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The real question today is, given the plethora of digital devices that take photos, why bother with digital SLRs? Seriously. Smartphones, tablets from Apple, Microsoft, Samsung, Amazon, and others, compact digital cameras, and even toys offer you a wealth of options. And you know what? They aren’t necessarily bad ones. I understand how convenient it is to take a quick snapshot with a small, portable device. They are pretty easy to use and take decent photos.

However (you knew that was coming) digital SLRs (and by extension, dSLTs and the dSLR-sized mirrorless cameras) take fantastic photos. Pound for pound, if you’re interested in photography, you will find no better device. You really can’t beat the combination of power, flexibility, growth potential, and “accessorize-ability” of a dSLR.

Their greatest strength is a long history of using interchangeable lenses. You can mount different lenses on the same camera body, each one with unique strengths. That enables you to take pictures ranging from close-ups of jewelry, to wide-angle landscapes, to portraits of your friends and family, to super telephoto shots of the moon. And everything in between! I find this versatility breathtaking. Even if you stick to a single zoom lens, you will have more power in that one lens to take quality photos than any smartphone or tablet ever had.

The greatest weakness of the digital SLR is probably the fact that they intimidate people. If that’s you, don’t be. Given the technological world that we live in, if you can operate your smartphone, the GPS system on your car, and probably your refrigerator, you can become a successful photographer using a digital SLR.

The sky is the limit. Over the course of this book I hope to show you how to take advantage of the incredible strengths and versatility of digital SLRs, and become closely familiar with their lenses, the flash, software, and other accessories. My sincere hope is to help you become the photographer you want to be, and along the way, get the most out of your time and money.

About This Book

Digital SLR Photography All-in-One For Dummies, 3rd Edition, is for anyone who’s interested in enjoying photography using a dSLR camera. My goal is to demystify and un-convolute the technical aspects and illustrate the artistic elements of dSLR photography.

You don’t need to have a dSLR to enjoy this book; maybe it’s on your wish list. If you do have a dSLR, you can immediately apply the knowledge you glean from these pages. You also don’t need a brand new dSLR. I still use a Nikon D200, which was released in 2005, and a Canon D3200, which came out in 2012. Cameras change from year to year. I’ve tried to include a wide variety of cameras from different manufacturers, so you’re bound to find the information you need no matter what camera you’re using.

How This Book Is Organized

This book is split into six minibooks. Each minibook has its own broad focus, ranging from what you need to get started, to giving practical advice designed to help you photograph certain subjects. Within each minibook, you find the chapters that flesh things out. Some have more than others. That’s okay. It just depends on the subject.

Here’s a quick summary of each minibook.

Book 1: Pursuing Digital SLR Photography

I start out with a book that has everything you need to get started. I talk about dSLRs and how they work, what makes them tick, what the buttons do, how to handle and clean them, introduce you to lenses, show you how to work the menu, and how to set up the camera to start taking photos.

Book 2: Looking Through Lenses

This book goes into great detail about the different types of lenses you can use with a dSLR. You read about standard zoom lenses, explore how to photograph wide-angle scenes, get creative with macro and telephoto lenses, and explore unique lenses like tilt-shift and pinhole lenses. Along the way, I pass along tips and tricks for using each lens type and suggest what each is best for.

Book 3: Taking Creative Control

If you want to exercise more creative control over the photos your camera takes, then this book is for you. You see how exposure works, how to control it, and learn about the aperture (which affects depth of field), shutter speed (which controls motion blur), and ISO (which increases your camera’s sensitivity to light). You also read about filters.

Book 4: Lighting the Scene

I start this minibook with a chapter on natural light. You see the difference between taking photos in the morning, late in the day, or at night. After that, I cover flash photography. If you take photos indoors or in poor light, knowing even a little about your camera’s flash will help you take much better photos. In the last two chapters, you learn how to use your camera’s built-in flash, see whether getting an external flash is right for you, and explore a ton of cool flash and lighting accessories and techniques.

Book 5: Managing and Processing Your Shots

This book is mostly about software. I explain how to manage your photos, how to quickly spruce them up, how to dig deeper into photo editing, and even how to express your artistry. You also see how to shoot and process panoramas and high dynamic range (HDR) photos.

Book 6: Showcasing Different Scenes

The last book has five chapters that focus on specific subjects. I’ve chosen some of my favorite photos to share and give you insight into how I took them.

Icons Used in This Book

Helpful icons are scattered throughout the book. They appear beside information I want you to pay particular attention to (or to avoid if you see fit). Each icon has a unique meaning:

The Warning icon highlights lurking danger. Pay attention and proceed with caution. Your equipment or photos or safety might be at stake.

The Remember icon marks an interesting fact that you should tuck away in your brain to remember and use later. They’re often facts. (With some wiggle room thrown in for good measure.)

The Tip icon points out helpful information that might save you time. It’s something you might want to try or do. I love tips. If I could, I would make every paragraph a tip.

When you see this icon, you know that technical information lurks nearby. If that’s not your cuppa tea, skip it.

Where to Go from Here

First, have a look at the table of contents. Next, jump to somewhere in the book that looks interesting or has information you want to know right now. Then go out and take some pictures. Rinse and repeat.

Do you want to start with lenses? Turn to Book 2 first. You don’t even need to read the chapters within a minibook in order. If you want to immediately jump to the chapter on shutter speed, by all means do.

If you’re new to photography, though, I do suggest starting at the beginning and reading the first minibook in order. When you’ve finished that, you should be able to turn to any place in the book and not get totally lost.

Lastly, when you have a minute, go to dummies.com to find the cheat sheet with this book. It’s full of information you might find valuable.

The more photos you take with your dSLR, the more you learn about it and how to take great photos. So go out and start shooting!