David Pogue’s Digital Photography: The Missing Manual
13
Dec/095
Dec/095
Product Description
If you’re ready to jump into digital photography or would like to increase the skills you already have, David Pogue’s Digital Photography: The Missing Manual is just what you need. Bestselling author David Pogue provides a no-nonsense guide to the entire process, including how to: buy and use a digital camera; get the same photographic effects as the pros; manage the results on your Mac or PC; edit photos; and, finally, share the results with your adoring fans — on paper, online, or on mugs, jigsaw puzzles, and blankets. After reviewing hundreds of digital cameras and photo services in his weekly New York Times column, David Pogue knows digital photography. With this new Missing Manual you will: Get expert advice on how to choose a digital camera, including information on the only specs that matter. (Hint: it’s not about megapixels). Learn the basics of lighting, composition, and shooting lots of photos Understand how to choose the best camera settings for 20 different scenarios Unravel the problems of correcting images and storing them Learn David’s tips and tricks for sharing and printing images Get a special troubleshooting section you can turn to when things go wrong David Pogue’s witty, authoritative voice has demystified the Mac, Windows, iPods and iPhones for millions of readers. Now, he offers step-by-step instructions and plenty of friendly advice to help you join in the fun and get real satisfaction from digital photography.
David Pogue’s Digital Photography: The Missing Manual
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3:06 pm on December 13th, 2009
Full of information in a very accessible, pleasant to read format. Good for beginners and intermediate users. Goes over the mechanics of use for compact and SLR cameras. Contains a wealth of creative tips as well.
Rating: 5 / 5
5:19 pm on December 13th, 2009
I have been an accomplished ameture photographer for over 40 years. I started out using a Canon AE-1 back in the seventies. Through the years I migrated eventually to the digital world. It is interesting to note how much you forget when the camera does everything for you. I recently purchased the Nikon P90 with the 24X optical zoom and the 12.1mp, etc. It has all the bells and whistles of a DSLR and a compact Digital camera. This camera has the P-S-A-M settings and that leads us to the Book in question. David Pogue is unique in his ability to not only refresh your memory but to teach in a way that is very user friendly. I have relearned so much by reading this great book! He covers all known fine points of great photography and helps you avoid the digital pitfalls that you would ordinarily fall into on your own. This is a grand undertaking and very much appreciated! Good for ameture and professional alike!
Thanks David!
Carl Fields
Rating: 5 / 5
6:44 pm on December 13th, 2009
I’ve been into photography off and on for years. One thing I’ve learned to hate are 250 to 300 page books to make something “simple”. You can learn a lot from this book and it frankly is just a good read without a lot of hype.
Rating: 5 / 5
7:28 pm on December 13th, 2009
This book is a must for anyone taking up digital photography. So much murky information in a camera’s manual is made clear. Terrific!
Rating: 5 / 5
9:27 pm on December 13th, 2009
David Pogue’s “The Missing Manual” series was intended to fill a gap between the truly missing manual so common these days and the huge encyclopedias that claim to cover absolutely everything about a topic. While many of “The Missing Manual” tomes focus on specific software products (i.e., Windows XP), a few like this one cover broad subjects.
In fact, Pogue breaks the topic into two broad areas. The first is about choosing a camera. It is unusually good. As anyone who follows Pogue’s New York Times columns knows, Pogue is an avid photo hobbyist and his advice section is unusually thorough. He then has a section on using the camera and taking photographs. This is pretty standard fare, though Pogue’s breezy style helps and he does give you tips and tricks that you are unlikely to find in other books. For example, did you know the screw atop a standard house lamp with a shade can be used a camera mount? I’ve been taking photos for decades and either never knew that or (shudder) forgot it.
It’s difficult to explain just how much Pogue packs into the 137 pages he uses to explain cameras and picture taking, but it is an impressive tour de force.
By the way, throughout this first section, Pogue covers not only point ‘n shoot cameras, but SLRs as well.
Overall, this first section could easily stand as a book in its own right on choosing and using digital cameras.
The second part of the book deals with cataloging, retouching and presenting your digital photos. This section doesn’t hold up as well because Pogue tries to cover both Picasa for Windows and iPhoto on the Mac. Considering the Mac’s minuscule market share, I question Pogue’s inclusion of both. On the other hand, Pogue’s affection for the Mac is well known. Pogue says “these programs are so similar, you could describe them both in the same book, with only a few wording changes to differentiate the steps”. And that is what Pogue tries to do. The constant switch of references between Picasa and iPhoto is something I found irritating as a reader. On the other, it is not a showstopper – and Pogue does an excellent job of introducing the broad capabilities of each program.
For a beginner in digital photography, this book is indispensable. For the intermediate user, who may not have read the manual for their camera, it is an excellent asset as well. The real pro, however, may take a pass.
Overall, it’s an excellent introduction to digital photography and all you can do with it.
Jerry
Rating: 5 / 5