iPhoto 6: The Missing Manual: The Missing Manual

by David Pogue and Derrick Story

If you used iPhoto when it first came out, you'll remember the way it slowed to a crawl once you loaded it with about 2,000 photos. Compare that to this year's model: iPhoto 6 can handle as many as 250,000 images and still have the power to run a host of suped-up features. Its new software engine lets you make changes with a drag & drop editing tool, find photos with a robust search feature, and manipulate images without affecting the originals in...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 059652725X
• ISBN13: 9780596527259
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media
• Length: 408 Pages
• Weight: 1.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 7.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Best book on iPhoto and Digital Photography

Some say lightening can never strike the same place twice. The Missing Manual series proves that wrong. David Pogue and the O'Reilly gang constantly hit the mark and spark creativity and knowledge in a variety of programs. IPhoto 6 covers absolutely every aspect of digital photography on your Mac, leaving few stones unturned. In order to make sure you get the great photos you need and minimized the editing needed in iPhoto, Derrick Story and David Pogue make sure you buy the right digital camera for your needs and tells you the basics of lighting and composition. After reading that chapter, I looked at my own iPhoto library and understand why I liked certain shots and why others ended up on the digital darkroom floor. After explaining how to buy a camera and create great photos, the authors take you through the steps of using iPhoto in logical order: importing, managing, outputting and of course backing up. More technical manuals need to do this. Instead of taking you through the features, they take you through the workflow. The writing was typical of the series: clear, understandable with plenty of screen shots to explain the concepts. While I consider myself an expert on iPhoto, the book was full of subtle tips and tricks to shave hours off my digital photo management. The strength of the book was definitely the extensive chapters on what to with your photos after they are in iPhoto. Photos are meant to be shared, not locked up in your hard drive. He went over not just the specifics of all the printing options such as photo books and calendars, but also using iMovie, iWeb, and iDVD to share the photos with the world. The final chapters covered some more advanced options such as AppleScript and Automator. Unlike other Missing Manual books that simply point you to the website to download utilities, Pogue and Story explained some of these programs and how they can help you expand your iPhoto capabilities. The Appendix was definitely the icing on the cake handling practically every iPhoto error and it's solution, as well as walking you through the basics of every iPhoto menu command and its implications. My only complaint was somewhat weak coverage on desktop printing of photos. I always get confused about the way to feed the photo paper and how to configure settings to get the proper output. iPhoto, the printer's software, the printer, and Mac OS X must all be in alignment to print properly. These days, I simply upload it to the drugstore website and print it there. Printing to services other than Apple's wasn't really covered either. While iPhoto basics are simple and quick to learn, "iPhoto 6 the Missing Manual" helps you become the hands down master of digital photos on your Mac. Others will tremble in fear of your massive knowledge after reading this book cover to cover. Pros: Covers every aspect of digital photography and makes everyone an iPhoto wiz. Cons: Needed more coverage of desktop and third party printing of photos.

IPhoto6 Review

iPhoto 6 - The Missing Manual By: David Pogue and Derrick Story Published by: Pogue Press/O'Reilly Reviewed by: Robert W. Humphreys iPhoto 6 - The Missing Manual is much more than just a book on the use of iPhoto. It is also a comprehensive introduction to digital cameras and good photography in general. The book is divided into 5 parts, each on a major subject and with individual chapters providing detailed information on a portion of the main subject. Part One consists of three chapters about how to purchase a digital camera, the various features to look for and what they will do. Included are chapters on the basics of good photographic composition and how to set up and obtain that special shot. Part Two introduces the basics of iPhoto and includes three chapters on downloading photos from the camera, organizing them into albums and using keywords to locate a specific photo at a later date. The final chapter explains how to edit, repair, retouch, color correct and crop photos to correct any problems that may have occurred during the actual taking of the picture. Part Three moves on to the publishing of photos for viewing by others. It explains how to create slide shows, make prints, publish to the web, and make cards, books and calendars - all from within iPhoto. It then moves on to making QuickTime movies and creating iDVD slide shows. Part Four consists of a number of "iPhoto stunts." It explains how to convert photos to screen savers, saving and exporting photos in several different formats, the use of Apple Scripts and Automator to back up libraries and files and how to burn CD and DVD discs. Part Five provides appendixes on troubleshooting, a complete list of iPhoto menus and a list of additional resources for expanding one's knowledge of photography and iPhoto. The book has a complete index to help find a particular subject. Throughout the book, there are tips on the subject being discussed. There are numerous full-color figures with screen-shots explaining the various topics and showing what to look for in order to accomplish a desired action. Each page is marked near the top edge with the subject of the section in order to make it easier to find by just leafing through. I whole-heartedly agree with the statement on the cover - "The book that should have been in the box." I believe on-line help files to be too restrictive and difficult for readily finding the information I need. I much prefer a written document, which permits me to look through and jump from section to section in order to find an answer to my question. I can also frequently discover new tidbits by just stopping and looking at an interesting page that I happen to notice as I skim past. While reviewing iPhoto 6 - The Missing Manual, I discovered numerous capabilities of iPhoto that I hadn't realized were included in the program. I found iPhoto 6 - The Missing Manual to be a valuable addition to any library on digital photography and a comprehensive text on th

The Missing Manual Does It Again!!!

I have showered so much praise on these 'Missing Manual' books it may seem like I am getting paid by David Pogue himself to write these reviews, but I guarantee you that is not the case!! Full of crisp, clear, color photos that jump off the page, a writing style that is fun and easy to follow, and a layout that is second to none, there simply is no line of books for learning applications on the market that is better than the 'Missing Manual' series. If you use an application (whatever it is) and you want to learn to use the tool in question, forget going online or taking a class. Either it will be a waste of time, money or both!!! Just look at the name of the app you are interested in, see if there is a Missing Manual book for it and BUY IT. These books are that good, that impressive, that well written, and that well published. I put the highest stamp of approval on this line by O'Reilly. ***** HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION

Excellent Book opens up the Software

David Pogue has done it again producing a book which clearly sets out how to make the most of the software to store and edit digital images. But it does more. Part 1 is produced for the less experienced photographer (aren't we all) but is a useful reminder of digital photographic tecniques. One comment I would make is that apparently memory cards are never supposed to fail. When they do the result can be utter despair for the photographer. At least an acknowledgement of the existence of retrieval software, for what we hope never happens, would have been useful. Part 2 in the first two chapters describes the basics of iPhoto and then in the third describes how to edit images once they have been imported.. Part 3 suggests how ones great store of images may be brought out to see the light of day as a slideshow (of various types), as prints, on the web, or as Books, calendars and cards providing you wish to use the Apple Book Publishing Empire. It would have been useful to know what the options are for users outside of the US. Part 4 then goes on to give more information about using the images both inside and outside iPhoto. The final chapter covers file management. The book is well illustrated, the explanations are simple and easy to follow and the results speak for themselves when you manipulate the images.