Book Review of Lonely Planet's Guide to Travel Photography

Book Review of Lonely Planet's Guide to Travel Photography
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Overview (4 out of 5)

Lonely Planet is one of the largest travel publishers in the world, issuing guidebooks and narratives on every place from Savannah, Georgia to Bali. However, the market for travel photography books is rather slim. Teamed with writer/photographer Richard I’Anson, Lonely Planet offers a credible source of both technical data and business considerations in its release “Lonely Planet’s Guide to Travel Photography.”

Portability Factor (2 out of 5)

Unfortunately, one of the few caveats of the book is it just is not really portable. It is wider and taller than most photography and travel books, and with more than 350 color pages it is rather heavy to carry around even if you have a bag to tuck it into. Also, the Amazon listing notes that this book weighs 2.1 pounds. Thus, “Lonely Planet’s Guide to Travel Photography” is best studied in advance of your trek to the Galapagos.

Armchair Travel Factor (5 out of 5)

Sometimes digital photographers might need to enjoy more armchair travel than actual treks to the Amazon, especially if a wedding photography business or children are considerations. Fortunately, you can see plenty of glamorous places in the pages of I’Anson’s book; you can also apply the techniques to make “travel photography” right in your own backyard if necessary for your lifestyle and business profile.

Quality of the Tips, Tricks, and Techniques (5 out of 5)

If you’re looking for some photography tips, tricks, and techniques, then “Lonely Planet’s Guide to Travel Photography” will likely teach you something new. An important tip to keep in mind is that even digital photographers need to shoot at a high enough resolution to duplicate to slides if necessary; some travel publications, especially magazines, welcome digital images but still need slides to do your images its true justice. If you’re considering buying a new camera or accessories for travel photography, then definitely check out I’Anson’s book; this helps ensure your purchase(s) can meet requirements of the travel markets in which you hope to publish.

Subjects Covered (5 out of 5)

Whether you want to photograph a bird or person close-up or shoot a memorable image of the Eiffel Tower, “Lonely Planet’s Guide to Travel Photography” likely covered that subject. The images and instructions accompanying “The Coast,” “Rainbows,” and “Rivers and Waterfalls” are especially memorable.

Those interested in a (little) history of travel photography and its accompanying writing can also enjoy some useful background information. For those who don’t read introductions, forewords, or history sections, skipping such areas won’t detract from the usefulness of I’Anson’s book. “Lonely Planet’s Guide to Travel Photography” is an ideal book for the reader to jump around, which is important in this age of busy personal and professional schedules.

Referenced Product Information

Complete Title: “Lonely Planet’s Guide to Travel Photography

Author: Richard I’Anson

Amazon.com List Price (as of May 2010): $14.95

General List Price (as of May 2010): $21.99

Release Date: August 1, 2009

ISBN-10: 1741046890

ISBN-13: 978-1741046892

Publisher: Lonely Planet

Edition: 3rd

Approximate Length: 352 pages