This comprehensive and inspirational book explains the processes behind digital photography and how to get the most out of your digital or film-based images.

Tom Ang is Senior Lecturer in Photographic Practice at the University of Westminster, London. His own photography - both digital and traditional - has been widely exhibited. Tom Ang won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award for his photographic coverageof the Marco Polo Expedition. Tom is also the author of many photography books.

Part 1 Total photography: photographic pathways; digital pathways; the technology; digital camera features; digital cameras; studio digital camers; film-based cameras; choosing the best lenses; zoon lenses; specialist lenses; camera accessories; digital film memory cards; choosing the best film; accessory lighting; studio lighting; how colour monitors work; choosing the best monitor; how scanners work; choosing a scanner; choosing the best software; additional software; how printers work; choosing the best printer; how computers work; choosing the best computer; computer accessories; setting up a workroom. Part 2 Photography for the digital age: handling cameras; picture composition; focusing and depth of field; image orientation; image proportions; composition and zooms; digital zooms; camera movement; digital close-ups; extreme lenses; quick fix - image distortion; quick fix - lens problems; influencing perspective; changing viewpoints; quick fix - leaning buildings; quick fix - facial distortion; colour composition; adjacent colours; pastel colours; strong colour contrasts; quick fix - colour balance; exposure control; silhouettes/backlighting; hi-key/low-key images; advanced metering; accessory flash; quick fix - electronic flash; studio flash. Part 3 A compendium of ideas: starting projects; abstract imagery; buildings; photographing clouds; documentary photography; eco-tourism; close-up photography; vacations; journeys and travel; at home; children; landscapes; mirrors; nudes; bird's eye views; pets; sports; festivals; urban views; natural history; panoramas; zoos; record-keeping. Part 4 Radical conversions: scanning - the basics; quick fix - computer problems; using flat-bed scanners; using film scanners; quick fix - scan resolution; using scanners as cameras; file formats - a summary; quick fix - problems with scans; quick fix - inaccurate printer colours; basic colour management; file management. Part 5 All about image manipulation: first steps; cropping and rotation; quick fix - poor subject detail; quick fix - poor subject colour; levels; burning-in and dodging; dust and noise; sharpening; blurring; quick fix - image distortions; image size and distortion; quick fix - image framing; quick fix - converging parallels; colour balancing; colour adjustments; quick fix - manipulation problems; curves; bit-depth and colour; colour into black and white; duotones; tritones and quadtones; sepia tones; Sabattier effect; gum dichromates; split toning; sun prints; heand tinting; cross-processing; tints from colour originals; quick fix - problem skies; filter effects; selecting pixels; quick fix - removing backgrounds; layers and channels; masks; greyscale and colour; text effects; cloning techniques; image hose; photomosaics; image stitching. Part 6 The output adventure: image software; proofing and printing; output to paper; quick fix - printer problems; quick fix - Web page problems; creating your own book; (part contents).