Top 16 Best Photography Books Updated 04 /2024

Learning how to take a picture needs a strong base. If you have trouble with these things, read books about the basics of photography. I can promise you that the speed at which you learn will only get faster.

If you want to learn how to use your photography gear, we've put together a list of how-to books. It talks about how to use camera settings and technical skills correctly.

Also, you can learn a little bit about the history of photography from them as well.

Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs – Henry Carroll

Looking for the best photography how-to books for people who are new? Then you should check this out. Useful guides, easy-to-read text, and fun language are all in this book. So it's easy for the first-timer to follow.

The Digital Photography Book: Part 1 – Scott Kelby

If you want to learn about digital photography, this book by Scott Kelby is the best one ever.

It has been translated into a lot of different languages, and for a good reason, as well. Everything you need to start taking pictures is in this book, so you can start right away.

There is a good chance that this book won an award. You are going to read parts of it again and again.

Complete Digital Photography – Ben Long

It's a good book for people who like to get into the small details of the work. It was written by Ben Long, a photographer. It teaches you how to take good pictures.

Shows you how a camera works and how to finish the picture. It talks about both the technical parts and the art of taking photos. There are so many different things this book covers that you won't even need to look up anything on Google.

Complete Guide to Digital Photography – Ian Farrell

In terms of digital photography, this is one of the best books out there right now. It includes taking the picture, editing it, and then printing it. In this class, you will learn about the theory and skills you need to be a good photographer.

All the information you need is in one place. It also comes with a bonus chapter that will help you choose the right digital camera for your needs. That's great, because buying your first DSLR can be a little scary.

Langford’s Basic Photography: The guide for serious photographers – Michael Langford

This photography book is for people who want to make a living taking pictures for a living.

This book is important because it helps you choose the best camera and lens for your job. It even gives useful advice on what you need for good lighting. It also teaches you how to do things like frame a picture and figure out how much light is in it.

 

After you learn how to use the technical parts, it also shows you how to edit and organize your photos. It even shows you how to print, finish, and show off your photos, as well. A good photography book can help you start your own business. This is one of the best ones.

LIFE Guide to Digital Photography – Joe McNally

Learn about photography from one of the best books on the market, which is called "Photography." Its title, "Everything You Need to Shoot Like the Pros," pretty much sums up everything.

Joe tells you how to use your camera in the best way possible. There are times when it is good to think outside the box and push your camera's limits. He also helps you figure that out.

This is what I found most useful: the short description that came with each picture. It shows you the settings it used to make each picture. It's always good to know what settings he uses to make beautiful photos.

Understanding Exposure (Fourth Edition) – Bryan Peterson

Photo books have sold more than 350,000 copies of this book. It makes sense of the complicated concepts of exposure for a lot of photographers.

This photography book has the same easy-to-follow style that Bryan Peterson is known for. Its best part talks about how to make good exposures in difficult situations.

Find out about white balance and flash in this photography book, as well as how to take an HDR picture. Peterson makes everything easy to understand.

You can take better pictures at any time, anywhere, and with any camera if you have this with you at all times

Camera: A History of Photography from Daguerreotype to Digital – Todd Gustavson

This photography book was very interesting to me. If you look at this book, you won't see famous images but rather the machines that made them possible.

This photography book talks about the most important changes in photography technology over time. Some of the best things are the first wet plate cameras and NASA's moon cameras.

This great book also gives a glimpse into the people who made cameras. Besides, they're also interesting.

The Art of Photography: A Personal Approach to Artistic Expression – Bruce Barnbaum

Bruce Barnbaum's book was first published in 1994 and then changed for the first time in 2010. There are parts for digital photography as well now, so it can be used.

It has 200 black and white and color photos, as well as clear and easy-to-read text.

In this case, it shows more of the artistic and conceptual side of photography.

Photography: A Cultural History – Mary Marien Warner

There are almost 600 pages in this book, and it has 642 illustrations. It shows how photography has changed how we see the world around us.

People don't need to know a lot of technical things to read this book.

Its goal is to teach and tell people about photography. It puts the information about photography and photographers in their historical and cultural contexts, so it makes sense.

On Photography – Susan Sontag

A book about photography that doesn't have any pictures in it. Susan Sontag's book was first published in 1977 and has been a favorite for photographers ever since.

If you want to learn more about photography, this book is one of the best. On Photography is a collection of essays about how photography and photos have changed over time.

She looks at how photography is used in different situations. But the most important thing is how photography changes us and the world.

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