It's not often that one sees a Dummies title printed in full colour on heavy glossy paper, such as the fifth edition of Digital Photography for Dummies — also remarkable for its price, which is much the same as the cover price on standard titles in the series.

Any discussion of digital photography has to address colour issues, and to do that effectively in a book it is necessary to show didactic examples in precisely controlled full colour in order to demonstrate faults and problems, and the effect of particular solutions. Quality colour is also necessary for the demonstration of technical matters, such as channels. Digital Photography for Dummies does a great job in that department.

There are many who use digital cameras and simply accept results as-is; they just take a lot more pictures in the hope that one will be worth while — or are so undiscerning that they don't know good from bad. If you want to get out of that rut, then get a copy of Digital Photography for Dummies. If you know that your pictures could be better, and you want to know how it is done, then get a copy of Digital Photography for Dummies. If you want a sound primer on the technical and science side, then get a copy of Digital Photography for Dummies.

The necessary 'equipment' is discussed, from a guide to choosing a camera to editing software and sundry hardware items.

The book covers the fundamentals of photography and the special issues that have to be considered when taking digital shots. It shows users how to edit digital images, such as dealing with over or under exposure, cropping, adjusting for colour casts, and the file formats that suit particular situations.

For novices, and experienced users, this is a well presented and comprehensive guide to digital photography.
 

Julie King: Digital Photography for Dummies 5/e ISBN 0-7645-9802-3 Published by Wiley, 379 pp., RRP $39.95 incl. GST.

Reprinted from the August 2006 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia

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