Take Your Best Shot: Tim Grey Tackles Your Digital Darkroom Questions (Paperback)

by Tim Grey (Author)
Key Phrases: new layer, photo inkjet printers, digital media cards, Pet Peeve Alert, Adobe Camera Raw, Gaussian Blur (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
For six years, digital photography expert Tim Grey has answered readers' questions on his website and daily mailing list, "DDQ (Digital Darkroom Questions)." As a member of the Photoshop World Dream Team of instructors, Grey knows his stuff -- and after answering hoards of questions from photographers, he knows the most persistent and burning issues.

In his new book, Take Your Best Shot, Tim Grey answers the most-often asked questions about the digital darkroom and more in an easy-to-read format, organized by subject, and illustrated with beautiful photographs and instructive screenshots. The book includes several new topics not covered on Grey's website Tim Grey. The topic list includes:

• Digital Fundamentals -- resolution, bit-depth, and imaging sensors
• Digital Cameras & Tools -- SLR vs. point-and-shoot, megapixels, field storage, sensor cleaning, CompactFlash card speed, and digital lenses
• Digital Photography -- JPEG vs. RAW, ISO settings, white balance
• Digital Darkroom -- Windows vs. Mac, LCD vs. CRT, Lightroom vs. Photoshop, storage, backup, image downloading, and film and print scanning
• Color Management -- Monitor calibration and color temperature, printer profiling, when the printer doesn't match the monitor, and when prints lack shadow detail
• Image Optimization -- RAW conversion, tonal adjustments, curves, color balance, hue/saturation, clone stamp, spot healing brush, and healing brush
• Creative Effects -- Dodge and burn, black and white conversion, sepia tone, and artistic edge
• Image Problem-Solving -- Noise, washed-out sky, color cast, and color contamination
• Printing -- Printer choice, print resolution, raster image processors, paper choice, and print services
• Digital Sharing -- Preventing image theft, slideshow solutions, Web galleries, and sharing websites

You may know him from the series of popular "Tim Grey Guides" (Sybex), or from the hundreds of articles he's written for publications such as Outdoor Photographer, Digital Photo Pro and PC Photo. In Take Your Best Shot, Grey answers questions in the same clear and accessible style. If you want to know the "why" along with the "how", this book is the one you want -- the straight scoop from an expert who knows his business.

About the Author
Tim Grey is a prolific writer and lecturer on digital photography. Tim is a popular speaker at various seminars and trade shows. He is the author and co-author of several books related to digital photography, including the Tim Grey guides, published by Sybex/Wiley. In his "Digital Darkroom Questions" (DDQ) email service, he answers questions from photography enthusiasts and pros. He's also written hundreds of magazine articles for publications such as Outdoor Photographer, Digital Photo Pro and PC Photo, and is a member of the Photoshop World Dream Team of instructors. In 2007, he launched his own four-color quarterly photography magazine, DDQ (Digital Darkroom Quarterly). Tim is a reliable, diligent writer known for his work ethic.

Product Details

• Paperback: 252 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Inc. (May 11, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596518250
• ISBN-13: 978-0596518257
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #514,987 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #51 in

  Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Darkroom & Processing

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read For The Newbie, August 11, 2008

By	Gordon Schultz (Chapel Hill, NC United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I generally like the Q & A format in books and this volume uses this style to the fullest extent. It is absolutely chock-full of great ideas, tips and tidbits that are essential knowledge for the beginner digital photographer as well as those who are more experienced. Tim Grey expertly answers questions that I had and many questions that I hadn't even thought of beforehand. I was especially pleased with his inside info and candid responses to queries about brand name cameras, types of printers and the best lenses. I especially appreciated his honest answer as to which photographers would most benefit from owning Adobe Lightroom and other expensive software. This book has already paid for itself many times over by preventing me from making some ill-advised purchases.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Take Your Best Shot: Tim Grey Tackles Beginner's Digital Darkroom Questions, October 5, 2008

By	Eric Jain (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a collection of (presumably) common questions, and Tim Grey's answers. Most of this information can be found on the Web easily, but for someone who is just getting started it might be useful to have such a compendium. On the other hand, for anyone who already does know what the difference between JPEG and RAW images is etc, the answers in this book don't have enough depth (especially when talking about how digital cameras work), and are sometimes incomplete (e.g. there is no mention of watermarking in the response to a question about "securing" images). At the same time, some of the questions are over-specific (e.g. "What Do the Highlighted Menu Items In Photoshop CS3 Mean?"). Even if the format of the book doesn't allow for detailed answers, I'd at least expect pointers to further information (there isn't even a reference section).

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kudos to Tim Grey, August 15, 2008

By	C. E. Nichols (Central Kentucky) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I can't really add anything to Gordon Schultz's review except to say that I agree with it 100%. Tim Grey has written an excellent book in a very user-friendly format which is chock full of information on every aspect of digital photography. If you're into RAW conversions, Photoshop editing, and home printing then unless you're an experienced pro, you need this book. I simply can't recommend it highly enough.