Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

'Basic Photography' is a longstanding international bestseller and continues to be the introductory textbook for photography courses throughout the world. Key features: practical assignments, so you can put into practice what you've learned chapter summaries for easy revision a clear and concise approach to essential photographic principles, assuming no prior knowledge comprehensive coverage of both black and white photography, processing and printing; colour photography, digital manipulation and film processing suitability for students of all ages and all photographic courses This new edition now includes: extended coverage of digital imaging techniques: from capturing images digitally, to scanning and using manipulation software and the ethics involved updated and re-structured contents to suit the new Art (Photography) A Level hundreds of stunning full colour photographs throughout illustrating the main points from the text inspirational images from world famous photographers including: Bill Brandt; Henri Cartier-Bresson; Edward Weston and David Hockney. The late Michael Langford formerly taught at the Royal College of Art for many years, becoming Course Director. He was intimately involved with photography courses and examination syllabuses at all levels and as a result fully understood what a student needed. His other books for Focal Press include 'Starting Photography' 2nd edition, 'Advanced Photography' 6th edition, and 'Story of Photography' 2nd edition. 'Advanced Photography' is the companion volume to 'Basic Photography', and for students wishing to progress further, will take the aspiring photographer a step forward on the ladder to a career in photography.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Picture credits (p. xiii)
• Introduction (p. xv)
• Overview
• 1 What is photography? (p. 1)
• Facets of photography (p. 1)
• How photography works (p. 2)
• Picture structuring (p. 6)
• The roles photographs play (p. 7)
• Changing attitudes towards photography (p. 11)
• Personal styles and approaches (p. 16)
• Measuring success (p. 20)
• Summary (p. 22)
• Projects (p. 23)
• Underlying principles
• 2 Light: how images form (p. 24)
• Light itself (p. 24)
• Wavelengths and colours (p. 25)
• Shadows (p. 26)
• When light reaches a surface (p. 27)
• Light intensity and distance (p. 30)
• Making light form images (p. 31)
• Summary (p. 36)
• Projects (p. 37)
• Technical practice
• 3 Lenses: controlling the image (p. 39)
• Photographic lenses (p. 39)
• Aperture and f-numbers (p. 42)
• Depth of field (p. 44)
• How depth of field works (p. 46)
• Depth of focus (p. 49)
• Lens care (p. 50)
• Summary (p. 50)
• Projects (p. 51)
• Hardware
• 4 Cameras using film (p. 52)
• The essential components (p. 53)
• Camera types--which is best? (p. 60)
• How view cameras work (p. 63)
• How direct viewfinder cameras work (p. 65)
• How reflex cameras work (p. 70)
• Summary (p. 76)
• Projects (p. 77)
• Choosing extras
• 5 Using different focal length lenses, camera kits (p. 78)
• Why change focal length? (p. 78)
• Lens kits (p. 84)
• Close-up equipment (p. 89)
• Essentials, and extras (p. 91)
• Horses for courses (p. 93)
• Summary (p. 93)
• Projects (p. 94)
• New technology
• 6 Digital cameras (p. 95)
• Overview--how images are captured (p. 95)
• Film versus digital imaging routes (p. 96)
• CCD limits to your final print size (p. 97)
• Storing exposed shots on memory cards, disks (p. 101)
• Point-and-shoot 'low-end' cameras (p. 103)
• 'High-end' cameras, digital backs (p. 103)
• Will digital cameras take over? (p. 104)
• Summary (p. 106)
• Theory into practice
• 7 Lighting: principles and equipment (p. 107)
• Basic characteristics of lighting (p. 107)
• Lighting equipment (p. 114)
• Practical lighting problems (p. 120)
• Special subjects (p. 124)
• Summary (p. 126)
• Projects (p. 127)
• Visual skills
• 8 Organizing the picture (p. 128)
• Noticing subject features (p. 129)
• Structuring pictures through the camera (p. 138)
• Commercial requirements (p. 146)
• Summary (p. 149)
• Projects (p. 149)
• Materials
• 9 Films, filters (p. 150)
• Silver halide emulsions (p. 150)
• Features common to all films (p. 153)
• Choosing films for black and white (p. 159)
• Films for colour photography (p. 161)
• Storing film--before and after exposure (p. 166)
• So which film is 'best'? (p. 167)
• Filters--how they work (p. 169)
• Filter kits (p. 175)
• Summary (p. 176)
• Projects (p. 177)
• Practical skills
• 10 Exposure measurement (p. 178)
• Factors that determine what exposure to give (p. 178)
• Exposing different film types (p. 180)
• Measuring exposure (continuous light) (p. 184)
• Practical exposure tips (p. 193)
• Measuring exposure for flash (p. 194)
• Practical flash exposure tips (p. 198)
• Summary (p. 201)
• Equipment and procedure
• 11 Film processing (p. 203)
• Equipment and general preparations (p. 204)
• Processing black and white (silver image) negatives (p. 210)
• Processing chromogenic (colour and black and white) negatives (p. 215)
• Processing colour slides and transparencies (p. 216)
• Processing other film materials (p. 217)
• Processing by machine (p. 218)
• Permanence of processed results (p. 220)
• Summary (p. 221)
• Projects (p. 222)
• The darkroom
• 12 Black and white printing: facilities and equipment (p. 223)
• Darkroom organization (p. 223)
• Equipment: the enlarger (p. 225)
• Equipment: accessories (p. 230)
• Printing papers (p. 232)
• Safelighting and printing paper sensitivity (p. 237)
• Processing procedure (p. 238)
• Summary (p. 242)
• Projects (p. 243)
• Darkroom skills
• 13 Black and white printing: techniques (p. 244)
• Making contact prints (p. 244)
• 'Straight' enlarging (p. 246)
• Controls during enlarging (p. 247)
• Variations (p. 251)
• Unusual printing materials (p. 255)
• Common print faults (p. 255)
• Chemical afterwork (p. 258)
• Toning (p. 259)
• Tinting (p. 261)
• Summary (p. 264)
• Projects (p. 265)
• Computer skills
• 14 Digital image manipulation (p. 266)
• Overview (p. 266)
• The hardware (p. 268)
• Software programs (p. 271)
• Learning the ropes (p. 274)
• Working on pictures (p. 278)
• Digital ethics (p. 290)
• Summary (p. 292)
• Projects (p. 293)
• Practical
• 15 Finishing and presenting work (p. 294)
• The permanence of prints (p. 294)
• Mounting methods (p. 295)
• Spotting (p. 297)
• Getting your work noticed (p. 298)
• Summary (p. 303)
• Projects (p. 304)
• Appendices (p. 305)
• A Optical calculations (p. 305)
• B Camera movements (p. 306)
• C Expressing film response (p. 313)
• D Chemical formulae (p. 317)
• E Health and safety concerns (p. 320)
• F Digital notebook (p. 321)
• Glossary (p. 323)
• Index (p. 333)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Booklist Review

This fifth edition of a respected introductory manual begins with a thoughtful treatment of photographic styles and the roles photographs play. Langford then goes on to cover optical principles, lenses, camera types, and lighting equipment and technique as well as film developing, printing, and other darkroom skills. The text is generously illustrated throughout with photographs, charts, and diagrams; chapters conclude with summaries and learning projects. A good choice for libraries where previous editions have found an audience. To be indexed. JA. 770 Photography [OCLC] 86-14246

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Michael J. Langford is the author of numerous how-to books and articles on photography. He writes for a variety of audiences; books like Learn Photography in a Weekend are geared to the casual picture-taker, while works such as The Single Lens Reflex Handbook or The Darkroom Handbook: Photography Consultant are developed with the professional photographer in mind. The main benefit of photography, Langford believes, is that it enhances the way people see the world.

One of Langford's best-known works is Basic Photography, an international best-seller that has been translated into four languages and gone through six editions. A comprehensive introduction to the subject, Basic Photography and its companion volume, Advanced Photography, are frequently used as textbooks in photography courses. Other books by Langford include Photography: Materials and Methods, The Step-by-Step Guide to Photography, Better Photography, and Visual Aids and Photographs in Education.

Langford's expertise in how-to books erives in part from his many years of teaching. He is the Photography Course Director at the Royal College of Art in London, and has also taught at the London College of Printing and the Birmingham College of Art and Design, where he was the Head of the School of Photography. He has also worked as a photographer for several advertising agencies and magazines in England and in Europe.

(Bowker Author Biography)