Closeup Shooting: A Guide to Closeup, Tabletop and Macro Photography
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Hardcover
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Written by Cyrill Harnischmacher.
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($24.95)
Editorial Review (from Amazon.com)
Close-up photography is one of the most fascinating areas in photography. This illustrated guide will take the reader on a journey into the wonderful world of small, smaller, and smallest objects and show him how he can capture their beauty with photographic images. Each step of the way will be carefully explained; how to choose the right equipment, how to use ambient light or create artificial lighting, and how to conceptualize and frame the perfect shot.Whereas the nature photographer is exploring facets and structures in his environment, the "table top photographer" is trying to shoot a small object, a product, or a small treasure for display on the web (e.g., eBay) or in print. Here, the choice of the appropriate lighting and backdrop, and the creative use of the camera's features are key to a perfect image.
Cyrill Harnischmacher explains all aspects of close-up shooting for both inside the studio, as well as outdoors. This book is filled with beautifully illustrated examples and detailed instructions on how to set up a system and workflow for successful close-up photography.
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Dale Brayden thinks this book is Excellent.
Closeup Shooting is filled with excellent advice for beginning photographers wanting to do close-up photography. Harnischmacher clearly explains the various types of close-up photography, ranging from 1:2 to about 6:1 image magnification. Unlike many photography writers, he seems to be aware that most of his readers are amateurs and do not have unlimited equipment budgets, so he takes care to show what can be done with limited or inexpensive equipment.
The text and illustrating photos are consistently on the same page or on facing pages. The graphic layout of the book is quite appealing. Each chapter opens with a full-page 3x3 grid on which there are about 9 close-up photos, typically of camera equipment. Each facing page within the chapter typically has a couple photos to accompany the descriptive text, and a larger photo whose technical aspects are clearly explained.
The section I found most useful was near the end. In it, Harnischmacher describes and diagrams the lighting used on a series of subjects. Each diagram shows the placement of the camera, the subject, each of the lights and their coverage, and any screens or reflectors that were used. Most books, even those whose main topic is lighting, don't use this simple but highly effective way of visualizing the lighting setup.