"Serious" books about digital photography

Wayland · 21st of April 2006 (Fri)

As a film photographer I cut my teeth on books like Langford's Basic Photography and Coote's Monochrome Darkroom Practice.

I've looked around various book dealers and all the books I see about Digital photography seem aimed at beginers and offer no real information about what's really going on with digital exposure and technology.

I've managed to glean some idea from sites like this but I miss not understanding the technology the way I understood film.

Are there any "Digital" Coote on Langford type books out there?

J Rabin · 21st of April 2006 (Fri)

Well, digital is still photography.
So nothing has changed or is new for you in the areas of composition since the landscape and portrait painters of old set the rules. What is different is the "exposure" strategies difference between transparency film, negative film, and why it pays to "live in the digital darkroom."

For example, while current Canon digitals have about 8+ stops of dynamic range (more than slide film) the linear gain nature of digital sensors means you need to use the same exposure strategies as slide film when dealing with protecting highlight details. So, I would:
A) spend a lot of time on the Luminous-Landscape website learning tutorials, and then
B) buy Bruce Fraser's Digital Camera RAW 2nd Edition book.

That'll keep you busy. Jack

DocFrankenstein · 22nd of April 2006 (Sat)

I agree with J Rabin. The digital has to be exposed similarly to slide.

As to the darkroom equivalent of Coote's book... try:
Real world camera raw with adobe photoshop CS
Real world color management

Once you have calibrated your monitor to your printer it is supposed to be a close WYSIWYG match and you just play with the sliders until the pictures is nice and purty.

Monochrome was a bit more labour intensive.

cjm · 22nd of April 2006 (Sat)

Tom Ang, John Freeman and John Hedgrog are all very good Photography book authors.

chtgrubbs · 25th of April 2006 (Tue)

Most digital photo books are waaay too serious for me. Except for Scott Kelby's books. They make me LOL when I read them.

21st of April 2006 (Fri)	#1
Wayland Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Lancashire, somewhere in the Tenth Century. Posts: 79	"Serious" books about digital photography As a film photographer I cut my teeth on books like Langford's Basic Photography and Coote's Monochrome Darkroom Practice. I've looked around various book dealers and all the books I see about Digital photography seem aimed at beginers and offer no real information about what's really going on with digital exposure and technology. I've managed to glean some idea from sites like this but I miss not understanding the technology the way I understood film. Are there any "Digital" Coote on Langford type books out there? __________________ Wayland www.waylandscape.co.uk Landscape Photography

21st of April 2006 (Fri)	#2
J Rabin Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 1,496 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: "Serious" books about digital photography Well, digital is still photography. So nothing has changed or is new for you in the areas of composition since the landscape and portrait painters of old set the rules. What is different is the "exposure" strategies difference between transparency film, negative film, and why it pays to "live in the digital darkroom." For example, while current Canon digitals have about 8+ stops of dynamic range (more than slide film) the linear gain nature of digital sensors means you need to use the same exposure strategies as slide film when dealing with protecting highlight details. So, I would: A) spend a lot of time on the Luminous-Landscape website learning tutorials, and then B) buy Bruce Fraser's Digital Camera RAW 2nd Edition book. That'll keep you busy. Jack

22nd of April 2006 (Sat)	#3
DocFrankenstein Cream of the Crop Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: where the buffalo roam Posts: 10,813	Re: "Serious" books about digital photography I agree with J Rabin. The digital has to be exposed similarly to slide. As to the darkroom equivalent of Coote's book... try: Real world camera raw with adobe photoshop CS Real world color management Once you have calibrated your monitor to your printer it is supposed to be a close WYSIWYG match and you just play with the sliders until the pictures is nice and purty. Monochrome was a bit more labour intensive. __________________ I have typed this from Ubuntu. Vent: One lens, two lenses. Advice=what you seek; advise=what we do. Then="at that time" or "subsequently"; than="compared to". Aperture, not aperature. Their="owned by them"; there="at that place"; they're="they are". Its="owned by it"; it's="it is". Your="owned by you"; you're="you are"; ur="primitive".

22nd of April 2006 (Sat)	#4
cjm Goldmember Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Edmonton, Alberta Posts: 4,737 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: "Serious" books about digital photography Tom Ang, John Freeman and John Hedgrog are all very good Photography book authors. __________________ Christopher J Martin Gear: 1D MKIII - 60D - 40D - G9 - 24mm f1.4 L - 24-70mm F2.8 L - 70-200mm IS f2.8 L - 100-400 f4.5-5.6 IS L and more...

25th of April 2006 (Tue)	#5
chtgrubbs Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,667	Re: "Serious" books about digital photography Most digital photo books are waaay too serious for me. Except for Scott Kelby's books. They make me LOL when I read them.

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