Our book review of Close-up and Macro: A Photographer's Guide in Paperback by Robert Thompson and published by David & Charles
Title: Close-up and Macro: A Photographer’s Guide
Author: Robert Thompson
ISBN: 0715319051
Publisher: David & Charles PLC
Edition: Paperback
RRP: £12.99
Dimensions: 160 pages, 25.9 x 23.9 x 1.5 cm
Robert Thompson is an accomplished wildlife photographer and entomologist, and regularly lectures on photography and other natural history subjects. In Close-up & Macro, Thompson aims to teach the reader all about fieldcraft, methodology, and the photographic techniques that he has used over the years and found to be successful. And he doesnt just deal with digital, theres a fair chunk dedicated to film, too.
In essence, the book is split into two, with Thompson talking about the photographic hardware and specialised equipment needed to achieve consistent results, and in the second part, discussing the methods and application of equipment for photographing and finding popular subjects in the wild, with professional tips intermittently popping up throughout, and issues such as composition, lighting and tricky exposures being dealt with. But it isnt all about merely getting the shot you want. Thompson emphasises the importance of conservation, and how accomplished nature photographers are also good field researchers. In short, not only is Thompson trying to encourage the reader to explore and discover this wonderful world around us, he is also wanting us to appreciate its fragility and the importance of looking after it as best we can.
What Digital Camera Rating: 91%