Photographer and writer Shawn M. Tomlinson, author of the Photo Curmudgeon column and books, gives the budding photographer an inexpensive way to move into serious photography with good equipment. Tomlinson considers the financial restrictions of novice photographers in this how-to book that gives detailed, step-by-step help. He illustrates his points with many photographs shot with the cameras he recommends.

As a bonus, this book also contains Volume 2 of the Shawn M. Tomlinson's Guide to Photography series, How to Pack a Camera Gadget Bag.