The September Issue of Popular Photography hits newsstands today. In it find reviews of the latest digital cameras, in-depth features and how-to guides to improve your skills. Subscribe to it here.

Shadows lend visual interest and drama to your photos, and they’re easy enough to find-or make- wherever you happen to be. Here are three ways to take familiar shapes beyond the ordinary.

1. Create Soft And Abstract Silhouettes:

Frosted glass adds another dimension to fl at silhouettes. With your subject backlit, you can get an eerie and surreal shadow. In this photo, the blue tint and the model pushing up against a window gives the impression of a person trapped in ice. You can buy a sheet of frosted glass to use indoors or out, or look for it in doors and windows. (If you offer them a print of the resulting photo, businesses such as hotels and shops may let you shoot there-it doesn’t hurt to ask.)

2. Make The Shadow Your Subject:

Why include the original object at all? We don’t need to see the actual beach chair and umbrella-the shadow alone defi nes their presence. Look for shapes and textures that can carry the image.

3. Hunt For Patterns:

Pay attention to the ways in which pinpoint or narrow light sources cast repeating shadows-and try using the effect for intriguing portraits. This photo, for instance, would’ve been dull without the alternating stripes. Look for light streaming through blinds or other beam-splitting objects. Or make your own: Cut holes or slits in fabric, paper, or cardboard to shine the light through.

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Below is a list of more than two dozen photography books that would make a good collection for any photographer. We have included some rare books that would be desirable, along with their cheaper alternative.

A well-rounded general photo library would have variety of genres represented to provide visual stimulation and inspiration for any type of photographer and to provide a broad range of the interpretations and practice of photography. It is extremely hard to say what type of library is appropriate for any one photographer, as each individual is drawn to different aspects of photography. This list is meant to be inclusive of photography books that would be of value/interest to any visually motivated person.

Photo How-To:

The Camera, The Negative and The Print together make up The Ansel Adams Photography Series. These books are considered some of the most important photography books. Written by the master photographer Ansel Adams, they cover a wide range of essential information about the craft of photography.

Joe McNally is one of the most sought-after assignment photographers, working for a vast variety of publications including Sports Illustrated, National Geographic and many more. It provides an inside look into the creation of powerful images. He shares inside knowledge and tricks on everything from equipment to inspiration and so much more. It’s filled with incredible images.

Photojournalism:

Henri Cartier-Bresson is one of the most famous photojournalists of all time who was constantly in search of what he referred to as “The decisive moment.” He documented the world for four decades by setting up a frame and waiting for the moment when all elements combined into a powerful image (where visual and human-interest meet). His original print book The Decisive Moment sells for more than $500 a piece, and some collector’s versions sell in the thousands. The retrospective on his work, however, will provide a photographer with the most important examples to appreciate and gain inspiration from.

Photojournalist Sebastiao Salgado is renowned for his ability to document the poor and the suffering citizens of the world. His striking portraits are visually compelling and give people who are currently toiling a voice. His images include sulfur miners, dam builders assembly-line workers, and many more.

This book is a look behind the scenes look at William Albert Allard’s life. Readers learn of his beginnings, influences, and the stories behind many of his most famous photographic essays. He emphasized emotion and was incredible at humanizing his subjects.

Eugene Smith is one of the biggest “heroes” of photojournalism who pursued countless important photographic essays. His work appeared in dozens of important publications including Life Magazine and Newsweek, and helped shaped the way America viewed itself during the mid-century. This book is a collection of his greatest work and also includes some previously unpublished pieces. You might also consider W. Eugene Smith Photographs 1934-1975 as another collection of his work.

Robert Capa, founder of the Magnum photo agency and prolific photojournalist, has been called the man who “invented war photography.” This book contains many important pieces of war photography history, and includes his coverage of the Spanish Civil War, Chinese resistance to Japanese invasion, D-day, and liberation of concentration camps. If you are looking for a less expensive collection of his work, you might consider “Robert Capa: the Definitive Collection”, which is more of a retrospective on his photographic career.

Mary Ellen Mark is an acclaimed photographer, known often for her provocative documentary photography. Her work often focuses on intense emotion and eccentric subject matter. This book is no exception. Here, you experience the life of the women in Ward 81, a security ward in an Oregon institution.

Portraits/Fashion****:

Annie Leibovitz began as a photographer for Rolling Stone, and has created some of the most iconic celebrity images from Whoppi Goldberg in a bathtub of milk to a nude, pregnant Demi Moore. Leibovitz has two major collections of her work: Photographs 1970-90 and A Photographer’s Life: 1990-2005. Photographs contains many of her earlier and extremely iconic images including the famous photo of John Lennon nude wrapped around his wife, just hours before he was killed.

Joyce Tenneson images have a distinctly feminine quality that helps distinguish her work from that of others. A Life in Photography is a retrospective on 30 years of her work. Some of her most successful other books are Wise Women and Transformations (collectable book costing several hundred dollars).

Fashion photographer Helmut Newton is one of the most influential and controversial photographers of all time. His work is bold and controversial. He is famous for his nude and erotic work. The original edition of Sumo has versions selling for more than $10,000, making it one of the most expensive photo books in the world. A new edition is on the way soon, so you might not want to shell out the big bucks just yet.

His career spanned more than 50 years, keeping him photographing for Vogue into his ’90s. This book contains many of Penn’s most important and famous works including a portrait of Pablo Picasso, portraits of indigenous people, still life studies, and stunning fashion images. Another fascinating book you may consider (as a cheaper alternative) is Irving Penn Regards the Work of Issey Miyake. This book shows the famous collaborations between famous fashion designer Miyake and photographer Penn.

It’s likely you’ll recognize some of the images in this book, even if you’re relatively new to photography. Richard Avedon’s portraits and fashion work contains some of the most recognizable faces around. Richard Avedon Photographs 1946-2004 is a retrospective of his work, but there are other collections of his work you may consider. In the American West is a famous photographic project where Avedon travels America for five years to capture the faces of the west. Fashion brings together nearly seven decades of powerful fashion images by Avedon.

Paolo Roversi’s studio portraiture has been very influential. His style harkens back to the early aesthetics of photography, with long exposures and faded images. This photographer’s work has influenced many other famous photographers, and his work can be found gracing the pages of Vogue, W, Harpers Bazaar and more. He has shot many famous ad campaigns and has an unmistakable style. The original edition of Studio sells for far more than $1,000. If you like his work you may consider Libretto or Nudi. His photo books often are low in print run, and quickly become collectibles.

Nature/Travel:

Galen Rowell was a world-traveler, adventurer, preservationist and photographer. He is considered one of the most visually powerful nature photographers of all time, who called his readers to action toward environmental protection. Galen, who died in a plane accident in 2002, left behind a stunning collection of work that is brought together in this publication. Other books of his that you may consider include Mountain Light, The Art of Adventure Photography, or the Inner Game of Outdoor Photography.

Published to commemorate the 100th year since his birth, this book is a retrospective look on the life and work of nature photographer Ansel Adams.

This book is a stunning look of the vast and diverse beauty here on earth. With photographs from seven continents, the images are a rare and stunning look at nature.

Compilations:

The images provided in this book were nominated through online voting and by Life Magazine editors. These are the images that have changed history and the world, as according to society. The book underscores the power of photography to change the way we see and interact with the world.

|| |—| | | | In Focus: National Geographic Greatest Portraits| This is a compilation of the great portraiture that has appeared in National Geographic over the years. This is a great resource for those interested in learning more about documentary portraiture.

Fine Art/Other:

This book is an overview of the work of American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. He is known for his homosexual eroticism and his large-scale portraits of nude men. His work is bold and often controversial. Other less expensive books also chronicle his successful and widely acclaimed work. This might not be the one you keep on the coffee table if you’re having guests who aren’t interested in photography.

Man Ray had an extremely versatile career in photography, shooting everything from portraiture to fashion to photograms. He is probably most famous for her work with “rayographs” and other negative imaging techniques that because an extremely influential technique of photography. If you like his work, you might also check out a collectible work Man Ray 1890-1976.

Other:

This book provides a way to immerse yourself in the history and development of photography as a form of communication and artistic expression.

It covers tricky topics like negotiating contracts, interacting with clients, licensing your work and much more. If you make money from photography, or hope to, this book is a guide to your success.

On Photography is an essay that takes more of a philosophical look at how photography has changed the world and the way we learn. Susan Sontag discusses the excess of visual material in modern life, how photography has affected the way we learn (and understand history), and also how photography represents (and distorts) reality. This photography book takes a deeper look into the effects of the medium. It’s a staple piece of literature for college photography courses everywhere.

The post 26 Books Every Photographer Should Own appeared first on Popular Photography.

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1. Enrich Scenics: Saturation, used on the right third of Photo A, creates surreal colors and loss of detail in the richest areas-notice the halos of color around the blades of grass. Vibrance, used on the left third, makes the colors richer and deeper without losing detail in the saturated areas.

2. Improve Portraits: Vibrance has built-in protection to avoid oversaturating skin tones. The software detects the tonal range of skin tones, and does not add saturation to these areas. In Photo B, Saturation was used on the left side, which affected all color values including skin tones, creating unnatural, undesirable tones. Vibrance, used on the right side, saturated various colors, including the eye makeup and the coat, without unnaturally altering skin tones.

3. Go Pastel: Usually you add Vibrance to an image, but you can achieve some beautiful effects by dragging Vibrance into the negative settings. Doing so gives you a slightly muted image, more of a pastel effect than you’d get by desaturating. Decreasing Vibrance can be used to make portraits appear almost hand-painted, as in Photo C. And note that you can apply Vibrance locally using the Sponge tool.

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1. All Your Gear Needs a Home
How to do it: If you are like me, after a long day of shoot you like to drop your equipment anywhere in lands. Instead its best to designate a specific spot of every single piece of equipment, from your flash to your off-camera cable-each should have a place.

How it saves time: Next time the sun comes out, you won’t have to go searching from your polarizer and the next portrait session you won’t madly run around trying to find your pocket-wizards. Not only is it a time-saver, but it also helps prevent you from losing increasingly pricey gear.

2. Get Workflow Software and Stick To It

How to do it: Find software that helps you manage/handle your images and use the same program for every image- practice makes perfect. There are dozens of programs to do this (Aperture, Photo Mechanic and more), but I suggest Adobe Photoshop Lightroom because it handles all forms of organization for you upon import.

How it saves time: These programs help you to develop a habit of handling your images so you go through the same process every time. Consistency and a system save you time and confusion. These programs will help you achieve several of the steps in these organizational tips including file naming, keywords, metadata, and rating.

3. Be Specific and Purposeful with File Naming
How to do it: Don’t name an image of a cat ‘cat.jpg’ or your headaches will never end. Using the date (YYYYMMDD), a descriptor, and a sequence number is an effective solution. An example would be 20090428_TabbyCat_001.jpg and so on.

How it saves time: Consistent file naming provides you with the ability to search for your images (in my example by descriptor and date), prevents you from ever creating duplicate names, and also provides you information about your image just by glancing at the name.

4. Develop a System for Importing Images

How to do it: Importing is the most important moment for organization. Have a folder naming system (similar setup to your file names) and have a consistent location to place the folders/images upon import. You never want a DCIM folder on your computer. It’s also best not to use the generic “Pictures” folder your computer tries to horn your images into.

How it saves time: It will be easier to find files if their folders have similar naming conventions and also provide insight to their contents. Avoiding DCIM will make sure you never overwrite an image folder. Saving to an external hard drive (instead of your computers built-in hard drive) will help organization and not slow down your computer by using too much space. With the cheap prices of external HDDs these days, this shouldn’t be too painful.

5. Use Keywords
How to do it: Add special word tags (called keywords) to your images using your workflow software. Figure out how and why you would use keywords, and tag images appropriately. Words could include dominant color, subject matter, type of image and more (ex: red, barn, scenic).

How it saves time: Keywords help you find specific images or images with a specific subject matter by search for words that describe them. For example, each year when I submit to calendar companies I can simply search for the word “barn” in Lightroom (or other program) and it will bring up all images that might be appropriate to submit to the barn-themed calendar. No more searching through thousands of individual images to find my submission for next year.

6. Develop a Rating System for your Images
How to do it: Decide what each type of rating means to you and why you would use this rating (including stars, colors and flags). Write the meaning of each rating symbol on a note card and tape it up near your computer so that you maintain and consistent system of rating. Does a 1 star mean its garbage? Does a red label mean ‘competition worthy’?

How it saves time: It’s common to shoot a bunch of frames of a single scene, but remembering which one was the best can be tedious. This can help you find the right image without tiring your scrolling finger out.

7. Add Metadata to your Files
How to do it: Always including information about you with your photo. At minimum you want to include your name, one way to contact you (email perhaps), and your copyright. You can also add your website, address, terms of use and much more.

How it saves time: When you are sending your files out to magazines, calendars or any other purpose, you will always know that your information is embedded in your files. If an editor wants to use your image, they won’t have to struggle to find a way to get in touch with you or figure out who produced the image-its all right there in the file info. Plus, it might save you some time should you get into an unfortunate copyright squabble.

8. Back up your Images
How to do it: Always back up your images to an external hard drive to prevent loss of originals. The duplicate should be stored in a different location than the original (prevents theft/damage to original and backup). Also, always physically and digital label your hard drives to differentiate the contents.

How it saves time: Your hard drive will eventually crash and getting data from them can be an incredibly time consuming and expensive process. Plus, backing up regularly will save you from marathon sessions backing up lots of gigabytes of data at once.

9. Keep Your Paperwork Filed
How to do it: Buy a filing cabinet. Keep a folder for camera/equipment manuals, invoices, expenses, publications and anything else related to photography. You can also use a similar system to store prints so this isn’t just for the pros.

How it saves time: Whenever you have a question about your equipment, you’ll know where to look. At the end of the year when you need to collect expenses for tax write-offs they’ll all be in one place. Plus, you’ll look like a total adult having your own filing cabinet.

6. Develop a Rating System for your Images
How to do it: Decide what each type of rating means to you and why you would use this rating (including stars, colors and flags). Write the meaning of each rating symbol on a note card and tape it up near your computer so that you maintain and consistent system of rating. Does a 1 star mean its garbage? Does a red label mean ‘competition worthy’?

How it saves time: It’s common to shoot a bunch of frames of a single scene, but remembering which one was the best can be tedious. This can help you find the right image without tiring your scrolling finger out.

7. Add Metadata to your Files
How to do it: Always including information about you with your photo. At minimum you want to include your name, one way to contact you (email perhaps), and your copyright. You can also add your website, address, terms of use and much more.

How it saves time: When you are sending your files out to magazines, calendars or any other purpose, you will always know that your information is embedded in your files. If an editor wants to use your image, they won’t have to struggle to find a way to get in touch with you or figure out who produced the image-its all right there in the file info. Plus, it might save you some time should you get into an unfortunate copyright squabble.

8. Back up your Images
How to do it: Always back up your images to an external hard drive to prevent loss of originals. The duplicate should be stored in a different location than the original (prevents theft/damage to original and backup). Also, always physically and digital label your hard drives to differentiate the contents.

How it saves time: Your hard drive will eventually crash and getting data from them can be an incredibly time consuming and expensive process. Plus, backing up regularly will save you from marathon sessions backing up lots of gigabytes of data at once.

9. Keep Your Paperwork Filed
How to do it: Buy a filing cabinet. Keep a folder for camera/equipment manuals, invoices, expenses, publications and anything else related to photography. You can also use a similar system to store prints so this isn’t just for the pros.

How it saves time: Whenever you have a question about your equipment, you’ll know where to look. At the end of the year when you need to collect expenses for tax write-offs they’ll all be in one place. Plus, you’ll look like a total adult having your own filing cabinet.

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