Book Description
Black and white has an enduring appeal that just keeps on growing. Above all, it's a medium for the fine print--one that benefits immeasurably from digital technology and inkjet printers. Written by a photographer well-known for his ability to explain complex digital concepts to a variety of audiences, this essential guide on the art of black and white is packed with information, hints, and tips, along with a plethora of stunning images. Discover how our colorful world translates into black and white and how to create a stunning monotone image. See how to render colors as gray tones and how to manipulate the tonality for dramatic effect. Experiment with high contrast, infrared, and pseudo non-silver looks. You won't believe the wonderful results you'll achieve.
Customer Reviews:
A good starting point for learning fine quality digital black & white photos.......2007-06-09
This book presents an introductory exposition of techniques for producing "fine art" black and white images from digital color images. Its intended audience is amateur digital photographers and Photoshop users with limited experience. The technical depth of the discussion is fairly high-level. The book is laid out in a glitzy fashion that indicates heavy influence from the graphic arts department. In this regard, the book is better suited for coffee table display than for use as a workroom reference.
The book divides its discussion into five chapters:
· The Language of Mono
· Color into Grayscale
· Digital Black and White
· Image Editing and Effects
· The Print
The Language of Mono
This is good place to start a discussion of black and white images, by looking at what makes black and white images work. Here, the author introduces his "case study" method, where he uses an image as an example to illustrate his points.
Color into Grayscale
In this chapter, the author explores ways to use the Channel Mixer in Photoshop to manipulate the individual color channels for red, green and blue to produce the black and white tones intended by the photographer. He also introduces the technique of manipulating hues to control tones. Again, he uses case studies of individual images to illustrate his ideas.
Digital Black and White
In this section, the author explores the management of tonal ranges using Photoshop. He discusses setting white and black points to expand tonal range, and introduces methods for managing scenes with high dynamic range. Zone System is introduced, and the author briefly discusses scanning images.
Image Editing and Effects
In this abbreviated section, the author introduces ideas for modifying images to enhance mood. He also provides brief introductions to concepts including adding color tones (e.g., sepia), using duotones and other print finishing techniques.
The Print
In this final section, the author presents a brief discussion of printer types (dye-sublimation vs. inkjet). He introduces the concept of printer calibration, and goes on to introduce ink issues (mainly suggesting external ink supplies). He finishes with a brief discussion of print mounting and display.
Critical Assessment
Clearly, the real value of this book is in introducing the reader to the concepts involved in digital black and white photography. The discussions that have the greatest value are in the first three sections, where the author provides the greatest depth. Topics broached in the final two sections are passed over too lightly to add much to the readers understanding.
Taking the first three sections on their own merit, however, they do justify the price of the book. Although introductory in scope, they delve deeply enough into the topics to provide real help for beginners. There is enough here to keep beginning photographers busy for some time, exploring the techniques he describes. Soon enough, however, students will reach the point where they will need additional information not provided in this book. To be fair, many of the topics the author covers lightly are worthy of books in themselves. For example: the author devotes four pages to zone system, but manages to say nothing that might actually help the reader understand what zone system is about. (I recommend reading Ansel Adams' The Negative again. Just remember, in digital photography the zone system admonition to "expose for the shadows, develop for the highlights" morphs into, "expose for the highlights, expose again for the shadows." And, while you're about reading Ansel Adams, The Print has much good information. Just skip all the lab chemistry parts.)
The layout of this book is such that it is not so much read as explored. Major content is provided in sidebars and captions. The heavy influence of the graphic arts department in the layout can be annoying at times, for instance when it is unclear which supplementary text belongs with which main text, or when an entire column is devoted to a pull-quote in large type of a paragraph we just read on the preceding page. The book does not invite highlighting with a marker or scribbling notes in the margins (it would seem almost a desecration).
On balance, I am glad I discovered this book. It provided me with essential help in getting started with black and white digital photography. I was disappointed that the book lacked the depth to help me with steps beyond the first, so in this sense it does not live up to its title, Mastering Black and White Digital Photography. The book would have more accurately been titled, Introducing Black and White Digital Photography, which it well accomplishes.
Excellent B/W Digital book for Intermediate to Advanced.......2007-05-15
This book is an excellent reference for intermediate to advanced photographers. Absolute beginners would need a basic photoshop book to help fill in the gaps or details to understand some techniques instead of blindly following a recipe.
The author has brought together under one book a large variety of creative ideas and techniques that not too long ago were only available from a collection of books and magazine articles. It's written in concise 1 to 2 page sections and in many places use a sequence of images to show the different steps of a process. Most of the images are very suitable to demonstrate that technique.
I can see how this book could seem confusing and disjointed in places as described by other reviewers, especially to an absolute beginner, but there is so much good stuff in this book that I would consider it a definite must have reference for any serious Digital B/W photographer. A second edition could fix some of these issues, e.g. key information being relegated to captions under images vs. in the text and minor tweaks to the logical sequence of a few topics. Adding summary outlines of the steps would make it even more useful for quick review and reference instead of wading through the text and images every time. However, the book is still very useable. These suggestions would just make it clearer. As a photography instructor, I have applied and taught several of the methods in this book. Using this book has further clarified my understanding of Digital B/W techniques to create compelling images.
One area of weakness is that this book lacks a good comprehensive section on image composition. This would make it more complete as a useful class text book. B/W imagery lets you look at composition in it's elemental form without distractions from color. If the author could round up a good collection of images demonstrating various composition and design concepts in a revised edition, I would go as far to say this book has the potential to become a "standard" intermediate text on B/W Photography for the digital era.
Freeman's insight.......2006-07-24
As a professional photographer I found Michael Freeman's book to be the most informative and concise study on the complex and somewhat baffling world of digital photography. He is a master of his craft and opens one's eyes to the major developments. His writing and illustrations are supberb, he simplifies what could be compex adjustments and tasks.
Excellent, a must for any serious photographer.
Thanks Michael
Disjointed.......2006-07-24
I did not care for the 2 page snippets used to describe most of the topics in this book. In addition, the book did not seem to flow well. For example, some black and white conversion techniques were listed in one part of the book, whereas others were listed in other chapters, making it difficult to find and compare them.
Significantly, most of the key information was not included in the text itself, but rather in captions accompanying the images. Not only is the font size for these captions small, but sometimes it was hard to determine the proper sequence of the images.
While this book does provide some useful information, I have purchased other books that are both more informative and better written.
Excellent book on B&W techniques with Photoshop.......2006-07-15
Whenever I read a photogrpahy book such as this one, I always carry around those little plastic post-it notes to mark any important pages. After reading it, I found that I had marked almost half of the entire book! Freeman explains different ways of converting color files to black and white using layer masks, contrast, desaturating, and everything else. The great thing, though, is that he gives you solid examples and a step-by-step process for each one. He tells you how to fix a washed-out sky that unbalances the photo, how to manipulate each color when it has already been converted to black and white and why this is such a useful tool, how to work with skin tones, how to get great contrast without clipping, and even how to use layers with each color. As a bonus, at the end of the book he talks aboout printing; what inks are good, what paper is good, etc. A very thorough and easy to understand book with great detail. I recommend this book for anyone interested in B&W photography or B&W Photoshop techniques.
Book Description
Fine art quality, black-and-white prints are within every photographer's reach with the techniques illustrated in this digital image editing guide. Taking advantage of the control and reproducibility that the digital darkroom offers, this handbook teaches photographers how to fine-tune images with contrast and exposure levels, crop and rotate images for dynamic results, and remove flaws such as dust and scratches long after the photograph has been taken. Instruction on techniques that simulate traditional hand coloring and tinting and add special effects such as frames, infrared, and lighting and lens effects helps photographers realize their artistic vision. Screen shots and images guide readers through the presented techniques, allowing photographers to gauge their own results and anticipate the effects of the outlined corrections and enhancements on their own images. A gallery of the author's work provides inspiration for simulating—and improving upon—the chemical-based darkroom experience.
Customer Reviews:
Not for my top shelf.......2007-02-10
There is no doubt that the author, Maurice Hamilton, made a great effort to produce a technical book about the finer points of using Photoshop to produce black and white images. It is technical and 'dry', and a hard slog. He explains (at length) some of the detailed procedures, tips and methodology which go to making fine prints. But, the book made me think of some of the Hollywood epics where the idea is grand but the director and the editor let the cast down. I don't care for the high price-low quality production of the book, either. Not that worthy and informational books must be slick and glossy; but for me they must be attractive and 'feel' good. I will keep this book in my reference library, but I do not count it in my '20 best photography books' list!
Preserving the art of monochrome.......2006-08-14
Film photographers have long savored black-and-white photography for its stark alternative to realism, and the stripped down, minimalistic approach to creating an image. Digital photography threatened to push black-and-white photography to extinction, but, thankfully, artists like Hamilton have preserved the spirit of the medium and extended it through the use of Adobe's flagship image editor.
The author shows you the proper way to create monochrome images while preserving -- or enhancing tonality. He explains that a good black-and-white image isn't simply a color image that's been desaturated. I also liked the exploration into reproducing traditional darkroom techniques in Photoshop. This is a must-have book for any serious black-and-white worker.
my photographs have improved with the help of this book.......2006-05-20
I consider this book to be in a class with the best books written on photography.
I especially appreciate the Ansel Adams quote and the way that Maurice Hamilton lets his own gallery speak for itself. The emphasis is not on showing off his own work but rather, on helping the reader advance their own art. My work has improved significantly since my first reading and I will read sections over several times.
Bravo Maurice and thank you, Linnea Nereim
Nice Fine Art Book.......2006-04-22
This is a very nice fine art photography book dealing with black and white. The author is obviously very well versed in Adobe Photoshop and his expertise is evident through his writing. The inforamtion is well presented and clearly stated. The images are well done and have a broad appeal to both a professional and amateur.
Well worth the money
Excellent resource.......2006-03-22
Intrigued by the glowing review of this book by Garth Leach at The Daily Shooter.com, I acquired a copy and experimented with several of the black and white conversion techniques described.
Like Garth, I found this book guided me toward the creation of outstanding black and white images. This book seems geared toward the intermediate Photoshop user but should also be helpful to novice users.
Book Description
Focusing on black and white photos, this book looks at both the camera and techniques needed to capture good images, as well as the digital processing that can be applied. Black and white is the first area aspirant photographers express an interest in. Spanning the topic from capturing photos through to the latest information on digital printing and DVD burning, this book provides amateurs with a solid foundation. The digital focus of this book is comprehensive, including both recreation of traditional effects and all-new digital techniques. It approaches black and white photography from a practical, tutorial view, not just an artistic view, so that readers benefit from an understanding of all perspectives-an important factor in the competitive arena of digital photography.
Customer Reviews:
Great range of topics.......2005-04-20
Digital Black & White Photography is one of the few photography/imaging books I have read cover to cover. The book is well written and covers a wide range of topics from camera capture and photography to detailed digital B&W techniques using Photoshop. Learnt lots from this excellent book.
Book Description
Introducing Parents and photographers to the equipment, materials, and strategies necessary to photograph children like the pros, this guide covers color, black-and-white, digital, hand colored, and other alternative photographic techniques popular today. The photographs found throughout the book reinforce the instructional and show how the spirit and individuality of each child can be captured. In addition to the author's own photography, a number of other photographers' work are included in a gallery section to give the book a diverse and comprehensive look at a number of different styles and approaches to this genre. Topics covered include current technology, lighting, moving beyond snapshots, posing, everyday photo "golden" moments, and organizing a shoot.
• For professional and aspiring professional photographers, as well as parents and grandparents.
• Full of fabulous color, black-and-white, and hand colored images of children
• Perfect for scrapbookers.
Customer Reviews:
Finally a Great Book on Photographing Children.......2007-06-17
Cheryl Machat's sensitivity and unique perspective are wonderfully apparent in this collection of photography lessons. This book is from an artist for an artist. Machat, with technical perfection and a soft heart, sees kids. The pictures are raw and the children are real. This book may not appeal to the frightened beginner who wants/needs to doll-up kids, but parents and artist are going to love it. Check out her work at Cherylmachatdorskind.com. Unbelievable!
Just plain bad.......2006-08-19
I will admit that the text is not bad. There is some good advice on every aspect of photographing children. However, what is bad about this book is that the photographs are just horrible. Compositions are poor, lighting is poor, focus is poor. If you are looking to learn a lot about photographing children, you really won't from this book.
A guide for amateur and professional photographers alike.......2005-03-13
The Art of Photographing Children: Techniques for Making Better Color, Black and White, Handcolored, and Digital Pictures is a no-nonsense guide for amateur and professional photographers alike. Chapters discuss optimum equipment, lighting, composition, and more, such as how to capture an important moment, and tips for running a smooth photo shoot. The easy-to-follow narration accompanies a wealth of black-and-white and color photographs that keenly illustrate points and principles discussed. Highly recommended for proud parents seeking to succinctly capture their child's milestones on film, family portrait experts striving to improve their craft, and every photographer in between.
Product Description
In this book, you learn about digital black and white portrait, wedding and landscape photography. Get tips on how to capture a better image with the proper lighting. And, improve your images with information on digital enhancement strategies. Presentation and marketing tips are addressed. Author Patrick Rice is a professional photographer who has received numerous industry awards, including two Fuji Masterpiece Awards and Best of Show honors and the Grand Award at Wedding and Portrait Photographers International.
Customer Reviews:
Great book!!!.......2007-09-06
This is a very useful book that enriches the art of black and white photography in a digital age.
Great book.......2007-03-15
I learned a few things reading this book, about infared photography and such, but a lot of what he writes about is more technical, I wanted some tips, ideas and maybe inspiration. I recommend it to anyone looking to go professional. He covers portraiture a lot, which is helpful since people can sometimes be very hard to photograph well! I love the mini photoshop tutorials placed randomly throughout the book, also. Pick this up! Look me up on on flickr, (lovedecember) =]
Great Book........2007-02-15
This book is great for teaching you about black & white photography. Gives you all the info you need to take the picture and how to manipulate in photoshop.
Black & White photography is really hot right now. But there is a right and wrong way of doing it. In this book Patrick Rice walks you through all that you need to know to produce AWESOME black & white images that your clients will LOVE.
A disappointment.......2006-12-07
This book lacked information on most of the things one would expect given the title, such as exposure response of digital cameras, contrast control, grain control, lighting, and digital manipulation. It contained a lot of images which often were not tied at all to the text, lacked captions, and were boring. Some of the images seemed to be examples of what not to do, but were not labeled as such, given one the impression that the author was proud of these crummy pictures he took. Two things that were covered in some detail were making ragged looking borders and infrared b/w photography - both gimmicks. In all, there wasn't a great amount of text and little to help the reader improve his photography.
Great Pictures and Lots of Information.......2006-05-04
I found this book to have really great pictures and lots of useful information. In addition to the author's fine photography, the senior portrait work by Leonard Hill and the wedding work by Dennis Orchard weas just incredible.
The information on making a quality black and white digital photograph was well written and easy to understand. The extensive explanation of digital infrared photography was very informative as well.
I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking to become better at digital black and white photography.
It is worth the money if only to use the pictures as inspiration when photographing your next portrait or wedding client.
Book Description
Veteran National Geographic photographer, photo editor, and filmmaker Richard Olsenius provides a compelling case for capturing the essence of people and landscapes through black-and-white photography and shares his secrets to mastering the craft.The ability of the black-and-white photograph to strip away the unnecessary and concentrate a message through form, shadow, and light provides its intrinsic strength. Because of its power to communicate, black and white is often chosen in the art, documentary, and commercial worlds. With 120 photographs illustrating the techniques used, this guidebook is as much about how to visualize a story in black and white as it is about the technical aspects of photography.
With the popularity of digital cameras, Olsenius dedicates much time discussing the benefits of using digital technology for black-and-white photography, but he also discusses more traditional cameras and their uses. In addition to advice from Olsenius, this field guide includes the work of four other noteworthy photographers—Father Don Doll, Brian Peterson, Marion E. Warren, and Nick Kelsh—all covering a realm of different subject matter from Native Americans to commercial photography.
For more than a century, National Geographic has been synonymous with expertise and excellence in photography. National Geographic Photography Field Guide: Black & White is a vital reference and how-to manual for photographers of all levels.
Customer Reviews:
National geographic does it again!.......2007-10-17
National geographic does it again! They are the authority on Photography and this book shows you why. Excellent book! You will improve your photos if you follow the advice in this book!
There are many other better books on the subject.......2006-11-08
I bought this book thinking it was about digital black & white but was disappointed with the lack of proper content. This is a very basic book for absolute beginners that tries to cover a little of everything from the history of photography to format types to styles of photography but then adds a little digital content on the side to keep up with the times but ultimately offering no useful information, and strangely using non digital photos for illustration. It reads like someone took the World Book Encyclopedia's entry for photography, added some digital content and made it into a book.
Best NG Book on Photography.......2006-09-20
This is the best book of all the photography how-to books from National Geographic. Although it is about b/w photography, there is much to be learned from the basics. The advice found on this book is very useful and I highly recommend it.
Book Description
A leading photographer and fine–art printer addresses the questions that concern every black–and–white photographer who’s changing to a digital “darkroom.”
Customer Reviews:
This Book has a Soul.......2007-02-10
A few books come my way which have a story, some technical relevance, and a soul. I read somewhere else (sorry, can't recall) that sometimes we don't find good books, they find us. This is a good book that found me. I like it. The style, the contents, the production, the concept - the 'soul'. If you are moving to that 'analog to digital' phase in your photographic life, buy this book. And see what develops.
Should show 4 stars, This book will challenge your thinking.......2006-02-13
First off let me say that there should be 4 Stars up there and not 3, but it won't let me change it. This book is not a manual of how to do B/W photography in photoshop. Instead its about the options, and new roads that being able to do such things, creates. This should be required reading before anyone enters that tired old, digital vs. film debate. This book shows how digital is really just another tool to the photographer and how it can liberate the photographer and expand their horizons. It challenges you to think rather than opinionate and at the same time offers many good photos that might help inspire your own work.
Very little "hands on" digital B&W photography.......2005-09-01
This book has very little actual information about producing digital black & white images. Mostly it's a discussion of the author's transition from film to digital, and the benefits/differences of digital. There isn't much actual information on Photoshop techniques and other means of producing digital B&W photos, and what there is is very basic and can be found in countless other books/magazine articles/web sites. As well, the photos are not very inspiring, and certainly do not illustrate anything specific to digital photography. A much better choice for an introduction to digital B&W photography is Barry Thornton's "Elements of Transition."
The best of intentions but too rambling and not very clear.......2005-07-21
Despite my high hopes for this book and the fact that Mr. Epharums is a talented photographer and print maker, and I trust had the best of intentions, this book is just not very good. The approach the author takes is inconsistent and confusing: at times he's rambling when you want simplicity and clarity; at other times he's sparse when you're hoping for detail.
For starters, the sections covering how to work with Photoshop are not very clear. And the figures and much of the text are so painfully small that they're almost useless. This is especially obvious when he covers duotones. I like what he's achieved, but he doesn't give much to learn from.
In another part of the book he offers his "guiding principles," a series of one-liners that I assume are supposed to convey a Zen-like teaching about his approach. Instead they left me baffled. Consider the phrase "A precision of feeling." It sounds nice, but what does it mean, (speaking of precision)? Or the phrase "Let the accident participate" which is accompanied by photos of boats beached at low tide. Again I was baffled: does he mean an accident in something he did in taking the photo or in working on it in Photoshop, or did he mean the "accident" of the beached boats (which were beached on purpose)? Again, a nice Zen-like sentiment (and believe me, I can get down and cosmic with the best of them), but not useful in learning about photography or about digital black and white image-making.
This touches on the essence of what's wrong with this book. It is trying to be both a guide to digital black and white printmaking and at the same time, a book about Mr. Epharums' approach and philosophy to image-making. Not that this can't be pulled off, only that he doesn't do it in this book.
I think that this book could have worked, if the author had partnered with a good Photoshop teacher, and if he had worked with a compassionate but ruthless editor, to keep the book on track and the ramblings at bay, and if he was committed to clear examples of how to make these types of images. But that's a lot of if-ing on my part.
What redeems this book somewhat are the images: they are wonderful, and do give one inspiration as to what is possible with digital image-making; just don't look to this book to show you how.
Regards, David
Interesting, but more philosophy than practice.......2005-07-01
I agree with the earlier reviewers. This is a very personal account of one man's transition from the traditional darkroom to digital. It concentrates on the effect of that change on the process of making black and white photographs. It is not a "how-to" manual, and, after some initial exploration of this transition myself, I don't agree with some of the author's statements about Photoshop and what he did and didn't find useful. A really good "how-to" is Amphoto's Guide to Digital Black and White Printing by Schaub.
Average customer rating:
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ASIN: 3765860050 |
Book Description
Does anybody really know the "next-generation photographers," the successors to Newton, Lindbergh, von Unwerth, and Ritts? The shots in this volume are an introduction to these newcomers and their accomplished, sexy, romantic work—the best of today's nude photography in black and white. Classic black-and-white photography shows clearly who knows how to take a good picture and who doesn't. The photographers contributing to this volume display their mastery of photography both as a craft and as an art form.
Book Description
•Shows photographers how to use digital printing techniques to create masterful black-and-white images
•Digital printing is replacing the darkroom-everyone who shoots in black and white needs to know these specialized techniques
Everybody's shooting in black and white-for weddings, for studio work, for portraits and family pictures, and anything that looks great with a classic, documentary style. Digital cameras make it easier to shoot in black and white, but many photographers are struggling to create the sharp, crisp, timeless look of great pictures in this medium. They need Amphoto's Guide to Digital Black and White Printing. From new digital ways to perform traditional darkroom techniques (such as exposure, burning and dodging, and highlight control) to handling duotones, hue saturation, and even "hand coloring" effects...it's all here, in black and white.
Customer Reviews:
Poor Quality.......2005-12-08
To anyone really interested in Digital Black & White Printing, this book will disappoint in two crucial areas. Firstly, the information generated is too superficial and vague to really benefit someone trying to learn and secondly, most of the images displyed are of poor quality. Instead of leaping out at you and making you wish you could have created something equally nice, most of these images leave you feeling that maybe your childhood snapshots were not so bad afterall.
Very little about printing.......2005-11-17
I picked this book up at the library (fortunately I didn't buy it) because I'm interested in printing my black and white images. I was surprised to find that printing isn't addressed until page 147. The section on printing amounted to 10 pages in total, out of 160 pages in the book. The title of the book should be "Black and White Digital Photography" -- the word "Printing" doesn't belong in the title.
the good, the bad.......2005-11-17
At first glance, this appears to be a terrific book for the digital photographer who'd like to try printing in black and white. Unfortunately the author, having been a professional photographer for 25+ years and no doubt has been using Photoshop since the day it was created, assumes that the reader also uses Photoshop 6 or CS. Although he does make a very brief note that there may possibly be other photo editing programs out there, the entire book is Photoshop. Later in the book, the author implies that if the reader is using something other than Photoshop, then it's the reader's responsibility to "interpret" what the author is presenting.
This really doesn't make much sense as the book is obviously directed towards "newer" digital photographers who want to explore black and white. But most of these photographers (having just shelled out a grand for a 6 or 8MP camera and a printer) haven't rushed out and bought Photoshop CS for $700+, rather being content with using low-cost PhotoImpact 11 (closest thing to Photoshop on the market) or Paint Shop Pro X. On the other hand, experienced digital photographers (who most likely use Photoshop 6 or CS) probably wouldn't buy the book because they already know most everything the book presents.
This problem could have been effectively avoided if the author had taken the time to write a simple brief chapter comparing the tools of Photoshop CS, PhotoImpact 11, Paint shop X, et al. Then the reader could easily relate as he/she reads the text.
On the positive side, the book is well organized and presents examples of every software tool used. Although many of the photos are just so-so, there are several that are really outstanding. If the reader can take the time to "interpret" the Photoshop commands that are presented in the book into the software that the reader may be using, then the book is certainly well worth Amazon's $16.47.
one of the best books on digital black and white photography.......2005-07-21
I've seen many of the books covering digital black and white photograhy and I think this is one of the best. The approach is straightforward and there are lots of good examples. After a few times browsing through, I found myself working much more creatively with black and white images.
Of course, I've always been a digital photographer, with no film/darkroom experience. Some people who know more about this style may find George's thoughts and information about black and white photography too simple, but for me it was right on the mark.
Regards, David.
Save your money.......2005-07-15
If you know anything at all about digital imaging, save your money and don't bother with this book. This is a book in which Mr. Schaub tells us such useful things as: "Art and craft are delicately balanced in every stage of creating a black-and-white image. Your goal is to produce images that will touch the viewer and express your artistic vision." He then proceeds to illustrate his "artistic vision" with some pretty lame examples. It seems he spends a lot of time in the woods because many, if not most, of his examples involve various kinds of vegetation. Some of his "improvements" tend to trash a fairly good starting image, though a few of his improvements do, in fact, improve.
On page 57 he informs us that "A digital image is composed of (are you ready for this?) pixels." The rest of the book is pretty much at this level. On page 148, which has the title "Paper For Your Printer," Mr. Schaub tells us that "An inkjet printer creates an image composed of dots that are literally sprayed onto the paper." He then explains that "Matching ink and paper can be a daunting problem," but fails to give us any information that'll help solve the "daunting" problem. Basically, what he suggests is mucking around with paper and ink combinations until you find one you like.
This book is a real shame. It could have been so good and such a help, but it started fizzling on the very first page.
Book Description
Innovations in digital technology have created an array of new options for photographers. Now, accomplished freelance photographer Les Meehan provides a comprehensive guide to using this technology to produce high-caliber black and white photographs. From basic concepts to advanced techniques, Meehan introduces and explains all of the factors that go into creating great monochrome prints. Topics include proper camera calibration, controlling white balance, choosing the right scanning equipment, simulating traditional darkroom techniques, and working with advanced printing software. Meehan also examines the many exciting new possibilities created by digital technology for both image capture and image enhancement. Focusing on fundamental principles that apply to all digital equipment, this invaluable book features hundreds of photographs demonstrating a wide range of monochrome techniques.
Customer Reviews:
Not very focussed...........2006-05-01
Very fluffy. Too much explanation of basic hardware; not enough regarding B&W technique. The introduction to Zone was adequate, but wasn't really linked to the discussion of technique, which seemed to be mostly a generic Photoshop lesson, anyway.
It was like three superficial books sewn together.
Good Beginner Guide.......2006-04-22
This book is certainly written for the beginner level digital photographer. The author devotes better than half the book explaining cameras and technology. He does a very good job with this, but it leaves only 60 pages or so for creative techniques. The information presented is well done, I just wish there was more of it.
Good place to start.
sucked in by a title again.......2006-04-17
The sub-title of the book said "creating and manipulating great monochrome images".
However comma
Chapter one covers really basic info on cameras, scanners, computer, monitors, tablets, external storage, printers, scanning software, editing software, cataloging software, file formats, capture method (camera vs. scanning), lens quality, flare, and color quality.
Chapter two (cameras and scanning techniques) covers monitor calibration, camera calibration, scanner calibration, choosing quality settings, exposure control, film speeds, focus /depth of field, and solving depth of field problems, dealing with high contrast, explaining the Zone system (6 pages), and film scanning (another 8 pages).
Finally, after 73 pages (of the 128 page book), we get to:
Chapter 3 (Enhancing images) where the author tells us how to convert color to mono, make basic corrections, correct chromatic aberrations, how to use the clone tool, do burning and dodging, posterization, bas relief, solorization, make lith prints, texture effects, how to simulate traditional films, creating infrared, image coloring, basic photomontage, multi-image techniques, panoramas, and using sharpening techniques (all in PS).
Then in Chapter 4 (Outputting images), we learn how to calibrate our printer and print an image.
Although the book is well written (1 mistake on p.12 where he should've said megahertz instead of GB in describing what type of computer you should buy) and the author does present a couple of great ideas on B&W photos later in the book.
However, one is left with the impression that the author tried to fill up a 128 page book the best he knew how by adding a bunch of really basic digital photo stuff and a whole lot of scanning stuff. Otherwise, nobody would ever buy a 50-page book.
Unfortunately, I did (sucked in by a title again).
Great Book! Expertly Written Instruction for Black & White Digital Photography.......2006-01-29
This is a wonderful book with great instruction on perfecting the art of digital black and white photography. It also covers extensivly the many different methods of converting color digital and printed photos into quality black and white and monochrome. A must have for the digital photography enthusiast who wants to produce spectactular digital black and white works of art.
J. Johnston
www.digitalphotoart.net
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