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Level 2

How to take photos for book lovers

I love it when I find a great book and can’t stop reading until I finish it—then it’s on to the next story! Whether you like to go to a beautiful library or a local bookstore to pick up a literary treasure, here are some photo tips that will help guide book lovers looking for a good read.

 

1. Use natural light

Using a flash can disrupt readers in a library and people quietly browsing, as well as creating harsh shadows. Make sure to turn off your flash in your camera settings.

 

Caption: A photo of a window and bookshelves in a library. (Getty Images)Caption: A photo of a window and bookshelves in a library. (Getty Images)

2. Look for what different types of readers would like to see

Are you a parent and have a young child that loves the children’s reading area in your library? Capture the bright colors and atmosphere in the scene. Because you don’t want to include kids’ faces in your photos, take a photo of the fun kid-friendly area before or after a storytime. For people that love a good quiet spot to read, taking a photo of a library’s reading room will help book lovers to see the different places available to sit.

 

Caption: A photo of the Children’s Center in the New York Public Library - Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. (Local Guide Vikas Tewari)Caption: A photo of the Children’s Center in the New York Public Library - Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. (Local Guide Vikas Tewari)
Caption: A photo of the reading room in the New York Public Library - Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. (Local Guide David Markovic)Caption: A photo of the reading room in the New York Public Library - Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. (Local Guide David Markovic)
3. Discover the variety of the books

Books come in all shapes and sizes and colors, and can be fun to photograph them in different ways. Capture the colorful stacks, explore the lines of the bookshelves, and turn on your camera grid to help make your vertical and horizontal lines straight.

 

Caption: A photo of a large bookshelf filled with books. (Getty Images)Caption: A photo of a large bookshelf filled with books. (Getty Images)

 

Caption: A photo of books with colorful covers on shelves in a library. (Getty Images)Caption: A photo of books with colorful covers on shelves in a library. (Getty Images)
4. Explore the building’s architecture

Many libraries and bookstores have interesting architectural elements. With your camera, find the unique shapes created by the architecture in the building. If there’s a large staircase, try getting a view of the library from the top! Shoot from below and see what you can capture in the scene.

 

Caption: A photo of staircases and bookshelves in Public Library Stuttgart, Germany. (Local Guide Simone Kuzma)Caption: A photo of staircases and bookshelves in Public Library Stuttgart, Germany. (Local Guide Simone Kuzma)

Caption: A photo of the interior of a bookstore in Sri Lanka. (Local Guide Thilina de Silva)Caption: A photo of the interior of a bookstore in Sri Lanka. (Local Guide Thilina de Silva)

4. Capture the entrance and hours

When taking photos at a bookstore or library, try to capture the entrance as well as documenting the hours of operation signage, which is helpful to others so they know when to go.

 

Caption: A photo of the sign outside Xinhua Bookstore, Pingyao, China. (Getty Images)Caption: A photo of the sign outside Xinhua Bookstore, Pingyao, China. (Getty Images)

Caption: A photo of a bookstore entrance and signage in Chicago, Illinois. (Local Guide Sangyeon Cho)Caption: A photo of a bookstore entrance and signage in Chicago, Illinois. (Local Guide Sangyeon Cho)

 

Are you someone who loves to read and looks up info on Google Maps to help you find places to pick up a good book? Share your photos of libraries and bookstores that are on Google Maps and tell everyone in the comments: What can Local Guides do to help others learn about the best places to find great books?

 

105 comments
Connect Moderator

Re: How to take photos for book lovers

Thanks for sharing this useful tips and beautiful pictures with us @Christina-NYC

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Connect Moderator

Re: How to take photos for book lovers

this is very nice and educative post..

thanks for sharing with us @Christina-NYC

 

I love reading books...

NO to PLASTIC, Together, we can Achieve

Level 10

Re: How to take photos for book lovers

Hi @Christina-NYC

That's great tips for photography in library and for book shelves,here is my photos in knowledge center in Kuala Lumpur,Book shelvesBook shelves

Is that a good shot?

Have a nice day 

Level 5

Re: How to take photos for book lovers

Good tips @Christina-NYC👍👍 Very nice photos! 📚

Level 9

Re: How to take photos for book lovers

Most useful content @Christina-NYC Thank you for sharing with us...

Level 8

Bls: How to take photos for book lovers

HI @Christina-NYC thanks for sharing.

Here my lates visit to the brand new library ini my city

 

Level 10

Re: How to take photos for book lovers

Thanks a lot for start a nice topic @Christina-NYC. Always try to captured inside reading room and book self picture for people understand inside inveronment 

Mahabub Hasan
Level 9

Re: How to take photos for book lovers

Connect Moderator

Re: How to take photos for book lovers

Room ceiling in the LibaryRoom ceiling in the Libary

 Due to @AriMar I visited today „Public Library Augusta“. It is a historical library in Perugia, Italy 🇮🇹

As I cannot read these books, I saw how nice can be the ceiling in a library as well 😉.

So, when I left, I saw your post @Christina-NYC to late, but anyway a historical Library  is not such colorful. But please believe me, when you see people with gloves, when using books, the atmosphere is very special.

https://goo.gl/maps/6ascMbAtC6r