As you saw on the cover, I get credit for writing this book. Sure, I put a ton of work into it, but the truth is I had a lot of help—just like every author. It's the same for all artists. Take Tom Cruise for example. He gets top billing, but he has a slew of people—from make-up artists, lighting directors and set designers to acting coaches and stylists—that make him look good.
So I thought I'd take this opportunity to thank the folks who helped put together this work, as well as those who have helped me along the path to producing this book, which is my 32nd.
The guy who initially signed me up for this book is the same guy who made my Canon Digital Rebel and Basic Lighting DVDs happen: Barry Pruett, Vice President at Wiley. Barry has a quality that every author needs: faith in the author's belief that someone actually wants to hear what (s)he has to say!
Once I was signed up, Courtney Allen, a quite talented Acquisitions Editor at Wiley, took over the project and helped me big time—with everything you see between the front and back covers. Not an easy task...especially considering that the book was produced is just a few months.
More help was on the way! Alan Hess, my technical editor, also added his expertise. Thanks Alan!
I also want to thank Jenny Brown of Brown Ink for her excellent work as Copy Editor and Project Editor, Erik Powers of Creative Powers for his phenomenal job at designing and producing the book, and Mike Trent for his work on the front and back cover design. Thank you all for your eagle eyes and artistic flair - and for patience working with me!
Someone who has been helping me for 58 years also worked on this book. My dad, Robert M. Sammon, Sr., who is 90, actually read each and every word, using his wordsmith skills to improve my words! I could not have done it without you dad.
Two more Sammons get my heartfelt thanks: my wife, Susan, and son, Marco. For years, they both supported my efforts and helped with the photographs. Thanks Susan and Marco for all your help and love.
Julieanne Kost, Adobe Evangelist, gets a big thank you for inspiring me to get into Photoshop in 1999. Addy Roff at Adobe also gets my thanks. Addy has given me the opportunity to share my Photoshop techniques at trade shows around the country.
Some friends at Apple Computers also helped me during the production of this book by getting me up to speed with Aperture 2, the application I use most often to import and edit my photographs. So, more thank you notes go to Don Henderson, Fritz Ogden and Kirk Paulson.
Other friends in the digital-imaging industry who have helped in one way or another include David Leveen of MacSimply and Rickspixelmagic.com, Mike Wong and Craig Keudell of onOne Software, Wes Pitts of Outdoor Photographer and PCPhoto magazines, Ed Sanchez and Mike Slater of Nik Software, Scott Kelby of Photoshop User magazine, and Chris Main of Layers magazine.
Rick Booth, Steve Inglima, Peter Tvarkunas, Chuck Westfall and Rudy Winston of Canon USA have been ardent supporters of my work and photography seminars ... so have my friends at Canon Professional Service (CPS). My hat is off to these folks, big time! The Canon digital SLRs, lenses and accessories that I use have helped me capture the finest possible pictures for this book.
Kelly Mondora of FJ Westcott is a super friend for getting me the lighting gear I needed to take many of the studio and on-location shots that appear in this book.
Jeff Cable of Lexar hooked me up with memory cards (4GB and 8GB because I shoot RAW files) and card readers, and these were all well-used in taking pictures for this book.
Of course, all my photographer friends who sent me photographs and tips for the “Pros Share Their Shooting Secrets” chapter get a warm thank you. Don't miss a single tip there!
My photo workshop students were, and always are, a tremendous inspiration for me. Many showed me new digital-darkroom techniques, some of which I used in this book. I find an old Zen saying to be true: “The teacher learns from the student.”
So thank you one and all. I could not have written this book without you!