The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group
Digital Photography Reference - for the bookshelf
Major Keary		  

Within the Dummies series is a subgroup of 'all-in-one desk references'; each title is made up of several stand-alone 'books' that share a common index. In Digital Photography All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies there are seven 'books':
  • Digital Photography Overview
  • Building Your Digital Photography Studio
  • Taking Great Pictures
  • Basics of Image
  • Editing
  • Editing with Photoshop,
  • Restoring Old Photos
  • and Printing and Sharing Digital Images
The lead author, David Busch, a professional photographer of over twenty years standing, has written many books on photography. This title is now in its second edition, catching up with new developments in hardware and image manipulation software. Readers are assumed to be familiar with computers running under either Mac or Windows, and know how to use image editing software. The book is, as the title says, designed to be used as a reference: it does not skimp on detail, but is concise and makes frequent use of bulleted items. Novices will find the first 'book' an easy-to-read overview that introduces a number of topics that are dealt with in greater detail elsewhere in the text.

Apart from photographic techniques, suggestions for dealing with particular picture situations, and image editing, the book contains sound advice on equipment and buying suggestions. The author points out that a scanner sometimes does a better job than a digital camera, and discusses scanner issues. The 'book' on restoring old photographs is especially good.

If you want to improve your digital photographic skills or are thinking of upgrading your photographic equipment, this is a resource well worth having. It is particularly comprehensive in its coverage and should satisfy the needs of most novice and intermediate-level digital photographers. Very good value.
 
David Busch:
Digital Photography All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies 2/e
ISBN 0-7645-7328-4
Published by Wiley,
738 pp.,
RRP $49.95 incl. GST

Reprinted from the July 2005 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia

[ About Melbourne PC User Group ]