Santa Barbara, CA—Build a Better Photograph (Rocky Nook, $34.95 USD) is an excursion into the creative process of an experienced professional photographer. While many books address the equipment, techniques, and compositional approaches to image creation, few describe the steps involved in the development of the picture idea. Michael Stern demystifies the creative process he has successfully employed for over two decades in the fields of environmental portraiture, product photography, 3D scanning, and compositing techniques.

How do artists conceptualize? Where do they get their ideas? How do they incorporate those ideas into their work? These questions and others are explored during actual assignments, along with discussions about the technical and business skills needed to succeed in commercial photography.

The accompanying DVD contains additional images, Virtual Reality panoramas and short videos of photographic sessions, reference tutorials, and much more.

About the Author
Michael Stern, a professional photographer since graduating from Art Center College of Design in 1979, has been working in the entertainment industry with The Walt Disney Co., Warner Brothers Studios, Universal Studios, and Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures among others. He has photographed executives, celebrities, products, architecture and created special visual effects. In 1995, he added digital imaging solutions to his repertoire. In 2000 while working on a project for Disney's California Adventure he honed his skill set as a digital restoration expert and continues working today on a variety of other projects.

In addition to beta testing hardware and software for several companies, Michael is also adjunct faculty at Brooks Institute of Photography in Ventura, CA as an instructor in digital imaging, reflective metering techniques and location lighting for budding photojournalists. Finally he has produced customized Photoshop tutorials for working professionals who need precise, clear information, presented in an innovative way.

Additional Resources:
For more information about the book, see: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9781933952185

Build a Better Photograph
Publisher: Rocky Nook
Michael Stern
ISBN: 9781933952185, 160 pages,
Book Price: $34.95 USD, £22.99 GBP
[email protected]
1-800-998-9938
1-707-827-7000

About Rocky Nook
Rocky Nook's books are distributed internationally by O'Reilly Media.

Rocky Nook was founded in early 2006 in Santa Barbara, California, and is closely associated with dpunkt.verlag, a leading publisher of books on technology based in Heidelberg, Germany. The focus of Rocky Nook's publications is on digital photography and computing.

About O'Reilly
O'Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying "faint signals" from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.

Front cover: Build a Better Photograph: A Disciplined Approach to Creativity, by Michael E. Stern. Image provided by O'Reilly Media