This is a photography book for those who love science and like to understand how things work. It begins with an introduction to the history and science of photography and addresses questions about the principles of photography, such as why a camera needs a lens, how lenses work, and why modern lenses are so complicated. Digital photography raises more questions because enlarged images on computer screens reveal defects in color and resolution that are not obvious in small snapshots. What limits resolution, what is "noise" in images, and what level of detail can be appreciated by an observer? All of these questions and others concerning human perception of color and subjective image quality are treated in detail with some mathematics when appropriate. Finally the creation and appreciation of art in photography is presented from the standpoint of modern cognitive science. This book is appropriate for serious photographers and for students from college freshman to graduate level. It is a very well-written book by a university professor who loves photography. He presents excellent descriptions of the technical details of modern photography. … This is a unique book, providing the reader with technical details involving digital cameras, lenses, and light in general. It will help the reader to understand how digital cameras and optics work, which may help in selecting cameras and lenses, enabling one to become a more knowledgeable and better photographer. ― IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine , March/April 2012 A much needed science book for photographers―read this book if you want to gain a complete understanding of your camera and how it works. ―Steve Berardi, PhotoNaturalist Johnson's book combines the knowledge of an experienced scientist and educator with the passion of an accomplished photographer. He introduces the scientific foundations of photography and provides interested photographers with the information and practical advice that will help improve their craft. This is also a must read for those interested in computational photography. ―Ramesh Raskar, MIT Media Lab An outstanding book that does a remarkable job of weaving together the many facets of photography. The author provides the science that photography is based on and makes it easily understood with a variety of examples and images. In addition he provides a great deal of insight into the human side of color perception, photography, and art. One of the best I've read. ―Bill Stice This is a book for those who love photography and like to understand how things work. It begins with an introduction to the history and science of photography and addresses questions about the principles of photography, such as why a camera needs a lens, how lenses work, and why modern lenses are so complicated. Digital photography raises more questions because enlarged images on computer screens reveal defects in color and resolution that are not obvious in small snapshots. What limits resolution, what is noise in images, and what level of detail can be appreciated by an observer? All of these questions and others concerning human perception of color and subjective image quality are covered in detail. Finally, the creation and appreciation of art in photography is presented from the standpoint of modern cognitive science. Charles S. Johnson, Jr. holds a Ph.D in physical chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana, Yale University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he held the title of Smith Professor of Chemistry. He has authored approximately 150 research papers including review articles on magnetic resonance as well as books on laser light scattering and quantum mechanics. His research has been recognized with fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. He has been elected to the rank of Fellow in the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Used Book in Good Condition