Say NO! to Auto E-book review and giveaway

***this giveaway is now closed***

When Kristen Duke asked me if I’d be interested in reviewing her e-book, Say NO! to Auto, I said YES! Like any blogger, photography kinda comes with the territory, and if there’s one thing I’ve figured out about ANYthing, is there’s always something more to learn!

I loved how her e-book could be printed out as 4×6 prints and put together for a quick field guide. (picture me out in a field diving into my book while Sadie runs wild…lol) She does a great job at introducing and explaining all the photography terms that can make your head spin. (aperture, shutter speed, f-stop, dial-orama, turny thing…ok I made up those last two) She has an awesome glossary of terms with handy definitions.
I’ve been shooting in manual for a little while now, and gotten comfortable with setting up a shot, so it was a great refresher for me. ( I learned some new things, of course!)

[my best friend and her cute family]

One thing I reallly liked about her book was her cheater’s guide to ISO settings (if you don’t know what I’m talking about you should probably get this book, hehe) It had a bunch of scenarios for lighting and which ISO to use! perfect!
There’s a great bit on aperture settings, and her fabulous photos in the book are great at demonstrating what she’s talking about. Only now I want a new lens. Sorry, Rory.
[cutie Charlotte]

All in all, a great beginner’s guide to digital SLR camera settings and techniques! You can purchase your copy here on her site for only $10. Good deal! Be sure to check out her blog for more amazing photos. She is soo flipping talented.
Also be sure to check out her list of workshops she’ll be teaching HERE. She’s going to a few states, so be sure to see if she’s coming near you!
So….you know what’s coming, right? How would you like a shot at winning your own copy? 
Leave a comment on this post to be entered! And for fun, tell me what your favorite thing to take pictures of is!
For additional entries:
1. “Like” Kristen Duke Photography on Facebook and leave a comment here telling me that.
2. Subscribe to her blogsite, Kristen Duke Photography, and leave a comment here telling me that.
Please leave your email address in your comment(s) so I can contact the winner! You can spell it out if you want to: aka: craftinessisnotoptional(at)gmail(dot)com
ALso, if you purchase the book and happen to WIN, Kristen will happily refund your money. 
WIN WIN! (WIN for Office fans)
This will be a quick giveaway, just open til tonight and I’ll pick a winner tomorrow morning! So get your entries in!
GOOD LUCK! See ya tomorrow for another giveaway! (hehe what can I say? It’s been awhile)

And make sure to hop over and see a guest post about projects for….ME! On Cook Clean Craft! 

Oh, and the winner of this giveaway is Annie! Congrats on your copy of Say NO! to Auto!

Comments

  1. Oooh this sounds great. I never use anything BUT Auto on my camera so this would be so helpful!

  2. I’m trying to learn more about my SLR… but for the most part I use auto… or get dh to set up the shot for me ;). Would love to win!

    tamara(at)schrojo(dot)ca

  3. I also subscribe to her blog!

  4. I would love to learn how to use my camera properly so please pick me.

  5. I’ve become a facebook fan.

  6. I would love to learn to use my camera properly, pick me pick me!

  7. I love the sound of the sound of the cheaters guide to ISO settings. Very helpful! I love taking pictures of my girls, but need help working out how to capture them in motion! thanks for the chance
    cateoh(at)adam(dot)com(dot)au

  8. What a great giveaway. I love taking pictures of my 4 children. The oldest is graduating this coming school year then will be off to college. This would be a perfect time to learn these new technics because I will be taking ALOT of pictures.
    sonja greene at very verdant dot com

  9. I want to learn as much about photography as possible. My favorite thing to photograph is sea turtles 🙂

    [email protected]

  10. I liked Kristen on Facebook 🙂

    blondeglambition(at)hotmail(dot))com

  11. I subscribed to her blogsite as well.

    blondeglambition(at)hotmail(dot)com

  12. I set up a subscription to Kristen’s blog. Wonderful photography…loved the delivery photos.
    sonja greene at very verdant dot com

  13. I liked Kristen’s Facebook page.
    sonja greene at very verdant dot com

  14. Right now with no kids my dog is my main model. We’re getting a Nikon D7000 this weekend and I have no clue how to shoot in manual…this would be a lifesaver 🙂

  15. I need all the photography help I can get. Seriously. I have no skills. This is a perfect giveaway. I may have to purchase the e-book regardless. Thank you!

  16. oh, I love this! 🙂 My favorite thing to photograph would be babies; they’re just way too cute for me!
    LindseyMarie2163 (at) gmail (dot) com

  17. I subscribed to Kristen’s blog.

    LindseyMarie2163 (at) gmail (dot) com

  18. I am just getting into taking pictures of my newborn and kids. I could really use help with any features.

  19. I liked Kristen on fb.

  20. I liked her on FB!. I want to say no to AUTO! For Mother’s Day I got my Christmas Gift,a new DSLR! I haven’t shot manual since college and that was quite some time ago! Hope to get the book!

  21. I’ve been wanting this e-book for a couple weeks now! I love taking pictures, but they never turn out how I want them to. My memory card is full of pictures of my little 2 year old, I just can’t resist!

    [email protected]

  22. I already have this – so if I win (wouldn’t that be the universe messing with me, because I never win anything…) pick another number. 🙂

    But I wanted to say that I *love* this! I bought it when I failed to win it at another giveaway & it was totally worth the money. I always shoot manual, but it’s been a *long* time since those photography classes I took in high school and college, and I’ve forgotten a lot. This little guide was the perfect refresher for me – and printing it out & keeping it in my camera bag is helping my husband, who is just getting up the courage to turn the little dial away from “P.” xp

  23. i need the know how to get out of auto on my camera! this would be great!

  24. Oooooh, I would LOVE this book! I just got a DSLR and want to learn more!

  25. I also follow Kristen’s blog!

  26. I’d love to win a copy! My favorite subject to shoot is my daughter…but it is a challenge when your model is a very active 2 year old!

    [email protected]

  27. That is just what I needed. Thanks for the giveaway!
    designsmck at gmail dot com

  28. My favorite thing about taking pictures are the rare moments when they are not looking at me or posing.Your babies cheeks are so cute!!! Thanks for the chance.

    Jessica
    stop by and say hi..
    http://www.jessabellstamps.blogspot.com
    [email protected]

  29. I would LOVE to win this! For Mother’s Day a few years ago, my husband purchased a DSLR, but I have no idea how to really use it! I end up shooting everything in auto! I need an easy-to-access guide when I am out shooting! And my favorite subject? My kids, for sure!

  30. i’d love to win this book to help me take better pics of my two wonderful kiddos!

    bhapke1 at yahoo dot com

  31. And I liked Kristen Duke Photography on FB!

    (sheryl at brentandsheryl dot com)

  32. I liked her on facebook, and am a blog follower! I love her work and would love the e-book!

    [email protected]

  33. Love taking pictures of my babies. Ok so they’re 8, 4, and 2, but still my babies!

    amomma23 at gmx dot com

  34. I subscribed to her photography blog.

    amomma23 at gmx dot com

  35. I “like” Kristen Duke on facebook.

    amomma23 at gmx dot com

  36. I love taking pics of my kids!

    kristarsimmons {at} gmail {dot} com

  37. I love taking pics of my kiddos and would love to learn to work my camera better:)

  38. cool! I need this! 🙂
    ashleypaitsel (at) yahoo (dot) com

    also….as a side note…..I LOVE seeing Char’s cheeks! I seriously just want to take a little chomp on them! She is to die for! 😉

  39. I’ve had my eye on this e-book, so I’d love to win it! I love taking pictures of my kids and of things I bake!

    krobertson9{at}hotmail{dot}com

  40. I’m still trying to learn more about my new dslr and would love to win!

    Jlharcus(at)yahoo(dot)com

  41. I love taking pictures of my 15 month old daughter wearing the new clothes I made her.
    taralynnschroeder(at)gmail(dot)com

  42. I “like” Kristen Duke Photography!
    taralynnschroeder(at)gmail(dot)com

  43. I subscribe to the Kristen Duke Photography blogsite.
    taralynnschroeder(at)gmail(dot)com

  44. Sound great! Thanks for the giveaway!

  45. I would love this book! I just took my first photog class and now I’m hooked. My favorite subject is my kiddos, of course. ( I think I have to say that….) 🙂

  46. Thanks for the chance to win this! My favorite subject to photograph are my kids, of course!

  47. I liked her on facebook! Thanks so much! I really need help in the photography area. Have a great camera, but the book doesn’t do much teaching!

  48. I would love to win Thanks!

  49. I liked her on facebook!

  50. I totally want this book! I’m SO BUMMED OUT that Kristen is coming to my town but I’ll be on vacation. NOOOOO!! I need this book to console myself.

    WAIT, SHE IS IN AUSTIN!!??!?! Oh my gosh my life is wonderful! =)

    jaimewilkins (at) g mail (dot) com

  51. I liked Kristen Duke Photography on FB!

  52. I subscribed to Kristen’s blog!

  53. Fun giveaway! My favorite thing to shoot is of course my kiddos 🙂
    maggiegripp (at) yahoo {dot} com

  54. Great giveaway! I got an SLR for Christmas, and I still struggle with it 🙂 I love taking pictures of my daughter, Avery. She’s only 4 months old, and absolutely adorable (clearly I’m not biased 🙂 )

    [email protected]

  55. i enjoy taking photos of my finished creations (sewing, knitting, etc) ~ please enter me in your giveaway, thanks !!!

  56. My favorite thing to take pictures of is any one of my grand kids!!

  57. Liked on FB

    [email protected]

  58. Subscribed!

    [email protected]

  59. I subscribed to her blog.

  60. I hope I’m not too late! I love to take pictures of my sweet puppy–she’s learned to pose for me, and it’s so much fun!

  61. I would like to win! 🙂
    erica.harless(at)yahoo(dot)com

  62. Oh, I could put that to use!!

  63. I’d like one!!
    My fave things to take pics of is, of coarse, my kids!! 😀

    nikkisheriff(at)gmail(dot)com

  64. I just bought an slr and would love some great advice!
    jill(dot)kansasmom(at)gmail(dot)com

  65. Oh I would love this! I’m working with a new camera and I have so much to learn. I want to take fabulous pictures like you do! I’m sure that this would be a great resource.

  66. I have had my SLR for about 4yrs….its ’bout time I learned how to use it 🙂 I love takin’ pics of my kiddos!

    stinkii1973(at)yahoo(dot)com

  67. I would love to learn more about manual picture taking. I love taking pictures of my family.

  68. I would love to learn more about photography! I have a nice camera, and know very little about how to use it!

    Besides my kiddos, I love to photograph Blythe dolls! :o)

    email is on my profile.

  69. I’ve totally been eyeing this book since I got my new camera for Mother’s Day! I’d love to win! Thanks for the chance!

  70. I love photographing my dogs but they move so darn fast! Plus it’s hard trying to get a good picture of a black lab without a flash!

  71. I liked her on FB

  72. I follow her blog!

  73. Great giveaway! I know I could really use the book.

    My favourite thing to take pictures of is my children, however, more specifically, I like to take pictures that capture everyday life, not necessarily special events or spiffed up moments. I love snotty noses and scruffy hair pictures even though they don’t really make the cut nowdays. 🙂

    I do really like well-focused pics with good lighting though!

  74. I liked her on FB!!

    beckyfdavis at comcast dot net

  75. I follow her blog already!

  76. I love to take pictures of food! I’m always looking to learn more about how to use my DSLR.

    rachael(at)domesstic(dot)com

  77. I love taking pictures of the outdoors.

  78. I love taking pictures of the kiddos! And you can always learn something new!! [email protected]

  79. I love taking photos of nature! It can be so beautiful!

    [email protected]

  80. I would love to win – i also need a new lens to help me not use auto on my camera. Maybe this could help me put $10 in my “new lens fund”. aalcorn at gmail dot com

  81. I love being behind the camera taking pictures of my 2 y/o. He’s so inspiring! [email protected]

  82. I ‘liked’ her FB page for an extra entry! [email protected]

  83. I subscribed to Kristen’s blog for one last entry! [email protected]

  84. I love taking pictures of people, my kids are my fav! This looks like a super book.

  85. I liked Kristen Duke photography on FB too.

  86. Very cool! Love that picture of Charlotte. We have the same walk and ride toy or whatever it’s called. 🙂 emmillee(At)gmail(dot)com

  87. I would love to win this giveaway! I’m just starting to learn, so I can take better photos of all the growing kids in my family.

  88. I have been dithering about jumping into buying one…. maybe looking at her book would motivate me a bit… 🙂

  89. i liked her pg on fb.

  90. my favorite photo subjects are my three little girls
    twrightgirl at hotmail.com

  91. Been wanting to learn how to take better pictures better! My favorite subjects are my favorite little people! belumi(at)me(dot)com

  92. Oh what a fantastic give away!!! My favorite subjects are my kids of course!!!

    mummytothree at hotmail dot com

  93. i am afraid i am guilty of sticking to auto mode…this book would be a great help because i want so much to actually take decent shots of the newest member of our family when he/she arrives later this summer! the newborn photos i have of my girls are horrid in quality!!

  94. I liked her on facebook

  95. I need to get off AUTO! I would love to win this! I love to take pictures of my kiddos – esp my daughter. Mostly b/c she has only been part of our family for the past year and I feel I missed so much the first 2 yrs of her life. I need to make up for lost time! 🙂

  96. I subscribed

  97. Oh my! what amazing photos on her site! I definitely need this book 🙂

  98. Hmmm… I totally need this! I love to take picture of my (now 3!!!) kids!
    nljames (at) mail (dot) com

  99. Love Kristen’s work..been to her blog before. would love to win this handy dandy cheaters guide to carry with me.
    I love to take pictures of people, architecture and flowers.

    Here is my email:
    [email protected]

  100. I love taking pictures of my kids! A quick guide would be super helpful, too.
    jaymemccrary (at) hotmail. (dot) com

  101. Sounds like a great book – I’m too afraid to move beyond auto setting, but I would like to branch out sometime! My fave thing to capture with my camera, my little cupcake of course 🙂 jennifer(dot)hill82(at)gmail(dot)com

  102. I love taking pictures of the people I love at the beach! It’s such a fun place for pictures and the sunsets are always perfect.

  103. my kiddos!!! I love that I’ll have so many pictures of just the little things to look back on when they are older. Thanks! 🙂

  104. I got my dslr camera over a year ago and I would LOVE to learn how to utilize the auto function! What a cool way to learn more about that.

  105. This is something I so badly want to learn! I hope I win! I, of course, love taking pictures of my little boy!

  106. Would love to win a copy!!

  107. I want this book because i NEED it so bad! Love snapping pics of our family.

  108. I like her on FB

  109. My current favorite subjects are my dogs, BUT (hopefully) soon my favorite subjects will be the kids we are adopting (that’s right, I said kids, we have requested a sibling pair)!

  110. I love to shoot candids of people and animals at gatherings. It is getting harder to do with everybody having a camera and posing. I’d love her book — there are so many things I do not use or do with my camera. Yeah!
    [email protected]

  111. I pretty love to take pictures of my boys (2 1/2 and 2 months)…will this book solve the problem of the face my kid makes when he claims to be smiling?
    [email protected]

  112. I need this book! I love taking pictures of my cute son and my crafty projects!

  113. I love to take pics of my son… And could really use this book to help me with that!

  114. I’m a FB fan of KDP.

  115. I’m a subscriber of Kristen’s blogsite.

  116. I just got a DSLR for Mother’s Day and need this to help me. I’m studying But could really use this to help me get even better pics of my girls.

  117. Sounds wonderful! I love taking pictures of nature & animals 🙂
    -Jamie ([email protected])

  118. I’d loooove a bit of help leaving behind Auto!
    genjackman at yahoo (dot) com

  119. I LOVE to take pictures of my dogs and landscapes, I live in the desert and we have some beautiful mountains that photograph oh so well….

    jbug8389(at)aol(dot)com

  120. I really need help getting away from auto. I try, but feel like I’m just guessing!

    My favourite photos are candid shots of my hubby playing with our kids. So happy!

  121. I’m a somewhat new photographer trying to learn manual! It can definitely be overwhelming! My favorite thing to photograph is nature but I’m trying to branch out a little.

  122. Of course my favorite things to photograph are my two little boys! amy @ [email protected]

  123. My favourite thing to photograph is my daughter. Big surprise, right? I had you hanging there for a minute, didn’t I?

    thalia{at}rynet{d0t}c0m

  124. My favorite thing to photograph is my chubby little guy! I would love to be able to take better pictures of him! dianejjarvis(at)gmail(dot)com

  125. Oh I would love to win this! My favorite thing to take pictures of is my little sweetie Tabitha.

  126. I liked Kristen Duke on facebook!

    dianejjarvis(at)gmail(dot)com

  127. I subscribed to Kristen’s blog! dianejjarvis(at)gmail(dot)com

  128. Am I too late? It is still Thursday on the West Coast here… :o)
    My favourite subjects to photograph would be my five crazy, rambunctious, but delightful children!
    d_vanderstoep(at)hotmail(dot)com

  129. I also liked your friend’s FB page! :o)
    d_vanderstoep(at)hotmail(dot)com

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