Aaland never forgets that digital cameras should be more cameras than digital, and his book serves as an excellent photography text for hobbyists and aspiring professionals. The author's advice in this area is both technical (how to light a still life and how to best a strobe to eliminate shadows) and artistic (why kids should be encouraged to photograph other kids, and how you can use perspective to create weird effects). He's an accomplished photographer who obviously loves his work, and his enthusiasm for making art with a camera--and, for that matter, just playing with one--come through brilliantly. --David Wall

Topics covered: Photography--of objects, people, places, action, nature, and other subjects--as accomplished with a modern digital camera. Emphasis falls on the relationship between camera and subject, as defined by focus, lighting, composition, and motion. Further attention goes to image manipulation accomplished via camera settings (like white balance and exposure, and, a little bit, to post-shoot processing with image software. There's also nice coverage of the differences among various image file formats.

Most digital camera manufacturers supply their own software for converting RAW data, as do some third party vendors. Increasingly, however, the RAW converter of choice is a plug-in included in the latest version of Adobe Photoshop, the most popular and widely-used digital image editing tool in the world. Adobe Photoshop CS2 is emerging as the best place to edit RAW images, and the best way to master this new format is with Photoshop CS2 RAW.

An important book dedicated to working with RAW in Photoshop, this comprehensive guide features a unique design that helps readers grasp the subject through visual instruction and prompts. The entire RAW process is explored, from shooting to using the Adobe plug-in converter and new Bridge navigation software. The primary focus of Photoshop RAW is, as the title suggests, Photoshop editing technique: automating RAW workflow, correcting exposures, extending exposure range, manipulating grayscale and working with the new DNG (Digital Negative) open standard that Adobe supports.

Presented by photographer Mikkel Aaland, a pioneer of digital photography and author of eight books, including O'Reilly's Photoshop for the Web and the award-winning Shooting Digital, Photoshop CS2 RAW investigates and instructs in an accessible visual style. Required reading for professionals and dedicated photo hobbyists alike.

Aaland never forgets that digital cameras should be more cameras than digital, and his book serves as an excellent photography text for hobbyists and aspiring professionals. The author's advice in this area is both technical (how to light a still life and how to best a strobe to eliminate shadows) and artistic (why kids should be encouraged to photograph other kids, and how you can use perspective to create weird effects). He's an accomplished photographer who obviously loves his work, and his enthusiasm for making art with a camera--and, for that matter, just playing with one--come through brilliantly. --David Wall

Topics covered: Photography--of objects, people, places, action, nature, and other subjects--as accomplished with a modern digital camera. Emphasis falls on the relationship between camera and subject, as defined by focus, lighting, composition, and motion. Further attention goes to image manipulation accomplished via camera settings (like white balance and exposure, and, a little bit, to post-shoot processing with image software. There's also nice coverage of the differences among various image file formats.