The Magic of Digital Printing

For most of us the ultimate goal of making a great digital photo (or a film photo for that matter) is to make a great print. As luck would have it, however, print making can be both the simplest and the most exasperating aspect of the digital process. Issues like color managent and equipment profiling are not concepts that come naturally to most of us. But Derek Doeffinger has done a fine job of putting all of this into simple, clear language. Sure, pressing a button to get a quick color print is as simple as it sounds, but when it comes to getting a great print, it takes quite a bit of practice and some good basic knowledge. This book is the best primer that I've seen on the subject (and I'm surprised there aren't more good books on this topic). The book covers every aspect of printing including: setting up a good workspace, choosing the right printer, understanding technical issues like resolution, tone/color adjustments and calibrating your monitor, etc. In fact, it's hard to think of an aspect of digital/inkjet printing that Doeffinger doesn't cover. Incidentally (or perhaps not so incidentally) the book is superbly written and nicely designed--a very fun and informative read. Most important though, there is nothing about this book that will scare you off if you're just getting your first serious inkjet printer and if you're an experienced printer, you'll still find lots of useful information. When you consider that the book costs about the same (or less) than a good ink cartridge or a pack of paper, it's a very good investment.