The Digital Photography Companion is sub-titled “Practical photography advice you can take anywhere”, and indeed the slim soft-covered volume is small enough to pack into your camera case. Even experienced photographers sometimes need to look up things, and this book has a wealth of information in five logically organized chapters and a useful appendix.
The book begins with the basics. Chapter One is written for those just starting into digital photography. It describes the features of compact cameras and Digital Single Lens Reflex cameras and the pros and cons of each. The second chapter explains hands-on techniques, literally from A to Z (Aperture Value to Zoom).
Chapter Three gets into the creative and artistic side of photography, with specific advice for the types of pictures most of us shoot. The next chapter on working in the digital darkroom covers photo editing and management software, such as Apple iPhoto, Adobe Photoshop and Elements, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, and Apple Aperture. And finally, there’s a chapter on printing.
The book is written in an informal, sometimes even chatty, style. For instance, in noting that some cameras allow shooting in both RAW and JPEG at the same time, the author adds, “this approach consumes memory cards faster than Doritos at a Super Bowl party.” There is also some advice you may not have thought of, such as using a hotel shower cap to protect your camera on rainy days, or using your cell phone camera to record signs, menus, and other data for future reference
The organization of the material makes it easy to find what you want. The table of contents is quite detailed and the index, even more so. The text is supplemented by an abundance of photos (mostly by the author), tables, screen shots, and boxes containing tips, warnings, and reminders. The appendix has almost a dozen tables of reference material on camera settings and modes, the storage capacity of memory cards, and recommended exposures for sunsets, lunar eclipses, and the like.
Derrick Story is described on the back cover as O’Reilly’s digital media evangelist, and he is the author or co-author of at least three books on digital photography. The Digital Photography Companion is an invaluable primer for the beginner and a comprehensive reference resource for more advanced photographers.
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