Special Effects Photography Handbook: A Complete, Fully Illustrated Guide

by Elinor Stecker-Orel

How to create spectacular photographs in which imagination is the only reality. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0936262567
• ISBN13: 9780936262567
• Release Date: February 1998
• Publisher: Amherst Media
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 8.6" x 11.1"

Customer Reviews

Special effects photographs made simple!

I first wrote this review back around 2001 when the death of film seemed to be certain. Film hasn't died, nor have film cameras gone away. (Kodak has just introduced a new color film this year, 2009!) The great thing about this book is that you can pull out your film camera, load a fresh roll of film, and get great special effects in-camera without the need for a digital camera or photo manipulation software! I presume that you can utilize some of the tools and techniques here for digital photography as well, and whether you shoot film, digital, or both you can certainly use these techniques as is or as a jumping off point to inspire you to create your own special effects techniques, as I have done. My original review follows, with the addition of Elinor's web site. Happy shooting! Elinor Stecker-Orel's book is an inspiration to the serious photographer who wants to take things several steps farther and enter the realm of creating, rather than just taking, awesome photographs. You can use the book "out of the box" as is and directly appropriate the many creative techniques she imparts, or use the book's techniques as jumping off points to inspire and fire your own imagination which will enable you to come up with additional special effects techniques on your own. I had the benefit of having Ms. Stecker-Orel as my instructor at the New York Institute of Photography, and I still enjoy her friendship. In addition to her very long, distinguished list of professional credentials (Former senior editor of Popular Photography magazine; seven books published; media guest; media expert; consultant; conducting workshops; many other photographic achievements, and much more) I can relate from personal experience what a dramatic difference in your photographic potential her instruction will make. She is a skilled teacher, and that comes across in this excellent book. I was able to produce some very professional looking and unusual photographs both utilizing the techniques taught in the book, and by using those techniques for further inspiration. Thanks, Elinor! (Check out her web site at: http://www.famouselinor.com/ and don't think that because her domain name is "Famous Elinor" that she has the big head; she doesn't! She's one of the most unassuming, down to earth people that I know! She adopted that domain name, tongue in cheek, because so many people, myself included, kept telling her, "Don't you realize that you're famous, Elinor?")

Helps get the creative juices flowing

Some photographers are of the opinnion that using special effects is for the photographer that doesn't know how to produce a powerful image without using some sort of gimick. Well, I'm not one of them. I say the ends justify the means. If the picture is asthetically pleasing, you did a good job. This books presents a lot of techniques that I have not thought of using. Many different takes on using techniques such as double exposures, using items you can find at pet stors, different ideas on reflective surfaces(more than shooting pictures using mylar.) Filters, vignetters, lighting effects like using ultraviolet lights, cross-polarization and a ton more. There's also a section in the back telling you where to get items like ultraviolet lights and makeup that will glow for ultraviolet lights. All in all, a good book for those of you who like using special effects.

Awesome Book!!!

The author did a good job. Some of the people in my photography class tried some of the tecniques in her book. Two thumbs up!

Innovative and stimulating "how to" guide

After attending the author's stimulating presentation on special effects at our camera club, I eagerly purchased her book because I simply could not take enough notes nor remember all of her fascinating techniques and interesting suggestions. The book very clearly explains how to achieve many special effects with vivdly illustrated examples of each one. As an advanced amateur photographer looking for ways of pushing the envelope of creative expression, I found this book very timely for my personal goal. In using her one of her ideas for an intraclub competitive assignment, "Multi Image", my salon level color print took first place. By following another suggestion for multiple exposure, my color print won fist place in open competition. I commend the author for her enthusiastic presentation with superb slides as examples of each technique, which are reproduced in the book. The net effect was both instructional and inspirational.Bob Coffey, Editor, The Reflector, monthly newsletter for the Delaware Camera Club.

Marvelous book, very well done.

Excellent photos and explanations by an established expert. I highly recommend this book.