Synopses & Reviews
If you love taking photos, and you want to express yourself creatively, then Beyond Auto will show you how. Until you turn that camera dial away from 'Auto' mode, you're doing little more than point and click; it's a start, but it's not expressive. This book quickly explains what all your camera's auto functions do, and why, so you know exactly which ones to disable to achieve the look you really want. And as soon as you know that, you can call yourself a photographer. After that it's all just refinement and practice; happy shooting!
Synopsis
Beginners in photography will let their camera's Auto mode handle all of the complexities of aperture, shutter speed, white balance and so on. But as useful as Auto is in these early stages, it will rapidly limit you to boring, technically perfect shots that won't spark any interest.
Beyond Auto is the easily accessible guide that shows how taking control of your camera's settings sets you free. Unlike other beginner books, it doesn't attempt to explain each and every button, dial and feature on your camera, or explore precisely where a pixel comes from. Instead it concentrates on the photographic "holy trinity" of exposure, focus and color, and the essential skills that will enable you to take the sensational pictures that Auto mode can't.
About the Author
Chris Gatcum has been involved in photography for over two decades, working as a photographer, journalist, and author. Like many aspiring photographers, his career started at college where a degree course taught him a wide range of skills and technologies, covering both studio and location work, large format photography through to the then-emerging digital technology, and, of course, Photoshop. He has written numerous books on the subject.