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Preface
The third edition of this textbook has been renamed as Photography: Portfolio to
Profession to emphasize learning and applying skills that can lead to a photographic career.
The content has been extensively revised to reflect the fact that digital imaging is accepted as
the standard method of photography, while still meeting the needs of both film and digital
equipment users. Additions include extensive career information, text and images reflecting
newer technology, such as the use of smartphones for photography. New Portfolio Assignments
promote practice of a variety of photographic skills while providing the opportunity to build a
portfolio.
The three sections of the text are The Basics, Shooting, and Postprocessing. The eight chapters
in Section 1 provide a knowledge base that includes development of the photographic medium
and the essential tools of the photographer—cameras, lenses, light, and image capture media.
An important addition to this section is a chapter exploring the career field of commercial
photography. While these chapters present a fair amount of theory, practical hands-on elements
are included wherever appropriate.
In Section 2, Chapters 9–14 present many specific techniques in image composition
and exposure determination. Particular photographic situations, including action and
event photography, outdoor photography, travel photography, and portrait and studio
photography, are addressed in individual chapters. These chapters introduce a variety of
specialized and advanced techniques for use in both the field and the studio. The content
of this section allows beginning photographers to build on and expand the basic skills
introduced earlier in the text.
Section 3, which includes Chapters 15–19, explores the areas of film-to-digital file conversion
via scanning, electronic image input, image processing, and the devices and methods used for
digital-image output and presentation. The concept of the “digital darkroom” for processing
and enhancing or manipulating images is covered in chapters devoted to basic and advanced
techniques. Described are the many types of image manipulation and combination that can be
carried out to realize the photographer’s artistic vision. Also included in this section is a chapter
devoted to traditional darkroom work—film development and printmaking.
Photography: Portfolio to Profession is designed to provide beginning photographers
with a blend of theory and practice that builds a solid foundation of photographic skills. While
the continuing development of digital cameras, camera-equipped smartphones, and related
software provides photographers with ever-better and more convenient tools, the basic skills
of photography will always be essential to the effective use of those tools. The photographer’s
need to produce a meaningful photograph that is well composed, properly lighted, and correctly
exposed is constant—whether the capture device uses a glass plate covered with wet collodion,
film with a highly sensitive emulsion on a flexible plastic base, or an array of millions of tiny
electronic sensors.