"Organized in three broad sections--equipment, techniques, and subjects--this handy manual uses a question-and-answer format...it asks the right questions and provides good, useful answers. The questions range from what camera is most appropriate for amateurs, to how to expose film correctly. Technical language is kept to a minimum; in fact, the glossary is titled Jargon Buster'....Attractively designed, the book includes 250 photographs that serve as excellent illustrations of the points made in the text. This reasonably priced hardcover book is recommended for popular photography collections in all libraries."-- "LJ . 128 pages, 130 color illus., 120 b/w illus., 7 1/2 x

A picture-rich field guide to American photography, from daguerreotype to digital. We are all photographers now, with camera phones in hand and social media accounts at the ready. And we know which pictures we like. But what makes a "good picture"? And how could anyone think those old styles were actually good? Soft-focus yearbook photos from the '80s are now hopelessly—and happily—outdated, as are the low-angle portraits fashionable in the 1940s or the blank stares of the 1840s. From portraits to products, landscapes to food pics, Good Pictures proves that the history of photography is a history of changing styles. In a series of short, engaging essays, Kim Beil uncovers the origins of fifty photographic trends and investigates their original appeal, their decline, and sometimes their reuse by later generations of photographers. Drawing on a wealth of visual material, from vintage how-to manuals to magazine articles for working photographers, this full-color book illustrates the evolution of trends with hundreds of pictures made by amateurs, artists, and commercial photographers alike. Whether for selfies or sepia tones, the rules for good pictures are always shifting, reflecting new ways of thinking about ourselves and our place in the visual world.

It used to be that the only people that needed professional-looking headshots were actors and models, but now thanks to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and social media in general, headshots are hot! They've never been more in demand than they are today, and Peter Hurley's unique headshot style and trademark look have made him the most sought-after headshot photographer in the world today. Here's your chance to learn exactly how to create "the look" that everybody's after. This is bankable stuff! If you're not adding headshots to what you offer as a photographer, you're leaving a lot of money on the table. Peter knows first-hand the secrets to not only lighting your headshots like a pro (there's a whole chapter on that alone), but in this book he reveals, in the very same fashion that made him a famous name with photographers everywhere, how he gets authentic expressions and incredibly flattering positioning that will make your clients look better than they ever have in any photo—period! It's all here: he shows you his positioning techniques, his secrets for getting genuine smiles and images that look so natural you won't believe they're posed (but of course, they are), and you'll learn the very same techniques that Peter uses to create amazing headshots for everyone from execs at top Fortune 500 companies, to Silicon Valley startups, to actors and public figures who know all too well how important a great-looking headshot really is. Peter doesn't hold anything back. He reveals all his tricks of the trade, from his trademark lighting look, to how to create good-looking backgrounds on location, to positioning tricks you won't hear anywhere else, and it's all written in Peter's fun, quirky, inspiring style that lets you know, right from the beginning, you can do this, and you can do this big! These are the techniques that Peter has crafted from years in front of the lens, as a model for top brands like Abercrombie & Fitch and Guess, and years behind the lens, giving him an insight few photographers will ever possess, and he's willing to share every bit of it—every trick, every technique, and every nuance—in this book that will pay for itself at your very next shoot. Yes, it's that good.

A complete introduction to the basic and intermediate concepts of image processing from the leading people in the field Up-to-date content, including statistical modeling of natural, anistropic diffusion, image quality and the latest developments in JPEG 2000 This comprehensive and state-of-the art approach to image processing gives engineers and students a thorough introduction, and includes full coverage of key applications: image watermarking, fingerprint recognition, face recognition and iris recognition and medical imaging. "This book combines basic image processing techniques with some of the most advanced procedures. Introductory chapters dedicated to general principles are presented alongside detailed application-orientated ones. As a result it is suitably adapted for different classes of readers, ranging from Master to PhD students and beyond." – Prof. Jean-Philippe Thiran, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland "Al Bovik’s compendium proceeds systematically from fundamentals to today’s research frontiers. Professor Bovik, himself a highly respected leader in the field, has invited an all-star team of contributors. Students, researchers, and practitioners of image processing alike should benefit from the Essential Guide." – Prof. Bernd Girod, Stanford University, USA "This book is informative, easy to read with plenty of examples, and allows great flexibility in tailoring a course on image processing or analysis." – Prof. Pamela Cosman, University of California, San Diego, USA A complete and modern introduction to the basic and intermediate concepts of image processing – edited and written by the leading people in the field An essential reference for all types of engineers working on image processing applications Up-to-date content, including statistical modelling of natural, anisotropic diffusion, image quality and the latest developments in JPEG 2000

WINNER OF THE 2001 KRASZNA-KRAUSZ PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK AWARD (Technical Photography category) The only definitive book to fully encompass the use of photography and imaging as tools in science, technology and medicine. It describes in one single volume the basic theory, techniques, materials, special equipment and applications for a wide variety of uses of photography, including: close up photography and photomacrography to spectral recording, surveillance systems, radiography and micro-imaging. This extensively illustrated photography 'bible' contains all the information you need, whether you are a scientist wishing to use photography for a specialist application, a professional needing to extend technical expertise, or a student wanting to broaden your knowledge of the applications of photography. The contents are arranged in three sections: · General Section, detailing the elements of the image capture process · Major Applications, describing the major applications of imaging · Specialist Applications, presenting an eclectic selection of more specialised but increasingly important applications Each subject is introduced with an outline of its development and contemporary importance, followed by explanations of essential theory and an overview of techniques and equipment. Mathematics is only used where necessary. Numerous applications and case studies are described. Comprehensive bibliographies and references are provided for further study.

How to Find and Fix the Killer Software Bugs that Evade Conventional Testing In Exploratory Software Testing, renowned software testing expert James Whittaker reveals the real causes of today’s most serious, well-hidden software bugs--and introduces powerful new “exploratory” techniques for finding and correcting them. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience working at the cutting edge of testing with Google, Microsoft, and other top software organizations, Whittaker introduces innovative new processes for manual testing that are repeatable, prescriptive, teachable, and extremely effective. Whittaker defines both in-the-small techniques for individual testers and in-the-large techniques to supercharge test teams. He also introduces a hybrid strategy for injecting exploratory concepts into traditional scripted testing. You’ll learn when to use each, and how to use them all successfully. Concise, entertaining, and actionable, this book introduces robust techniques that have been used extensively by real testers on shipping software, illuminating their actual experiences with these techniques, and the results they’ve achieved. Writing for testers, QA specialists, developers, program managers, and architects alike, Whittaker answers crucial questions such as: • Why do some bugs remain invisible to automated testing--and how can I uncover them? • What techniques will help me consistently discover and eliminate “show stopper” bugs? • How do I make manual testing more effective--and less boring and unpleasant? • What’s the most effective high-level test strategy for each project? • Which inputs should I test when I can’t test them all? • Which test cases will provide the best feature coverage? • How can I get better results by combining exploratory testing with traditional script or scenario-based testing? • How do I reflect feedback from the development process, such as code changes?