Digital Photography Digital Field Guide

by Harold Davis

• ISBN13: 9780764597855
• ISBN10: 076459785X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-10-01
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

The digital camera has revolutionized photography. Sporting events, breathtaking landscapes, the mood of the sea, or a child's eyes as a present is opened-capture whatever fascinates you. Learn touse your images in ways only highly skilled professionals could manage a mere decade ago. With this practical guide in your camera bag, you'll have professional advice at your fingertips to help you get great shots, use all your camera's features, download and enhance your photos, and share them in dozens of creative ways. * Understand digital camera basics * Learn the secrets for getting a good close-up * Find out when and why to use RAW format * Explore dozens of formulas for shooting a variety of scenes, including suggested lenses, settings, and lighting options * Rid your pictures of red-eye and other imperfections * Create a slide show, prints, or e-mail- and Web-ready images * Make the most of your camera's abilities with filters and other accessories

Author Biography

Harold Davis is a strategic technology consultant, hands-on computer programmer, photographer, and the author of more than twenty books including Building Research Tools with Google For Dummies. Harold writes the Googleplex Blog and Photoblog 2.0.
In addition to his work as a writer, Harold has been a technology company executive, enterprise consultant, software developer, and a professional photographer. He maintained a photography studio in New York City for over ten years. His photographs are published, exhibited, and widely collected.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	vii
Introduction	xvii
Quick Tour: Shooting Your First Digital Photo	1	(6)
Selecting Exposure Mode	3	(1)
Focusing and Choosing Focus Mode	4	(1)
Previewing Depth of Field	4	(1)
Selecting Image Format	4	(1)
Taking the Picture	5	(1)
Reviewing the Image	5	(1)
Printing Your Photographs	5	(2)
Part I: Using Your Digital Camera	7	(36)
Exploring the Digital Camera	9	(20)
Suitability to Tasks	9	(1)
Typical Non-SLR Controls	10	(2)
Typical SLR Controls	12	(1)
Understanding Zoom Lenses	13	(4)
Depth of Field	17	(3)
Understanding ISO	20	(2)
Exposure Modes	22	(4)
Automatic exposure	22	(2)
Semiautomatic exposure	24	(1)
Manual exposure	24	(2)
Using Automatic Focusing	26	(3)
Preparation and Setup	29	(14)
Recharging Strategies in the Field	29	(3)
Setting the Camera	32	(3)
Setting LCD brightness	33	(1)
Setting autofocus options	34	(1)
Choosing Your Format	35	(3)
Choosing a Memory Card	38	(1)
Protecting Your Camera	39	(2)
Getting Permission to Photograph	41	(2)
What pictures can you take?	41	(1)
What uses require releases?	41	(1)
What should a release say?	41	(1)
Getting someone to sign a release	42	(1)
Part II: Creating Great Photos with Your Digital Camera	43	(156)
Photography Basics	45	(26)
Understanding Exposure	45	(6)
The Three Elements of Exposure	51	(1)
The Role of ISO	51	(1)
Understanding Aperture	52	(8)
Setting different aperture modes	53	(1)
Which aperture should you choose?	54	(1)
Working with shutter speeds	54	(5)
Shutter modes	59	(1)
Equivalent Exposures	60	(1)
Getting Colors Right with White Balance	61	(3)
Getting Good Close-Ups	64	(3)
Using your camera's macro facility	66	(1)
Focusing accurately	67	(1)
Composing Great Photographs	67	(3)
Putting It All Together	70	(1)
Lighting Your Photos	71	(16)
Observing Light	71	(1)
The Source and Direction of Light	72	(1)
Front Lighting	73	(1)
Side Lighting	73	(2)
Backlighting	75	(2)
Character, Intensity, and Color of Light	77	(2)
How Light Changes	79	(1)
Shadows Created by Light	80	(1)
Ambient Light	81	(1)
Sunlight	82	(1)
Incandescent and Fluorescent	83	(1)
On-Camera Flash	84	(3)
Using Accessories and Filters	87	(14)
Lenses	87	(5)
Optical Filters	92	(6)
Fitting a filter	93	(1)
Filter types	93	(1)
Protective filters	94	(1)
A polarizer is a photographer's best friend	95	(1)
Macro filters	95	(1)
Color-correction filters	96	(1)
Artistic and creative filters	97	(1)
Tripods	98	(3)
Recipes for Great Photos	101	(70)
Abstract Photography	101	(4)
Inspiration	102	(1)
Abstract photography practice	103	(1)
Abstract photography tips	104	(1)
Action Photography	105	(4)
Inspiration	105	(2)
Action photography practice	107	(1)
Action photography tips	108	(1)
Animal and Wildlife Photography	109	(4)
Inspiration	109	(2)
Animal and wildlife photography practice	111	(1)
Animal and wildlife photography tips	112	(1)
Architectural Photography	113	(4)
Inspiration	113	(2)
Architecture photography practice	115	(1)
Architectural photography tips	116	(1)
Cityscape Photography	117	(2)
Inspiration	117	(1)
Cityscape photography practice	118	(1)
Cityscape photography tips	119	(1)
Cloud Photography	119	(4)
Inspiration	119	(2)
Cloud photography practice	121	(1)
Cloud photography tips	122	(1)
Flower Photography	123	(4)
Inspiration	123	(2)
Flower photography practice	125	(1)
Flower photography tips	126	(1)
Landscape Photography	127	(5)
Inspiration	127	(3)
Landscape photography practice	130	(1)
Landscape photography tips	131	(1)
Macro and Close-Up Photography	132	(5)
Inspiration	133	(2)
Macro and close-up photography practice	135	(1)
Macro and close-up photography tips	136	(1)
Mountain Photography	137	(4)
Inspiration	137	(2)
Mountain photography practice	139	(1)
Mountain photography tips	140	(1)
Night Photography	141	(2)
Inspiration	141	(1)
Night photography practice	142	(1)
Night photography tips	143	(1)
Panoramic Photography	143	(3)
Inspiration	144	(1)
Panoramic photography practice	145	(1)
Panorama tips	146	(1)
People: Baby and Child Photography	146	(6)
Baby photography	146	(1)
Inspiration	147	(1)
Baby photography practice	147	(1)
Baby photography tips	148	(1)
Child photography	149	(1)
Inspiration	150	(1)
Child photography practice	151	(1)
Child photography tips	152	(1)
Pet Photography	152	(3)
Inspiration	152	(1)
Pet photography practice	153	(1)
Pet photography tips	154	(1)
Still-Life Photography	155	(4)
Inspiration	156	(2)
Still-life photography practice	158	(1)
Still-life photography tips	159	(1)
Sunset and Sunrise Photography	159	(4)
Inspiration	160	(1)
Sunset and sunrise photography practice	161	(1)
Sunset and sunrise photography tips	162	(1)
Water Photography	163	(4)
Inspiration	164	(1)
Water photography practice	165	(1)
Water photography tips	166	(1)
Weather Photography	167	(4)
Inspiration	168	(1)
Weather photography practice	169	(1)
Weather photography tips	170	(1)
Editing and Sharing Your Work	171	(28)
About the Digital Darkroom	171	(5)
Using Photoshop Elements and Photoshop	176	(2)
Filters in the Digital Darkroom	178	(7)
Photo filter	179	(1)
Shadow/Highlight filter	180	(1)
Ink Outlines filter	181	(1)
Unsharp Mask filter	182	(1)
Wind filter	183	(1)
Liquify filter	183	(2)
Cleaning Up Red Eye	185	(1)
Getting Rid of Imperfections	185	(3)
Adjusting contrast, tone, and color	185	(1)
Working with shadows and highlights	185	(1)
Composites	186	(2)
Preparing Photographs for the Web	188	(2)
Publishing Photographs on the Web	190	(2)
E-mailing Photographs	192	(1)
Printing Photographs	193	(2)
Turning digital photos into prints	193	(1)
Using a home printer	193	(1)
Moving up to a better printer	193	(1)
Photo printing services	194	(1)
Creating a Slide Show	195	(4)
PowerPoint	195	(1)
Windows XP	196	(3)
Part III: Appendixes	199	(2)
Appendix A: Resources	201	(4)
Companion Web Site	201	(1)
Digital Camera Manufacturers	201	(1)
Accessories	202	(1)
Camera bags	202	(1)
Filters	202	(1)
Tripods	202	(1)
Software	202	(1)
Web sites	203	(1)
Leading Commercial Photo-Printing Services	203	(1)
Publishing Photos on the Web	203	(1)
About Photography	204	(1)
Photography books	204	(1)
Web sites	204	(1)
Glossary	205	(6)
Index	211