Save 34% Off: Flickr Hacks: Tips & Tools for Sharing Photos OnlineReview & Ratings

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Flickr Hacks: Tips & Tools for Sharing Photos Online Review

Flickr is one of those web sites that has gone in directions I don't think anyone ever imagined it would go. What started out as simple photo-sharing is now a full-featured site with a programming API. Many of these are covered and explored in the book Flickr Hacks - Tips & Tools for Sharing Photos Online by Paul Bausch & Jim Bumgardner.
Contents: Sharing Photos; Tagging Photos; Viewing Photos; Community; Maintenance; API Basics; Custom Applications; Index
At the core, Flickr is a site to share pictures online with friends, family, or anyone else you open your pictures to. And pretty much, that's all I've used it for. I don't take a lot of pictures, but the ones I have taken that relate to shared experiences (like Lotusphere) have made it up there. In fact, someone sponsored me for a professional Flickr account (thank you!), but it's about ready to expire. I wasn't planning on renewing it at that level, but I may have to reconsider after reading this book. The book is about the size of a normal Hacks title, but there's only 50 hacks in here. As you can imagine, each one goes into much more detail than normal. And there *is* some fun stuff in here. If you have a little background in PHP or Perl, you can really get crazy, too. For instance, I didn't know you could email photos to your Flickr account. Hack #6 shows how that works, and it explains how Flickr can often serve as a real-time look into breaking events such as the London train bombing. People were using their cell phones to take pictures and then mailing them in to the Flickr account. Or for fun stuff, you can use the Flickr API to build routines to create "ransom note" messages (a different picture for each letter, "glued" together into sentences) in hack #47. Hack #48 shows you how to take one of your photos and create a "slider puzzle" out of it. And in between those two ranges you'll find a number of things that will cause you, like they did me, to say "Flickr can do that?"...
If you use Flickr and actively load photos out there, this will be a "must read" book to enhance and expand your Flickr experience. Even if you're just a casual user like me, you'll have your eyes opened to some new possibilities. Now where was that Flickr renewal email?

Flickr Hacks: Tips & Tools for Sharing Photos Online Overview

Over two million registered Flickr users and counting have discovered the ease and fun of organizing their photo libraries, showing off their favorite pictures to the world, and securely sharing their private pictures with friends, family, or ad hoc groups. But Flickr's own plethora of intuitive menus, options, and features just scratches the surface.

Flickr Hacks goes beyond the basics of storing, sorting, and sharing your photos to the much bigger playground of what's possible. Whether you're a beginner looking to manage your metadata and play with tags, or a programmer in need of a detailed reference of Flickr API methods, you'll find what you're looking for here. In addition to getting under the hood of some of the most popular third-party Flickr toys already in the wild, you'll learn how to:

Post photos to your blog directly from your cameraphone
Mash up your own photos or others' public pictures into custom mosaics, collages, sliding puzzles, slideshows, or ransom notes
Back up your Flickr library to your desktop, and save the comments too
Set random desktop backgrounds and build your own Flickr screensaver
Geotag your photos and map your contacts
Download a list of photos and make a contact sheet
Make your own Flickr-style tag cloud to visualize the frequency of common tags
Build a color picker with a dynamic color wheel of Flickr photos
Feed photos to your web site and subscribe to custom Flickr feeds using RSS
Talk to the Flickr API using your web browser, Perl, or PHP; authenticate yourself and other users; and build custom API applications


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Save 36% Off: Flash Techniques for Macro and Close-Up Photography: AGuide for Digital Photographers Review & Ratings

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Flash Techniques for Macro and Close-Up Photography: A Guide for Digital Photographers Review

If you, like me, are in the Macro photography field, then make you a big favor and don't waste your money with this book. I have dozens of photography books but this one is the worst of them all. It shows a bunch of photos of a couple giving a course to students, shows very bad flash techniques and doesn't even mention the most used flash systems for macro photography like Flash Rings, SpeedLite, SpeedLight, Twin Lite, etc. just a bunch of flash diffusers. The macro photos are pathetic and many of them are "really" out of focus with a legend that says that you can make them to suggest a subject... what was that? I really regret to have spent my money on this crap. Really a bad bad book.

Flash Techniques for Macro and Close-Up Photography: A Guide for Digital Photographers Overview

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Save 27% Off: Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set, Volumes 1and 2, (Offered Exclusively by Amazon) (Includes The DigitalPhotography Book Volume 1, The ... Book Volume 2, and Limited SignedPrint) Review & Ratings

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Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set, Volumes 1 and 2, (Offered Exclusively by Amazon) (Includes The Digital Photography Book Volume 1, The ... Book Volume 2, and Limited Signed Print) Review

Scott Kelby's books are a must have for both beginner and advanced professionals. They are easy to read, very conversational, and the information is second to none. I have read both of these books several times and have learned so many fantastic tips to get to the next level in my photography career. As a beginning professional I have referenced these techniques many times over and my photographs have improved 100%.
This is a fabulous gift for the photographer on your list and will be used over and over.
Scott Kelby has a wonderful sense of humor - he really is funny. You won't be bored reading and learning from Scott like some techno bordom books out there. He makes it easy in plain english.
They probably won't be suitable for someone who is a stiff and has no personality.

Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set, Volumes 1 and 2, (Offered Exclusively by Amazon) (Includes The Digital Photography Book Volume 1, The ... Book Volume 2, and Limited Signed Print) Overview

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Save 39% Off: Your Camera Loves You: Learn to Love It Back Review &Ratings

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Your Camera Loves You: Learn to Love It Back Review

I just received my copy of "Your Camera Loves You - Learn to Love it Back" today. What a fantastic resource! It's tailored to any skill level, but it's especially useful for someone like me who is a total novice at photography. I don't know how to do much beyond automatic mode, and this makes it easy to significantly improve my photo-taking skills without slogging through my Canon SLR's manual, with all of its dull, tiny, black and white print. Author Khara Plicanic writes in a fun, easy-to-understand and digest manner; she really "gets" what the average person needs out of a photography resource. Plus, the images that accompany the book show stunning "before and afters" that really bring to life why you should make an effort to use your camera beyond auto-mode. Own a digital camera? You want this book. It would also make a great gift for just about anyone!

Your Camera Loves You: Learn to Love It Back Overview

Wait–what!? You're not thrilled with the photos you're getting from your digital camera? The answer isn't a new camera–it's learning to use the one you've got! After all, it's not the camera that takes great photos–it's the person behind it. With Your Camera Loves You: Learn to Love it Back, photographer and instructor Khara Plicanic teaches the basics of photography and digital camera functions that you can apply to any camera, anywhere, any time–answering questions like: What do all those different modes mean and when do I use them? What's a megapixel and why should I care? Follow along with Khara's simple explanations of shutter speed, aperture, and shooting modes to get comfortable handling your camera (even bossing it around a bit!), learn to shoot images that tell a story, and understand the thought process involved in making a great photograph. Along the way you'll learn techniques for improving those yellow dingy photos of your kids' indoor sporting events, fixing exposure on shots that are too dark or too bright, avoiding the dangers of over-cropping, and much more. By the time you're finished, you'll know how to best use the features of whatever camera you already have–whether it's a high-performance DSLR or a basic point-and-shoot camera. Get ready to fall in love with your camera (and photography) all over again! With Your Camera Loves You, you will: • Move beyond "Auto" mode to take advantage of more of your camera's features and settings • Discover that the key to getting great images isn't by using a fancy DSLR but by learning your way around whatever camera you have • Learn from Khara's fun, friendly voice and techno-babble-free explanations how to easily improve your photos And as you learn, share your progress by posting your photos on Flickr.

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Save 32% Off: Nikon D3100 Digital Field Guide Review & Ratings

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Nikon D3100 Digital Field Guide Review

There is always going to be a learning curve with a new camera but having a book like this will help speed up the process. The first three chapters cover the basic functions of the D3100 and essential information about everything from lighting to lenses is also included. The best part of this field guide, however, is Chapter 8: Real World Applications. The inspiration photographs in this chapter are beautiful and if you are willing to go out in the field and work through the practice exercises you will have a better understanding of the D3100's capabilities, as well as your own capabilities as a photographer.
The book's format is user friendly: tips, notes, caution, and cross reference icons highlight important information, bulleted lists and diagrams make for easy reference. Thomas' writing is clear and to the point and he throws in a bit of humor to keep the prose from becoming overly clinical, which is refreshing.
Overall, the Nikon field guide series of books by J. Dennis Thomas have been extremely helpful as I have made the transition from analog to digital photography. I started experimenting with digital photography a few years ago when my fiance gave me a Nikon Coolpix P5000 camera and Thomas' Coolpix field guide as a birthday present. I worked through the practice photo exercises in that book and played around with the camera a lot. As a result, I learned how to take better pictures with a point and shoot digital camera and how to work with digital files. Still, I missed the flexibility that a traditional SLR camera offered and knew that if I wanted to take my digital photography to the next level I would have to purchase a dSLR camera. After extensive research, I decided that the D3100 was the best choice for my needs and budget and I purchased this book because I found Thomas' Coolpix field guide useful.
Informative and user friendly, this book doesn't sit on a shelf because I actually use it when in the field. A good investment if you are looking to expand your skills as a photographer.

Nikon D3100 Digital Field Guide Overview

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Save 45% Off: David Busch's Nikon D5000 Guide to Digital SLRPhotography Review & Ratings

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David Busch's Nikon D5000 Guide to Digital SLR Photography Review

Although it is as easy to use as a point and shoot camera, the Nikon D5000 really deserves a manual that is better than the one supplied with the camera. This is that manual. You can start out with the D5000 as a point and shoot camera, and this book will help you make the basic settings you need to do that. But when you're ready to do more and take better pictures, this is the book you need. It gives the D5000 the respect it deserves, with lots of information that a newbie can use to learn how to work with the more advanced features of the Nikon.
I wasn't happy with the barebones style of other camera books I looked at. It just isn't possible to squeeze everything you need to know into a small book, especially when a lot of space is taken up just repeating information that's in Nikon's little guide. They also include much general photography information that can apply to any camera. Busch's Guide to Digital SLR Photography does explain the things that are in the manual, too, but also explains other topics and relates them directly to the Nikon D5000.
Like another reviewer, I was very pleased with the chapter on lenses. Nikon has so many different lenses, and even more are available from Tamron and Sigma. The lens chapter looks at many different lens choices, including all of Nikon's current lenses, and helps you sort out which ones you might want to buy. The electronic flash chapter was equally informative with the choices among electronic flash equipment.
I was wowed by how good a camera the Nikon D5000 is, and I was equally impressed at how this book does a great camera justice. Don't settle for anything less.

David Busch's Nikon D5000 Guide to Digital SLR Photography Overview

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Save 63% Off: The Digital SLR Expert Portrait Photography Review &Ratings

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The Digital SLR Expert Portrait Photography Review

My first thought on getting Amazon's promo email for this book is that it is probably redundant over most portrait technique books. This suspicion is heightened by the list of subjects covered in the editorial review, none of which seems unique to digital SLRs, the supposed focus of the book.
BUT WAIT - there is one subject listed I've never, ever seen covered by another book: "weeding photography."
So if you aspire to shoot for the Smith & Hawkins catalog, this is the book for you!

The Digital SLR Expert Portrait Photography Overview

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Pioneer Embroidered Patch Faux Suede Photo Album, with Front CoverFrame, Holds 100 4x6" Photos, 1 Per Page. Color: Tan Review & Ratings

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Pioneer Embroidered Patch Faux Suede Photo Album, with Front Cover Frame, Holds 100 4x6" Photos, 1 Per Page. Color: Tan Review

This memory photo album is a great buy & very nice with the suede cover & the photo slot on the front cover. I use these 4x6 inch albums for all my dogs from birth throughout their years. The price is a bargain & I can't find these in the local stores.

Pioneer Embroidered Patch Faux Suede Photo Album, with Front Cover Frame, Holds 100 4x6" Photos, 1 Per Page. Color: Tan Overview

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Save 31% Off: Adobe Photoshop CS3 Photographers Guide Review & Ratings

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Adobe Photoshop CS3 Photographers Guide Review

OK, you've purchased a DSLR and either Photoshop CS3 or Elements. Now you want to know how you can best use your new camera to capture the best images you can, so that when you get them into Photoshop you'll be able to process them to their fullest potential and really get some impressive images, much better than the point n shoot crowd. You can spend 3 years and read nearly 20 books like I did, but who really has time for that? Isn't there one book out there that gives someone a good taste of all of the components of photography and Photoshop? Yep, this is the one! I've read it through, and comparing it to several other all-in-one guides to both photography and Photoshop, this is one of the best choices. There are many good soup-to-nuts Photoshop books out there, but not many of them teach how to optimize your photography skills to ensure the best possible image BEFORE firing up Photoshop. How do you get a great image out of Photoshop? Start with a great image. This book tells you how, and it's not just for beginners.
Pick this one up, even if you own a different version of Photoshop. It's a winner.

Adobe Photoshop CS3 Photographers Guide Overview

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How Digital Photography Works (2nd Edition) Review & Ratings

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How Digital Photography Works (2nd Edition) Review

Anyone with a solid background in photography and digital imaging can tell you that popular digital photography resources - particularly online, and particularly those with unmoderated user forums - are filled with partially (or entirely) incorrect information on this topic. As a rule, most people who use digital cameras on a regular basis, do not understand how they work... even when they think they do.
This book is a quick study and a tremendous aid in understanding the underlying technology, mechanisms and science behind digital photographs. There is also quite a bit of useful information on how lenses work, and rightly so as they are at least 50% of the "picture quality equation". The illustrations alone are worth the cost of the book. The writing style is down-to-earth but not dumbed down, which is refreshing.
My only complaint about this book is its layout. There is SO much information to convey about each aspect of the photography process, that the illustrations and text tend to get badly jumbled in some sections. Attempts were made to use a "1-2-3 bullet point approach", and it works in most areas but not all. Since much of the information necessarily must be conveyed on a single page, the solution for the next edition is to make the book slightly larger. About 2" in both directions would enable the effective use of empty space, allow larger fonts (some are extremely small), and in general make for a better layout.
Still, I have formal (collegiate) education in the field of photography, have worked in the industry for over five years, and still found many pages in this book to be a huge help / great refresher. Unless you are an engineer working for Nikon or Kodak, there is something in this book that will increase your understanding of digital photography. Definitely recommended.

How Digital Photography Works (2nd Edition) Overview

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Save 44% Off: Sekonic L-758DR Light Meter (Black) Review & Ratings

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Sekonic L-758DR Light Meter (Black) Review

I really like this meter. It does everything I need and a bit more. I find it easy to use as it follows similar interface design as my DSLR's "press-this-and-spin-that" UI. The integrated pocket wizard, ability to meter light ratios and balance ambient light is fantastic. The use of this meter has improved my shots.
A previous reviewer said the interface was poor - I disagree. The interface is extremely simple for the basic functions you'll use all the time. Set the ISO, take a reading, change between reflected spot and incident, set the pocket wizard channel, set the exposure time for ambient, etc.
When using the more advanced features, it gets a little more complicated. For example, metering the highlights, the shadows and mid-tones and display them all at once, or meter the lighting ratio between lights. Perhaps it could be a little easier but I don't find it a hinderance.
In fact I didn't notice the complexity as it's no more complicated than most of the features on my Nikon D700. The Sekonic, happily, follows the same convention of rapid key combinations for instant access to features instead of slow menu driven interfaces. Yes the menus are easier to learn - but you'd pay that speed penalty every time you'd use it. Once you learn how to play the Sekonic's keys, the price is paid and you get the speed benefit every time you use it.
Now it would be slick if, like the pro DSLRs, they provided both a menu and a key. But I still wouldn't use the menu.

Sekonic L-758DR Light Meter (Black) Overview

Spot & Incident Light Readings Under Flash and/or Ambient Lighting Conditions Calibrated to match the Sensitivity of Your Camera's Imaging SensorThe Sekonic L-758DR DigitalMaster is simply the most dynamic light meter you will ever own. It can record incident or 1-degree spot-readings under ambient and/or strobe lighting down to a tenth-stop in accuracy, and it's sealed against the nastiest of weather. With the included Sekonic RT-32 Radio Transmitter Module and you can wirelessly trigger PocketWizard-enabled flash systems within a 100' range. But that's not what makes the Sekonic L-758DR DigitalMaster different from any other meter you have owned. What moves the L-758DR DigitalMaster to the head of the class is that it is the only meter that can be calibrated to read light the way the sensor in your particular camerareads light.Like film, imaging sensors vary in light sensitivity levels from one batch to the next. Despite manufacturers best efforts, fluctuations of native ISO sensitivities of up to plus/minus half-a-stop can be detected across the uncut wafers as they come off the manufacturing line. Depending on which ‘slice of the pie' is inside your camera, the specs listed in the camera manual may not hold true to the characteristics of the sensor in your particular camera.By running an easy calibration test using Sekonic's L-758DR, a Sekonic Exposure Profile Target (optional) and the included Data Transfer Software (Mac & Windows), you can accurately profile the sensitivity characteristics of your camera's sensor to determine the compensation value for its true native ISO, dynamic range and clipping points.After calculating the test data and establishing new exposure parameters, this data is uploaded from your computer via the included USB cable back to the meter where it is stored as camera profiles. Profiling data from up to 3 cameras can be stored in your meter for instant recall.

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Save 34% Off: Black and White Digital Photography Photo WorkshopReview & Ratings

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Black and White Digital Photography Photo Workshop Review

I thought that my photographically-inclined high school kid could get something out of this book, but my husband and I have both found ourselves referring to it in our professional life. Beautiful examples and very cleanly-discussed direction. I really enjoy the tone of the author and the sheer volume of photos to learn from is impressive. "The digital darkroom" is a new thing to a lot of people, but catching on strong as we realize how much flexibility is built into the files if you do it right. This book does a great job of showing you how to put the most into the image in-camera, and then how to push it even further.

Black and White Digital Photography Photo Workshop Overview

How to create stunning black and white photos in a digital format
Shooting pictures in black and white presents unique challenges for beginners and experienced digital photographers alike. A strong understanding of photography's fundamentals is crucial to capturing great black and white images, and factors such as contrast and lighting are much more integral to black and white photography than to color. Black and White Digital Photography Photo Workshop teaches digital photographers the skills they need to master black and white photography.
Focuses on the rules of photography and how they apply differently to black and white photography
Offers guidance for properly uploading digital images to a computer
Explains insider tips and tricks for using Photoshop and Lightroom to successfully enhance black and white images

Black and white photography presents different challenges than color photography. In Black and White Digital Photography Photo Workshop, photographers learn how to identify great opportunities for black and white photographs and how to turn those opportunities into stunning monochrome images they can be proud to display. From the Author: Sample Photos and Their Stories One vital element of good black and white photography is lighting and how the light affects your subjects. I believe that many of the black and white images that I shoot are light driven, meaning that many times I will see how the light and shadow are interacting with the subject in front of me, and will use the tones and contrast there to determine if it should be a color or black and white image. This can happen whether there is the bold contrast of big areas of light and shadow, or the subtle tones of gray, smoothly fading towards bright and dark areas. Pay attention to the shapes and textures of the scene in front of your camera, and start to engage your brain in trying to learn how the colors of real life will convert into tones and textures in monochrome. In your home, on a walk or even on your commute, begin to see the tones of light and dark all around you to help visualize how the contrast of the light is creating the emotional tone of the scenes in front of you. Ask yourself questions about the light always helps in visualizing-is this a bright or dark scene? Is the interaction of the light and dark areas of the scene hard and abrupt or is it soft and gradual? How does this light fit the scene? And finally' how does the light in the scene make me feel? Spend more time trying to visualize how light is creating the shape, texture and contrast in the scene in front of your camera and the feel that you are attempting to share in your black and white photographs, than worrying too much about a lot of technically perfect settings. Imparting the feel and emotion of the scene in front of you will be far more impactful to the viewer than making sure you had just the right f/stop. Commuter(see story below)

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Save 32% Off: Introduction to the Canon 7D, vol. 1 : Basic ControlsTraining DVD by Blue Crane Digital Review & Ratings

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Introduction to the Canon 7D, vol. 1 : Basic Controls Training DVD by Blue Crane Digital Review

The DVD instructions are a real "Running Start" for learning the basics of Canon 7D operation. This DVD has certainly flattened the learning curve.
As someone who once used the Canon A1 and FD lenses, I am not a stranger to the SLR world of cameras. So this DVD served as a great introduction to the very different world of the Canon 7D DSLR.
The video introduces, in plain English the basic functions of the 7D. It explains how many of the settings are "by touch". The narrator compares how a person can control a car by touch, and that the user of the 7D will eventually learn how to "drive" their camera like one drives a car.
When viewing your DVD have a notebook, pen, owner's manual, and post-it colored tape tabs. I viewed it straight through, not stopping for the exercises. I then watched it again, jotting down notes and locating the relevant information in the instruction manual. I then performed the exercises.
If the 7D is your first DSLR, purchase this DVD at the same time you purchase your 7D. You will be spared all sorts of frustration as you tackle the learning curve.I plan on purchasing Volume 2 in a few weeks.

Introduction to the Canon 7D, vol. 1 : Basic Controls Training DVD by Blue Crane Digital Overview

Take great pictures with your Canon 7D!All you need is this training DVD and about 90 minutes, and you'll have the knowledge and the confidence to create the images you want.The topics are arranged in chapters, so you can move at your own pace, and return later to individual subjects. Topics include:' Creative Auto' Shutter priority' Aperture priority/Depth of field' Depth of field preview' Focus alternatives' Metering ' White balance/Color temperature' Playback and image review' Live View shooting' HD and SD video recording' Exposure compensation' Flash basics' Custom functions introduction' Programmable buttons' Info button' Composition' Self timer ' Picture Styles ' And much more!The Canon 7D is a powerful piece of equipment.A solid understanding of its features and controls can really unleash its potential. Once you learn how the camera's components work together, you'll have all the tools you need to capture the best images under all conditions.This DVD is intended for photographers moving up to a digital SLR from a point and shoot camera, or new 7D owners who would like a basic introduction to the camera and an overview of the most important controls.Also look for Volume 2, which covers more advanced topics.Format:NTSC video, All RegionsRunning time: 85 minutes

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Save 67% Off: Profitable Photography in Digital Age: Strategies forSuccess Review & Ratings

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Profitable Photography in Digital Age: Strategies for Success Review

Anyone who wants to run a successful photographic enterprise should read this book from cover to cover, as it provides a wealth of tips and techniques that will help you keep costs under control, market your services, and grow your business. Whether you're selling posters, postcards, or portraits, you'll find sage advice in these pages. I wish I'd had this book five years ago.

Profitable Photography in Digital Age: Strategies for Success Overview

This groundbreaking resource demonstrates how to use digital imaging and the Internet as the cornerstone of a successful photography business. Topics covered include setting business goals, marketing, setting prices, selling prints, running a Web-based photography business, working with stock agencies, legally protecting images, and more. Both serious amateurs considering a start-up and established businesses looking for fresh approaches need this timely, relevant book.

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The DAM Book: Digital Asset Management for Photographers (O'ReillyDigital Studio) Review & Ratings

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The DAM Book: Digital Asset Management for Photographers (O'Reilly Digital Studio) Review

When I first became a serious photographer back in the days of film, I stored my negatives and pictures in a shoebox. As my collection grew, I switched to contact sheets and coded negative files. Afterwards I filled a closet with special filing boxes of negatives and prints. But it was hard for me to find an older picture. I tried cross-filing but it never really worked. Then came digital.
By word of mouth, postings in on-line forums and an occasional magazine article I figured out that I'd better back up my photo files to non-erasable media and that I could more easily find old files by cataloging them with cataloging software. But I can't say that I developed a comprehensive system.
The DAM Book does that. (I wish they had taken a different title; the pun soon becomes boring.) Krough presents a system for sorting, archiving and finding photographs using Adobe Bridge and cataloging software. After defining digital asset management (DAM) and metadata, he talks about creating the digital archive both as an information structure and as a hardware configuration. Because he presumes that serious photographers will be using Photoshop, he discusses the use of Adobe Bridge as an asset management tool and describes a DAM workflow. He then discusses cataloging software, what he calls derivative files (which are generally files derived from a master copy) and strategies for file migration, including computer upgrades, software changes and even film migration.
The author's own system seems beyond the needs of most photographers. (He claims to catalog 135,000 pictures a year.) But even though his own system includes rack-mounted servers, raid configuration and multiple back-ups, he also suggests simpler systems that include a single computer, an external drive and DVD backups. But what is most important is not the description of systems but the presentation of concepts that most digital photographers can apply. For example, even though I could see the difference between browsers and cataloging software, articulating the distinction between the two makes it easier to analyze my own requirements. And understanding that for a digital cataloging system, that uses keywords, the title of a picture is not essential to finding it makes it easier to use titles that are system related rather then content related.
Krough describes useful software that supplements Bridge that can be downloaded for free and will make DAM easier. (Unfortunately he hasn't found a way to make Bridge run any faster, but he does suggest time-saving procedures.) He also suggests procedures that some photographers will not need, like embedding a rating in every photograph, and other procedures that might be a little premature, like converting every file to Adobe's DNG format to better preserve metadata. On the other hand, before I even finished the book, I had made several changes in my own DAM system. For example, although he uses iView MediaPro as an example of cataloging software, he made me wonder if my cataloging software had the same capabilities that I had never used. A little time with my software manual and I now have a place to store external metadata that are not embedded in a picture file, but are associated with particular pictures.
There are other books that discuss DAM but this is the first I've encountered aimed at photographers. I consider it essential reading for serious digital photographers.

The DAM Book: Digital Asset Management for Photographers (O'Reilly Digital Studio) Overview

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Save 27% Off: Rick Sammon's Digital Photography Secrets Review & Ratings

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Rick Sammon's Digital Photography Secrets Review

I have no idea what the people who rated this book as 5 stars are talking about. I have used Amazon since the website was open this will be only the second book I ever returned!
This book is ONLY good if you have purchased your first digital camera and need some introduction to digital photography after you have read the manual with the camera -- for anyone else -- it is a joke!
Most of the book is used to help sell Canon or Westcott equipment. Most of the supposed secrets are 5 sentences or less with no real substance.
The DVD is mostly pointless and the paragraph intro to the DVD is basically trying to sell you his other DVDs. I have seen reviews of this book in photo magazines and everyone must be on lets make Rick Sammon's money band wagon because the information listed in this book is fairly useless to anyone outside of a pure novice.
I cannot tell you how dissappointed I am in this book -- it puts me off to anything else he may produce or write.
The secret of this book is there are no real secrets and fool and his money are soon parted!

Rick Sammon's Digital Photography Secrets Overview

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Save 37% Off: Advanced Digital Black & White Photography (A LarkPhotography Book) Review & Ratings

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Advanced Digital Black & White Photography (A Lark Photography Book) Review

I am a technical book addict. While I have only had this book 5 days, it has already paid for itself in improvement of my BW work. It is finely crafted, and to the point. It draws you in and it delivers for real world artists.
As a writer, I am struck by how well this book is structured and written, and the very fine layout of illustrations and methods. When you encounter an excellent technical book and find yourself immersed in it, sometimes you fail to notice the ease that essential information is being conveyed to you. Then suddenly it hits you, wow!, this is the gold standard. This is one of those books. It covers historical BW methods up to the present version of Photoshop, and then provides an outstanding and practical work flow in CS3. By understanding what has gone before, you understand better how CS3 takes BW to another level.
The book is written by a person who is technically competent, a fine writer, and a BW artist. He understands how to frame the issues, and pragmatically deal with accessing the Photoshop tools needed in real world work flow. It is easy to write a huge book that is just a grocery list of features. It is very difficult to write a book like this that is supremely competent, focused, concise, and outlines strategies of interest to real world working artists. I rate it as one of the finest books I have ever read on using software. If there are any other books written by this author, I will buy them on strength of this one.
I would say that someone with basic photoshop skills can easily use this book. If you lack these skills, I think this book would point you to what you need to learn. One of the challenges of learning photoshop is figuring what you need to know and what to ignore. This book finds that focus and is obviously written by a working artist. It is a tool unlike the bloated books that I own, that mostly collect dust and are consulted grudingly. Buy it, you will be pleasantly surprized.

Advanced Digital Black & White Photography (A Lark Photography Book) Overview

Digital photographers can now attain the enduring beauty of black-and-white photography in their own work! There's more to monochrome than just discarding the color in Photoshop, but many books simply treat it as an afterthought. Not this one! John Beardsworth teaches every major method of making a color picture black and white, and explains what kind of images are best, and why. Both ambitious newcomers and advanced enthusiasts will learn how to achieve the richest tonal depth and balance, use black and white to interpret the subject for the viewer, reproduce historic and darkroom processes, add creative and special effects, and produce exhibition-quality prints.

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Save 34% Off: Self-Portrait Photography: The Ultimate in PersonalExpression Review & Ratings

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Self-Portrait Photography: The Ultimate in Personal Expression Review

I approached this book with trepidation, fearing an exercise in narcissism and self indulgence. The fact that the author called herself "Miss Aniela" did nothing to allay my fears. Instead I found a delightful examination of a photographic genre that I had never explored.
The book is a combination of portfolio and instruction manual. Each teaching point is laid out on a two, or occasionally four, page spread, with text and pictures of and by the author. The text ranges from introductory matters like choosing a camera, through posing and post-processing to marketing. There is also a section showcasing the work of eight other self-portrait artists.
Dybisz's photographs are quite wonderful. One might expect self-portraits to be an exploration of the photographer's view of herself, and at least when she started, the images were. As she began to get more involved though, she seems to have pushed beyond herself into experimenting with a wide variety of photographic techniques, and did so successfully. Her pictures usually are quite dramatic, often featuring lush lighting, and frequently consisting of collages of two or more images of herself. Although I frequently felt these pictures had a meaning that I couldn't deduce, they were still a pleasure to examine.
I suspect that the instruction might have been a publisher's requirement for better marketing. In most cases I find such material to be superficial. This text certainly was at a simple level, although it did point out the special requirements of self-portraiture. New photographers may get an introduction to photographic ideas and even the more experienced may get an idea or two. But aside from that, the author's style has a youthful enthusiasm that makes it delightful to read. Most of the subjects covered could fill a book on their own.
The chapters on the other artists worked well. Often, this type of material isn't substantial enough to give the reader a feel for the work. Here there are enough images to see what the photographer is doing and the text combining Dybisz's introduction and the photographers own words really provided insights.
Even if you don't plan to do any self-portraiture, this book will be interesting and even fun. For myself, I've decided its time to tray at least a few simple self-portraits.

Self-Portrait Photography: The Ultimate in Personal Expression Overview

A leader of the most popular trend in photography teams up with fellow superstars of the self-portrait movement to deliver a lavish, inspirational book to a community of dedicated fans. They showcase the many possibilities of their audacious art form: posing for their own cameras in costume, in the nude, while performing stunts, against unusual backgrounds, and in other imaginative ways.

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Save 27% Off: Photoshop Elements 5: The Missing Manual Review & Ratings

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Photoshop Elements 5: The Missing Manual Review

Do you need to edit and organize your photos? If you do, then this book is for you. Author Barbara Brundage, has done an outstanding job of writing a book that is intended to make learning Elements easier by avoiding technical jargon as much as possible, and explaining why and when you'll want to use certain features in the program.
Brundage, begins by showing you how to navigate Elements' slightly confusing layout and mishmash of programs within programs. Then, the author covers how to get photos into Elements, the basics of organizing them, and how to open files and create new images from scratch; as well as, how to save and back up your images. Next, She explains how to rotate and crop your photos, and includes a primer on that most important digital imaging concept--resolution. The author then shows you how to use the Quick Fix window to dramatically improve your photos. She continues by covering two key concepts that you'll use throughout the book. Then, the author shows you how to make basic corrections, such as exposure, color adjustments, sharpening , and removing dust and scratches. Next, she covers topics unique to people who use digital cameras, like RAW conversion and batch processing your photos. The author then moves on to some more sophisticated fixes, like changing the light, using the clone stamp to make repairs, making your photos more lively with hue/saturation and changing the colors in an image. She continues by covering how to convert your photos to black and white, and tinting and recoloring black and white photos. Then, she shows you how to use the Elements' Photomerge feature to create multiphoto panoramas and to make perspective corrections to your images. Next, the author covers how to paint your photos and draw shapes, use filters and effects to create a more artistic look and add type to your images. Then she shows you how to get the most out of your printer, how to create images for the Web and email, how to make slideshows and Web Galleries with your photos, and all the fun projects you can create with Elements 5. Finally, she looks at information about using a .graphics tablet in Elements and some resources for after you've finished this book.
You'll also find tutorials throughout this most excellent book that refer to files you can download from the missing manual web site, so you can practice the techniques you're reading about. More importantly, this book assumes you know how to perform basic activities on your computer, like clicking and double-clicking your mouse and dragging objects onscreen.

Photoshop Elements 5: The Missing Manual Overview

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Save 35% Off: How to Do Everything Digital Photography Review & Ratings

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How to Do Everything Digital Photography Review

This book has taught me to take amazingly better photos and easily get them out of my camera for all my family to enjoy.
It is THE "A TO Z" book on digital photography for both novices and semi-pros. I found this book easy to read and understand as it unlocks the secrets and techniques of digital photography. You will not regret this purchase.

How to Do Everything Digital Photography Overview

Take Great Digital Photos Every Time!
Filled with high-color photographs, How to Do Everything: Digital Photography shows you how to capture professional-quality photos using any digital camera--from a smartphone or point-and-shoot camera to an advanced digital SLR camera. Learn how to take better pictures right away using a variety of techniques for photo composition, lighting, and creativity. You'll also get tips on photo editing, printing, and archiving, as well as avoiding common mistakes that result in poor-quality images. Improve your photographic skills in no time with help from this comprehensive, hands-on guide.

Learn digital camera basics and select the best camera, equipment, and accessories for your needs
Master the fundamentals of photo composition
Use professional lighting and flash techniques
Shoot eye-catching outdoor photos in any weather condition
Take portraits and candid shots of people and pets
Capture stunning vacation photographs
Take professional-quality photos of sporting and action-oriented events
Shoot digital video and publish it online
Transfer digital images to your computer
Digitally fix, edit, and improve your images
Use photo editing software, as well as plug-ins, add-ons, and accessories
Print high-quality photos or publish your work on the Web
Catalog, organize, back up, and archive your images


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