A combination of a beginner's guide to photography and a tutorial on how to use the most popular image-editing software, TechTV's Digital Camera and Imaging Guide makes an excellent companion for someone approaching digital photography from either direction. It's simultaneously well suited to photography hobbyists who want to learn about digital editing and to longtime computer users who want to do more with their latest peripheral than take happy-snaps at the barbecue. The authors--Les Freed (who has written about this subject for PC Magazine) and Sumi Das, who does technology reports for a cable television show--have done great work in explaining their subject in a welcoming way. You'll enjoy reading their prose and trying out their ideas.
Though there are a few expeditions into the peculiarities of specific products (cameras and printers, especially), the authors generally stick to universal principles when explaining what to look for in hardware. Any other approach would quickly be rendered obsolete. When it comes to software, they investigate a variety of products as well, though they stick mainly to the Adobe Photoshop interface (under Windows XP) when they explain how to, for instance, straighten and crop a haphazard picture of a skyline. These instructional sequences, by the way, are nicely illustrated. There are plenty of "work in progress" shots in addition to the "before" and "after" ones. --David Wall
Topics covered: How to choose, use, and enjoy a digital camera. Coverage includes much about general technology, including explanations of pixel resolutions and photo-transfer options, as well as advice on photographic technique (lighting and composition, among others). Detailed sections have to do with using Adobe Photoshop to tweak your photos after they've been taken.
Product Description
TechTV's Digital Camera and Imaging Guide is a complete resource to use before and after buying a digital camera. You'll get expert advice from Les Freed, a PC Magazine editor who writes reviews on the newest consumer digital cameras and compatible software and hardware. This guide covers choosing the right camera, hardware, software, and Web resources, and shows how to capture, edit, store, and share images easily and with no previous photography experience.
