Focal Press announces new Focus On series of how-to photography books

Focal Press, Waltham, Mass., a publisher of media technology books, launched of Focus On, a how-to series that presents fundamental explanations of important photography techniques and software programs. The six-book series is intended to help serious beginner and hobbyist photographers cut through instructional industry jargon and hone their photography skills.

The Focus On series is written by professional photographers who tap into their respective areas of expertise to simplify the concepts of lighting, composition and photographing people, and address the fundamental uses of Apple Aperture, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Elements. Each book offers actionable advice, easy-to-digest information, step-by-step visuals, tip boxes, tutorials and assignments to help readers practice what they have learned.

The first three books in the series will be available for purchase in May; the last three will be available in July. The titles and respective authors have been noted below, in order of the books’ publication dates:

• Focus On Composing Photos – Award-winning Arizona photojournalist, freelance photographer, photo instructor and director of photography Peter Ensenberger shows readers how to use focal points and the rule of thirds, how to choose the right lens and crop your images, and how to get great highlights and shadows in photographs.
• Focus On Photoshop Elements – As the author of this book, Photoshop Elements beta tester and expert editor David Asch offers easy-to-follow advice and instructions on setting up, storing and sharing your image library with Photoshop Elements. Asch also addresses the essentials of RAW image processing and color correction, and how to edit and retouch your images for stunning results. Asch is also the co-author of Focal Press’ How to Cheat in Photoshop Elements 9.
• Focus On Photographing People – Aimed at beginners or amateurs toting a DSLR and looking for pointers on how to make their people and portrait photography really shine, this book offers the basics on composition, lighting, posing, street photography and post-production techniques in a fun and conversational manner. The book is authored by freelance writer, photographer, editor and www.photocritic.org blogger Haje Jan Kamps.
• Focus On Apple Aperture – In this book, professional photographer and educator Corey Hilz leads readers through a highly effective, professional workflow with Aperture, from importing photos from a camera and making image adjustments, to labeling each photo with metadata and keywords for effective organization and searching. He focuses on the vital information, such as correcting exposure, adjusting tone, using metadata, and managing a fast, expanding library. The author of this book, which will be available in July 15, is also the author of two Focal Press digital camera guides and Lensbaby: Bending Your Perspective.
• Focus On Adobe Photoshop – Photographer and author Corey Hilz guides readers through importing and organizing photos, demonstrates how to ease search with ratings and keywords, and details the basics of editing in both Camera RAW and Photoshop. He finishes this book with next steps: How to print that prized final image, upload it to social networking sites, and create a slideshow or Web gallery. This guide is compatible with any version of Photoshop.
• Focus On Lighting Photos – When do you need to use a flash? What’s the best lighting for a macro shot? How long should your exposure be in low lighting? In this guide, expert photographers Fil Hunter and Robin Hunter-Reid show how to take shots in certain settings, seasons and times, and they illustrate the use of back-lighting, water lighting, and mid-day light. Fil Hunter is also the author of Light Science and Magic, a bestseller that will be published in its fourth edition this fall.