Edwin Smith's book was and remains a classic, despite it's 80 years. One of the most accomplished photographers of his generation, and a master printer himself, Smith's work remains highly regarded today. Although written ages before the digital era began, much of what he teaches in this book is as readily applied to digital as to silver halide photography and of course to computer based manipulations of digital images. Every serious photographer should have a copy on their library shelf. It's only competitor would be the three Ansel Adams books (Negative, Camera, Print) - but they are not so readable nor as practically useful.