I have done a lot of reading over the past several years, trying to improve my photography skills. I have learned a lot, both about the technical basis for digital photography, as well as specific techniques for improving my images, and wanted to share what I have learned. At the bottom of the page I have listed some of my favorite resources. These are only a few of many hundreds of photography books out there. However, if you would like a summary of what I saw as the most important information, I have started a series of guides. These aren’t necessarily the best or only way to do things, but are summaries of things I learned that have helped me improve my skills. The first four are all about different aspects of exposure. In future, I will try to add more guides about other subjects.
How to take a proper exposure, Part 1
How to take a proper exposure, Part 2
How to determine the dynamic range of your camera
How to manage depth of field, Part 1
How to manage depth of field, Part 2
How to use color management, Part 1
How to use color management, Part 2
Resources:
John Shaw, John Shaw’s Guide to Digital Nature Photography
This is a good beginner guide. John Shaw has been writing renowned instruction guides for photography for decades.
Tim Fitzharris, National Audubon Society Guide to Nature Photography
This book discusses technique, but is even better at reviewing the artistic side of nature photography.
Jeff Schewe, The Digital Negative
Jeff Schewe, The Digital Print
Jeff Schewe is an Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop guru. These books are more highly technical, but good if you want to understand the technical aspects of digital photography in detail.