technical and for that reason I found it useful when starting out. I still use it very occassionally when memory fails. The information on how best to overide the cameras metering for better shots was worth the very small amount of money the book cost. I know I could have found the same information by trawling this fine forum or other sites, but sometimes it's just nice to sit down and read a book.

Happy Christmas everyone!
 
Daryl said:
Digital or Film. It's all the same thing....... The laws of correct exposure don't change.

I've been digital for 9 years out of the 23 in photography. Not doing much different than back in the film days. Just great not having to wait to dev films.
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The laws don't change, but the way we photograph is a little different. Cameras meter so well now the idea of spot or center metering off the sky is hardly ever necessary...especially when the author doesn't make it anywhere near clear enough that if you leave your camera on evaluative as he suggests the rest of his metering advice is useless.

Not to have a section on how to use the histogram and the merits of shooting RAW is ridiculous. His attitude to PP is antiquated too.
 
I have to say that I found the book very useful as I knew NOTHING about photography at all (Some would say that I still don't!!). I have read it a couple of times all the way through and each time something else clicks in my mind, or makes a little more sense.

I do think this is a worthwhile book, OK maybe written in cliche much of the time, but look beyond that and I think there's a lot in there. Just my opinion of course!!
 
It's easy to be critical, and I am, but it seems that newcomers get a lot out of it, and those folks that know it already take the mick.

The links that Tim posted are rather better IMHO, and say it all in a few hundred words with serviceable (if uninspiring) illustrations. Not much fun to read though, and maybe that's the difference.

The other big difference is that he has actually written the book, got it in print and appears to be selling loads. So he can't be all wrong ;)

Nikon Man said:
The man himself having a bad hair day.

Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqBVWlrHqG8&feature=related
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He's a hippy! I'm liking him more already :D
 
It was the first book I read on the subject (perhaps last too) and I felt it was helpful.

Yeah, the guy rattled on a bit but it gave me a good insight and understanding on the subject - coming from a bridge camera I left in 'P' all the time...
 
HoppyUK said:
It's easy to be critical, and I am, but it seems that newcomers get a lot out of it, and those folks that know it already take the mick.

The links that Tim posted are rather better IMHO, and say it all in a few hundred words with serviceable (if uninspiring) illustrations. Not much fun to read though, and maybe that's the difference.

The other big difference is that he has actually written the book, got it in print and appears to be selling loads. So he can't be all wrong ;)



He's a hippy! I'm liking him more already :D
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Exactly! And perhaps the hippy bit explains his flowery use of language! :lol:
 
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