Manual of Close-Up Photography

by Lester Lefkowitz

Book Overview

Hardcover: 272 pages Publisher: Watson-Guptill Pubns; First Edition edition (June 1979) Language: English ISBN-10: 0817424563 ISBN-13: 978-0817424565 Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.4 x 0.9 inches... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0817421300
• ISBN13: 9780817421304
• Release Date: June 1979
• Publisher: Watson-Guptill Pubns
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Still the Classic

This is a terrific book. Much of the material in the Manual of Close-up Photography is still relevant. Although camera bodies have gone digital, the equipment for getting close to subjects has not, including focusing rails, extension tubes, macro lenses, reversed lenses and plus filters, ring flash, etc., all covered by Mr. Lefkowitz. While some of the subjects are complicated, Mr. Lefkowitz writes in a way that even novice photographers can understand. Reliance on math skills is minimal, and those sections that don't interest the reader can be skipped over. Some material will be, for some photographers, revelatory, such as the section on choice of lens and perspective. Anyone who is interested in learning more about close-up photography should find a copy of this book.

Outdated? Not where it counts!

I've owned my copy of The Manual of Close-Up Photography since 1981 and it has served me well from film -> to computer -> to digital age. Sure the concepts surrounding film are no longer valid in the digital world, but macrophotography is a science in its technique and an art in its acquistion. Niether of these items are bound by time. Each is timeless and so is this definitive manual for Close-Up Photography. <br /> <br />The art of photography is built upon certain basics which are not bound by technologies; only augmented. To say this book in irrelevant to our digital age is to misunderstand the need for basics - regardless of media used. <br /> <br />Lefkowitz is an optical engineer and a darned good one at that - not to mention a gifted photographer. He is also able to bring a very complicated science into the realm of the practical photographer and the scientific photograher as well. <br /> <br />Read the book without looking for comments on your 'digital understanding'. Read the book for the science - and thereby understanding - of the principles surrounding macro photography. Then you will come to see this is an indespensible resource that will last as long as the science of light and optics itself. That will no doubt be a long time.

A Different Perspective

Much of the information in this book continues to be very relevant to close-up photographers. For example, the basic principals of magnification, lighting and exposure have not changed. Although cameras have advanced, it is very difficult to use auto-focus for real close-ups. Lefkowitz covers bellows, marco lenses and extention tubes well. He also privides great insights into how to construct and use a close-up studio. On balance, a very worthwhile book for anyone interested in understanding close-up photography!