David Pogue, Derrick Story
Pogue Press / O'Reilly 2004
The latest collaborative effort of Pogue Press and O’Reilly is much more than just a step-by-step guide to using iPhoto 4 and goes way beyond the "The Missing Manual." No, this book is a well-structured and (most importantly) useful guide to digital photography, with broad appeal to photographers of all levels.
One thing that makes me cringe when I look at snapshots and amateur photographs is how much better they could be, if only a few simple rules were followed. The basics of photography are just that, basic. The first section of iPhoto 4: The Missing Manual is dedicated to teaching the reader how very simple techniques can translate into awesome photography. The examples are practical and can quickly be put to use.
One of most useful topics covered in the first section of the book is how to use light to your advantage. Story and Pogue cover fairly extensively (considering the book is on iPhoto 4) how to use available light and flash to achieve well-lit and properly exposed images.
The only drawback of having such a focus on image creation is their reliance on strictly black and white printing. It is difficult to see the subtle effects they are describing. Keeping in mind the extraordinary cost of printing full color (and the subsequent increase in cover price), I think the readers would have better served with at least some color images to better represent some of the techniques that were covered.
Of everything in the first section of the book, the most surprising was the two-page write-up on Cameraphone Photography. Going with the classic saying "the best camera is the one you have with you," Pogue and Story give a short, but helpful look at what camera phones can do and how to make the best out of very poor optics and resolution.
Article comments
1 - Seth Werkheiser
Excellent review. It's books like these that are hard to get a feel for when thumbing through them at Borders, but you summed it up pretty well.