Reddit reviews On Photography

Honestly if you don't know what they need from asking them, a gift card to Amazon. I'd much rather have that and spend it on what I need or whatever G.A.S. tells me I need than to receive a piece of kit that I didn't choose. I don't mean to sound rude, it's just that I rather prefer researching and choosing my own gear.

If you absolutely must, though, I recommend a book.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1907708952/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0817439390/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0961454733/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/159711247X/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312420099/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Or a notebook for taking notes while out shooting, scouting, etc.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/8883701127/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

1. Look at other photographers and work... study it. Figure out what works for you and what doesn't. Go to museums, galleries, and exhibitions.
   
   
2. Spend time figuring out what kind of photography you want to make and why you want to make it.
   
   
3. Get a notebook. Write about 1 and 2 as well as ideas of photos you want to make and what you want them to say. Having an idea in your head it one thing but our brains jump from thought A to thought G and we don't notice because the mind is very good at filling in the gaps.
   
   
4. Keep building technique but focus on doing so by defining the problems you have and what knowledge will allow you to create the photograph you want to make.
   
   
5. Travel. This is a bit optional and it's usefulness (and where to travel to) varies depending on what kind of photographs you want to make. But I find at the very least getting out of your comfort zone often helps the process of development. There are several photographers who offer workshops, traveling to such a workshop will give you a different geography and find instructors that you want to emulate or learn from.
   
   
6. See if you can find a place for critique... having to put your work up, hear what others have to say, and on some level defend what you are trying to say is scary but it's important for growth. Local Photoclubs are a start, local community art classes will push with a little more pressure.
   
   Books: Art & Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland, Critcizing Photographs by Terry Barrett (you can find previous additions used a lot cheaper), and On Photography by Susan Sontag.

Quite academic, but a classic:

Susan Sontag - On Photography

MA in Photo History and BFA in Studio Photography here. If I was teaching beginning photography, these would be the books I would use to illustrate the history, theory, and techniques behind photography:

• The History of Photography by Beaumont Newhall This book is a bit outdated but it is the seminal text for the history of photography
  
• On Photography by Susan Sontag A series of essays about the meaning of photography
  
• [Camera Lucida by Roland Barthes] (http://www.amazon.com/Camera-Lucida-Reflections-Roland-Barthes/dp/0374532338/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374024103&sr=1-2) A book that illuminates the standard theory of studium and punctum
  
• Black and White Photography: A Basic Manual by Henry Horenstein
  
  The two theory texts (Sontag and Barthes) are collegiate level so I would introduce them lightly - maybe use a section out of both to structure a project around. If you want to PM me I can email you a syllabus I created for when I taught 6 week adult course at a community studio. This will give basic gist of how it can be structured and what you will need supply-wise. Also- if you want - I'd be happy to review any syllabus you make.

On Photography by Susan Sontag

http://www.amazon.com/On-Photography-Susan-Sontag/dp/0312420099

Good theory on why people do what they do with cameras. It's a little bit tough sometimes and takes a bit of harsh introspection to fully grasp, but studying one's own motivations will make you think harder about what you photograph and why.

Since you don't say whether you want to learn how to operate a camera or the field of photography in general and what interests you in photography in particular this is quite a stab in the dark but here are a few suggestions of books I keep coming back to or hold important.

This assumes that you have a basic understanding on how to operate a camera. If you don't, read your camera manual or something like Adam's The Camera and .


Technical advice

• Light, Science and Magic - the best theoretical book there is about understanding how light behaves and how to work with it. Its exercises are quite focused on artificial light and if you are just getting into photography it won't be easy but at the end of it you will know how to work with light artificial or natural and get to your vision or have a better understanding of other people's work.
  
• Studio Anywhere - this is not the most technical book per se (far from it) and the images are not to my taste but what it lacks in pure knowledge it makes up for with motivating you to take images no matter how little you own. This was a fun (if a bit too quick) read and is a good book to jump into when Light, Science and Magic feels like you are a profoto pack and 3 Chimera modifiers short of what you are trying to do.
  
  Theory/Motivational advice
  
  
• The Ongoing Moment by Geoff Dyer - Great book about the history of American photography, its origin and how it flourished. This book is really easy to read and a very good way to start gaining some theoretical knowledge about the wide field of photography.
  
• Understanding a photograph by John Berger - Great collection of essays from one of the greatest art theorist and a fervent believer in photography as a medium pieced together by Geoff Dyer. Super engaging reads on a variety of topics and styles.
  
• Ways of Seeing by John Berger - An absolute must read in my opinion, not focused solely on photography but in the arts in general. The BBC series is also a great watch and its content is still as relevant today as it was when it came out.
  
• On Photography by Susan Sontag - A very important book, if not the most important when it comes to identifying the role of photography in our world. Personally found it quite hard to read but when it finally hit home it was with great impact.

Should read Susan Sontog's "On Photography"

That's some quality glass to start out with - I'm a bit jealous!

Based on your hardware I'll assume you're not entirely new to photography so, suggestions for next steps, aside from taking photos:

Books/Websites to read:

• The Moment it clicks - I got a big kick out of this book, but some didn't like it.
  
  
• Susan Sontag's On Photography is a thought-provoking look into the psychology and philosophy of photography. On some level it feels slightly dated, but it's still incredibly relevant - probably more relevant than when it was originally written.
  
  
• Digital Photography School is an extremely valuable online resource for people getting into photography.
  
  
• Strobist is almost required reading for people wanting to introduce artificial light into their photos.
  
  
• Flickr is a huge site, and a very useful place to find like-minded people. Search their groups for the kind of photography you're interested in and you're sure to find groups full of kindred spirits (and the occasional troll).
  
  Secondly, I'd suggest you pick some masters to emulate/study/admire. There are far too many to list so I'll just pop down a few that got my juices flowing when I first got into photography:
  
  
• Henri Cartier-Bresson
  
  
• Ansel Adams
  
  
• James Nachtwey
  
  
  Cartier-Bresson once said "your first 10,000 photos are always your worst", so get out there and take some! Then take some more :-)
  
  Edit: Fixed formatting.

I would recommend ["The Print"] (http://www.amazon.com/New-Photo-Negative-Ansel-Photography/dp/0821221868) by Ansel Adams. A techincally deep but easy to read book covering the zone system and how to capture different forms of light.

For thinking about photography Susan Sontag's ["On Photography"] (http://www.amazon.com/Photography-Susan-Sontag/dp/0312420099/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341440297&sr=1-1&keywords=sontag+photography) a great book on the meaning of photography.

Both are somewhat dated, but are the basis upon much has been written since. They are the touchstones.

Not exactly research but check out Susan Sontag's "On Photography". There's a reference about Japanese tourist dealing with anxiety using their cameras as a "shield".

I'll reccommend a few books chock full of essays that I found useful...it might take awhile to pick through them but there are some real gems.
Photography: A Critical Introduction , The Photography Reader , On Photography , Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography