Introduction

Buying a new camera is always exciting. Of course, you get the thrill of holding a new piece of photographic equipment and appreciating its styling and functionality. But the real excitement comes from the promise that it offers to your photography. It’s how this new tool will help you to fulfill your vision that makes such an investment truly worthwhile.

This book on the Canon EOS 5D Mark III aims to tell you much more than just how to set a particular control on your camera. Instead, I share the when, why, and how to help you make the most of this exciting DSLR. I think there is no better way to do that than by sharing with you how I use the camera and how it makes a difference in my own photography.

This book is not a comprehensive and exhaustive guide to every feature that the 5D Mark III offers—you have the user’s manual for that. Instead, I focus my attention on those controls and features that I believe make the biggest difference in my photography and, hopefully, in yours. Regardless of whether you shoot portraits, travel, landscapes, sports, or still life, the words and images that I share in this book will help you gain confidence in how to make great photographs.

Whether this is your first DSLR or you’re upgrading from a previous model, this book will provide you a valuable context for the many features found on the 5D Mark III. But before I delve into the meat of things, I want to answer some common questions that I believe will help you to make the most of what this book has to offer.

What Does This Book Cover That I Won’t Find in the User’s Manual?

The user’s manual provides concise information on how to enable or change a particular control or function, but it’s often lacking a sense of when and why you would want to use a specific feature. Though the manual may give some general examples of when you might want to use evaluative metering versus center-weighted metering or Auto White Balance versus a custom white balance, it isn’t really rooted in the kinds of images that people like you and me make every time we bring the camera to our eyes. This is what you’ll find in this book.

Because I’m writing much of what I share based on my own personal experience with the 5D Mark III, you’ll find a point of view that you’d never find in a user’s manual. It’s the kind of information that I’d provide you if we were out together shooting together.

As such, it’s important to remember that although this is the way I use the camera, it isn’t necessarily the way you should use it. Every photographer is different. However, I think you’ll find that my discussion of the camera and its features and how it impacts my photography will make the camera more accessible to you. This will eventually evolve into a level of confidence that will allow you to handle and use the camera in a way that’s unique to you and the way you make images.

Does This Book Cover Every Feature of the Camera?

No, but what it does emphasize are those features and controls that will have the biggest impact on the quality of your photographs. Not only do I go into detail on what I consider the key features of the camera that will impact almost every photograph you make, but I also delve into controls that you’ll periodically use to handle difficult and challenging shooting conditions.

As you shoot, you’ll use certain features over and over again, regardless of the subject matter of your photos. These features are the ones that I help you to understand and eventually master. As you gain this understanding, the importance (or lack of importance) of other features will become clearer to you.

So, instead of someone else telling you what’s best, you’ll be making informed decisions on these controls based on your own images and what you need as a photographer.

Should I Read the Book Straight Through or Can I Jump Around and Use It as a Reference?

You can use it in both ways, but I encourage you to at least read the first few chapters, even if you believe it’s information that you’re already familiar with. As I said earlier, I’m sharing my own perspective on the camera and its key features, so these chapters are written from a point of view that may provide you fresh insight to a familiar feature or control.

I suggest that you approach the information in this book at a modest pace. I know you’re eager to get out and shoot and produce some amazing photographs, but don’t pressure yourself to master this camera overnight. If you buy a Steinway piano today, you won’t be ready to perform at Carnegie Hall tomorrow. As with anything, mastering your 5D Mark III will take practice—but the good news is, practice can be fun!

How Important Are the Assignments at the End of Each Chapter?

The assignments can make a big difference. Regardless of how clear the chapters are, you won’t really understand what you’re reading until you put it into practice. It’s only when you put down the book, grab your camera, and start making photographs that you’ll take the information and tips found here and make it something of your own.

All the manuals and videos in the world, though informative and entertaining, won’t make you or me a better photographer. If that were the case, we’d all be world-famous by now.

Instead, it’s the act of going out and making images that makes us better photographers. And it’s practicing with specific goals and assignments in mind that provides us the opportunity to learn those small but important lessons that help us not only master a new camera, but also make better photographs.

In other words, we stop taking photographs and we start making them.

How Can I Make the Most of This Book and My Camera?

Slow down. Impatience has likely produced more bad photography than any cheap camera or poorly written instruction manual.

We’re all eager to make better photographs, especially when we hold brand-new cameras in our hands, but there’s something to be said for practicing patience. Patience is valuable not only as you’re trying to understand a new tool, such as the 5D Mark III, but especially when it comes time to making photographs.

When I’m patient and thoughtful about what I’m doing with my camera, I’m much more consistent with the images I produce. When I’m impatient and rushing, the only thing I do consistently is make lackluster photographs or, worse yet, ruin great photographs with poor technique.

The joy of photography comes from making photographs that complete my vision of the person, the scene, and the moment. And I can repeatedly do that by knowing my instrument, practicing, and remembering to have fun.

I hope that this book helps you to discover that joy for yourself.

Share your results with this book’s Flickr group!

Join the group here: www.flickr.com/groups/Canon5DMarkIIIFromSnapshotstoGreatShots