Product Description

More than 100 vivid, graphic comparison pictures illustrate every point in this classic and can help any photographer maximize the creative impact of his or her exposure decisions. Peterson stresses the importance of metering the subject for a starting exposure and then explains how to use various exposure meters and different kinds of lighting. The book contains lessons on each element of the triangle and how it relates to the other two in terms of depth of field, freezing and blurring action, and shooting in low light or at night. A section on special techniques explores such options as deliberate under-and over-exposures, how to produce double exposures, bracketing, shooting the moon, and the use of filters. Understanding Exposure demonstrates that there are always creative choices about how to expose a picture - and that the decision is up to the photographer, not the camera.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #443 in Books
• Published on: 2004-08-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

About the Author
Bryan Peterson is the author of the best-selling Learning to See Creatively

Customer Reviews

A masterpiece of a book
Being quite critical towards most photo-books I have come across, this one really deserves all the credit it can get! This books explains all there is to know about the photographic triangle between aperture, shutter time, and ISO. It is a practical book covering most practical shots and it goes further in the sense that it tells you how to do the meter reading with the camera -> something which most books leave conveniently out. Besides from very detailed and well-written information on how to get the right creative exposure, Bryan covers the relevant differences between analogue and digital SLR in this updated version. The book contains the most beautiful and inspiring photos and - yes yes yes - he includes the camera settings on all the photos so that the reader can learn!!! Everything is based on simple rules and metaphors which I am able to remember in the field! This has improved my photography skills -> really what everything should be after when purchasing a new photo book! While Bryan at times can get a bit "snobbish" for my taste, he is a man that has earned his reputation and is very competent in bringing his many years of experience on to the reader. The book also contains some very nice information related to filters and how you can get the exposure you want even the light conditions do not facilitate it. Really great value.

The Learn-fast book for any photographer!
I had read other books on photography and was beginning to understand most of the technical aspects of it, but after reading the first few pages of Understanding Exposure, I had more "ah-ha!" moments than I had gained from any other book. The author does an excellent job of explaining the hows and whys behind all the technical work in photography. I would consider myself an accomplished student of photography even if this were the only book in my library.

Excellent read to improve your technique
This book could equally well be named Understanding Exposure and Photographic Composition. Printed on high-quality paper, the images Peterson uses to illustrate his points are all great examples not just of correct exposure, but also of photographic composition.
The author's style is engaging and right from the start, I found myself reaching for my camera to try out his suggestions.
Not only is Peterson a great photographer, he is also a great teacher projecting his enthusiasm for photography onto the reader.
I found this book a more compelling read than any edge-of-our-seat thriller I ever read, only putting it down to go out and shoot some photographs.

After reading this book, I no longer let the camera make my exposure decisions - choice of Aperture, Shutter speed, ISO setting are now concious decisions with a particular effect in mind.

If you want to move from "point & shoot - unpredictable result" to "think, compose, point, shoot - expected result", this is a worthwhile investment.