5 comments about Photoshop 7 Down and Dirty Tricks (Down & Dirty Tricks).

1. All the tutorials in this book are old and available on the web. The only good thing is that it covers a lot photoshop shortcuts for both MAC and Win users.



2. This is an excellent book for an advertiser or graphic designer. There are TONS of text effects and tricks that would be vital to creating ad copy or web graphics. As a photographer, I found very little that was relevant to my line of work. So it's a great book for a lot of people, just not for photographers.



3. Again, another Photoshop 7 book by Scott Kelby, my favorite expert. Like all his other books, this one is informational and easy to follow. It has effects that are ones you will use when making photoshop art as well as information to improve ordinary photographs. Photoshop is such an amazing program that keeps surprising me with effects I have not discovered. This book is another that teaches us some things that the program includes. I recomend this book to anyone who loves Photoshop and wants to learn more about it.



4. This book teaches you how to do "FUN AND ZANY WACKY PHOTOSHOP TRICKS." There's a couple good ones. But anyone who is paying 800 dollars for a piece of software isn't going to buy a book to learn how to make cool watery text. Well, maybe they are.
   
   The book is decent.



5. I bought this book a year ago. I did manage to successfully complete certain tasks but in my opinion, he uses too many shortcuts. Obviously this book wouldn't be for a beginner. His sense of humor is dry and wasn't needed. This book would have been slightly better if a CD were included as well as a place to download the images he used so that we may practice on them.

5 comments about Truth Needs No Ally: Inside Photojournalism.

1. "Truth Needs No Ally: Inside Photojournalism," Howard Chapnick, Univ. Missouri Press, Columbia, 1994, ISBN: 0-8262-0955-6, PC 370 pgs., (Table contents 2 pgs, 48 pgs photos, Biblio 12 pgs. Index 8 Pgs.) 6 1/8" x 9 1/4"
   
   Author Chapnick, 50-yrs experience in freelance PJ, photo-agency presidency, & as monthly columnist, amassed salient sagacity that sanctions him to write, rigorously, of the many faces of photojournalism (PJ). He illustrates 4 broad miens of PJ - its foundations, basic components, career evolutions, & creative and ethical issues in 24 chapters of succinctly written prose. His style & clarity of delivery reveals he is a gifted writer.
   
   He interprets the essence of eyewittness PJ, responsibilities, of "concerned" photographers, & PJ essays using examples of renowned PJs, & of how one enters the field via portfolio, dress code, gender, education, specialization, minority ranks & agencies. He summarizes fundamental assets of 29 successful PJ photographers.
   
   In describing the evolution of PJ field, he notes importance of ideas, aesthetics, personal projects, writings, photo book projects, workshops, grants awards, etc. Importantly, he devotes coverage of ethical concerns including invasion of privacy, manipulations, setups, marital break-ups, demands of wartime PJ & re-affirming news photographs as sacrosanct.
   
   Throughout the book are short accounts of PJ greats as Margaret Bourke-White, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, Newman, Karsch, Lange, W.E. Smith, Leibovitz, Arthur Fellig (Weegee), & 2-time NPPA awarded Lisa Larsen of LIFE whom I met on photoshoot of Paul Robeson. He quotes the 1990 AP statement: The content of a photograph will NEVER be changed or manipulated in any way," but then details some deviations & manipulations by mags as LIFE, Nat. Geographic (pyramids), TV Guide (Oprah Winfrey's head on Ann-Margaret's torso) etc., & notes damages are done to alter public's perception of truth.



2. I have honestly say that I expected more from Mr. Chapnick. While some chapters ARE informative, others - like how to present yourself at an interview - are routine and almost obvious. Any so-called professional should NEVER show up looking like a bum. Or, (if I recall correctly) to use Mr. Chapnick's example, 'Animal' from the old Lou Grant program. You better have the rep of an Avedon or an Adams, and even THEN, you might not get the job. While I did see some pages on amazon, to judge from the title, I feel the title is a bit misleading. While Mr. Chapnick DOES cover some points of 1st Amendment, ethical and legal issues, I was expecting the bulk of the book to deal with these issues from a journalistic/freedom of the press point of view - both in America AND abroad. While he DOES touch on this when discussing shooters killed in the line of duty, I was expeceting more. For example: How did BLACK STAR photographers (or any other photog he knew about) deal with the Chinese Army and censorship during Tiannamen Square? What about shooters in previous years working in Central and South America (ie: Susan Meiselas)? As a counterpoint, the story about Don McCullin is interesting. At what point do you HAVE to stop looking at man's inhumanity to man and almost force yourself to walk away from being a war photographer? Mr. Chapnick discusses this. All this said, Mr. Chapnick never, EVER denigrates a shooter! From Adams to Nachtwey and every one known and unknown in between, Mr. Chapnick writes about every one with respect and the kind of thoughtful patience he showed me when I was in his office one day more than 20 years ago surrounded by photographs by James Nachtwey. For me, I learned about photojournalism by going out and doing it. Books are nice, but experience is your best teacher.



3. this book it reads like a text book. It is very informative.



4. Howard Chapnicks book on Photojournalism should be a standard text book on any PJ course... ooops it already is. And rightly so. The book is an absolute mine of information. This man was a genius and deserves much wider recognition.



5. There are many must-read about photojouanlism. Among these, this should be the first you buy. It leads you to the professional field. It tells you how you can get into the business and what you should know. I cannot find something compete.

4 comments about Wood.

1. It's a big and invigorating book. If you like earth art this book (and there are others) offers some of the best of Goldsworthy. The concepts and execution are as inventive as they are cerebral. While I've never seen his work in person the photos and narrative of this book really feel like they capture the detail. In other ways the book itself is as well presented and printed as any book of art I've seen. If you can't afford it (it was expensive for me) try and get your local library to invest. It would be a great contribution to your local enclave.



2. Goldsworthy's art isn't what he makes. It's what he does to things that are already there to make them fresh and beautiful to the jaded eye of an average human. Simple things work best in his art, evoke more raw emotion and longing: he lines tree branches with dandelions and red maple leaves; he hangs large snowballs in trees; ribbons of leaves trail off into the water and spiral icicles circle tree trunks. It's all so simple and captivating, it's really quite astounding. Goldsworthy's art is fleeting. The only reminders of his non-permanent works are photographs. In Wood, Goldsworthy goes beyond the confines of this material and shows us his mastery with the entire spectrum of natural media - snow, ice, rock, leaf, etc. The book is subdivided into sections dealing with each specific medium, the last being Tree - each work is centered around a low-lying branch of a large oak. Nevertheless, I must say that this collection of Goldsworthy's art is slightly inferior to his Collaborations with Nature, which is a better first choice if you are unfamiliar with his principles.



3. This book is so cool! I studied about Andy Goldsworthy for Art, and he is my fav artist. What he does is different and is not boring. When you look at his art it makes you think. They look so beautiful and peacful.



4. Andy Goldsworthy creates forms that echo the patterns of nature so completely the viewer is almost convinced that mother nature herself made them, rather than human hands. Goldsworthy's sculptures are more than works of art. They become integral yet fleeting parts of the lanscape that surrounds them. His shapes are fluid and delicate, and his ideas are deceptively simple,yet appear to defy both time and gravity. His experiments in Wood are gentle and thought-provoking, and prove that beauty exists all around us. Looking at his book makes me appreciate the trees, rocks, and water all around us. Andy Goldsworthy honors the earth with his quiet, sculptural meditations.

No comments about Koto Bolofo: Venus Williams.

3 comments about The Photographer's Guide to Canyon Country: Where to Find Perfect Shots and How to Take Them.

1. "The Photographer's Guide to Canyon Country by John Annerino. From the author of Hiking the Grand Canyon, 3rd edition, (Sierra Club Books), offers a similarly intense focus. The introduction leads from Indians as the "first photographers" through pioneer photographers to how present-day photographers can define their goals and match them to modern techniques and equipment. The book hews to a no-nonsense formula, with chapters devoted to Mesa Verde, Zion, Canyonlands, Arches and five other national parklands. Annerino gives an overview of each, directions and contact information, along with tips for photographing the best sights and vistas. The text design is unremarkable and even slightly clunky, but the photos are National Geographic quality in both technique and printing -- beautiful enough to either inspire or intimidate the reader."
   - San Francisco Chronicle



2. I am looking forward to using this guide in our trip to Arches next year. The book came as advertised and on a timely basis. Good service.



3. I bought two books for my trip to southern Utah. I read this one first and found it lacking. The author spends too much time decrying what he calls "photocopying," which is shooting iconic scenes that have already been done to death. Now I agree in principle that one should find their own interpretation of a scene and not look for Muench's tripod holes. But in reality, most amateur photogs are looking for the "trophy shots" that are icons. I don't need a lecture, just tell me how to get there and what time of day the light is good. That's all I ask from this kind of book.

5 comments about Richard Kern, Action.

1. I was expecting more from this book. I am usually more fetish photgraphy oriented and was not expecting such "penthouse" type pictures. I was expecting something further from your everyday erotica. This being said the book does have its moments with lighting and composition. For a more varied look at this type of photography I recommend Taschen's The New Erotic Photography wich caters to varying tastes. Not a disappointment no matter what your flavor is.



2. I was really blown away by this book. Pictures are of stunning detail and really show an artistic erotic art.



3. While the second review here is accurate -- and let there be no doubt, many of the photographs in Richard Kern's Action are indeed porn -- it is the first review that tells fans of Kern's work what's in store: This book is an erotic masterpiece. The photographs themselves are marvelously composed and beautifully lit. And the young women Mr. Kern has lensed are remarkably sexy and sexual. Yes, there are shots of women urinating and doing other naughty things for the camera, but, alas, that is what many of us enjoy viewing. In short, Richard Kern's new book is stunning, and those who enjoy his kind of work will not be disappointed. A superb volume, this one.



4. This review isn't to condemn this book, only to inform buyers. If you aren't a fan of Richard Kern before buying this book like me, you won't know the content. While the book is presented in coffee table book format; oversize, hardback, nice paper, ect., much of the photography is identical to what you would find in a porn magazine. Mostly young girls, hardcore shots, girls urinating, insertion of toys, semen on faces, and fettish shots. The accompying dvd is as well not photo reference, but is live footage of the models, again in a very adult nature. Probably not a standard artistic reference book if you're expecting it.



5. The evolution of Richard Kern continues. His new book, Action possesses that quintessential pizzazz that runs throughout all of his work, but it nonetheless has its own unique and wonderful flavor too. Kern has always been attracted to the atypical model - he was photographing girls from the "suicide" genre long before it became fashionable - and his affinity for sexy, young ladies continues.
   
   Within the 280 pages of Action there is a subtle yet piercing element of fetishistic sexuality. Panty clad young sirens drop their bottoms, there's toe-sucking, spread shots, and other forms of tainted affection. All presented in that infamous Richard Kern style. Fan's of Kern's work will find numerous reasons to fall in love with his breathtaking vision all over again. And there's an hour-long DVD too. Action is a can't miss!

2 comments about Libraries.

1. A picture is worth a thousand words! This book says so much and yet there are only a handful of words on each page identifying the library in the photo. As I was "reading" through this book, I realized that I have been in many of the cities or countries where these libraries are located. I missed some beautiful sites. For anyone who has an interest in libraries, this is a must "read." I will be giving this to my son, who is an architect. His specialty is libraries.



2. 137 color plates distinguish Candida Hofer Libraries, beautifully capturing seats of knowledge around the world from the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York to the Bibliotheque nationale de France in Paris, the Villa Medici in Rome and others. Aside from a brief introduction, no essays intersperse the eye-catching plates, each of which takes up a whole page with a blank page opposite in a two-page spread. The snapshot images speak for themselves in this captivating compilation highly recommended for bibliophile's coffee tables and photography shelves.

3 comments about Stacked Decks: The Art and History of Erotic Playing Cards.

1. Interesting topic, interesting book. Good images, but resolution could be better. If you are into fine photography and a collector of cards this book is a good reference of this subject. Every card collector should consider getting a copy of this book. Emphasis is on the fine art and attractive models, and historic approach. A nice book worth the price.



2. Mark Rotenberg is the obvious choice to do a book on pin-up playing cards, the intro says the contents are from his 450 decks (the world's biggest collection? Probably!). There isn't too much to say about a product that has very few clues about the models, photographers, printers yet over the years the numbers manufactured must run into the millions of packs. Of the 452 cards in the book the majority show anonymous females in predictably unimaginative stock glamour poses that card printers could buy for next to nothing.
   
   I thought the illustrative cards much more interesting. There are a few showing the paintings of Heinz Villiger, Joyce Ballantyne, Al Moore and Gil Elvgren. Strangely no Petty or Vargas decks, were the reproduction rights too expensive? The best cards in the book are surely the two decks put out in 1955 by Parisian manufacturer Editions Philibert who commissioned artist Paul-Emile Becat to paint a series of miniatures showing erotic Florentine life during the Renaissance and another set about Casanova. When compared to these two decks the book's photo glamour material come across as the tacky cards they really are.
   
   It is unfortunate that the book's production is very dull. The cards are presented full on, with none angled or overlapping each other. The addition of a drop shadow would have given them a lift. As most of the cards are visually unimaginative perhaps a few still-life photos throughout the book would provide some interest: a poker hand on a card table with some chips, a scattered deck of cards as a background with four or five prominent. I thought it was particular annoying that so many cards are shown larger than the originals (and some really are too big) which only emphasizes their cheap subject matter and poor printing.
   
   If there had been more creative input in the way the contents had been presented I think this could have been a much more interesting book.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.



3. Stacked Decks is fabulous! There are many, many pages of kitschy, campy 1940s through 70s "nudie" cards, featuring both photos and illustrations. Some are sweet in that girl-next-door way, some are sexy and sultry (or even a bit slutty), and some are just plain hilarious! There are also some really old cards dating back to the 1800s and some fascinating history. It's a perfect present for anyone who loves poker or is interested in pin-up art.

3 comments about Digital Photography Just The Steps For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)).

1. This was very helpful and answered the questions I had. I have several 'For Dummies' books and they have all been helpful.



2. This was a good introduction for those of us who were maybe leery of the digital camera revolution. It explains what to look for in a camera, how to use it and how to download to the computer. It's basically a more indepth camera user's guide. It, like the other book on the subject I own and reviewed (Perfect Digital Photography), talks about how to Photoshop your pictures after downloading them.
   
   All in all, it is maybe a smidge too basic, but a good intro to digital photography.



3. I think I finally found a book I could give my dad if and when he ever decides to buy a digital camera... Digital Photography Just The Steps For Dummies by Frederic H. Jones. It's a very attractive work that doesn't stray from it's purpose.
   
   Contents:
   Part 1 - Acquiring Digital Photos: Selecting a Camera and Accessories; Setting Up and Using the Camera; Snapping Digital Pictures; Viewing and Transferring Images; Digitizing Existing Pictures
   Part 2 - Editing and Enhancing Digital Photos: Manipulating Image Attributes; Fixing Common Image Problems; Repairing Digital Images; Adding Photo Editor Special Effects; Adding Photoshop Elements Effects; Using Layers
   Part 3 - Choosing and Using a Printer; Organizing and Sharing Photos
   Part 4 - Special Projects: Taking Close-Up Photos for eBay; Restoring Old Photos; Documenting Your Travels; Creative Mini-Projects; Index
   
   The author's intent is simple: write a book for people who just want to do stuff with their camera and don't want to read 500 pages to figure it all out. Jones writes this book as a series of "steps" attached to each "thing" that you would want to do. Lengthen depth of field? Five steps to follow. Reduce battery usage? Two steps. Scan a photo using Windows scanner wizard? Nine steps... All very easy to follow and you'll get results in short order.
   
   For the software manipulation of your pictures, he uses Adobe Photoshop in most of the examples. At first I thought that if you had some other package, you could just find the menu option that does the same thing. But for the type of reader that would have this book, they probably just want to follow directions and not dive deeply (yet?) into their graphics software. So if you don't have Adobe Photoshop, you may not get as much out of this book as you could.
   
   Another thing I like about this book... It should appeal to a couple different types of photographers. The person who is making the leap into digital photography can use half the book to figure out how best to take pictures. The other person who has the camera but wants to start manipulating their pictures can use the other half to get some great digital images to show off to their friends. And if the bug bites and you get totally wrapped up in this subject, you'll have a solid foundation on which to build...
   
   Nice book, extremely practical, and very easy to use...

5 comments about Betty Page Confidential.

1. This book was given to me as a gift from my boyfriend, love the pictures most of which are black and white. I did find a problem with a bit of the biography on Bettie being well researched. The pictures are great thought.



2. A LITTLE TRITE AND MUNDANE BY TODAYS STANDARDS, BUT VERY INFORMATIONAL AND SEXY.



3. Wow. I was looking for a coffee table book for the bachlor pad I share with my roommates. Not wanting hardcore porn I thought Betty Page would be tasteful without being pretentious. In fact its perfect. Everyone loves it, and we don't come off as perverts. Oh, yeah. She looks amazing. The photos are stunning. A very few a bondage but mostly tongue in cheek. Highy recommended.



4. This book is a compilation of original Betty Page photos taken by Bunny Yeager. It's mostly pictures (all b&w), with some biographical sketches included. I have no idea if the text is accurate, but the pictures are pretty decent and certainly does justice to Betty Page's classicically sensual looks. Since these are just pictures of one photographer, you pretty much get only one particular style, and many of the pictures are beach shots. Given Betty Page's status in the American entertainment history, this is a good book to have.



5. This book has inaccuracies in its limited text. Bettie Page was not born in Kingsport Tennessee, but some 300 miles away in Nashville, Tennessee. Bettie's eyes were blue, not brown. Do not believe much of the text in this book as it is not endorsed by Bettie and contains much misinformation about her life.

   However, if you want some great Bettie photos, this is the book to purchase! I much prefer her lighter fun photos to her Irving Klaw bondage photos.