Hands down this is the best photography guide I’ve purchased! Rachel Devine and Peta Mazey really hit a home run with Beyond Snapshots.
The book doesn’t skip a beat and covers everything that I needed to know to kick “Auto” to the curb and start taking control of my DSLR shooting life the way I see it.
Part 1: Getting Off Auto covered everything I needed to learn in order to feel ready, confident, and have a good understanding of what my DSLR can do. (or rather how I can get my DSLR to do what I want) Everything is explained in very simple and easy terms. I have never taken a photography class and have no formal training. This is the first photography book I have been able to understand and enjoy. The book also has great diagrams and photo examples from both Rachel and Peta to further reinforce and provide examples of what is being taught.
Part 2: Life Is a Photo Op is a breath of fresh air! Now that I had a better understanding of my DSLR I was ready to be inspired. The second part of the book is all about shooting and being inspired. From shooting everyday family life, to milestones and firsts it really covers it all.
My favorite chapter and one I re-read often is chapter seven: Documenting Family Life. That’s exactly what I wanted to achieve. Capture my everyday life the way I see it, my friends, loved ones, pets, travel etc. I didn’t buy this book with the intention to become a professional photographer and start a business. I bought it in hopes of one day being able to shoot in manual and capture the beauty of my daily life in hopes of having a few good shots that I can put on canvas.

I have read Beyond Snapshots a handful of times and every time I read it I learn something new.

I recommend Beyond Snapshots to anyone looking to capture daily life like a PRO!

*This review is based on my opinion and was written in hopes that someone may read it and realize that Beyond Snapshots is exactly what they’ve been looking for.