Rating: 
Summary: Good Overview, but There Are Better How-to's
Review: The National Geographic Photography field guide is intended for beginner to intermediate level photographers. And it does a good job of giving those photographers an overview of all the choices they have, but not a great job of providing a solid basis in exposure technique for the inexperienced or moderately experienced photographer. There are instructional chapters on composition, cameras, lenses, light, flash, film, exposure and gear. I am a fairly experienced photographer at this point, but I remember when I wasn't. And I can say that this book does not provide enough detailed instruction about exposure to answer all of the questions an inexperienced photographer would have, and make him or her comfortable with his camera's "manual" mode, and with a wide variety of lighting situations. The book does explain the differences between SLR, rangefinder, and various formats of cameras, which is unusual in an intro to photography book. I am sure that many novice photographers will find that information interesting. But I think that the publishers sacrificed more comprehensive instruction on exposure in order to include more of an overview of photography. The second section of the book, entitled "A World of Subjects", comprises half of the book. Included are chapters on various types of photography: weather, landscapes, people, architecture, sports, close-up, motion, night. Interspersed among these subjects is a series of essays by National Geographic photographers giving tips and explanations of the sorts of photography they do. These essays are a nice addition to the book and provide some insight which might be useful to any level of photographer. The printing and paper are the high quality that you might expect from a National Geographic publication. For beginner and intermediate photographers looking for the most how-to info they can get, I would recommend Kodak's Guide to 35 mm Photography. I don't think that the National Geographic Field Guide is quite as helpful in that regard. However, it has some additional content which you might also find interesting, such as the essays by accomplished pros and the chapter on different types of cameras.
Rating: 
Summary: Lots of Details but Little Help
Review: This book is aimed at the photographer who is making the transition from a point and shoot camera to a full featured camera with controls for aperture, shutter speed and focus, and lens focal length selection. The authors start out with what they call the "basics": cameras, lenses, composition, light, exposure and other building blocks of good pictures. They then present a "World of Subjects", that is, a look at pictures by content. After talking about "Making Pictures under Pressure", they finish up with a brief section on computers and photography. The chapters on the basics are both highly simplified and boringly detailed. At the same time they leave out critical information about the basics. For example, in the chapter on film, they spend a few pages discussing the difference between "pro" films and amateur films without saying very much except that there may be a difference. For the average photographer, who may be unable to find pro films in his local outlet, this certainly doesn't merit the lengthy discussion. However, the comparison of slide films and print films leaves out any mention of the wider exposure latitude of print films. The fact that print films can take in a greater range of light, so that bright tones are not burnt out, while shadows show detail, is an important consideration for many serious photographers. I suppose the discussions of subject matters might prove helpful for an inexperienced photographer going out to shot a new kind of subject, but many of the specialty books dealing with subject matter will prove far more helpful. This book advertises itself on the cover as "Revised & Updated with the latest in digital technology" but there is no mention of digital cameras until almost the last thirty pages of the book. Given that digital cameras now make up close to half of all camera sales, this is ludicrous. It feels like the chapter was added when someone suggested that something had to be said about digital photography. My litmus test for whether a book deals adequately with serious digital photography is the handling of white balance. This book makes no mention of it. But my biggest complaint about this book is that after discussing the details and the subjects, the authors never really tell you how to make the transition from equipment and technique to taking pictures. Serious photography involves capturing a photographer's vision (which can be as simple as recording how cheery Aunt Tillie is or as weighty as considering the destruction of the environment). All the technique must be tied to this goal. The authors never get there. As a general introduction to serious photography, this volume falls short in several areas. On the other hand, it might prove an occasional useful reference. I haven't read many comprehensive introductory photography guides lately. However, although it dealt primarily with nature photography, I think John Shaw's Nature Photography Field Guide would better serve someone just getting into serious photography than this book, and I'm sure there are many similar volumes available.
Rating:
Summary: A Handy Guide for Quick Reference
Review: Probably every photographer, whether amateur or professional, has dreamed of being a photographer for NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC. Robert Caputo, a photographer who has had work published in the magazine, and Peter Burian offer suggestions for taking photographs like those found in the magazine in their book THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHY FIELD GUIDE. Though the book has some information on digital photography, it is intended primarily for film users. It has some basic information about photography basics: camera, film, lenses, composition, film, exposure, flash, etc. The information presented in this section is probably better for review for photographers who know the basics rather than those who are new to using the camera. Perhaps the book's greatest strength would be the suggestions for taking action shots, nature shots, and people shots. Examples of work from highly regarded photographers are used to demonstrate the suggestions offered. The book may not be as complete as other books on the subject, bit its compact size and excellent organization makes it a perfect guide to use in the field when a quick question arises.
Rating: 
Summary: The Best!
Review: If you don't know how to use your 35 mm SLR camera or you think that you can always take better pictures from any of those point and shoot cameras rather than your expensive heavy SLR, or you are pondering over to buy your first SLR camera to enter into the world of photography then this is what you need to read.
Having said that never conclude that this is a book for the beginners. This is just to emphasize the photography skill spectrum it covers in this one book.
This book is divided in two main parts. First part tells you all the technical knowledge you will ever need, in a very easy to understand language with tons of practical tips. This covers basic understanding of apparture, shutter speed, film speed, ways to control exposure, depth of field etc and then basic composition rules to make successfull photographs. All the concepts are explained with example photographs.
Second part covers some very valuable suggestions from some of the accomplished phtographers from National Geographic.
Afterall taking successful photographs is a thinking process and the more you learn from masters more equiped you are to satisfy your photographer self.
If you want to buy only one book to improve your photography skills then this would be the one.
Rating:
Summary: Invaluable for Beginners to Advance Photographers!!
Review: Of all the photography equipment and accessories I have now I would consider this book the most valuable of them all. For without it I would still be struggling with getting out of the all to easy, yet fallible "P" mode. This book took me from novice point and shooter to an advanced photographer feeling comfortable shooting some of the more higher end films getting great results in a very short time. It is written for both beginners as well as serious photographers covering many aspects of photography to get you on that road to taking great pictures. The illustrations and photos with the subject discussed make it very easy to understand. Living in Japan, the land of photography, it's hard not to get hooked, yet English books on the subject are extremely expensive here or too focused on a single subject going on and on with graphs and charts and in-depth technical details. I was looking for something reasonably priced and not to over-encompassing to get me started. This book was definately a home run, or better yet a Grand Slam, when it came to overall useful content and price. I have given this book as gifts to many people with similiar interests in photography that just couldn't get past that P mode either. I have also given it to people interested in Digital Photography. The basics are all the same, lighting, exposure values etc... I assure you this is one gift that will not sit on the bookshelf after the first reading and eventually wind up in the garage sale bin. This book is one that will not go out of date anytime soon as it covers all of the basics which don't change. Definately "NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC" calibre stuff!!
Rating:
Summary: Great Pocket Reference!
Review: The authors present a great deal of practical information in a handy, easy to digest form. For a photographer with basic skills and understanding of the roles of aperature and exposure time, this book will open many new doors of creativity. Through the experiences of National Geographic staff photographers, we learn what techniques contribute to successful travel, candid, landscape and other photographic genre. The book contains useful chapters on equipment, film selection, film formats and digital photography. All around, the Handbook is an indispensable addition to anyone's photography library.
Rating:
Summary: One of my very favorites
Review: This book in concise, well-written, and inspirational. Don't think this is only a book for beginners, though it would be my number one choice as a gift for someone interested in starting a serious approach to photography. It's full of clear explanations of what are often misunderstood concepts (e.g., perspective), useful tips, and, best of all, the wonderfully interesting and inspirational "World of Subjects" section where we learn about some NG photographers. They vary widely in style, subject, and equipment choice, but every one is worth reading about and their tips alone are worth the price of this book. Highly recommended for both beginners and experienced photographers. This is a book I return to again and again.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite photography book
Review: Of all the photography books I've purchased, this one is by far the one I've found most useful because it packs plenty of practical info into a quick, easy-to-read book with lots of beautiful, extraordinary illustrations. I do NOT recommend this as a "how to" guide for the basic techniques of photography; however, I loved it because it quickly taught me the principles of how to capture the extraordinary pictures that the photographers of National Geographic are famous for. In other words, it is a superior book for learning how to improve your composition. The most fundamental elements I learned from the Field Guide are: 1. Even National Geographic photographers must be patient and wait and wait to get that perfect picture. Sometimes it takes weeks for all the factors to align themselves just so, such that the photographer can capture something truly incredible. 2. Whenver possible, show human INTERACTION in a photograph (not just faces or parts of people). It lends activity and interest to the picture. 3. For landscape shots, take the picture during the "golden hour" of early morning or late evening, or take it during a weather event, such as an impending rainstorm. Anybody can take a pretty landscape shot. Waiting for the right timing is what makes National Geographic shots more appealing. These are just a few things I learned from the Field Guide that I was able to apply immediately to my own work. I have found it immensely helpful and highly recommend it to anyone interested in any type of photography.
Rating:
Summary: What beginners need, right now
Review: The title of the book is "Secrets to making great pictures" and it delivers on exactly that. It cuts through a lot of the fluff of other photography books and gives the beginning photographer the tools to start taking solid pictures immediately. It goes over the same old aperture/shutterspeed/filmspeed topics as other books early on and perhaps in slightly less detail than necessary to truly understand the concepts, but the meat of the book is devoted to understanding what to take pictures of. The hardest skill involved in photography is the 'seeing'. It's the ability to see beyond the normal and into the extraordinary. This book will help you see. In fact, it will tell you where to look with specific examples and suggestions as to how to improve your photos. Unlike other books on general photography (a category that this book falls into) that spend very little time discussing how to make a picture better, this book devotes pages to describing how to go about getting better perspectives and better scenes. If you want to take portraits, try this, this, and this. If you want to take landscapes, try this, this, and this. The book is very specific as to what kind of techniques would be appropriate in various scenarios. Perhaps a seasoned veteran photographer would not need to relearn these techniques, but for a budding photographer this kind of technique (as opposed to theory) approach to picture taking can jumpstart the hobby and get the photographer well along the road to actually 'seeing'. The included photos are fantastic, but one gripe is that several photos are spread over two pages so much of the middle portion of the photos is hidden in the book spine. I'm glad I bought this book. 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Very helpful book
Review: This is a great reference, especially for the wanna-be photographer (like me!). Alot of good, useable information on a variety of photo topics. It is one you can read over and over and still find something you can use. I especially like the tips/advice from the pros in the book.
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