Turns out there's a lot of intellectual space between taking snapshots and taking photographs. I'm in the former group so I had a lot to learn ... though even *I* know you're supposed to take the lens cap off. ;-) 

My pal Tracy Van Zeeland was a huge help with this book. Not only is she an accomplished photographer, she also runs her own studio, which made her the go-to gal for my questions about how the business works. Best of all, she's been in the business for a long time, so she wasn't only an expert on today's methods and equipment, but also what they were doing back in the 1980s, before digital photography and computer enhancement became the norm. That's right -- she knew about film, darkrooms & continuous lighting. You wouldn't believe how difficult it is to find information on the modern history of photography. 

Another source was my friend Maria (she's even a character in PofC), who gave me the inspiration for the workshop I described in the book. She also pointed me to the Amherst Media series, which was invaluable.

The locales in the story are some of my favorite places on earth. Monterey is gorgeous, and Nepenthe is a must for lunch if you're driving down through Big Sur.