Labs

This claims to give the absolute beginner a head start in digital photography, and in the sense that it talks about choosing a digital camera it is indeed aimed at the beginner. However, if you're looking for a general introduction to digital photography the choice of topics is severely limited. There's nothing on how to use a camera or the basics of photography; it is almost entirely concerned with image manipulation. The section on choosing a camera says little other than that you should choose the best resolution you can afford.

Like the two products from VTC, this course takes the form of a series of videos. In this case, the videos are all animated screen grabs with verbal commentaries. Although the commentary isn't unduly polished, the author's enthusiasm for his subject is obvious.

Topics covered include red-eye removal, changing the background using the clone tool, altering colours, adjusting the brightness, cropping and optimising photos for email. The principles are illustrated using Photoshop though it tries not to be too specific to one product. These chapters give beginners a feel for what they can do once they start taking digital photos.