First of all, thanks to everybody who participated in my first giveaway! It was small but I’m just getting my feet wet and I love to share the nifty photography finds that I come across so there will be more giveaways to come in the future!

By random draw at www.random.org, the winner of a brand new copy of The Illustrated Practical Guide to Digital and Classic Photography is… Comment #13: Carly! Congratulations! I’ll be contacting you for your address shortly so that I can get it off to you asap.

If you didn’t win, I still HIGHLY recommend getting this book for your library because it is just so handy for any photographer to have around. I had to go back and get a second copy for myself! Pick it up at your local bookstore, or click the link above to view the amazon.com listing.

I was at the bookstore the other day trolling the photography shelves as usual(you mean there are books there that AREN’T about photography?!) and I noticed that this book, The Illustrated Practical Guide to Digital and Classic Photography by Steve Luck and John Freeman, was on sale for $10. Given that most photography how-to books are upwards of $40, this was quite a deal! If there’s one thing I love more than photography, it’s bargain shopping, so I got really excited and I added it to my already enormous armload of books and trucked off to the nearest unoccupied squooshy chair.

I had expected from the title to find a how-to book on the basics of photography, I did NOT expect(for a book that cost $10) to find that it was a truly comprehensive photography guide. I was wrong. It is an incredible source for anyone who is starting out in photography, or any seasoned pro who wants to brush up on their basics. It covers just about any topic a beginner could possibly want, and explains it all in an encouraging way that  is understandable. I was awed by the number of topics it covers, nearly every question that I can think of having had when I was starting out in the photography world is answered in this book. As an example, here are just a few of the subjects features in this book:

Cameras, film, digital media, types of lenses and what they do, exposure, camera modes, posing, light, the rule of thirds, tricks for developing film, depth of field, contrast, computer software, color correction, shooting black and white, making prints, how to hold the camera, using a tripod, camera accessories, taking care of your gear, film speeds and usage, composition, photo orientation(portrait vs. landscape), high-key photography, which lens to use, basic image editing, creating HDR images, scanners, flash photography, making money from your work…. as well as specific how-tos for photographing; children, architecture, still life, fireworks, landscapes, skies, events, local people, pets, and more.

Wow. Naturally, as a portrait photographer, I loved the chapter on Portraits it included so many different kinds of shoot atmospheres and ways to go about light and composition and I can definitely see myself using the tips and suggestions on my future shoots. Sometimes even the simplest tips and suggestions can make all the difference. Being a visual person my favorite thing about this book is that it’s completely illustrated with 1,700 photos that clearly show the techniques being explained. It’s easy to read, it’s easy to see the examples given and connect the description to the effect, and as a huge credit to the title the advice and information really is practical and can be applied to any kind of photographer. Overall I give it a HUGE A+ and will be recommending it to anyone who will listen.

Just for fun, I’m going to give away a copy of this book! It is such a good resource I can’t help but share it! Want a chance to win? All you have to do is leave a comment on this post sharing what your biggest strength is in photography and what one area you most want to learn to improve. That’s it!

For an extra entry you can become a fan of Image Serenity Photography on Facebook(or if you’re already a fan just say so) and leave a separate comment on this post.

The deadline for entries is Friday, July 23rd at 11pm CST.

A winner will be chosen at random and posted on Sunday July 25th. Make sure you leave a way for me to contact you(email address or blog) so that I can get your mailing address if you win! Failure to do so will result in another winner being chosen.

We play Chess a lot with Dmitri. We even got this funky cool chess board to play with because it’s literally his favorite game. Today, he won all by himself for the very first time. Dmitri is 5, and he was super pumped to have beaten mom. We’re not of the “let him win” school of thought, so he really had to work for it and I think the pride & excitement on his face in this photo speaks for itself:

Conveniently, today’s events fit very well with the IHF theme this week. Click on the link below to see more “Play” photos!

One of my favorite flowers, that is really more of a weed, but I find the dandelion lovely anyway, particularly when they turn white and puffy… My mom always called them “wish flowers” and I used to spend hours as a child wishing on every single one I could find. This photo is a favorite of mine also because it features my adorable little sister in-law Tia who was kind enough to “pose” for me through 20 or so flowers so that I could get “the shot”.

Check out the other great entries this week at IHeartFaces

Dmitri avoids the camera, he’s been good about it recently but only when we’re out doing something. The last time he let me set up a shoot with him he was 3 I think. I don’t blame him, mommy can get a bit obnoxious – but on Mother’s Day he asked me what I wanted and I said, “I would love to take your picture!” he looked at me squarely in the eye, heaved a big sigh, and said, “Alriiiiight….. only just for today because it’s your special day, but that’s it, and I’m wearing my hat and I probably won’t smile.”

Deal!  Thankfully, he changed his mind about the smiling part. I got 5 shots and then he put his hat over his face and declared the session over. Gotta love kids!

Click any of the thumbnails to enlarge a light box gallery.