This book is very similar to the very popular book "Understanding Exposure", yet I like it more because it provides more examples and techniques in my view. If you are advancing from point-and-shoot to SLR or DSLR camera, or simply want to learn about photography, that's the book for you!

This is a book that will definitely help you take your photography to the next level. I found the book to be rewarding on three levels:

1)Step-by-step guidance on the key aspects of photography
a)From a concise discussion of what equipment to purchase and how to carry it, through excellent illustrations on composition, landscapes, and nature and wildlife
b)Discussion of straight forward techniques that will immediately improve your pictures: e.g. correct fill flash settings that result in removing shadows while adding sparkle in the eyes of the subject (human or animal)
2)Expanding creativity
a)Translating lines and shapes into an image
b)Using exposure to affect moods
c)Shooting with a telephoto lens to isolate and create an image
3)Viewing gallery illustrations
a)Over 50 techniques are illustrated and visually demonstrate the results of taking photography to the next level
b)Each picture is captioned with critical statistics: lens used, f stop, film, etc

This book was easily worth the $18.00 I paid. Adam, thanks for a great book!!