Bring a master photographer and best-selling author into your home for a "back-to-basics" course on practical photography. This unique series of hands-on exercises, illustrated with more than 200 of John Hedgecoe's superb photos, prepares you to work on your skills in the comfort of your own home, at your own pace. Begin by getting to know your camera (conventional or digital) and its functions, including focusing, depth of field, and shutter speed. Analyze lighting and find out how to add or change it to create desired effects. Understand the fundamentals of composition, such as balance and proportion, leading the eye, color, and tone. Once you feel comfortable behind the camera, you're ready to move on to more challenging areas of photography such as bringing out particular qualities in an object, and capturing fast-moving or poorly lit subjects. A final section offers details on the latest equipment and specialist techniques.