Book Review: The Nikon School Handbook
by Chris Nicholson

When you were learning photography, you were probably exposed to the formulas for determining the size of the moon on the film plane, or for calculating hyperfocal distance. And if you're like most photographers, you probably didn't memorize those formulas. That's why The Nikon School Handbook is a great resource to have in your bag or your vest pocket — and it's small enough to fit there (at 4 x 7 inches and 157 pages, it's small enough to inconspicuously fit almost anywhere).

The book isn't written in fancy prose, so don't expect to get a good bedtime read. But it is filled with just about all the information you need about the science of photography.

Some of the information is basic, such as the section on the Sunny 16 Rule or on how to determine aperture when you change your shutter speed. But most of the book's content deals with the more complex areas of image-making, including:

• determining exposures for moonlit scenes;
• reciprocity for Kodak and Fuji films;
• filter factors for many professional-grade filters;
• color temperatures for various light sources and how to compensate; and
• exposing for cumulative flashes of a strobe.

Other practical essays cover topics such as celestial photography, close-up work and issues that arise when working in extreme climates.

Another nice thing about the book is that it's not a Nikon ad. It doesn't push their products. It just tells you how to shoot in almost every kind of situation.

You don't have to go to the school to get The Nikon School Handbook. Visit the Nikon Mall website and buy a copy for $24.95.You'll be glad you did.

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