Today, a note or two about books. In particular, how useful are they for learning?
The right books are very useful, especially when combined with three essential elements:
- Time
- Practice
- Personal instruction
You need time to grasp and absorb concepts. The “aha-erlebnis” moment does not come immediately. So read, and re-read, and come back to the same spot again, and things will click into place. Especially when you practice, which in digital photography is easy and affordable. And finally, when you combine with personal instruction, which is essential in complex fields. That’s why at university we do all three: read, repeat, practice, and attend lectures, tutorials, and labs. Just one won’t do it.
Hence my combining all of these, too. My two books:
http://www.michaelwillems.ca/Buy_Book.html
If you have not yet obtained them, I suggest that if the subjects interest you, you purchase and download the books now. But then combine with lots of practice, and if possible, with interaction. See http://cameratraining.ca/Schedule.html – all these are now open (the links will be provided shortly, or you can call or email me).
My books have ISBN numbers. For me as a Canadian, obtaining one is easier than for most. In most countries, getting an ISBN is complicated and needs you to pay. In Canada, it is done online, and is free. And an ISBN is important in books, I think.
But selling books? That’s complicated. The large sellers (Amazon, Apple, Google) need you to jump though hoops. Apple needs you to get an IRS ID and hence, presumably file US taxes for the rest of your life. Amazon imposes a format that is not suitable for most readers. And so on. Plus, all these take a large part of the revenue.
So I have decided to sell my own. It means my market is smaller (people who know of me). But it also means your price is lower (competing authors sell for two, three times more) and I can provide more service. For example, my books are DRM-free – meaning:
- They have no Digital Rights Management to restrict what you can do. You can copy to any device, no registration needed. I happen to trust my readers.
- If after reading, anything is not clear, email me and I shall respond! How many authors can promise this?
Question for you. What subjects would you like me to cover next in book form? Camera basics? Macro? Travel? Portraits? Any number of subjects occur – I am interested in hearing your viewpoint!
In the mean time, I recommend you go buy a photography book now (mine, or anyone’s). And read, re-read, absorb, practice, integrate!
Now off to upgrade Lightroom to version 5, which was just released.