Digital Photography

Rick Broida

Whether you're a weekend shutterbug or a professional photographer, the world of digital photography can be daunting. For the novice, it means contending with terms like 'resolution' and 'CCD' and fighting the learning curve involved in turning digital photos into actual prints. For the pro, it means learning new ways of handling traditional photographic tasks (such as controlling ISO numbers when there's no actual film involved).

Dave Johnson's Digital Photography Answers (Osborne) deftly teaches novices the basics of digital photography while giving experts the knowledge they need to transition into the digital realm. A more complete and entertaining book on the subject has yet to be written.

Digital Photography Answers opens with "Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions," which includes such real-world queries as "What kind of camera should I buy?" and "What are some things I can do with the pictures from my digital camera?" Johnson delivers refreshingly clear and detailed answers, never condescending to the beginner nor overdoing the technical jargon. Subsequent chapters cover choosing a camera, lighting and flash, peripherals and accessories, and image editing. There's no topic left unturned, no camera feature left unexplained.

Of particular interest is Johnson's chapter on taking close-up pictures, which covers not just digital issues, but also basic photographic method.

It's regrettable that Osborne chose not to reproduce the book's many photos in color, but virtually all of the included black-and-white shots do a fine job of visualizing the topic at hand. In short, whatever you're hoping to accomplish in the emerging area of digital photography--be it repairing scratched photos or producing images for the Web--you'll find everything you need to know in Digital Photography Answers. This is without a doubt the only digital photography book you'll ever need.
—Fine Art Forum