What I found the most impressive about '[digital] Lighting and Renderering' 2nd edition was not so much the golden wisdom, but the gems of attitude. For example: "When someone sees the picture or animation that you have lit, they want to see a complete, believeable picture, not to hear excuses about which program you used." I use that as a sig line, and it should be stapled to the insides of the eyelids of anyone who renders, either stills or animation. But it's also an example of the underlying attitude of the book; cheat, lie, trick, do whatever it takes to do it fast and make it beleiveable.