Digital Photography For Dummies, 8th Edition

Digital Photography For Dummies, 8th Edition

by Julie Adair King
Released June 2016
Publisher(s): For Dummies
ISBN: 9781119235606

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

Your fun guide to digital photography with any device

Whether you're shooting with an inexpensive point-and-shoot camera, a smartphone or tablet, a high-priced contraption, or one of those new-fangled action cameras, it's possible to take your digital photos from good to great by applying a few simple tricks—and Digital Photography For Dummies shows you how! Packed with tips, advice, and insight you won't find in your camera's manual, this friendly guide quickly gets you up to speed on proven photography techniques to help your digital pictures say more than a thousand words!

No longer a hobby or profession limited to those with access to fancy and expensive equipment, digital photography is all around us. But if you want to take your shoots a bit more seriously and produce images you'd be proud enough to give as gifts or decorate your home, this friendly guide has you covered. From figuring out how to make the most of your camera's settings to applying exposure tricks the pros use all the time, frame-worthy digital photos are a page—and a click—away.

  • Interpret your camera's settings and apply them for better photos
  • Shoot better portraits, action shots, and low-light photos
  • Collect your photos in a place where you won't lose them
  • Grasp simple digital photography techniques that apply to any kind of camera

If you've been experimenting with digital photography for a while or just caught the bug, this new edition of Digital Photography For Dummies is the picture-perfect guide you'll turn to again and again.

Table of contents

    1. Cover
    2. Introduction
      1. About This Book
      2. How This Book Is Organized
      3. Beyond the Book
      4. Icons Used in This Book
      5. Where to Go From Here
    3. Part 1: Exploring Digital Photography Basics
      1. Chapter 1: Choosing the Right Camera
        1. Thinking About Your Artistic Goals (Or Lack Thereof)
        2. Reviewing Basic Camera Designs
        3. Understanding Photo Quality Factors
        4. Looking at Lenses
        5. Checking Out Shooting Modes
        6. Considering Focusing Options
        7. Taking the Exposure Reins
        8. Understanding Advanced Flash Options
        9. Investigating Color Controls
        10. Reviewing Other Important Features
        11. So … Is It Time for a New Camera?
      2. Chapter 2: Starting to See Like a Photographer
        1. Exploring Composition Basics
        2. Using Depth of Field to Artistic Advantage
        3. Capturing Motion: To Blur or Not to Blur?
        4. Becoming a Student of Light
        5. Exploring New Subjects and Angles
      3. Chapter 3: Easy Does It: Using Auto and Scene Modes
        1. Investigating Automatic Shooting Modes
        2. Setting Up for Automatic Success
        3. Shooting in Auto Mode
        4. Stepping Up to Scene Modes
      4. Chapter 4: Understanding Basic Picture Options
        1. Choosing an Exposure Mode
        2. Setting the Shutter-Release Mode
        3. Setting Picture Resolution
        4. Setting the File Type
        5. Looking at a Few Additional Setup Options
    4. Part 2: Taking Your Photography to the Next Level
      1. Chapter 5: Taking Control of Exposure
        1. Understanding Exposure
        2. Adjusting f-stop, Shutter Speed, and ISO
        3. Adjusting Autoexposure Results
        4. Expanding Tonal Range
        5. Bracketing Exposures
        6. Adding Flash
      2. Chapter 6: Manipulating Focus and Color
        1. Diagnosing Focus Problems
        2. Understanding Focusing Systems
        3. Playing with Depth of Field
        4. Controlling Color
        5. Investigating JPEG Picture Presets
        6. Shooting Raw for Maximum Control
      3. Chapter 7: Getting the Shot: How the Pros Do It
        1. Capturing Captivating Portraits
        2. Shooting Better Action Shots
        3. Taking in the Scenery
        4. Getting Gorgeous Close-ups
        5. Coping with Special Situations
    5. Part 3: After the Shot
      1. Chapter 8: Viewing, Downloading, and Storing Your Pictures
        1. Taking Advantage of Playback Tools
        2. Rating, Deleting, and Protecting Files
        3. Setting Up Your Digital Darkroom
        4. Downloading Your Images
      2. Chapter 9: Printing and Sharing Your Pictures
        1. Converting Raw Files
        2. Avoiding Printing Pitfalls
        3. Ordering Prints from a Retail Lab
        4. Printing Your Own Photos
        5. Protecting Your Prints
        6. Preparing Pictures for Online Sharing
        7. Viewing Photos on a TV
    6. Part 4: The Part of Tens
      1. Chapter 10: Ten Accessories to Enhance Your Photography
        1. Invest In a Good Camera Bag
        2. Steady Your Camera with a Tripod
        3. Find a More Comfortable Camera Strap
        4. Get a Better View of Your Monitor
        5. Take Advantage of Remote Operation
        6. Consider a Few Lens Filters
        7. Download Some Cool Apps
        8. Catch Great Light with a Reflector
        9. Dive In with a Waterproof Housing
        10. Treat Your Wrist to a Graphics Tablet
      2. Chapter 11: Ten Fixes for Common Photo Flaws
        1. Correcting Exposure Problems
        2. Fixing Focus Flubs
        3. Eliminating Distractions
        4. Softening the Impact of a Busy Background
        5. Getting Rid of Lens Distortion
        6. Straightening a Tilting Horizon
        7. Cropping Away Excess Background
        8. Quieting Noise
        9. Solving Color Miscues
        10. Avoiding Weird Halos
      3. Chapter 12: Top Ten Maintenance and Emergency Care Tips
        1. Conserve Battery Power
        2. Safeguard Camera Memory Cards
        3. Swap Lenses in a Protected Environment
        4. Clean with Care
        5. Update Camera Firmware
        6. Go from Hot to Cold (and Vice Versa) Slowly
        7. Keep It Dry
        8. Clean the Image Sensor
        9. Recording Proof of Ownership
        10. Use Image Recovery Software to Rescue Lost Photos
    7. Appendix: Glossary
    8. About the Author
    9. Connect with Dummies
    10. End User License Agreement

Product information

  • Title: Digital Photography For Dummies, 8th Edition
  • Author(s): Julie Adair King
  • Release date: June 2016
  • Publisher(s): For Dummies
  • ISBN: 9781119235606