The BetterPhoto Guide to Digital Photography (BetterPhoto Series) [Paperback]

Jim Miotke (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 1, 2005 | Series: BetterPhoto Series

Digital cameras are the hot new tech toy-but many of the millions of people who are buying the cameras aren't getting the most out of their new purchase. Mysterious icons, strange jargon, a dizzying array of imaging software and hardware...stumbling blocks quickly become tools to create great pictures with The BetterPhoto Guide to Digital Photography. This practical, lesson-based workbook gives readers a step-by-step tutorial in getting bright, crisp, beautiful pictures from their digital cameras every time. Learn about exposure, file formats and quality settings, low-light photography, digital filters and white balance, composition and lens choice, manipulating images, printing, and much more, all in a handy, bring-along format. Everyone who has a digital camera-or who is thinking about getting one-needs The BetterPhoto Guide to Digital Photography!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jim Miotke is the founder of BetterPhoto.com, an online photography resource that receives more than three million hits each month. An online instructor for the site's course on digital photography, Jim Miotke is also a professional photographer with more than twenty years' experience. He lives in Redmond, Washington.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Amphoto Books (June 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0817435522
• ISBN-13: 978-0817435523
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.6 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (174 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,885 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

BetterPhotoJim (Jim Miotke) is the author of the bestselling BetterPhoto guidebook series, including BetterPhoto Basics, The BetterPhoto Guide to Digital Photography, The BetterPhoto Guide to Digital Nature Photography, The BetterPhoto Guide to Photographing Children, as well as two award-winning DVDs, Photographing Kids and Digital Photography Unleashed: Capturing Wildly Great Photos.

In 1996, Jim founded BetterPhoto.com, the world-leader in online photographic education, featuring over 80 online photography classes led by famous photographers such as Tony Sweet, Brenda Tharp, and many more. Jim reaches over 5 million photographers every year and loves to share what he has learned in an effort to encourage people around the world to say "YES" to their creative dreams.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

231 of 235 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The choice for the camera novice January 9, 2007

By Peter C. Byrne

Format:Paperback

I picked this book and another by Kelby (The Digital Photography Book) based on reviews from this site and recommendations from several photography forums. When the two are compared, it is no contest Miotke's book wins hands down. That's not to say that Kelby's book is terrible, it is, in fact, quite good.

The Betterphoto Guide provides a comprehensive overview of digital photography and explains the foundation on which it's based. Technical elements like exposure and light are clearly explained in an easy to understand and succinct manner. As my understanding of the different components increased, I quickly moved away from the automatic settings on my camera (Canon Powershot A630) and the quality of my pictures soared.

Another important component of the book deals with the artistic elements of photography (Composition). What, how, and why are all discussed and all the suggestions are immediately applicable. After reading this book, I was able to compose better pictures with a tighter focus and, in addition, have gained a greater appreciation and understanding of other's work.

There are also chapters that discuss the particular components of a digital camera. These help the reader become "acquainted" with his/her particular camera. File settings and there importance are also discussed and will help the reader decide which is right for him/her (if one's camera allows that choice). A digital camera Buyer's guide is included at the book's end, which provides invaluable advice.

This book is targeted at beginners and is a great choice for both DSLR and p&s owners. My only caveat is that it will leave you wanting better equipment and more time to pursue your new habit. Er.. I mean hobby (Kelby moment)....

Overall, I find this a beautifully illustrated book that provides a solid foundation on which to launch your photographic endeavor. Read more ›

172 of 176 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Your Complete Beginner/Intermediate Reference to Digital Photography! February 12, 2006

By M. Al Suwaidi

Format:Paperback

If you are about to buy your first digital photography book or even your new compact digicam
or SLR camera let this book be your first reference. In fact, it can be your only reference as a beginner or even intermediate
photographer.

Why I like it:
--------------
1. Simple language that makes it easy to understand and follow
2. A practical guide that drives you through steps to create your professional photos
3. Covers a variety of aspects concerning photography other than just shooting
4. Full of colorful pictures that clarifies what they are talking about
5. Unbelievable price! A complete photography course in a book that cost no more than $16.47!
6. Written by a great person JIM MIOTKE, he is professional photographer and photography instructor.

Believe me, this book is one of the BEST you could ever read in this area! And the best one to start with!

228 of 238 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended October 17, 2005

By Prasad Upasani

Format:Paperback

A lot of books these days equate digital photography with Photoshop, which to me is a waste of time. If you don't take good photos to begin with, the end-result will not be good not matter how much post-precessing you do on your computer. This book actually talks about photography techiques in a very accessible fashion. Aperture, shutter speed, iso, white balance are gently de-mystified, while equal emphasis is given on the content and compositon of photographs. As a relative newbie to serious photography, I found this book's explanantions and illustrations to be very good indeed. Highly recommended!

67 of 67 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars THE book for those ready to take their camera off the Auto settings! March 29, 2006

By JS

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Most books about digital photography start at the beginning -- what to look for in a digital camera. Most books that teach you how to use the functions of a camera -- F stop, shutter speed, etc. -- are geared towards SLR cameras. But what if you're somewhere in the middle -- you already own a digital camera with manual settings but don't know your aperture from your white balance? Then this is the book for you.

This was the only book I really found that shows, step-by-step, the who, what, where, when and why behind the functions of the digital camera. Easy to read (this is not one of those 400-page bibles,) with accurate photographs to guide you every step of the way and assignments at the end of each chapter to give you a hands-on learning experience, you will see improvement in your photographs right away. Once you grasp the freddom and control you actually have over your photographs you will want to take your camera everywhere and apply what you've learned.

I highly recommend this book, even if you just read the highly informative captions that accompany every photograph in the book.

(edited for typo)

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent primer on digital photography September 16, 2006

By Hipparchia

Format:Paperback

This is an excellent, well-written introduction to digital photography. Miotke explains the basic principles of photography, and my guess is that he's done a lot of teaching which helps to make the explanations very clear and systematic. I found the chapters on exposure, aperture, shutter speed, ISO particularly helpful since I'd never totally understood how these related to each other. There are lots of photographs illustrating how aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc. affect the image, and lots of tips on what one might consider basic settings, and how one can vary them depending on the circumstances. He also has a long section on composition, again with illustrations. There were a few things which he does not cover which I would have been interested in -- e.g. he doesn't explain what the different kinds of lenses are for a digital SLR camera (e.g., what does 20 mm. vs 30 mm. mean). Each chapter contains assignments designed to help one see what one's camera is capable of. He assumes you either have a compact digital cameras or a digital SLR and tailors his explanations to each kind of camera.