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Last updated 3/07/2006

Digital Photography Pocket Guide Third Edition

Digital Photography Pocket Guide Third Edition
Author - Derrick Story
Publisher: O'Reilly
170 Pages --- $14.95
ISBN 0-596-10015-9

By now the Digital Photography Pocket Guide by Derrick Story has become a standard.

As with the first two editions, it is easy to read and use, and covers just about everything from the features found on digital cameras and evaluating which camera you should buy, to how to control the camera once you buy it and how to use the camera in different photo situations.

This book can be useful for planning your photo shoots, such as a trip, a wedding, or other special shots, and as a small 4.25" x 7" reference to take in your camera bag.

There is good advice about using a computer to show, share, and manage your computer files. But this a book about using your camera. It is not about using your computer as a digital darkroom.

This third edition contains almost all new pictures, new information on printing your photographs directly to a portable printer, how to capture and use the high quality movie clips now available with many digital cameras, and updates of all the specifications. And, of course it contains all the information from the first two editions which made them best sellers.

As we said in our review of the second edition, This book has four parts:

  1. What Is It? is a description of typical digital camera features illustrated by looking at different cameras from all sides, including inside.
  2. What Does It Do? is an alphabetic listing of digital camera features with practical examples of how and when to use them. This part includes a clear easy to understand explanation of exposure compensation which helped me get better pictures of Christmas Lights. It may not be obvious, but if your camera automatically adjusts the lens settings to properly expose your house, the Christmas lights will be bright white glare.
  3. How Do I? contains practical advice for getting better pictures in sixteen typical situations and advice for archiving, e-mailing, printing, and showing your photographs. His tips for preventing red eye include Ñ for help in touching up red eye, try iPhoto (iPhoto 5): The Missing Manual or PhotoShop Elements 2 (now 3): The Missing Manual.)
  4. Quick Reference Charts (now Appendix), includes an exposure compensation reference guide, flash mode settings, white balance settings, and camera modes and metering modes with explanation, exposure starting points for sunset and astrophotography, megapixels to print size, and number of pictures to capacity of memory card. Even the most experienced professional photographers might find this reference very handy.

Derrick Story is the managing editor of O'Reilly Network (www.oreillynet.com) and manages his own commercial photo business, Story Photography (www.storyphoto.com). His photographs appear in Chapters 1,2, and 3 of iPhoto: The Missing Manual by David Pogue, Jospeh Schorr, and Derrick Story. He knows what he is talking about, and how to write it for you to understand.

(User group members quality for a 30% discount from www.oreilly.com)

For more information about Digital Photography Pocket Guide . or to order it go to:

http://www.oreilly.com