Basics Photography: Working in Black-and-white, David Präkel , AVA Publishing, distributed by Thames & Hudson, 170 pges, colour, softback, ISBN: 978-2-9940373-85-7
Prakel is no stranger to this column, I reviewed his Composition a few issues ago – one of the best I’ve seen in a long while. The black-and-white volume is equally entrancing, if not a little limited, in terms of its potential scope. We all need to understand composition, but not everyone likes to dabble in monochrome. If you do, this is a bit of a feast, with plenty for all skill levels. Prakel looks at both digital and film-based monochrome materials, faux black-and-white effects, variable contrast papers, digital noise, film grain, film and print scanning, tone compression and expansion, the Ansel Adams Zone system (Woo Hoo!), subject contrast, lighting contrast, high and low key illustration, and more. It’s a strong book with a wealth of good information, backed up with quality printing and imagery. Thoroughly recommended for all black-and-white aficionados. Better Digital (Australia) March 2009
