Professional Digital Photography: Techniques for Lighting, Shooting, and Image Editing (Paperback)

~ Dave Montizambert (Author) "By now you have probably gathered that I am a digital imaging advocate..." (more)
Key Phrases: darkest significant point, painting with pixels, sharpening halos, Adobe Photoshop, Gaussian Blur, Reveal All (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Going beyond a basic introduction to digital equipment, this book teaches photographers how to achieve high-quality, professional results with digital equipment and the application of traditional photographic techniques. It serves as a sourcebook for professionals who are ready to complement their traditional images with digital imaging techniques. Explained are how color balancing can be altered with a dial on a camera; how to effectively light subjects for digital capture; and how to enhance, highlight, shadow, and sharpen fuzzy images. Whether working with a Mac or PC, photographers will learn to use the tools in Photoshop to fully realize their artistic and professional potential.

About the Author

Dave Montizambert is the author of Creative Lighting Techniques for Studio Photographers. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Amherst Media, Inc.; illustrated edition edition (July 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584280816
• ISBN-13: 978-1584280811
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #604,319 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars unique...a nice addition but not a comprehensive reference., August 28, 2002

By A Customer

Like many Amherst books, this doesn't boast the best printing - the production and binding seems more like what you'd expect in the 1980s. The writing is not as lean and well organized as it could be. Expect something more like a narrative/essay than a start-to-finish how-to book. The book does not so much focus on using a digital camera as it does on shaping the image itself, mostly via Photoshop. It addresses some worthwhile topics that I have not so far seen covered elsewhere. If I were limited to only one book on digital photography, I would pick something different and much more comprehensive. The book does have some good points to make though.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book on lighting for digital photography, June 8, 2003

By	Benoit Marchal (Namur, Belgique) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Some books are so good that, after reading them, you want to share the experience with others. That's exactly what happened with Professional Digital Photography -- hence this review.

I think I need to qualify my review. I am an amateur with experience in film and digital. I got interested in digital because powerful tools are more affordable than their film counterparts. For example, I don't need tons of filters, hugely expensive light kits or my own color lab; Photoshop and a good photo printer go a long way for a fraction of the price.

With this in mind, I am frustrated by recent titles on digital photography. Half of the books out there are essentially dictionaries. What's a CCD, what's a pixel, what's a computer? Yeah right.

The other half are "me too" books on Photoshop tips and tricks. How to use adjustment layers, how to use the stamp or the corrector tool, and more. Useful but how many copycats do we need?

Professional digital photography dare to be different. It focus on one specific topic: lighting for digital photography (including color correction and creative lighting) and it offers tons of information on the topic.

The author share his (and his brother) experience on the subject. The book includes both a solid theoretical background and lots of practical (how-to) information. It discusses in great details those techniques that are unique to the digital process, showing you how to get more from the tools you already know.

I feel like I'm on the other side of the mirror and have just stumble upon a fascinating new world. Dave Montizambert is a great guide in this journey.

A word of warning though: as the other reviewer noted, this is not an book for beginners. Nor is it complete. If you are total novice to lighting, get yourself a reference in addition to this book (I recommend the "Lighting for..." series from Rotovision). But if you're past novice and you would like to get progress, make sure you get your own copy. You won't regret it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for film photographers converting to digital, November 1, 2004

By	DiDi Bradley "http://didibradley.com" (Richardson TX USA) - See all my reviews

I am a professional photographer/ retoucher who has helped the high volume commercial product studio where I work go digital, and I highly reccomend this book for professional photographers making the transition to digital.
I think the previous reviewer who was unhappy with this book really needed a book simply about professional lighting for photography-- You can use all the same types of studio lighting (strobes, hot lights, etc...) with digital that you can with conventional photography. This book also provides wonderful alternatives for conventional photo lighting techniques that cannot be reproduced digitally, such as light painting (pack up the hosemaster).

For imaging professionals like the previous reviewer who are interested in learning how to light professionally, I reccomend The Photographer's Guide to Using Light by Ted Schwartz. For veteran pro-photographers lost in the digital world (and I know you're out there) this book is a godsend--read & memorize every word.