Mastering Digital Photography and Imaging (Paperback)

~ (Author), Sybex (Author) "When you turn the camera on and press the shutter button, the aperture in the lens opens to allow light to strike the light to..." (more)
Key Phrases: compact digicams, raw capture mode, advanced image editors, Unsharp Mask, Adobe Photoshop, Making Digital Images (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Peter K. Burian, co-author of the best-selling how-to guide for film photographers, "The National Geographic Photography Field Guide", has now written a full-color book devoted to digital image creation. In "Mastering Digital Photography and Imaging", he covers all the essentials for digital photographers, including digital camera and scanner technology, capture techniques, choosing software, image optimization, color management, and output. Written by a photographer and filled with practical advice and expert tips, this comprehensive reference is designed to give you expert knowledge, not just information. If you are a photography enthusiast moving from traditional photography to digital, or if you're just interested in learning more about digital photography for work or for fun, this one-of-a-kind book was written for you!

From the Back Cover

"A must-read for those who want to enhance their digital photography experience." George Schaub, Editorial Director, Shutterbug and eDigitalPhoto magazines

With a three or more megapixel digital camera or a good scanner, affordable image-editing software, and a photo-realistic printer, you have all the tools you need to create absolutely stunning images. But understanding all your options and getting the best possible results can be daunting. What features should you look for in a digital camera? What accessories do you need? How do you capture the best possible images with your digital equipment—and make corrections when you don’t? What are the advantages of RAW capture? How can you get consistently great prints?

Peter K. Burian, coauthor of the best-selling National Geographic Photography Field Guide, has taken the digital plunge and lived to write about it. The result is a practical, accessible guide that demystifies the world of digital photography and imaging—a must-read whether you're a photography enthusiast making the leap to digital, a gadget lover looking for the latest technology, a novice photographer, or anybody who regularly works with images

Inside you'll find: A buyer's guide to the essential equipment and software: learn the pros and cons of compact digicams versus digital SLR cameras; choose a suitable scanner; find the right imaging program for your needs; select the perfect photo printer Focusing, composition, and lighting tips for making snapshots that you’ll be proud of Pro tips and techniques for using all your camera's advanced features Techniques for getting scans of exceptional quality, whether you’re scanning prints, slides, or negatives Recommendations on upgrading your computer and peripherals for digital imaging Professional methods for fine-tuning your images in the digital darkroom Techniques for creating color or black-and-white prints of exhibition quality Tips on optimizing your images for use in e-mail, online albums, and web pages

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Sybex; 1 edition (February 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0782142907
• ISBN-13: 978-0782142907
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #287,372 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars misleading title, November 19, 2004

By	john (Kamloops, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews

this book is very very basic, most of what is covered ( software current cameras etc.)will be out of date soon. do not expect to learn anything regarding taking better pictures ( shutter speed , mastering the light meter , etc. ). if you have absolutly no idea of how - what or why regarding digital cameras then this book is for you , but if you have any knowledge then pass up on this book

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good overview, but becoming outdated, March 23, 2005

By	Bukkene Bruse (Iowa) - See all my reviews

This book is best suited for people with little understanding of photography who are looking to get started with a digital camera; the first two thirds of the book are largely meant for this audience. However, there is quite a bit in the last third of the book for readers who are moving from film to digital or learning how to use digital editing software. For this more advanced audience, there is even some useful advice on picking a digital camera in the first sections.

Although the core concepts covered in the book should carry forward for sometime, much of the book is becoming outdated (for example there is no discussion of the new Adobe digital negative format as an alternative to compressed TIFF for archiving images, and camera specs are also behind the times). An updated version would be welcome for the intended audiences, and I would most likely rate that book 4 to 5 stars.

Because this book is a broad introductory text, and does not go in-depth into any topic, use of the word "Mastering" in the title, not to mention trademarking this one word, is inappropriate.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A basic guide, May 16, 2005

By	Al Marit - See all my reviews

I must admit that the book title had me fooled. The cover looked stunning and I believed that this would be a book that would, indeed, help one to engage deeply in digital photography.
However, the book turned out to be little more than a basic primer on getting started in digital photgraphy. In fact, it didn't go into sufficient detail on anything and, despite the excellent paper stock and beautiful color photographs, was an extremely disappointing buy.