For me, the real value of this book lies in the suggestions and examples given for taking creative shots involving a wide variety of subjects. The book is clearly aimed at photographers using point and shoot cameras, as each section will give you camera mode, lens zoom, ISO, and flash settings. While I wish he had included DSLR camera settings, I found more than enough helpful information to make me glad I purchased the book.

I've been taking digital pix for a long while and had chance to 'read' this book from cover to cover and discovered quite a few 'pointers' I had not been aware of in digital photography. much info. at a very reasonable price.

I have read many photography books. This book is packed with his breathtaking photography and he shares exactly how we can achieve the same results. For each shot he maps out what is needed. An example: "Misty Woodlands: For this shot he set his Camera Mode to landscape mode; Lens Setting, zoom to normal; Sensor/Film Speed, use a Low to Medium ISO setting; Flash, force the flash Off." Armed with that information he goes on to show us how to scout out the shot. With step by step instructions like that it is like having him right next to me telling me how to get the shot. I have found the book unlike any other. I give this book my highest recommendation.

I absolutely love this book. Ang has included everything in it necessary for the novice. At least for me. I would recommend this book to anyone just starting out as I am doing. It is simple to understand and the lay out was exceptional. I do believe, though, that a softbound cover would be much easier to handle. This book is rather heavy to carry around with you!

I plan on using this book as part of a digital photography workshop I'm conducting next month. The best thing about this book are the hundreds of photos the author includes. The photos are of the type of subjects most any serious photographer can find, and they are captured with a point-and-shoot camera which is what most people shoot with. I agree with previous reviewer that Ang could have included more detail about the exposure settings. This would have been very useful in helping readers understand better shutter speed, aperture, and ISO settings for particular types of shots.

I also don't particularly like the layout of the book. The size is pretty awkward. The paperback edition will I think make a better choice because it won't feel so weighty like this one. This book should be more than a coffee table book; it should one that serious photographers use almost like a manual for getting ideas about what and how to shoot in everyday situations. It's a great resource for picking out one or two types of shoots (like night or animal photography) and practicing the suggestions that Ang provides. Overall, great book, but if you don't like heavy hardback books, wait for the soft-bound edition.

Tom Ang's credentials as a photography instructor is unquestionable. In this book, he managed the tricky balance between appeasing the novices and keeping the veterans interested. His goal is simple but ambitious: he wanted to make a book full of tips to at least get the newbies started in as many photographic settings as possible.



This book is full of examples of how to take interesting and good photos in all sorts of situations, well-illustrated and narrated to give a decent sense of why and how. It is also full of useful little tricks that are wonderful to learn, that one usually has to luckily discover oneself, or hear from a more experienced photographers.



The unfortunate thing about this book is that it does not cover enough technical details. In many cases I wish that Ang had said more than just "high ISO, wide-open aperture." I realize that numbers are just numbers, but some instructions leave me wondering what range of numbers he is talking about.



There are plenty of things to benefit the novice and intermediate photographers alike, although the value diminishes with the reader's expertise, as expected. For the newbies, this book is especially appealing because Ang took most of the photos with a simple digital point & shoot, again highlighting that it's the technique and art that matter most, not the gear.

Tom Ang's credentials as a photography instructor is unquestionable. In this book, he managed the tricky balance between appeasing the novices and keeping the veterans interested. His goal is simple but ambitious: he wanted to make a book full of tips to at least get the newbies started in as many photographic settings as possible.

This book is full of examples of how to take interesting and good photos in all sorts of situations, well-illustrated and narrated to give a decent sense of why and how. It is also full of useful little tricks that are wonderful to learn, that one usually has to luckily discover oneself, or hear from a more experienced photographers.

The unfortunate thing about this book is that it does not cover enough technical details. In many cases I wish that Ang had said more than just "high ISO, wide-open aperture." I realize that numbers are just numbers, but some instructions leave me wondering what range of numbers he is talking about.

There are plenty of things to benefit the novice and intermediate photographers alike, although the value diminishes with the reader's expertise, as expected. For the newbies, this book is especially appealing because Ang took most of the photos with a simple digital point & shoot, again highlighting that it's the technique and art that matter most, not the gear.