Amazon.com (ISBN 0735712360, Paperback)

Some people make their living with a camera, and for these people the maturation of digital photo technology means a significant shift in their trade. The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers is for people who are already adept with a camera, and pretty much up to speed on the peculiarities of digital photography, too. The book teaches these people how to use Adobe Photoshop, the standard photo-editing software package. More accurately, the book explains how to use Photoshop for the kinds of work professional photographers do.

Case in point: The removal from photographs of what are politely called skin blemishes. Author Scott Kelby (the editor of Photoshop User offers two strategies: One you can use to remove all traces of a mark but which requires a fair amount of time, and another procedure that delivers "pretty good" results and which can be done on many pictures (such as a set of class portraits) rapidly. Kelby teaches by means of heavily illustrated procedures, each between five and 20 steps long and spanning several pages. A good way to use this book is by scanning the table of contents for a procedure that interests you (say, "Fixing Underexposed Photos," or "Pro Wrinkle Removal"). This will enable you to spot Photoshop techniques you hadn't considered. --David Wall

Topics covered: How to use Adobe Photoshop if, for you, the program is one tool out of many in a photographic kit. Tricks teach you how to recolor hair, whiten teeth and eyes, modify unflattering body contours, dodge and burn, apply filters for effect, assemble panoramas, and do a score of other slick photo jobs.