Rating: 
Summary: A very well written book
Review: As a beginning photographer, I found this to be a very helpful book. It takes some of the more confusing aspects of photography and reduces it down to a language that is easily understood. I really appreciated that when the author tells you to do something, there is a reason given for why you should do it that way. For me it helps to know why I am or am not doing an action.
Rating: 
Summary: A little too technical for me.
Review: Because I am a novice photographer and do not have my own darkroom, I found this book too complex and technical, and therefore, returned it. However, with that said, it appeared to be a good book for those who do have a dark room and are more interested in the technical aspect of black and white photography. It has few photos and its basic outline is that of a textbook. Giving the book only three stars is MY rating but probably doesn't accurately rate the book. Take time to preview the book on line to see if it meets your needs.
Rating: 
Summary: A very good way to start out in B&W photography
Review: I don't know whether this is the best book to start learning photography. It had the correct level for me, and it is written in a very nice and easy-going style. I like it so I recommend it. It got me on track and quickly resulted in my converging towards a very acceptable standard of exposing, developing and printing my shots; that's what the book promises, and that's what it did.
Rating:
Summary: Take you to the next level...
Review: I have been doing b+w photography on again and off again for years. I found many of the current books frustrating because they all give the same shallow coverage of the same basics. Mr. Suess does a great job of giving you multiple levels of information that you can easily access as you want. I browsed it for a quick refresher and got right back into the swing of things. But I went back and got a much deeper understanding of the technical issues that the other books ignore. The book is current and immediately useful. It is full of good examples and practical tips.It is specific to b+w, but that is what I wanted. He clearly explained the differences between papers, films, techniques, and let the reader come to his own conclusions. I found his style easy to read and appreciated that he didn't push his opinions as facts. Instead he encourages you to experiment and form your own. His book is a good balance of the technique and art. I enjoyed how he explained the history behind some of the technology, i.e. where our current RC papers and modern films come from. It presents a richer world of photography then just the latest and greatest. I have never reviewed another book on Amazon before. This book just helped me so much that I wanted to say thanks!
Rating:
Summary: A little too technical for me.
Review: Much of the information in this book is not specific to black and white photography. It is very generic and could serve as the introduction to a broader book on the topic. The chapters on composition and the "zone system" are disappointingly thin, and there are very few photographs within the book to serve as illustrative examples supporting the text. The paper is of mediocre paperback quality, which makes the few photographs within the book look washed out and featureless. The author says this material is collected from his years of teaching the subject; I'd hate to be one of his students.
Rating: 
Summary: Won't help you become a better photographer.
Review: Much of the information in this book is not specific to black and white photography. It is very generic and could serve as the introduction to a broader book on the topic. The chapters on composition and the "zone system" are disappointingly thin, and there are very few photographs within the book to serve as illustrative examples supporting the text. The paper is of mediocre paperback quality, which makes the few photographs within the book look washed out and featureless. The author says this material is collected from his years of teaching the subject; I'd hate to be one of his students.
Rating:
Summary: Not a beginner's book
Review: There is a wealth of information here from the photographer's years of experience but it is organized in an atypical fashion,that is not a logical sort of progression. I can amplify the other reveiewer's comments concerning lack of visual examples. However, if you have a working knowledge of black and white photography and have done some elementary darkroom work you will find this book a "next step" toward fine tuning your skills. The author has some down to earth advice toward equipment and techniques and is not a "purist" toward any style.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent starting point for photography!
Review: This is the first book I bought after I bought a non-point&shoot camera. Bernhard takes the reader from the basics of how to operate a camera to film development, and then to printing. The style is easy to read and understand, and the information is wonderfully accessible. This is a wonderful primer for a budding photographer before moving on to the Ansel Adams series. This book should be the first book for someone who wants to be highly knowledgeable and skilled in photography.
Rating:
Summary: Provides contemporary photographers with the basic skills
Review: This revised edition of Bernhard J. Seuss darkroom classic Mastering Black And White Photography provides contemporary photographers with the basic skills needed to achieve expert status. Digital imaging and Internet technology are included in this updated and expanded edition, which deftly covers the entire photographic process from locating subjects to creating beautiful results in black and white.
Rating: 
Summary: Nearly twenty years of learning distilled in one book
Review: This was to be a book like the courses I teach -- to explainwhy as completely as possible. Whenever I'd ask questions asI was learning I was usually told "Because." It took a lot of reading and thinking to figure it out. And I've always taught that way. People aren't dumb. I give my readers and my students credit. They can figure it out if it's explained correctly. Once they know why, they'll understand and remember. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
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