Customer Reviews

Photographers' Guide to Web Publishing

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I am not, by any stretch, a professional photographer; but I do enjoy snapping plenty of images as a hobbyist. Nor do I have experience at building a website; but may like to try my hand at making an amateur photography site with an Alaskan twist. So when I saw the book, "Photographers' Guide to Web Publishing," I was intrigued.

The book is written by Charles Saunders, a pro who specializes in medium format monochrome photography. This book is one of a series published by Photographers' Institute Press (PIP) in the UK (sold through Sterling Publishing); and the first I have encountered for the novice web author with an interest in photography. Ideally written for the self-employed professional who would like to bring their portfolio to the web.

At under 200 pages, the book is an easy read and does not get bogged down on the technical end, but rather gives the beginner the basics of good web design. In the first half, Saunders gets the reader thinking about the intended web audience and their surfing expertise as well as browser requirements and HTML standards. Also covered, are topics such as shopping for an ISP, web hosting service, and domain name.

The second half of the book lays down a framework for the beginner to actually write their first web page. Covering first HTML, then moving on to cascading style sheets, the use of JavaScript, management and organization of images and content on the site, and tips on enhancing the user's experience. It caps off with business promotion, protection and legal issues.

Photographers' Guide to Web Publishing is well illustrated in full color (except where the author uses his own B&W images), and offers plenty of room in the margins for notes. I found it to be well thought-out and organized. The example screen shots are, unfortunately, from the Window's side, but the text is, for the most part, non-platform specific. Saunders gives examples of how your web design choices may look different when viewed from a Mac verses Windows machine and advocates choices that compromise to look good from both platforms. Disappointingly; however, he makes no mention of Safari.

For the web-ignorant professional photographer, to the amateur shutter bug with an interest in taking a first 'swing' at building a web site, Photographers' Guide to Web Publishing is worth the $19.95 cover price.