PHP Graphics Handbook

This book covers image manipulation using PHP pretty well. It will take a method such as resizing, explain the functions required, give you some example code how to scale, and the explain the code. It covers just about everything that you would ever want to do, including using ImageMagick (which many servers do have!). The book does, however, have some dead spots. Twards the end it starts talking about different kinds of graphs. It will give you huge chunks of code and not explain it very well; and it doesn't come with a CD so you would have to re-type it. This book has got many jobs though. Employers that don't know that PHP can do these things to images are shocked that I know how to do it. And odds are good that none of the other people applying will have something like that. Putting some sample functions on you portfolio will certainly impress them! In conclusion, I would buy this book again as long as it was under $20. Anything more and I would just find some documentation online. But knowing how to manipulate pictures with PHP is one of the things I am most proud of on my portfolio.