Trick Photography Book: What Evan Sharboneau’s Guide Offers

Trick Photography and Special Effects by Evan Sharboneau is aimed at photographers who enjoy visual experiments: light painting, unusual perspective, long exposures and images assembled from more than one photograph. Its appeal is a collection of project ideas, rather than a qualification or a complete training programme for professional photography.

It may suit you if you want a structured starting point for creative effects and are willing to practise. It is less suitable if your immediate priority is dependable portrait lighting, documentary work or regular feedback from a tutor.

What the publisher advertises

The publisher describes the second edition as a digital guide with 295 pages, nine hours of video tutorials and more than 300 example photographs. These are the advertised package details, not a measure of how much individual help you receive or how quickly you will improve.

You can inspect the description and examples on the publisher’s website before deciding whether the visual style interests you.

Look beyond the most dramatic examples. Ask whether you want to make several of those kinds of photographs, whether you can access the required locations and whether your equipment supports the necessary controls. A collection of striking results is not the same as a learning plan suited to every photographer.

The techniques behind the effects

The advertised subjects include long exposures, light painting, perspective tricks, high-speed photographs, panoramas, HDR and Photoshop-based effects. Some rely mainly on capture; others depend on arranging and combining files afterwards.

Long exposure records what happens over time. A moving light can leave a trail while stationary elements remain recognisable, provided the camera stays steady. The challenge is balancing the brightness of the light, the ambient exposure and the time needed for the movement.

Perspective tricks rely on viewpoint and alignment. A nearby small object can appear comparable in size to a much larger distant one. The idea may be simple, but placement, background and timing determine whether the illusion reads convincingly.

For the controls involved in these experiments, the shutter speed guide is a useful foundation.

Composite effects ask a different set of questions. Camera position, light direction, shadows and perspective need to agree across the component photographs. Learning to hide those inconsistencies matters more than merely knowing which button combines layers.

What you realistically need

A camera with control over shutter speed, aperture and focus makes long-exposure exercises more manageable. A stable support is useful for repeatable framing. You can start some perspective experiments with a phone, but should not assume every technique works with its standard camera mode.

For light painting, a simple torch or suitable LED light can be enough to begin. Choose a safe location and keep the first exercise modest. You do not need to copy an elaborate example before learning how brightness and movement interact.

Avoid directing lasers towards people, aircraft or camera sensors. Sparks and burning materials introduce risks that an attractive example photograph does not show. Ordinary LED lights offer a safer starting point without the need for fire effects.

For editing-based projects, check what software the instructions require. Photoshop is a separate purchase, and older demonstrations may use different menus or tools from the version you have. Understand the underlying selection, masking and blending method rather than expecting every screen to match exactly.

Where this kind of guide can be useful

A themed collection can help when you know the basics but keep making similar photographs. It gives you a reason to try a technique, review the outcome and make another version. That can be more productive than browsing unrelated tutorials without practising any of them.

For a beginner, the strongest use is selective: choose one manageable project and learn the necessary controls as you go. Do not treat the number of pages or examples as a target to complete quickly.

For an experienced photographer, the value may lie in ideas rather than basic explanations. Consider whether a sample project introduces a problem you have not already explored. If the effects are familiar, you may learn more from a focused workshop or critique of your own work.

Limitations to consider before buying

An effects guide does not replace learning light, composition, timing or editing judgement. Knowing how a trick works will not make every version of it compelling. A strong photograph still needs a clear visual idea and careful execution.

There is no reliable shortcut that turns someone into an accomplished photographer in days. Progress depends on practice, feedback and the demands of the subject. Similarly, learning a technique does not guarantee that the resulting photographs will sell.

For a broader learning route, use the practical camera guide alongside individual experiments.

The published material includes both camera work and editing. If you specifically want effects made entirely in camera, examine the relevant examples and sample pages before paying. If you want personal mentoring, check whether any support is actually included rather than assuming a video course provides it.

Check the purchase terms, not just the sales message

Confirm the total price at checkout, currency, taxes where applicable and exactly which files or videos you will receive. Check the download process, access arrangements and the current refund conditions. A guarantee should be understood through its actual terms, not treated as proof that a course will suit you.

Do not buy because an offer suggests your photography cannot progress without it. Free tutorials, library books and a small personal project are also valid ways to learn. The paid guide makes sense only if its organisation and subject matter give you a useful advantage.

The illustrative photographs are by Evan Sharboneau.

Try one small project before committing

Make a simple forced-perspective photograph with two objects at different distances. Keep the background clear, adjust your position until the relationship is readable and make several alternatives. Then review what weakened the illusion: alignment, focus, scale or distracting details.

If you enjoy that process of planning, testing and refining, an effects-focused guide may be a useful source of further projects. If you mainly want straightforward family or travel photographs, concentrate first on light, focus and exposure. Choose learning material for the photographs you actually want to make.