This is such a great reference book for those who own and use digital cameras. Whether it's a camera phone, a compact point-and-shoot or a DSLR, there's something in this book for everyone with any type of digital camera. Every time I open up the book, I learn something new and find something interesting to read about. Right now, I using it as part reference book (when I need to know something) and part general photography book, where I sit down and read a section. There's so much in this book, it's going to take me months to go through it all.
The book is divided into 6 sections, with post-processing or image enhancement being the biggest and more extensive. Other sections include: the basics, which covers composition, focusing, viewpoints, colour balance, using a flash and much more; photography projects, where Ang shows the photographer how to take photos of things like architecture, children, animals, portraits; printing and sharing photos; buying guide for cameras and other photographic equipment; and finally, taking your photography to the next level by making it into a business or staging an exhibition.
Ang covers a multitude of subjects in this book, however, at times he didn't go into as many details as I would have liked. Because there are many different cameras and photo editing software packages out there, that's understandable. He can't possibly cover all of them. His generalities, though, sometimes had me fumbling around with my gear trying figure out how I could do what he was describing. I guess that's partially my fault in that I don't know my camera or software as well as I should.
The book is roughly half text and half photos. I love that it contains lots of photos taken by Ang. He's a great photographer. He also a very good teacher and explains things in a clear and understandable manner. My favourite pages are the Quick Fix ones, where he identifies a problem that can occur in a photo, then offers solutions on how to fix it. He even offers advice on how to avoid the problem in the first place.
The book contains a huge glossary, one of the largest I've seen. It explains so many things. The author has also included a number of other useful elements: list of web resources and their function; list of manufacturers with web addresses; software resources with a brief explanation of each; and a list of photography books for further reading.
The table of contents not only lists the major sections, but it also has the individual subjects within each section. The index is pretty good; I found everything I was looking for.
I've also read and continue to use Ang's, How to Photograph Absolutely Everything (my review). It's also really good.
Highly recommended for the digital photographer. I'll be keeping this one close by and will likely refer to it often.
For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit DK's website.
For more information about the author and his other books, please visit Tom Ang's website.
I'd like to thank those nice people at DK Canada for this review copy.
Digital Photographer's Handbook (5th Edition) by Tom Ang, Dorling Kindersley (DK), ©2012. ISBN 9780756692421(Soft cover), 408p.
This sounds like one I should check out. I am interested in photography, but don't have a clue what I'm doing. Sometimes I luck out and get great pictures - but usually not.
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