Appeal to the group mind.

[pecunium]

I've got an offer to pitch some books; consumer how to.

So, the two subjects I think myself most likely to be able to write such a tome (or two) are some ideas on cooking, and some on photography.

What topics, in those subject areas, do you 1: see a lack (the photo books will probably have to deal with digital mostly. Feel free to consider aspects of "printmaking" as well. That would include making photos for the web), and 2: think I might have some ideas which would be worth having collected, all in one place.

Comments

[zoje-george.livejournal.com]

A good, laymen's "how to" for a digital camera would be wonderful. Online and print troublshooting and instruction manuals for digital cameras seem to assume that most users already have camera tech knowledge leftover from before digitals (and I never did figure out how to use that camera properly either).

How to properly resize photos for the web: what you see in you photoshop or graphic converter program size-wise even at view 100% is not necessarily how it will turn out online for example. Different common settings on cameras and how to take good pictures. How to work the "red eye" feature. What to do about shaky hands. How to use the viewfinder instead of the screen to focus due to the shaky hands issue. How to correct levels and colors to add warmth to a shot if you have a camera with a really blue white point (as I do).

These are just some of the issues I have with my camera. The manual that came with it is minimalist in descriptions, and online help guidelines seem to be geared toward the professional. They both just make me glaze over.

[glinda-w.livejournal.com]

Yes. That. Not "Digital Photography for Dummies" but a level up from that. I *know* I could be doing more and better with my camera, but just can't figure out what and how.

[zoje-george.livejournal.com]

I find those "... for Dummies" books all incredibly insulting and unhelpful.

[doryllis.livejournal.com]

I always thought the "Idiot's Guide to..." were usually better but that is solely my opinion and obviously not the opinion of the majority of book buyers.

Also if you have tricks for making your print look like what you see on the screen that would be awesome. I've seen so many beautiful on screen pics that just come out dull in print.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

I do, but there are hurdles.

If you want, I can do a post about printing from digital.

Hell, if I get the deal, I'll probably build a readers' filter and fly it past people/ask for questions to be answered.

TK

p.s. are you going to be in L.A this weekend? I'm having a party, if you want to come, you're invited.

[doryllis.livejournal.com]

yep...please do.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Even "Ventriloquism for Dummies,"?

[glinda-w.livejournal.com]

Oh, ditto here.

Though How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive: A Repair Manual for the Complete Idiot was an extremely well-written book, and didn't seem at all dumbed-down to me. Got me through a tune-up on a 72 bug, having never done anything beyond oil changes and tire changes before.