Learning Digital Photography

Reviewed by Nate Mathews, Professor, Northeastern Illinois University on 4/10/26

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

The book is comprehensive, but only within a very narrow scope. It does a thorough job covering technical fundamentals (camera operation, exposure, basic composition) but stops there. It doesn’t move into conceptual, historical, or critical territory. It works well for someone learning how to use a camera, but not for someone learning how to use photography to communicate ideas.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The technical information is solid and consistent with standard photographic principles. Concepts like the exposure triangle, aperture, and shutter speed are explained correctly and supported with practical examples. There aren’t any obvious inaccuracies, though the material is simplified enough that it won’t take students very far beyond the basics.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

This is highly relevant for beginners, especially in an photo 1 course. In a studio fine art context, though, it falls short. It doesn’t engage with conceptual development, contemporary practice, or critical thinking. It fits much more comfortably in a technical or survey course than in a concept-driven studio environment.

Clarity rating: 5

The writing is clear, direct, and easy to follow. Concepts are broken down into manageable pieces, and the exercises reinforce the material well. At the same time, that clarity comes from simplifying things, and it sometimes flattens areas where more nuance or open-ended thinking would be useful.

Consistency rating: 4

The book is very consistent in tone and structure. Each chapter follows the same pattern (introduction, explanation, example, exercise) which makes it easy to use and predictable for students. That said, the repetition starts to wear over time and contributes to a sense of monotony, especially visually.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is highly modular. Individual chapters and sections can be assigned on their own without needing to follow the entire book in sequence. This makes it easy to integrate into a course or pull specific topics as needed, which is a real strength from a teaching standpoint.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The organization is clear and logical. It moves from basic camera functions into more specific technical controls in a way that reflects how photography is typically taught.

Interface rating: 2

The layout is clearly designed for digital reading, especially on phones, and that makes it accessible. But it also feels visually flat. There’s very little hierarchy or variation, so everything starts to read like one continuous document. It works functionally, but it doesn’t help guide attention or emphasize what matters. A stronger graphic design approach would make it easier to navigate and more engaging to read.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The writing is clean and grammatically sound. It’s straightforward and appropriate for the intended audience, with no major issues in structure or readability.

Cultural Relevance rating: 2

The book is broadly accessible but culturally thin. There’s little engagement with diverse photographers or with work that addresses social, political, or cultural issues. Photography is treated mostly as a technical and aesthetic practice, not as a medium for engaging with the world. That limits its usefulness in a contemporary studio context.

Reviewed by Tara Conant, Adjunct Faculty, Westfield State University on 5/29/25

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The textbook contains 9 chapters, and has exercises and examples. The chapters themselves are very concise and to the point providing the basic information about photography. This can help to keep the technical information provided in a no nonsense way which can help to simplify difficult topics. I feel that this can be helpful but also feeling a bit sparse for some. If the text is coupled with in class lecture & other materials, then this would be beneficial as it could explain the concepts even more.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The information I reviewed all seemed right on point and extremely accurate. There didn't seem to be any bias contained in the information.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The material is up to date with camera & photography information. The text does not cover software aspects of digital photography, which could put a hamper on the relevance of materials since this is constantly updated.

Clarity rating: 4

The text is very clear and concise explaining the information. Any beginning student in photography would have an easy time understanding the material. I think this text would be useful in high school as well as college level courses. But someone wanting to know more & have in depth information might feel it is a bit lacking. There are areas that do need further information such as the lens, and more on the digital camera itself (file types, sensors etc...)

Consistency rating: 4

The text keeps a relative consistent flow of information. Although some chapters have more information and examples than others. Perhaps with time and an updated edition, more will be added.

Modularity rating: 5

The textbooks modularity is broken up into the basic areas of the camera, which would be where any photography class would begin. Any instructor or student would have an easy time referencing the material that is presented and working along with it for a class.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The contents are clear and in a logical order. Very easy to follow

Interface rating: 5

There were no issues with navigation, or viewing any material on the sight. The book comes in several formats as well which can be very useful.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The grammar is clear and there did not appear to be any issues.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

There was no offensive material, examples were diverse.

I think the book is a wonderful edition to open sourced textbooks. I have been teaching photography for 20+ years, and I believe that this is the first one I have been able to find. I will definitely recommend it to my students as it can be a valuable resource for them. I and looking forward to using it in the fall and to upcoming editions where hopefully even more material will be added to the text. Thank you Eric Demattos for putting this together and writing this textbook!