Gradient Light

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Hi, I am thinking of ordering a book called Gradient Light from Amazon. Has anyone out there bought this book and what did you think of it? Would you recommend a different book? I already own the Ansel Adams series and would like something more modern. I would cassify myself as advanced and want to skip anything that is very basic. Thankyou!

-- Justin Fullmer (provo.jfullmer@state.ut.us), October 09, 2001

Answers

I have Gradient light. As an advanced photographer I find it useless. It is a great book but not worth the money if you already have been through Adams trilogy. I would pick up a bookon lighting techniques instead. That is the most important but least understood aspect of photography once the basics are learned. What aspect of photography are you looking to develope better now that you've read and understand Adams books?

-- james (james_mickelson@hotmail.com), October 09, 2001.

Eddie Ephraums is a well respected uk photographer and author. This one is his way of working with vc paper, a series of his images, and how he arrived at them. I found this book to be one I often return to, but that said, I like his work! Personally I reckon you should get it, and look for his earlier one Creative Elements in Landscape Photography.

-- John Henry (johnh@piperschool.com), October 09, 2001.

I've read the book and if memory serves me would only recomend it if you wish to learn how to produce dreamy pictorialist images. (not my style)

If you found Ansel Adams' series useful and wish to refine your technique with present day materials try "the Art of Photography" by Barnbaum and "the Variable Contrast Manual" by Anchell. Larry Bartlett also has an interesting book on printing but I can't remember the name. These books books were in the local public library so I was able to read them thoroughly before buying.

Cheers,

Duane

-- Duane K (dkucheran@creo.com), October 09, 2001.


I enjoyed paging through his examples of selective use of variable contrast filters, but it's nothing really new. Printers have used the methods he describes since VC papers were introduced decades ago. If you're an advanced darkroom worker, there isn't really anything more "modern" than the Adams series, except for maybe the more tweaky version of the Zone system in Beyond the Zone System from the 80's. There are new chemistry, film, and paper materials, but B&W methods are relatively unchanged. If you want modern, get a book on Photoshop for Photographers, like the one by Evening. I'm still a conventional darkroom guy, but the control you can exercise with a digital darkroom for printing is really the next step for an advanced printer, IMHO.

-- Tim Nelson (timothy.nelson@yale.edu), October 09, 2001.

Try searching the web on masking. I've found a number of useful articles, but don't have the references with me now. Also, there were a number of masking articles published by Photo Techniques within the past year or two. Howard Bond is a master of the technique and offers occassional workshops.

-- ricardo (ricardospanks1@yahoo.com), October 09, 2001.


Justin, I think it all depends on what you are looking for and what appeals to you. I think as photographers we often feel that there is 'one photography, and only one right way to do things.' Personally I very much enjoyed Gradient Light, and bought it. I go through it often, even though landscape photography it not really 'my thing'.

chris

-- Christian Harkness (chris.harkness@eudoramail.com), October 10, 2001.


I would get the Master printing course by Tim Ruddman for tradtional darkroom work and In Focus for alternative work. If you want a good book specifically on VC then get the Anchell book. BTW you will find it easier to go to Photoeye to get books on photography. Good luck

-- Jorge Gasteazoro (jorgegm@worldnet.att.net), October 10, 2001.

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