The book is a must read and the author has an exceptional style in delivering the information in a very easy yet rich way.
If you already have an SLR camera and want to truely master photography, regardless of what camera you have then you will get a lot of help from this book.
The author has provided several effective exercises that help develope a "photographic eye" and makes you become comfortable using the different kinds of lenses. Plus the settings and lenses used under or next to each picture on the page.
Structured in a very systematic way, each subject in the book is more interesting than the one before it.
You may be able to operate your camera really well but lack the creative ideas or can't see the perfect picture when you look into a scene. This book will help you overcome that limitation and allow you to break your own barrier, taking you and your photographic work into a higher level.

I first read Peterson's Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition), and while it's filled with useful information, techniques, and photos, this one gets me much more excited and inspired to get out and shoot. Peterson's enthusiasm for photography and teaching is obvious, and contagious. Once I got a basic handle of the technicals off photography, I find myself asking, "Okay, what do I shoot now?" Peterson's book demonstrates that you can find compelling images all over the place.

Bryan Peterson's book,Learning to See Creatively, is an extraordinary treasure trove of photographic techniques and tips. The book helps the photographer to step out of the regular view and discover a whole new angle on life, be it from below or above. The photos inside the book are awe-inspiring, and show Peterson for the photographic genius he is. There is so much to learn from this book, everyone should keep it as reference book. And Peterson does a great job of teaching without getting boring, keeping a sense of humor the whole time. I would recommend not only this book, but all of Peterson's books, to any photographer who wants to improve his photos, no matter what skill level.

Learning to See Creatively: Design, Color & Composition in Photography (Updated Edition)

A wonderful translation of the thoughts of a Master Photographer and Artist in to simple words. This book can be an ideal tool for a Novice to a Pro alike. With simple words and ample examples Bryan has opened many avenues for one to use the Grey Matter in the Brain and come out with wonderful images from every scene and sight which lies in front. I also purchased 'Understanding Exposure' which is another masterpiece by itself. Both these books were wonderful and I have just ordered ' Understanding Shutterspeed and also Beyond Portraiture by the same author and just cant wait to get them and read them. I have become an ardent student of Bryan through these books, and Thanks to Amazon for getting them in my reach, as the place I live in, I dont have any book shops selling them. Thanks, Kris

The autor shows his way to be "creative" in the photo stock agencyes world.
It's not so simple to understand and use all his tips, but it is a great beginning point.

I found this book and the other book ( Understanding Exposure ) on PDF file and I read these books, then I purchased the two books for my library because these books are very easy to understand and also great reference in photography.

I LOVE this book. I have a great camera but have been using it like a point and shoot. I love photography and have wanted to take a class, but haven't had the time. For me, this book has been like having a teacher on my own time. There are assignments to practice the tools given. Already my photography is getting better and people are commenting that they like my photos.

I bought this book along with Understanding Exposure and they make a nice pair. One for the technical basics and the other for the more creative side.

My order for this book arrived today, and I picked it up, and started reading it over lunch. After I got my daughter to bed tonight, I finished reading the entire book. This does not happen often. This is just a great book. I would say about 1/2 the book is really about learning to see creatively, about 1/4 is about photography, to make more sense of the creativity part, and about 1/4 is other stuff, that binds the book together, to be one great read. It features a lot of wonderful photographs that SHOW you what he is talking about. I really liked the author's "challenges" in the book. From looking at things from a different perspective, to taking pictures, of the same subject, from the same angle, at different times of the day. Great ideas.

It feels a LITTLE (VERY LITTLE) outdated. With the break-neck pace of digital photography, I am not sure that you could ever truely have an up to date book. The book is written by a person that shoots a lot of film, but I would say EASILY 99% of the book is generic for anyone that shoots film OR digital. I really like how he talks about how he uses photography as his business, and discusses how much he has made on some pictures. It was a real eye opener.

What I really liked about this book, is that it was easy to read. The concepts were broken down well, and it had that elusive entertaining quality.

I have dabbled in photography throughout the years, and consider myself an amature.

I have several books on photography, but this is the one I read through time and time again. Peterson shows a regular snapshot, and how, with a little effort, you can creat an eyecatching image instead. This book is loaded with excellent, inspiring images, and I give it my best recommendations.

This is an excellent book to get you started on more creative photography, the exercises are excellent. The book is well written.

Learning to See Creatively: Design, Color & Composition in Photography (Updated Edition) is a book telling what I expected. Techniques of good photographs are always presented with pictures. Readers can easily understand what writer wants to convey.

Learning about photography, this is a great first time /review of things you for got and thing you just didn't know how book.very helpful.

I thought that this book covered a lot of the elements of seeing. It spoke little of the development of a photographic vision, but that sort of thing is pretty much up to the individual photographer, IMHO, and takes up a lot of time and thought, combined with reviewing, critiquing, workshopping, and so forth. The book covers all of the necessary elements that you need to look for in developing a composition, some of the dos and don'ts of framing, elements to look for, such as line, form, color, shape, texture, etc. In short, it is a very good read by an obviously very good photographer. Peterson doesn't point you to your own photographic vision, but he leads you to a place where it can be discovered over time. Follow the points in the book, and you will get the rest from shooting, shooting, and shooting.

The book contains attractive photographs, but is lacking in content, perhaps aimed at those just getting started in photography.

Great Book! This book covers a completely different subject matter that you don't find in most photograghy books. The pictures are incredible and the author goes as far as to provide you with the settings used to make the shoot. This really helps if you are a hands-on learner. One thing to remember when looking at the book is that Bryan Peterson is truly a professional and Photoshop was most likely used to help with some of the special effects. Don't get frustrated if your pictures don't look as good. You may need to perfect your Photoshop skills. Fanatasic book to add to your library.

Learning to See Creatively: Design, Color & Composition in Photography (Updated Edition) This book helped to make the basic ideas for photographic creativity easy to understand and are well ilustrated with simple examples. I recomend the purchase of this book.

i'm an amateur that want to improve his compositional skill and i found this book a bit superficial. beautiful photos and a brief narration of the background that to shot involves; nice hints to shot similar photos but no more. i found understanding exposure of the same author a far lot better to maintain title promises.

I purchased this book earlier this summer and couldn't be more pleased with the information it contains. I needed some inspiration to "see" things differently to make my photographs more dramatic. Bryan's writing and assignments in this book really changed the way I look at the composition of a scene and the way I see colors and how they compliment each other. My photos have improved A LOT since applying some of the principles written about in this book.

I found the information in the book worth money I paid. I love photography but something was missing in getting appealing result with my photos. This book fills some holes in my amateur knowledge and also opened my mind to different thinking and approach. Good examples of right and wrong, nice recommendations. Specialy I live author's good sense to explain observation techniques with everyday and real life situations.
I'm still not done, searching for another book.

good experience, did not speed in sending and prefered no shippimg. I deal with Amazon and they always take care of me

This book delivers on its promise to teach you how to see the world in ways that will lead to better photos. The examples (photographs and commentary) are inspiring and the author provides enough details about technique so you know how he took the picture but you're not overwhelmed. It is an enjoyable read and I like to go back and look at the examples again and again. I only wish the book were longer, I was sorry when I finished it.

I've been shooting for a few years now and felt I needed something to take me to the next step. While this isn't a 100% solution to that problem it definitely is a huge step in the right direction. This book has opened my thinking to different ways of composing, and in general really helped me to see the bigger picture while shooting. All of the 100+ photos in the book give the details of the exposure which is a huge help in and of itself.

Highly recommended for the avid hobbyist to semi pro and even down to the mom or regular guy/girl who just want to take better pictures.

A very nice follow on to his book "Understanding Exposure." Beautiful photos that include how he shot them, and the thought process behind each shot. Well written and easily understood.

Gives you the basic tools. Has some good exercises for seeing creatively.

Great ideas and an easy way to take your game to new level. A book you can come back to and back to over again. Something to keep close by for review. Peterson is a wonderful writer taking complex ideas and breaking in down to easy bites.

This my second book from Bryan Peterson and I am very happy I bought it. His writing is concise and instructional with a lot of practical advice for learning to see creatively, design, color, and composition. It is obvious that the writer is an old pro and a fountain of knowledge for mid to advanced photographers.

In one sense, this book is doomed to fail at its goal before you read a single page. It simply isn't possible to give someone information that allows them to always see the best composition for a photo no matter where they are or what the subject is. There are so many unique situations in photography and so many variables that come into play that it is impossible to cover them all with rules or guidelines that would turn a poor photographer into a great one.

At the same time, it is possible to discuss the basic components of photographic design in a way that stimulates the reader to ponder new possibilities when shooting. This is what Bryan Peterson does in this book and he does it well. He covers line, shape, form, texture, pattern, and color individually and shows photos that highlight the use of each one. He then moves on to a more general discussion about composition as well as the various sources and qualities of light. Throughout all of these chapters, the photos that illustrate his points are uniformly excellent.

Overall, Mr. Peterson has done a good job covering a very difficult topic. For a beginning photographer, it would be especially useful as a tool to help see scenes in a new way.

In one sense, this book is doomed to fail at its goal before you read a single page. It simply isn't possible to give someone information that allows them to always see the best composition for a photo no matter where they are or what the subject is. There are so many unique situations in photography and so many variables that come into play that it is impossible to cover them all with rules or guidelines that would turn a poor photographer into a great one.

At the same time, it is possible to discuss the basic components of photographic design in a way that stimulates the reader to ponder new possibilities when shooting. This is what Bryan Peterson does in this book and he does it well. He covers line, shape, form, texture, pattern, and color individually and shows photos that highlight the use of each one. He then moves on to a more general discussion about composition as well as the various sources and qualities of light. Throughout all of these chapters, the photos that illustrate his points are uniformly excellent.

Overall, Mr. Peterson has done a good job covering a very difficult topic. For a beginning photographer, it would be especially useful as a tool to help see scenes in a new way.

I don't believe that any book could possibly make you a

Exactly what you expect from him, but of course nothing compares with his "Understanding Exposure" book. This guy gives you ALL the technical information.

I've enjoyed all 4 of his books that I've read. This is geared toward amateurs and has some great ideas on how and why to take photographs that I learned alot from. Written in the author's usual easy to understand style interspersed with humor. Well worth it.

Bryan does an amazing job of not just showing you great pictures, but also how he achieved them (Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO) Bryan's photos are fantastic and he has a great writing style. A must for all photographers that are looking to take the pictures to the next level.

Thank you, Bryan, for yet another gem of a book--Learning to see Creatively is so helpful, and it's not simply about photographic composition. Bryan teaches about the relationship of color to the feeling of a scene, how form and shape can be looked at in other ways to come up with more creative photos, etc, etc. The book is packed with helpful tips, ideas, exercises and of course, Bryan's lovely photos as examples.

This book is a most effective tool in learning to see for two reasons. The photos used for each principle contrast a less well created example with an excellent example of the principle being presented. To that is added short and to the point text to assist the observer in grasping the concept. I would highly recommend the book to artists in general as well as photographers.

If you're new to photography or maybe just wanting to broaden your horizons this is a great starting point. The book is well written and easily understood. It made me look at things differently. I highly recommend this book.

Having bought myself an slr camera the challenge was now to skill myself in its use. Learning to see creatively was an excellent choice in that concepts are discussed in relatively easy to manage packages and language and style that is both ejoyable and light. Peterson obviously values pictures that are able to stir emotion, and if this is what you are trying to create in your pictures, the book will help to take you a step further on this path. On the down side, the book does leave one looking for more depth of discussion at times. Definitely a useful book for the novice photographer.

This is the second book I have purchased that is written by Bryan Peterson.
He has a way of explaining why he took the pictures and used the lenses he used, so you will understand from his point of view! Will buy other books he has written.

Creativity cannot be taught! Maybe, maybe not, but that is a different discussion. What Bryan does in this book is to show the different ways in which artists have been defining creativity and suggests some tips and exercises to recognize these while looking through the viewfinder. This book holds your hand and leads you to a garden, and then leaves you to explore and find out your own definitions for creativity. I would say that this book is a must-have for anyone interested in photography, as a hobby or to be pursued professionally, as a book that could be referred to any time. Just two more words from me "BUT IT"!!!!

This book was almost a complete waste of money. I did learn few composition techniques, but these techniques were in another book that I purchased at the same time as this one.

Sure you can learn calculus from a text book, or how to program in C++, but creativity is one thing that I realized cannot be learned...

I would recommend the book since it costs next to nothing, if just to admire the photos inside. I don't expect myself (nor you) to have an overnight transformation into a super-amazing-do-it-all-pro-photographer-with-award-winning-shots, but at least you'll see how it's supposed to be done and maybe in a couple of years your creativity can be developed -- THROUGH PRACTICE.

Practice is the one and only way you'll find this book useful!

This is a must-have for amateur photographers. I only wish this was in a smaller format so it could be carried around in my camera bag.
The author is bery good in explaining the scene, the picture and why the picture is appealing to him. He shows how minor changes like lowering the camera or zooming in further while taking a picture can make the difference between a boring picture an one that 'pops'. Check out the images on the back cover for some examples. (mouse over the image of the book at the top of the page and the 'Back Cover' is in the last line of the pop-up)

Certainly one book on photographic creativity will not turn you into an artistic genius, but Bryan Peterson's book will certainly get your artistic juices flowing and give you some impetus towards beginning to be more creative. The photographs presented as examples in the book are lush and invite you to pursue being more creative.

Author is extremely creative photographer, and book is well written. Great for the amateur photographer who wants more from their photos.

Bryan has such a great way of relating to the reader and showing you that it is possible to learn to be creative. His images are inspirational and his explanations are easily understood. He also offers some great exercises to enhance your creativity. I find myself frequently referring back to his books.

As in all of his books there were a lot of tips and useful information in this Scott Kelby book. I'm glad to add this book to my library of photography books.

As a beginner to photography, this book was easy to understand and inspirational...how to find the beautiful, unusual, exciting, etc. that's all around us all the time.

I'm a big fan of Bryan Peterson's books and I found this one very helpful. His tips on how to see things differently and how to take shots from different angles and vantage points were great. I think the best part about his books is that he shows examples of the same scene captured in different ways and it's alway clear to the reader which is the most compelling and interesting. Plus, he always tells you exactly how he took the shot, what his camera settings were and other useful information that you can use right away. I highly recommend this and Bryan's other books.

Of all the books on photography that I own, this one is my favorite. Like me, the author is from the midwest so almost all of his photographs are of things out here in the midwest (which, of course, I'm able to identify with more). As such, this book allows me to be able to see the sometimes featureless midwest landscape in a whole new way. Even if you don't live in the midwest, there's still lots of valuable techniques in here.

Of all the books on photography that I own, this one is my favorite. Like me, the author is from the midwest so almost all of his photographs are of things out here in the midwest (which, of course, I'm able to identify with more). As such, this book allows me to be able to see the sometimes featureless midwest landscape in a whole new way. Even if you don't live in the midwest, there's still lots of valuable techniques in here, you'll just have to apply them to where you live.

Of all the books on photography that I own, this one is my favorite. Like me, the author is from the midwest so almost all of his photographs are of things out here in the midwest which I'm able to identify with more. As such, I'm able to see the sometimes featureless midwest landscape in a whole new way. Even if you don't live in the midwest, there's still lots of valuable techniques in here, you'll just have to apply them to where you live.