Photoshop_User_February_2017

B O O K R E VIEWS ›› PETER BAUER ››

› ›

photoshop user

› february 2017

104

Don’t think of this as a Photoshop or Lightroom book, but

rather as a concept book. In addition to Photoshop, Lightroom,

Bridge, and Camera Raw, the author uses non-Adobe soft-

ware, including Photomatix and SNS-HDR Pro. The author

starts at the beginning—selecting an appropriate camera and

accessories—and works through the process of capturing

photos appropriate for HDR (high dynamic range) processing,

doing the actual processing in a number of ways, and ends

with conversion to black and white. His goal is to help you

take advantage of the great power of HDR imagery without

producing the all-too-common garish, over-saturated, sur-

real images often produced using HDR software. The actual

goal is to produce a realistic-looking image with great detail

through the spectrum, from shadows to highlights. You’ll find

a good discussion on tone mapping and excellent coverage of

blending, both automatically and manually. Good comparison

images, too.

The first 60% of this book is appropriate for almost all pho-

tographers, especially portrait (people or pets) photogra-

phers. The rest of the book focuses on, in separate chapters,

the challenges of photographing dogs, cats, horses, and

other animals. The author has sections on understanding

each type of animal’s behavior, how to pose them, getting

the animal’s attention, trying to show an animal’s individual

character, and troubleshooting. These chapters are unique

in content and the author has many very incisive observa-

tions. The author’s experience and experiences are on full

display as she discusses the unique challenges of photo-

graphing the different species. You’ll also find information

on the difference between shooting on location and in your

studio (where you have far more control over some very

important aspects of photography, especially lighting). Even

if you just create photos of your household pets, there’s a

lot here that can improve your images.

Pet Photography: The Secrets to

Creating Authentic Pet Portraits

The Anti-HDR HDR Photography Book: A Guide

to Photorealistic HDR and Image Blending

By Robert Fisher By Norah Levine

Publisher: Rocky Nook Pages: 280

Price: $39.95 (hardcover)

Rating: ◆◆◆◆◆

Publisher: Focal Press Pages: 232

Price: $39.95 (paperback)

Rating: ◆◆◆◆◆