Book ~ "Simple Scene Sensational Shot" (2012) Simon Bond

From Goodreads ~ How many of us have put the camera away after a holiday to a far off exotic location? 

This book will show you how to make the most of your local area to make outstanding photos. A wealth of techniques and creative approaches will open your eyes to the beauty that surrounds you everywhere, and make you see the world with new eyes. Not only is the book packed with technical tips but there s a chapter which can act as your guide as you explore anywhere with a camera.  This book will also take you through different approaches to making a series of photos, for your own enjoyment or display, so you can create masterpieces that tell a story from their place on the wall, not just your memory card. 

Having read this book you ll never put the camera down in your neighborhood, and when you do travel to that exotic destination you can expect even more stunning results from your photography than ever before. Features creative ideas for approaching any environment, allowing photographers of any level to see with a new perspective.Accessible to a large audience interested in creative photography as well as "craftsy," project based photography. Includes a section on how to produce a photostory about a particular subject, extending the creativity beyond the camera.

I have three cameras ... a Canon point-and-shoot that is usually in my purse, a Nikon D5100 DSLR along with some lenses, and a Nikon CoolPix (that's in between the two) that I use often.  Needless to say, I take a lot of pictures.  Gord and I took some classes last year to learn how to (1) use our cameras in other than auto mode and (2) take photographs, not just pictures.

I'm still an amateur and like reading photography books to see what professionals take pictures of and how they do it.

This book is divided into the following chapters:

1. Basic equipment
2. Making the ordinary extraordinary - case studies using city lights, neighbourhoods, roadsides, etc.
3. Techniques that transform - zoom bursts, silhouettes, lines, patterns, etc.
4. Exploring your camera - location scouting, return visits, models, etc.
5. Post-processing
6. Organization and display

I found the instruction a bit too high level ... I knew what he was talking about and how to do it most of the time but if you are a beginner, you'd need more of step-by-step.  This book had lots of cool pictures but it would have been nice if all the pictures (not just a few) had the shutter speed and F-stops, etc. noted.