By Stephen Johnson
First Edition
August 2006
Pages: 320
ISBN 10: 0-596-52370-X |
ISBN 13: 9780596523701
(Average of 7 Customer Reviews)
A master photographer and teacher since 1977, Stephen Johnson is widely recognized as a pioneer of digital photography. His new book chronicles his ride on the bleeding edge of this medium's evolution, and provides a practical in-depth introduction to digital photography that includes the latest techniques. Complete with beautiful color photographic examples and illustrations, this book is a unique, passionate, holistic examination for every student of photography.
Full Description
"We are in the Stone Age of digital photography. We've figured out how to make some tools, but it is just now beginning to dawn on us what we might do with them. I've often been frustrated at the concentration on the technical aspect of digital photography with so little discussion of the aesthetics and heart behind the image making. This book is essentially a distillation of what I've been teaching over the last 25 years."
Master photographer Stephen Johnson has been taking beautiful landscape photography for decades, and teaching others the practical art of image making since 1977. While he started out with traditional film camera techniques, Johnson is widely recognized among his peers as a pioneer of digital photography. Stephen Johnson on Digital Photography chronicles his ride on the bleeding edge of this medium's evolution, and provides a practical in-depth introduction to digital photography that offers the latest techniques for beginning and experienced photographers alike.
What sets this guide apart from other books on the topic is its approach and execution: This isn't a Photoshop book, although Photoshop has its place within the book; it's a book that a master teacher and photographer creates after a lifetime of showing others how to understand and make great photography. With 5 color photographs throughout, including black/gray duotones, and 715 illustrations reproduced with a 200 line screen, Johnson's book covers everything from:
This is a holistic work (and method for teaching) that embraces the state of photographic tools and techniques, blended with suggestions and experiences on why I make photographs, Johnson says. At its best, photography rides that crest where technology and art intersect. But the deepest engagement that photography can bring remains its ability to capture and hold a moment before the lens. In this age of digital manipulation, that fundamental fact must be remembered.
Cover | Table of Contents | Sample Chapter
Featured customer reviews
The one book about Photography every photographer should read., June 22 2007
This book lives up to every outstanding review!
In my opinion Stephen Johnson has produced a masterpiece.
A concise, practical, and immensely engaging book on digital imaging, June 12 2007
Stephen Johnson on Digital Photography is a magnificent book on the tools, techniques, science, history, and art of digital photography that will appeal to digital photographers of any skill level. Johnson is a genuine pioneer and evangelist in the field of digital photography. Drawing on over three decades of experience as an accomplished photographer, educator, and product consultant to the "Who's Whos" of the digital imaging industry, Johnson succinctly and eloquently imparts to the reader/student practical and interesting information on a variety of subjects. I found the coverage of digital camera techniques, color correction and editing, color management, and fine-art printing particularly useful. This information has truly helped me to make better photographs.
'On Digital Photography' is a timeless and inspiring book that is thoughtfully organized, richly furnished with numerous beautiful and educational 5-color photographs, and superbly bound with quality paper and a resilient binding. It's manufactured to last, which is great, as I refer to it often.
stunning, September 25 2006
this is, quite simply, a gorgeous book. Filled with amazing photos by Stephen Johnson, it provides a wealth of information for photographers of any ability.
The book starts with a history of digital photography from the early days to present day. His chapters on Photoshop are second to none, with lots of clear explanations and photos which show exactly what he means. Where other photography manuals fall down by being too technical, or expecting too much background knowledge, Stephen's book actually shows you what the effect of changing this, or tweaking that will do. As a Photoshop manual, it is worth the cover price alone. Coupled with the background to digital photography, it's an absolute bargain.
A must for photographers, professional and amateur.
Stephen Johnson on Digital Photography, August 18 2006
Stephen Johnson has upstaged everyone with this wonderful book. It is without doubt the most comprehensive book on Digital Photography for Photographers yet published. Steve is the acknowledged pioneer in this field. He takes us through his own voyage of discovery, invention and sometimes frustration in the transition from film to silicon. I have known Steve for many years and can honestly say that reading this book is like having a one to one tutorial with him. His style is gentle, confident, informed, articulate and rigorously moral.
He shows how to use the features in Photoshop that matter most to optimise the quality of your image, his explanation of colour management is the 'complex made simple'. His coverage of all the fundamentals of photography from looking, to seeing, to making Fine Art prints is comprehensive . Along the way he covers retouching, restoration, archiving and the whole history of image manipulation in the digital world. Every page is like a window to a life's experience as a pioneer imagemaker and teacher. As you would expect, the photographs in the book are beautiful. The design by Steve is a lesson in how a book should be designed and the writing is such that even the most complex technical aspects are accessible to a complete novice.
I have been teaching Photography and related media for 30 years and have not come across a book that I could not put down until now. I know I learnt something from every page.
I have worked alongside Steve Johnson in Ireland , California and Antarctica and have always been impressed by the importance he places on the integrity of the image over anything else. He is a photographer's photographer. Thank you Steve for producing the book we always wanted.
I will be recommending his book as the definitive text for my students.
Anthony Hobbs
Senior Lecturer in Digital Media
National College of Art and Design
Dublin, Ireland
Superb in every way, August 16 2006
This is a book for anyone who is a photographer, either professional or amateur. It is also the photography book for the 21st century. Now that film is pretty much dead, both for the camera and darkroom, this book is essential for understanding the new digital technology. Stephen Johnson was there at the creation, and this book takes you through all of the necessary steps for understanding and working in the digital format.
The book is extremely well written. The language is clear, the illustrations are beautiful. I have taken several workshops with Stephen, and as others have said, he is superb teacher. In fact he is responsible for getting me started on the path of digital photography, and teaching me how to scan and print some my old black and white negatives from Appalachia. This has resulted in several exhibits, including a major one a University of Kentucky next year. In the last few years, I have bought several books on digital photography, but this the one I will keep close to my computer. A final note: I used to teach photography at the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, if I were still teaching (now emeritus), this would be my textbook of choice. It is simply superb.
Andrew A Stern
Professor Emeritus
Graduate School of Journalism
Berkeley CA.
A comprehensive treatment by an acknowledged master photographer, August 15 2006
I've known Stephen Johnson for a number of years and have studied in his digital photography workshops. From time-to-time, I've helped him with business issues related to his studio, so I'm pretty familiar with his work and style.
I've been waiting for this book almost since I first met Stephen. In my opinion it is the most comprehensive and current treatment of virtually all substantive matters related to digital photography available.
If you are a serious amateur, a professional, or just curious about digital photography, it is a certainty that you will learn a great deal from this book. Much of what is taken for granted today in digital photography was pioneered by Stephen and his peers more than a decade ago.
Treat yourself and learn from a master. It's not often that someone who knows a subject matter this well is also an excellent teacher. Here you have an interesting and compelling read, technical when necessary, but written in a language that anyone can understand.
No matter what you now know about digital photography, you'll refer to and use this book often. It's cool!
Stephen Johnson is the Father of Digital Photography, August 15 2006
Reviewing Steve's new book on digital photography is like standing with your camera at the rim of the Grand Canyon...where do you start? His book is a comprehensive and artful blend of the technical history behind the electronic communication technology that led to digital image capture; essential information on digital imaging technology and its benefits without "tech speak"; a compendium of helpful hints for beginning to advanced photographers; a practical guide to the commonly used Photoshop features and their application; the essentials of color space and color management; an introduction to image restoration; grounded advice on composition and creating strong images; his quintessential philosophy on image manipulation; the challenges that face photographers in the digital age; and a finish that leaves the reader with a small piece of his passion for the photographic arts.
This book is destined to be a reference book for anyone serious about digital photography. It creates a step-by-step pathway for anyone to follow leading from "seeing" the image, capturing the image, and on through the entire technical process of realizing the final print. It is written in simple, easy terms and steps. Steve is thought-provoking on some controversial topics, yet gentle in how he presents his style and philosophy behind his vision. Anyone, whether beginner or advanced, in photography can learn something valuable in this work. Those new to digital photography will find this book extremely helpful.
This book is particularly poignant for me since being one of his students in three of his workshops during the past two years. His passion is genuine both in the field and throughout this book. Steve is instrumental in helping me "see" better and this book further reinforces the precepts of a gentle teacher. Stephen Johnson is the father of digital photography. Thanks, Steve. I highly recommend this book.
Media reviews
"What makes Stephen Johnson a great photographer, isn't because he is incredibly adept with technology, or that he was a visionary in his use of high resolution digital photography. It is that his work captures the sublime essence of landscape photography. His pioneering digital work in the National Parks are stunning explorations of places first explored by Jackson, Muybridge, Watkins, and O'Sullivan, and in doing so, he has created an entirely new photographic standard in an already incredibly rich visual history."
-- Harris Fogel, Chairman, Media Arts Department, The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
"A look inside the mind of a master! Whether you shoot professionally or for your own enjoyment, Stephen Johnson has much to share. Here you'll find his insights into digital capture, image processing, output, and even the ethics of photography. This book is not only instructive and informative, it's inspirational and thought-provoking."
-- Pete Bauer, Photoshop User Magazine
"Johnson is a well known landscape photographer who has produced some amazing digital panoramic images using scanningback cameras. The book contains many pages of very informative technical explanations of how digital imaging works from a photographer’s point of view. He explains the techniques he uses in capturing digital images as well as scanning film. Although there are several chapters on Photoshop techniques, this is by no means another how-to-use- Photoshop book. Overall it is an excellent guide for those who want to know more about what goes on “behind the scenes” in digital photography."
-- John Rettie, photojournalist, Rangefinder
