Photography Demystified: Your Guide to Gaining Creative Control and Taking Amazing Photographs is a well written, concise guide to better utilizing your camera for creating artistic photos. David invites us to use the manual modes on our cameras, pointing out that the camera doesn't know what you are seeing when you snap a photo; only you do. In order to have full cocntrol of how your subject looks--indeed, to even identify what the subject is--you have to set up the camera properly. He also points out that great photos are created by having an understanding of both the technical aspects AND the elements of composition, the passion of the photograph. How does a photographer create a feelng in a photograph--this is the question David teaches us to answer.After introducting us to these concepts, the author takes the reader on a tour of camera controls. He then clearly explains the elements of exposure: shutter speed, aperture and ISO. He takes each element and helps the reader understand how to find these adjustements on the camera and how adjusting each affects the photo: shutter speed controls action, aperture controls depth of field, and ISO controls noise and quality. There are many example photos, as well as challenges to get out one's camera and try things out. This technical side of the book doesn't stop with exposure, but also makes recommendations regarding flash and autofocus.The next section of the book deals with the creative aspects of photography. Mr. McKay helps the reader understand the rule of thirds, leading lines, the use of different lenses, and the use of flash. Again, there are many example photographs, showing different ways of composing a photo.Throughout the book, there are invitations to try it out, to get out there with our cameras and actually appy the principles taught. The book ends with a series of these challenges and a push to get our cameras out of automatic mode and to take control of the pictures we take.This book is a must of the itnermediate photographer wanting to take their photos to the next step. It is also helpful to the person just starting out, who wants to do more than take snapshots, and the more advanced photographer, who wants a better understanding of what he or she already does.