Book Store coming soon……
Construction on the new bookstore is underway, we hope to be open for business by the 15th!!! The initial offering will be a 6 book series called Bill Fortney’s Reliable Guides the Foundation Series. (illustrated above). These 6 books will cover the most important foundational principle of photography in a easy to read, to the point, concise way! Each book will be priced at $4.99 each or $24,95 for the full set of six! Three additional books will also be in the store upon it’s opening. Many more are planned!!!! This is the story and statment behind the series:
The Why and How?
Life’s greatest revelations come in the strangest ways. It was over a dozen years ago that I had accepted a position as the Nikon Professional Service’s tech rep for the Southern United States. My long time friend, and then boss at Nikon, Bill Pekala instructed me to put my film cameras away and start to learn everything I could about digital, as he said, “it is the future!” Learning the photography side of digital was pretty easy, in most ways, much the same as my 35 years of experience with film photography. The hard part for me was post processing, this program Photoshop was an absolute bear! I went out to the book store and bought a couple of “How to” Photoshop books, after a few days of trying to understand them I was ready to give up photography and go to work at Wal-Mart as a greeter! I picked up a couple more and they were even worse than the first two, I was really feeling desperate! These books tried to tell you the 50 ways to do each simple task! By the time you got to method three you couldn’t remember your own name!
Then someone asked me if I had a copy of Scott Kelby’s, The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers. It was not one of my first four books so I rushed out and picked up a copy! It was “the” solution to my major problem! This guy, Scott Kelby, (who later became a great friend and photography buddy!), had written a book that showed you exactly how to do just the things you needed to do, in a step by step, to the point, clear and concise manner, and he was funny too!!!! In no time I was using Photoshop to do all the things I wanted to do to my images. I could never thank him enough for demystifying Photoshop for me!
So that is exactly what I’m going to try to do for you with Cut To The Chase books! These are books for people that simply want to know how learn about photography and make better images! Simple, to the point, clear and concise and minus all the mumbo jumbo!
IMPORTANT NOTICE
PLEASE READ THOROUGHLY!!!!!!!
These books are not for pixel peepers, science majors, engineers, bean counters, measurebaters or anyone that wants 1,000 word paragraphs to explain something that can be clearly stated in a couple of short sentences.
If your desire is for this to be complicated, THESE BOOKS ARE NOT FOR YOU! These books are designed to convey simple, easy to understand photographic concepts, in the easiest way to learn possible. Lots of big pictures to illustrate the points and very few, but important words will guide you through each step of learning this craft of photography.
What makes me think I’m the guy to write these books?! I have made photography, with the exception of my faith and family, the most important thing in my life for 45 years. I’ve spent countless hours, days, months, years and decades studying the craft. I’ve bought tons of gear and tested everything I could borrow, and I’ve formed strong opinions about many of the subjects people care about! I’ve shot hundreds of thousands of images all around the world, a few have even been good! Most importantly for the past 30 years I’ve actively taught photography to groups from 3 to 300 in size, and I’ve been a student of learning. I think I have discovered how to make things simple for people that truly want to learn! You can be the judge and that is why I have;
A Money Back Guarantee
If for any reason, you did not find them helpful, or worth the price, (come on guys, I’ve made them super affordable, most titles only $4.99)! I will gladly refund your money, no questions asked, but before you ask for a refund please read this Important Notice again, be sure these books are for you!!
One more thing, these books are affordable so that you will not be tempted to copy and distribute them to others. I am supporting myself with my creative efforts, so please kindly give me a hand here! That’s it, please enjoy, and your comments are appreciated! billfortney@earthlink.net and visit me at my website: www.billfortney.com
To sweeten the deal when you make your first visit to the site you will receive a free copy of the 127 page book:
Traveling tomorrow to my 50th Anniversary Football Teams gathering! Reports Monday!
Blessings,
the pilgrim
This entry was posted on Thursday, October 2nd, 2014 at 8:55 pm
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Hi Bill,
I discovered your fantastic work some months ago, when you visited Chicago and gave a talk in the Rockefeller Memorial Chapel and since them I have following your blog and being amazed by your thoughts and photos.
This introduction was just to say that I am looking forward your books to buy your books.
Cheers!
Was really great to visit with you guys!
Hello Bill,
I have been following your site for a couple of years now and enjoy it so much. Can’t wait to be able to buy your books. The simple and concise approach to teaching is just what I need. I hope there is a Fuji camera in my future.
There is definitely a “How To Get The Most from You Fuji X System cameras”. Before Christmas!!!
How a our YOUR!
Look forward to it Bill. I still can’t figure out photoshop!
Scott’s book helps a lot, I know I teach for them, but honestly I’ve learned a to fro KelbyOne!
The best 3 years of online training I have taken……well worth the price of admission. No matter what your level as a photographer is there is something there for you as WE can never learn it all we can just continue to practice all the time.
In fact I watched Moose’s Romancing The Landscape for the third time before I went to Mexican Hat a couple of weeks ago. If I had not done that I would not have learned to take a drive through The Valley of The Gods. Don’t know how I missed that little tidbit of information during the previous watches.
I always watch your Smoky Mountain classes (As I will again in the next week or so) before my travel there during the fall each year. One little tidbit of info from you is well worth the price when traveling a thousand plus miles one way and only spending a week trying to bring home a few outstanding images.
B ill, I will be proud to help support your creativity. Looking forward to getting them
Dudley, my friend you’re too kind, hope to see you again at a workshop with Jack and I!!!
Bill:
I cant wait to get my eyes on your new books. So much looking forward to learning from The Master.
I still hope we can meet in Mexico some time in the future. Perhaps you could find material down there for an additional eBook.
I hope life is treating you well
All the very best
Dennis
Dennis, thanks for your kind words, but the Master, not hardly! I too still hope we can work out a trip down, and I hope all is well with you and yours.
This is great news, Bill! Thanks for all your tireless effort in helping those of us who profit from your work, experience and knowledge. Adjusting my letter to Santa right now….especially for that Fuji series book! Enjoy your weekend with your former team!
Thanks Scott, hope Santa gets your letter!
Some great titles and topic. Look forward to the Grand Opening !
Thanks Ken me to!
I’m happy you’re opening a bookstore. I attended your class at Photoshop World 2013 in Vegas. You make photography exciting. Thank you.
Thank you Ed, you guys make Photoshop World fun for me!!!!
It’s actually an incredible as well as helpful bit of information. I’m just content which you simply embraced this useful data around.. Art pics Make sure you keep us knowledgeable such as this. Many thanks revealing.
I’ll do my best!
Not surprised your books are an extension of how/what you teach: Go for the sweet spot (Keep it Short, Simple (KISS). After all “It’s not rocket surgery.” Congrats on the endeavor. Look forward to being among your first customers. I can hardly wait. 🙂
QUESTION ON ORDERING (for “send a gift” purposes): I can think of a couple photo buddies who would greatly benefit from your knowledge and experience. Would I place an individual order for each, and then forward to each friend the corresponding e-mail containing his personal download link(s)? Or how would that work? Thinking down the road and outside the bun here.
I think that is doable, but I will make sure!!!
Bill, I think a Digital Gift Card purchase would be great for gifting others. Purchase the gift card enter their Name and email address complete the A Gift From blank and bam. The email goes out with the download link and a short….. A gift from your friend Joe Blow enjoy!