Customer Reviews

Digital Photography Expert Techniques (O'Reilly Digital Studio)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm impressed with Ken Milburn's insight into producing top-quality digital images. His tips are not always those found in other books on Photoshop or digital photography. For example, Ken recommends slightly underexposing all photos you shoot. Too much light, he explains, can wash out details. But if the subject is slightly underexposed, then lighting can be adjusted in Photoshop without loss of fine details. That's a very useful tip that I had not read anywhere else (in my PS books, at least). He also affords readers sufficient photographic evidence to convince them to use RAW format whenever possible. I shoot in RAW mode all the time now.

Not all of Ken's techniques will be new to digital photographers. The need for a fill flash, uncluttered backgrounds, and a good photo printer are ideas that seem a bit incongruous in a book offering much more advanced advice in later chapters. I think the author was just trying to target as broad of an audience as possible.

Upon reading this solid guide, you will probably notice Ken's preference for 3rd party plugins/filters. He's the first Photoshop author I've read who so strongly advocates the utilization of extra plugins instead of the direct use of Photoshop's built-in technologies. While Scott Kelby would tell you to add a duplicate layer, apply Gaussian blur, and then reduce opacity to accomplish a given task, Ken touts the power of $200 plugins that accomplish the same goal more quickly and sometimes more effectively. Fortunately, comparison photos are often provided to illustrate the differences between the results of Photoshop techniques vs. 3rd party plugins.

Overall, this book is worth owning if you would like some useful tips and tricks from a pro. Just keep in mind the author's bias toward 3rd party products, and expect a few sections on topics that are perhaps too elementary for the rest of the book (e.g., "Take Good Care of Your Printer").

I really want to like this book.

Really I do. And to be honest, it does have it's moments. But in the end, this book tries to cover too much and delivers way too much filler. You know that the author has put in too much filler when the chapter heading on page 167 is 'Basic Digital Photo Correction'.

Hello? That should have been on say, page 10.

What I like about this book:

1. A really good discussion on the use of layer masks in Photoshop.

2. A good chapter on 'Converting Photos to Paintings'

What I don't like about this book:

1. WAY too much filler. For a book targeted to expert techniques, do we really need to discuss 'Frame The Picture Properly'? As mentioned, you have to wade through fully 35% of the book to get to 'Basic Digital Photo Correction'. And the filler doesn't end there. The last 86 pages of the book (covering printing and self-promotion) aren't likely to break any new ground for our users.

2. Many of the before and after images here look identical to me. I know that Vincent Versace preaches 'use Photoshop as an emory board, not as a chisel' but this is ridiculous.

3. Despite the title, this really is a Photoshop book, not a guide to great digital photography. I suspect that the title was changed to justify the abnormally large amount of filler in this book.

4. Price. At $44.95 this book is way overpriced for what it delivers. At 467 pages it's at least 253 pages too long.

5. Too many gadgets and plug-ins are mentioned and used. These, because of their transient nature are best left to magazines, not books.

6. Dry. If you guys thought that the Ames book was dry, this one will change your mind.

All in all, get this book IF you need to learn about a specific topic. But ask yourself first if $44.95 isn't a bit much to pay for only one or two topics.

This book is in desperate need of a clear subject, a decent editor, and a readable writing style.

I liked this book a lot, most books from o'reilly are superb. It it falls into my one pet peeves, along with the 90 percent of digital photography books. It puts all the emphasis on the digital and very little on the photography. This book will not help you take better pictures with your digital camera, it will help fix and process pictures in photoshop and other program, so really it should be called expert techniques in digital photo processing. That being said, it has some great chapters on digital workflow, photoshop and 3rd party photoshop plugins, as well as retouching techniques. All of these go more in depth then what you find in most photoshop books alone.

This book covers both the Mac world and the PC world. Since I use both systems it was great for me. I am a function/short cut key addict and this book certainly delivered in that area. It would list the command in Mac language first then PC talk. This book might be a bit advanced for the first time Photoshop user a good recommendation before embarking on this book would probably be Deke McClelland, "Adobe Photoshop CS One-on-One". This book is definitely designed more for Photoshop CS but users of Photoshop 5.5, 6 and 7 should have no problems.

The layout style was pretty easy and logical to follow. You start with the basics like what equipment would best suit your needs, etc. It explained a bit about the difference between film and digital cameras in terms of the focal length and magnification that occurs with digital cameras. Followed by how to get great images in the field, plus taking care of your equipment and other practical information. Along the way it would discuss strategies about when to use a particular filter or effect. Sometimes it's best to get the color correction and other assorted manipulations out of the way before you use some of the filters.

While this book primarily covers Photoshop it does discuss other programs and plug-ins like Corel KnockOut, nik Color Efex, KPT Collection plus many more that create some of the same effects found in Photoshop but without the steep learning curve.

The full color photo samples and easy to follow steps made this book just great to read. The helpful tips and expert advice really had some great useful information. They would show you the original, the adjusted image and sometimes and over adjusted image so you could really get an idea as to the point that they were making. Sometimes you look at a photo and it looks good but it lacks something kind of subtle. They showed what some of those subtle changes could be to lend your image more punch. More of a professional edge. So you could have an image that was O.K. add some of these effects and get a pretty knockout photo.

This book certainly got my creative juices flowing. I have some landscapes and flowers that have been sitting in my to do something with box while I wait for inspiration to hit me. It did after this book. I have to admit it was a bit overwhelming with all of the choices with the different plug-ins and third party applications besides Photoshop that are out there. So I'm just going to take a few of the tips and start using them on my photos and adding more and more as time goes on. This book will be very well sticky noted by the time I add all of the new tricks to my little but soon to be big bag of tricks.

O'Reilly has a book out called Digital Photography Expert Techniques by Ken Milburn. If you're ready to take your digital photography to the next level (close to professional grade), this is a book you'll want to see.

First off, the chapter contents: The Digital Photographer; Be Prepared; Bringing Out The Best Picture; Panoramas; Photoshop Selections, Masks, and Paths; Basic Digital Photo Corrections; Converting Photos to Paintings; Special Photographic Effects; Retouching and Rescuing Photos; Creating Fictitious Photos; Color Printing; Use Pictures to Sell Yourself; Sell It on the Web

This book targets the professional, or serious, digital photographer who is using an SLR digital camera with at least six megapixels and plenty of memory. It also assumes the use of Photoshop as the base editing tool for manipulating the images. But rather than stick with Photoshop as the only tool, the author will also educate you on other tools or plug-ins that will give spectacular results beyond what you could get by sticking with the base software. Another target for this book is the film photographer who wants to move to the digital realm, but doesn't quite know how best to set up the workflow of processing images. Because a digital photograph can take many forms after image enhancement, there are a number of good ideas here to help you know what to save and what to delete.

Each chapter is made up of a series of "tips" on how to do something interesting with your images or with your camera. For instance, in the retouching chapter, you'll find tips with the following titles: Restore Youth; Remove Stains; Eliminate Junk from the Landscape; Cosmetic Emphasis; Focus the Light on Points of Interest; Punch Out the Paunch; Proboscis Pruning and Changing Expressions; and Clone Detail from Another Photo. Each tip or technique is well documented as to the steps necessary in the software to accomplish the effect. He also usually shows before and after full-color comparisons so that you can visually grasp how the effect works and how you can use it in your own work.

Now, if you're like me, puttering around in the consumer world of digital cameras, you can still get some great ideas from this book. The tips on composition, image correction, and other basic skills are valid regardless of what level you're at. Your final result may not be quite as good as his due to not having an original image of the same resolution, but you can still end up with some stunning shots that will wow your friends.

Bottom line... quality information, well written, beautiful book that should be considered by any serious digital photographer.

So you've gone and spent some time learning the intricacies of Photoshop. Does that knowledge and your digital camera make you an expert on digital photography? Probably not!

It is true that for digital photography, Photoshop is the standard, and knowledge of it is necessary. But not sufficient. This, basically, is the motivator of Milburn's book. He assumes you're conversant with the mechanics of Photoshop. But now that you have that down, his book concentrates on higher level skills. He has acquired these over 20 years as a digital photographer, from back when tools were totally primitive.

The book is replete with tips on image composition. In the process, you learn to appreciate and use many perhaps hitherto obscure capabilities of Photoshop. Like being able to reduce noise in JPEGs. Or precise edge sharpening. Or painting with filters. And so on. Chances are that an introductory Photoshop book may have given these only cursory attention.

Most Photoshop books are the equivalent of books on grammar and syntax. This book is about writing essays.

The book is also a fun read. The visuals are dazzling! Printed on high quality glossy paper that will still be as fresh decades from now. Deliberately so. There is a timeless quality about the book. Its techniques will still be applicable years hence. Future versions of Photoshop will have at least the capabilities of the current Photoshop. And even if Photoshop gets supplanted by another product, that will be a superset of today's.

Of course, there is no doubt that new techniques will be invented. And those will necessitate new texts. But digital photography is a mature enough field, as documented by this book, that it may endure.

Maybe i like this book so much because it synergetically combines so well two things that this author loves - photography and writing.

As a life-long film photographer, now making the switch to a digital camera, i'm finding all i need to know in this book, to get the right camera and accessories, digital processing tools and work flow and to use them for the greatest creative power.

It's unusual to find discussions and examples of practical work flow. It's much more common to see tools or effects discussed with no insight as to why, when or where to use each of them. Photoshop is a case in point - a huge collection of powerful image processing tools, with hardly a hint as to what to do with them.

This book (with its many, many color photos) gives you the why's, the when's and the where's, while staying focused on the practical implications of everything for the photographers daily work.

I was happy to see that effects on the photographer's wallet are also considered, as Ken follows two parallel tracks through the book. One is for the pro, who's tools must be the best available in spite of the price, and another for the "prosumer", who must often find the least expensive solution that will get a job done "well enough".

Another thing i like is the balance between camera, computer and software chapters. This is not just another Photoshop book, though it does go into considerable depth on that prime digital photographer's tool.

In the interest of honesty, i'd like to disclose that i am a friend of the author's (which is why i know what a good photographer and writer he is). But don't let that stop you from having a serious look into this fine learning tool.

With a plethora of digital cameras appearing in the marketplace, purchases of these cameras has exceeded even the most ambitious sales predictions. Everyone and his grandmother now has a digital camera. A lot of these models are of the point and shoot variety. They're small, lightweight, actually take great pictures, and have many features for the cost. There are lots of publications out there: magazines, how-to books, manuals, videos, and websites which help newbie photographers along the path to good quality photographs. If you're looking for something like that, may I pass along a suggestion from the Ken Milburn, the author of this title under review? Before reading this book try Deke McClelland's Adobe Photoshop CS2: One on One (O'Reilly). You will then be "up to speed" and more able to handle the various terms and maneuvers in Digital Photography: Expert Techniques.

Along with all the less expensive point and shoot cameras, digital SLRs (single lens reflex) have also grown up. Most of these cameras will be purchased by serious amateurs, or "enthusiasts," and professionals. DSLRs have interchangeable lenses, more megapixels, and larger, more noise-free sensors. In other words they're more suited to professional and "prosumer" photography.

DSLRs also are capable of producing high quality RAW files which are, in large part, what this book is all about. It's also about workflow rather than procedures. If you're interested in what it takes to make true professional quality images in the most efficient and cost-effective way this book is for you.

The first thing I loved about Digital Photography: Expert Techniques is its organization, and the chapter outlines at the beginning. Here the author tells us what's in store for each chapter from start to finish. I also appreciate the way Ken Milburn writes. It's almost conversational, like having a good buddy who happens to know almost everything there is to know about what goes into a professional digital photograph, and being a professional photographer.

He starts us off with an overview around which the rest of the book is structured. There is a quick guide in the form of suggestions (some are common sense, others are anecdotal) like getting your camera ready, computer equipment and its configuration, image downloading, backing up originals, presentation for client approval, winnowing, preliminary editing, and the final output. He includes logical common sense tips about equipment, settings, and more. He even provides a comprehensive list of what's available -- suggesting hard drives, backups, monitors, and DVD writers. Efficiency is always the byword in workflow, and Ken Milburn leads the way.

Milburn teaches us how to connect to DNG (digital negative), a nonproprietary RAW format which anyone can use. He suggests that it may become a universal format which means that even if the RAW file format in your software becomes obsolete you will still retain your RAW files through DNG. Safety. Efficiency. Smart.

Since the author has been a professional photographer for decades he has learned through experience and study about being prepared in the field for both seen and unforeseen circumstances. He passes along sage advise and counseling in his chapter BE PREPARED.

One of the great features which has separated Adobe Photoshop CS2 from the rest of the pack is Adobe Bridge. It is a browser, but so much more. Ken Milburn gives the reader an excellent primer on how this feature works and its many advantages. He shows how simple it is, and at the same time it is scriptable, customizable, has variable thumbnail sizing, and has multiple browser windows which can be opened at the same time.

Want to create and use panel layouts to sort as you wish? How about creating a meta data template including all your camera info like settings, history, status, and even IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council) info? He shows you how to do all this, and more.

Once we get into Camera Raw, Ken Milburn shows us how to streamline the process. Once it's set up you're ready to rip. For you Photoshop Elements 4 users he shows the differences between Camera Raw in Elements 4 and CS2. He also tells us the why and how of it all so we understand why all this is a good thing. Take for instance the aforementioned DNG files. The author implores the reader to strongly consider filing using DNG and lots of backup. It's possible that either through technical improvements, marketing considerations, mergers, or even dissolution of a manufacturer that a proprietary RAW format could become obsolete. It is certainly something to consider.

There are some clients out there who need their photos quickly. Wedding and sports photographers can attest to this. The author shows us that Camera RAW defaults to "smart" Auto adjustments for Exposure, Shadows, Brightness, and Contrast. So there's a good chance of getting a publishable image right out of the camera. Sweet! Milburn demonstrates how to open and adjust multiple RAW files quickly when the files have the same exposure, brightness, range, contrast, and color balance. He introduces us to HDR (High Dynamic Range), and High Key images.

Layers have been around for quite some time, and here we are shown a system for non destructive editing. There's a great chart listing in three columns Layer Name, Purpose, and Advice. It's like a quick check on WWKD (What Would Ken Do) for using Adjustment Layers. Even for those of us who might be new to Layers he gives us a quick rundown of Layers and Features in Adobe Photoshop CS2.

Ken Milburn's friend, Doug Sahlin, came up with an interesting idea which the author includes in Digital Photography: Expert Techniques. It's called the Magic Workflow Layers Action. It allows us to include the layers in the workflow for almost every image automatically, ensuring the photographer will follow a properly layered workflow for most basic steps. You can either get this in the book or download it from the sites provided. This alone could shorten the learning curve in learning layers workflow.

All of the general repair tools are reviewed but the author goes way beyond the characteristics of the tools and into the world of commercial photography and how these tools can work for the professional photographer. This includes Glamor Tips, Architectural Tips, Still Life, lighting from behind, and more.

Are you into montages or collages? Ken Milburn can help, and does he ever. We've all tried to string together various shots in an effort to create a panorama of a scene too vast for one shot, but with varying degrees of success. The author talks about exposure, tripods, and framing. There are several example photos showing what a professional panorama looks like. I've made all the mistakes he mentions, and then some. Thanks, Ken, for straightening me out.

In his chapter "Creating the Wow Factor" we get into the details of the various tools and how, using layers, the photographer can enhance just about any aspect of lighting, colors (or black & white), and even using what he terms a "fictitious imaging tool," liquefaction, which can remove unwanted pounds from a model, or add bulk to anyone or anything. He has many suggestions and techniques using Lighting Effects which are especially dramatic when used inside of layers. We learn how to make homemade backgrounds as well as Knockouts. If you like the look of hand coloring or tinting Ken shows us how to do it effectively and easily.

Milburn's experience as a pro for many years becomes a windfall for us readers as, in the last chapter, "Presenting Your Work to the World," he talks about some of the many ways to become recognized, and even paid, as a photographer. He starts by showing us how to get the prints we need by calibrating the printers and even LCD monitors. There are tips to show your images on the web, making portfolios, binders, contact sheets, and much more. And let's not forget the all-important Copyright protection using watermarks.

While our author is certainly a huge fan and user of Adobe Photoshop CS2, he is by no means married exclusively to that software. He lists alternatives and even talks about the differences and some advantages of software like Capture One Pro, Raw Shooter, Aperture (which can be used with Photoshop CS2), iView Media Pro, and Adobe Lightroom. All of these programs have their high points and are not to be dismissed as second only to Adobe Photoshop CS2.

If you've ever wondered what it takes to be a pro in the photo biz, Digital Photography: Expert Techniques will give you a good idea of the dedication, knowledge, and work it takes to do it right. One has only to look at Ken Milburns pictures to see why this book makes so much sense. His photos are pristine. He seems to be able to connect with the very vibrations of the colors, shadows, and details which are all part of an image, but are often times skirted over by photographers, if only for the lack of knowledge it takes to recognize these things and bring them "up" in the image. His techniques, to be sure, are always pointed toward one thing, and one thing only. Making the best image possible with the least amount of effort and expense. And here it all is, in this wonderful and smartly instructive book.

MyMac.com Rating: 5 out of 5

I like this book a lot. It brings O'Reilly's quality in research and editing to digital photography books. They spent some time on it, and it shows. The example photos are excellent and clearly demonstrate the points. The book is well organized, and has lots of handy tips. Chapter nine, on touching up photos, is particularly good, going through common photo problems and then applying fixes to them digitally.

On the downside, the book is mainly about windows, and it spends much more time talking about digital editing and touch-up then it does in getting a good picture in the first place, which is 90% of the battle.

Even with the downside this book is still well worth the price for amateurs looking to get heavily into digital photography.

Film cameras are dead. There is really no reason whatever to use a film camera. There is a fairly big upfront cost for a really good digital SLR plus the cost of the computer software (Photoshop is the universal default) but once you've made the investment your marginal cost is very low and your results can be every bit as good as most professionals.

However, I'm sure you have at least two basic questions: what equipment to get and how do you use the software?

This book is excellent on both counts. But beware: you must know the basics of Photoshop and you must be fairly comfortable with a computer.

Deke McClelland's One-On-One book is an excellent introduction to Photoshop CS. Start there and when you've got the picture, then come to this book to learn its application to digital photograhy.