I really picked up this book on a whim. While I don't consider myself a master or even experienced with digital photography itself I have at the least a general working knowledge on the subject. At least insofar as it goes with the very basics of lighting and staging one's subject matter.
First off, you can't beat an all-in-one (so long as it delivers). It eliminates the need to go and get several books which may or may not end up rehashing some of the same information before going on to whatever advanced or specific information you wish to find.
As with any good guide book it starts off with a brief introduction about digital photography and some other tools you may want to have at your disposal at a modicum. Book 1 starts covers knowing the basics of cameras and their types, turning your photos digital (putting them on your computer however that may be), photo editing, organization, and printing & sharing pictures.
In the second book the author delves deeper into setting up the digital photography studio. He looks more into choosing the right camera (including specific settings and functions), using your computer to best edit and work with your photos, how to move from camera to computer,
printers & scanners, and other camera accessories.
The third book goes all into taking great pictures, exploring subject and composition. Definitely of interest to anyone I believe. Various styles of photography such as sports and travel are included, as well as close up shots.
Book four further delves into photography by talking about image editing. Which can be a photographer's best friend, imo. There are several chapters highlighting some great tools and types of edits you may want to do and a final chapter covering some common photo editors and a small review on their functionality and availability.
The fifth book starts to give a round up specifically of Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. It goes over some specific tools for those two programs. For the most part I skimmed over this bit. I don't use either program but from what I read it is worth reading if you have access to either.
Book six covers the restoration of old photos. And the last book covers printing and sharing of your digital images.
As you can see the book is nice and comprehensive. It goes into the basics of digital photography as well as hitting on some high points that may be new to the novice, but ultimately immeasurably useful to grow as a photographer.
Perhaps the one problem with this book is its age. Published in 2003 some of the technical data is now a bit irrelevant or just plain dated. The basics behind the book are still sound however. Just don't be surprised if there are a few more things out in the market today that are useful (camera capabilities, and additional photo editing software for example). Due to the age issue I'd give the book a 4 out of 5. I do recommend this for someone starting out and even someone with more than a little bit of working knowledge.
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