Color Management for Digital Photographers for Dummies

Reviewed by Dr. Eric Flescher

Authors: Ted Padova and Don Mason Wiley http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470048921.html Released: February 2007 Pages: 318 $30 USD $39 CND, 20 UK ISBN: 978-0-470-04892-4 Novice/Intermediate/Advanced   Strengths: The book is easy, helpful and instructive in many ways. The index is well done. Titles and numbers of the chapter and sections are highlighted at the edges of the tops of the pages makes for easier identification of the specifics within the book for easier thumbing through. Authors do highlight what specific techniques for Photoshop, versions of Photoshop Elements are good or not for using Macintosh.   Weaknesses: Circles or pointers would have been good to highlight more specifically the focus of the color and other adjustments concerning the photographs. There is no glossary but that would have been useful for the better understanding of related terms.

 

Introduction

The Dummies books are visual manuals that provide guided information. The authors have extensive experience with digital photography. Ted Padova has written many computer books and is an international recognized conference presenter of digital imaging topics. Don Mason has been a commercial photographer for more then 25 years. Both have lent their valuables skills and experiences into creating a worthy guide for learning about digital photography but particularly color management.

 

There are a variety of other specific stylish techniques that are used that make instruction more manageable and really make the book fun and easy to read. The page numbers are in bold type in either light yellow or light blue at the top outside edges of the pages. The section of the book (called Parts) is titled on the top left page outside corner while the chapter numbers and titles are on the outside right page. Of course, the review would not be the same without pointing out the other helpful informational icons “peppered” throughout the book which include additional helpful information to find and learn about. These are: Notes, Tip, Technical stuff; Warning!; Remember; on the Web. These have valuable insights about various thoughts concerning color management.

 

Helpful information and visuals are packed into the 5 part/sections and the 16 chapters. The introduction lays out the specifics for the rest of the book. Part 1 includes the basics of color editing. Part 2 focuses on image brightness and contrast correction. Part 3 works with color correction while Part 4 has finishing work techniques. Part 5, “The Part of Tens”, is a potpourri about working with better tones and color and information about upgrading to Photoshop.

 

Colorful screenshots are integrated within the instruction and demonstrate how the tools can be utilized to complete carefully designed tasks. The screenshots are of ample size and very readable. The visuals not only save time but illustrate how to make your graphic endeavors more productive. Bold-faced text is used in parts of the numbers tasks for the tutorials and helps the user to focus on the specifics as well as additional information that follows. This makes for an easier reading and flow of learning and information. To the authors’ credit, you are “drawn into” the step-by-step instructions which reads more like a guide then a textbook.

 

Illustrations and additional visual aids are in color. The only missing part to being more helpful in the chapters is that some of the screenshots or photographs would have been even more useful if there were indicators within these ex. circles, pointers, etc. that highlight exactly what the authors were focusing upon (for example, pages 189-194), there are nice photographs of the same landscape which are then enhanced to make these even better. However the authors are not specific about which parts of the landscape photos were adjusted and specifically why, even though there is a vague reference which the reader can only surmise.

 

The index is well done. A glossary would have been. The page numbers are inset in either light yellow or light blue at the top corner of each page. In addition, the titles for that particular part/section is on the left hand top edge of the left page while the chapter number and the title are on right hand pages next to the page number. It is little “touches” like this that make information more easier to read and find.

 

Conclusion

The authors have crafted a book that is both instructive and helps to the user. This book is a great instructional guide for the learning of color management for digital photography. The content is easy to read and the step-by-step numbered instructions have great information. The text offers a good way to start learning about color management. The book covers content in depth and breadth using tools that are found in Photoshop Elements 4 and 5 (more advanced specifics pertaining to color management are found with Photoshop version however and readers who use Photoshop should look for related books if they desire).

 

The colorful screenshots are Windows specific, but can be used in the Macintosh specific version of Photoshop Elements 4 or could be used with other Macintosh specific shareware programs as in Graphic Converter. Macintosh specific related information is found in this book concerning color calibration, curves, monitor profiles, printing, soft proofing and general usage with this book. However if you want and need a more specifically targeted Macintosh using guide or using Photoshop then this book might not be for you. But it does have a lot going for it and could be a valuable resource.