Scott Kelby, the man who changed the "digital darkroom" forever with his groundbreaking, #1 bestselling, award-winning book The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers, now tackles the most important side of digital photography--how to take pro-quality shots using the same tricks today's top digital pros use (and it's easier than you'd think).

This entire book is written with a brilliant premise, and here’s how Scott describes it: "If you and I were out on a shoot, and you asked me, 'Hey, how do I get this flower to be in focus, but I want the background out of focus?' I wouldn't stand there and give you a lecture about aperture, exposure, and depth of field. In real life, I'd just say, 'Get out your telephoto lens, set your f/stop to f/2.8, focus on the flower, and fire away.' You d say, 'OK,' and you'd get the shot. That's what this book is all about. A book of you and I shooting, and I answer the questions, give you advice, and share the secrets I've learned just like I would with a friend, without all the technical explanations and without all the techno-photo-speak."

This isn't a book of theory—it isn't full of confusing jargon and detailed concepts: this is a book of which button to push, which setting to use, when to use them, and nearly two hundred of the most closely guarded photographic "tricks of the trade" to get you shooting dramatically better-looking, sharper, more colorful, more professional-looking photos with your digital camera every time you press the shutter button.

Here's another thing that makes this book different: each page covers just one trick, just one single concept that makes your photography better. Every time you turn the page, you'll learn another pro setting, another pro tool, another pro trick to transform your work from snapshots into gallery prints. There's never been a book like it, and if you're tired of taking shots that look "OK," and if you’re tired of looking in photography magazines and thinking, "Why don't my shots look like that?" then this is the book for you.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 652 Ratings

Misleading advice - 2009-11-19
Reviewer Rating:
As other reviews have noted, Scott Kelby's puns are either something you like, are distracted by or absolutely loathe. In this it is a matter of each to their own.

However a lot of the advice in this book is not useful or very one-sided. For example, the section on sports photography (on which their is an entire chapter) may be summed up by saying "it is expensive". To be fair there is some useful advice (such as many of the professionals take two bodies, one with a wide-angle lens and one with a fast telephoto because you *won't* have time to switch lenses) which is why I gave the book two stars.

The most disappointing piece of "advice" was on "Being careful what you shoot". Kelby suggests that you delete pictures if security guards demand it, otherwise they may take your camera etc. They have no right to do this .... the excellent "rights of photographers" by Lawyer Bert Krages tells you about what right mere security guards (and even police officers have) and it does NOT include demanding that you delete pictures from your camera. At best the guards can require you to leave the area (if you are on their property) but they cannot generally demand that you stop taking pictures from a public area. It is true that some will try and harass you, but you are within your rights to refuse to delete your pictures and they (in particular, security guards) cannot detain you. This is even true for government buildings; although with military bases you are probably on your own =).

If Kelby had claimed that you risk being harassed if you took pictures of government buildings, and that you may wish to delete your pictures to avoid problems then that may be sound advice. But he writes that if he had not deleted his pictures he would have probably had his camera removed (factually false -- if this happens it is theft; call the police) -- and encourages photographers to roll over on their civil rights.

It seems that Kelby's ignorance will not stop him from making very authoritive statements, and to me this brings into question much of the other (also very authoritatively) stated advice.

Great tips for amateur photographers - 2009-11-18
Reviewer Rating:
Quick tips, not so much theory as many other photography books, makes you feel by reading "The digital photography book" as if you were attending a seminar; where what students are looking forward to hearing is "how this shot was taken" or "what to do" in a certain situation.

I admit I didn't appreaciate much Scott Kelby's sense of humour but this book gave me a push to take much better photos as an amateur photographer.

Have already read the 2nd volume and looking forward to starting the 3rd one.

No Fluff - 2009-11-14
Reviewer Rating:
Straight-shooting, easy to read, no holds barred writing. Fits my needs, interests and attention span.

Excellent - 2009-11-13
Reviewer Rating:
This is a very practical, down-to-earth book that you can actually use and not have to learn all the technical details. I have picked up a bunch of good ideas that I have immediately put to good use.

Full of trash around the gems of wisdom - 2009-11-08
Reviewer Rating:
As other negative reviewers have noted, there is a *lot* of worthless mockery and jokes and gotchas around the real wisdom in this book. If you have loads of time and enjoy sifting through trash to find gems, grab this book. Otherwise you're better off with free web resources, like Ken Rockwell's site, that get straight to the point.

Wish the author would write "cliff notes" for this that removed all the junk and mocking tone.

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