introduction For a few years, photography resembled a building site.

We walked between piles of rubble

from the ruins of once-great manufacturers who had not adapted to the new digital climate. We gazed upon
the abandoned edifices of established practices, wondering what was to become of them, their glory days
over. Between the destruction and emptied spaces, however, new structures were springing up—
unpredictable shapes and unfamiliar forms. In fact, the new order was growing so quickly that we could see
it burgeon as we watched. Now the transformation of photography is complete. While the digital
phenomenon was once seen as the enemy of traditional photography, then became accepted as its greatest
boon, the disorder of change became the springboard for the most exuberant growth and vigorous expansion
ever seen in the history of photography. If you are one who has been newly entranced by photography, you
are part of this truly tremor-inducing cultural, social, and visual revolution. And this book is written for you.
It is for those of you who enjoy the creative rewards photography can deliver; those who simply delight in
making photographs, and those who choose to succumb to it as an obsession. It is also for the many of you
who will, by now, have tried your hand at manipulating your images too. You are all joined by a yearning to
take your photography further.