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The
title of this book implies that it's written specifically for
digital camera owners. Not so. I was somewhat surprised to see
just how much useful information was provided for individuals
who may be using a traditional film camera instead of a digital
camera. In fact, even if you don't own a computer, there's information
that you can benefit from in this book. It was enlightening
to learn of the many options now available for digicam owners
who don't own a computer.
Make no mistake; this is not a book on choosing and buying a digital camera. As the author states, the technology changes so fast that this kind of information is not all that valuable in book format. You're better off doing that kind of research on the Internet where the information is the most up to date. Instead, you'll learn tips and techniques to help you capture better pictures, and make the most out of those pictures. Although you won't get step-by-step details for specific techniques, it does provide an excellent overview of all the possibilities when you venture into the world of digital imaging. Chances are, by the time you finish reading this book, you'll be hooked!
Gregory Georges explores all the available options for working with digital photography. In everyday language, he enthusiastically summarizes and presents the most important information you should know about digital imaging. In addition, it's loaded with links to even more online resources and related information. You won't be bored, either; it's packed full of fabulous, full-color images from the author's personal collection of over 1200 photos. There's also a companion Web site where you can see many of the projects discussed in the book.
The book is divided into four major sections. The first section provides an introduction to digital cameras where you'll learn the common misconceptions about digital cameras, what features to look for in a digital camera, accessories you might want, and several reasons why you should own a digital camera. You'll also get an overview of scanners, digitization services, and other ways of getting your pictures into digital form, and then you'll learn about the available solutions for managing and storing your image collection.
Part II demonstrates all the ways you can transform ordinary images into extraordinary images. Here he discusses image editing and correction, batch processing, compositing, and filter effects. You won't find in-depth tutorials on these techniques, but it's an excellent general overview of what you can do with the right software tools. Included is a roundup of several recommended tools you'll want to consider, and a sampler of "digital image magic" techniques.
In Part III you'll learn about the variety of fun ways you can use your images. This is where you learn about software tools for creating photo projects for your home and business such as calendars, greeting cards, business cards, and flyers. You'll discover tools for displaying your images more creatively through the use of electronic photo albums, e-greetings, slide shows, and screen savers. Plus, you'll explore other intriguing projects including 360° panoramas, virtual reality movies, animations, special effects, and creating 3D worlds and fine art prints from your images.
In the final section, you'll be introduced to a number of options for sharing your digital photos. You'll learn the pros and cons of all the ways you can share you images with others. He explains how to send your photos in e-mail so that your recipients will be able to view them more easily, and you'll learn about all the ways you can share your image collection on the Web. You'll get an overview of the services available in many photo labs, explore a few of the many new photo-sharing communities around the Web, and even learn a bit about how to get started authoring your own Web pages. If you're an AOL user, there's an entire chapter devoted to finding digital imaging and photography resources on the AOL service.
This section also includes a wealth of information about turning your digital images into prints. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at just how many options are available now for getting high quality prints from your digital photos. In my opinion, this was one of the most valuable chapters in the book. Not only do you learn about home printers and photo printing services, there's also information about choosing from all the new papers that are becoming available... everything from photographic papers to fine art and specialty papers.
Whether you're a hobbyist just venturing into the world of digital imaging or an experienced photographer, you'll be inspired by the possibilities for using your digital images more effectively, and you'll undoubtedly have more fun doing it. I'll conclude this review by encouraging you to follow this bit of advice from the author himself:
"Skip a few evenings of watching TV or aimlessly surfing the Internet and instead spend your time working with a digital image editor. Go back through your old photos and pull out a few dozen that look interesting... experiment to see what you can do with them."
-Gregory Georges, from Digital Camera Solutions.
Sue
Chastain
Your Guide to Graphics Software
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