Adobe Camera Raw For Digital Photographers Only, 2nd. Ed.
Product Review
Publisher: Wiley Publishing
Price: $39.99
Pros: Excellent and thorough discussion of Adobeís powerful, industry leading RAW conversion program. Clear and direct language helps make highly technical subject understandable. Extensive illustrations support text very well.
Cons: Text and appropriate illustrations occasionally on different pages.
Product Rating
Excellent
by Chuck Maas, AAUG Member
Rob Sheppard has become one of the most prolific and well-received in the now crowded field of digital imaging authors and educators. Every writer has a style, and Robís is simple and direct, avoiding hype and always seeking to communicate in the clearest possible manner regardless of the complexity of the topic.
As the art and science of digital imaging has matured, RAW conversion software has become one of the most important tools for photographers aiming for the highest quality and greatest flexibility. The RAW file, which has had minimum in-camera processing, contains the maximum information available at capture and has the potential for extracting the best final image in post processing. Camera manufacturers usually provide their own RAW processing software, but third-party programs often have more and/or different capabilities and greater interoperability with other popular editing programs like Photoshop. At the top of the list is Adobeís Camera Raw. Not only does this incredibly powerful program convert RAW files from almost any digital camera, but it also provides seamless integration with Photoshop CS3 and Bridge. The latest version (4.xx) has extensive new tools that move it into a new regime entirely.
Really learning Adobe Camera Raw is not a simple task. There are many books on the subject varying in style from ponderous and mind-numbingly detailed, to once-over-lightly treatises that are mostly pictures and little substance. This book strikes a fine balance with accurate, colloquial, understandable discussion of the often highly technical details supported by ample illustrations and images to provide a visually appealing lesson that will tend to stick in your personal data bank. If you have no other books on Camera Raw, this would be an excellent one to start with, even if you are a ìvisual learningî person.
This edition has numerous positive attributes. Its clear, concise, easy-to-read language cuts to the heart of complex issues, keeping them as non-technical as possible. Rob also avoids absolutes, suggesting that his opinion, as informed as it is, may not be the right answer for the reader. He points out there are often several different ways to accomplish a certain goal, and one method may suit an individual photographer better than another. One minor shortcoming is that the description of a task and its paired illustration sometimes wind up on different pages; this doesnít lessen the overall value, but it does make it a little harder to assimilate.
One fine point worth noting is the discussion of sharpening during the Raw conversion. Anyone familiar with Bruce Fraser, PixelGenius, and PhotoKit Sharpener will want to study this section very carefully, for the ìnewî Camera Raw has incorporated some new sharpening features from this highly regarded plug-in that could make a real difference in achieving your highest quality output.
Conclusion. Highly recommended. If Rob Sheppard writes it, itís bound to be good, and it is. Adobe Camera Raw is a fundamental cornerstone for the highest quality digital image processing for many top photographers, and this book, if studied carefully, will unlock most of Camera Rawís secrets. If you apply what you learn, youíll be able to take your photography to an entirely new level.