5 comments about Larry Burrows: Vietnam.

1. I could be verbose and describe the virtues of this book in great detail, but the pictures in this amazing work speak much louder than anything that I could write. He was a man who gave his life for his craft, and this book is a powerful tribute to that craft. Absolutely stunning and indispensable to anyone that wants to understand "that war" and the power of the visual image.



2. Larry Burrows was and still is a benchmark which other photojournalists should strive to attain. Great book. Buy it.



3. This collection of Burrows' work in Vietnam is unbelievable. At great risk, he captured photos of American soldiers and Marines in Vietnam -- photos of young men that seem to leap off the page. Nothing like this has come of coverage of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- not because the photos weren't taken, but because of the incredible cowardice and corruption of the American media. This book is a tribute to the courage and skill of one photojournalist, and an imperishable record of the men who fought and died in that war.



4. What is a good photograph even in times of war? Look into this book. Larry Burrow gave us a clear message.



5. An amazing book, incredible images from the great artist Larry Burrows. Although taken 35 years ago, they are as relevant today as they were then.

3 comments about A Geisha's Journey: My Life As a Kyoto Apprentice.

1. This book was a pleasure--beautiful photos and nice comments from the subject that explain the occasion and feelings at the time. Highly recommended!



2. I have read and enjoyed both Lesley Downer's and Liza Dalby's books on geisha, and this gorgeous photo book serves as a lovely accompaniment to both. The text is somewhat sparse (as is to be expected in a photo book) but Komomo's voice really shines through. The foreword by Koito, her geisha "older sister" is also a treat. We get a glimpse of the unique customs of the Miyagawa-cho geisha district. The photos are intimate at times, but never intrusive - the photographer approaches his subjects with respect and affection. Komomo is truly charming and it is not difficult to see why she was one of the most popular maiko in Miyagawa-cho!
   
   I could wish that this book were a little longer, but it is completely worth its purchase price.



3. I was honored to receive an advance copy of this book and I LOVE IT! "A Geisha's Journey" ranks right up there with "Geisha of Gion" (Mineko Iwasaki) and "Geisha" (Lesley Downer)*. The pictures are a fabulous peek inside a geiko's life and I heartily thank Momo-chan and Naoyuki-san for putting this book together for us! The other books I mentioned are great, but Lesley-san's book is mainly about the history of geisha and Mineko-san's book covers a geiko's life in the 70s. It's lovely to get to know a "21st Century Geisha" (as it says on the front cover).
   
   I recommend this book mostly to seasoned "geisha geeks" like myself. If you're just starting out, read "Geisha" first, followed by "Geisha of Gion"...THEN add "A Geisha's Journey" to your collection.
   
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   * For those who have already read this book, one of the geiko that Lesley-san interviews/mentions, Koito, is Komomo's okasan!

1 comments about Kohei Yoshiyuki: The Park.

1. This is by far one of the greatest photography books in my collection. The reproductions are beautiful. The layout is flawless, and the text is perfect. Every one of Yoshiyuki's photos from "The Park" are beautifully reproduced in this text. The size of the plates is perfect. I spent hours looking through the book over and over again. If you are interested in unique, erotic photography or infared photography-- This is YOUR book.
   
   The item is a little pricey, but what art book isn't?

5 comments about Nikon COOLPIX Digital Field Guide.

1. Great introduction to the Nikon Coolpix cameras and to digital photography in general. There are useful tips and it highlights some really useful features. As a complete novice, I learned what the various modes were for as well as introducing me to basic things like depth of field, exposure composition, etc.
   
   Also important: I also learned what the camera can't do.



2. Very basic, that's all that can be said. And it chose to cover a whole range of models, so at least half of the book won't pertain to YOUR camera. The general photography info is delivered in a hasty manner with too few examples. It would be hard to actually learn a lot from this book. A little, yes. Some tips, some clear writing. But it's not the "missing book" you wish came with your camera, whatever model you might have.



3. The Nikon Coolpix Digital Field Guide is a wonderful supplement to the less than perfect "manual" that came with the Coolpix camera. The book covers the Coolpix L,S, and P series. At first I found this to be confusing and just wanted to "get on" with information for my camera. After recognizing the book set-up, I found it very helpful because if I didn't get it the first time, I could "peek" at the other series and reaffirm the information. Also,the book only uses two chapters where it specifically talks about your particular Coolpix camera series.
   
   I started off with the "point and shoot" auto/default setting for everyday photos. The Coolpix offers So Much More and when you're ready for optional settings, menus, and modes, this book teaches it to you
   in an easy to read and learn format. If you're a "visual learner" like myself, you'll love the life size and BIGGER than life size camera diagrams, menus, and settings which accompany the written part. The author uses "cross referencing", "tips", "notes", and "caution" tags to emphasize a point made in the sub-section just read.
   
   After the introduction to the camera, menus, and modes, the book goes on to explain "how", to create great photos simply using the "point and shoot" OR "optional settings" function. The author also explains general photography and composition basics. My favorite part is the "Technique" chapter of 65 pages where the author shows a photo (17 different categories), then explains how he took the photo. He then gives you a "Practice Picture" and "On Your Own" challenge with all the needed settings to have your photo turn out just as great!
   
   The book concludes with additional accessories and equipment you may want at a later time. The book also devotes a chapter to editing using your Nikon Picture Perfect which came with your Coolpix. You'll love the glossary at the end because it offers simple definitions of common terms used throughout the book.
   
   This is a must-have book if you have a Coolpix camera!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   



4. The Nikon Coolpix Digital Field Guide is a wonderful companion for any Nikon Coolpix camera owner. In just a few minutes of reading I learned about settings on my camera that I didn't even know existed. I liked the fact that in Chapter 1 the author compared various Coolpix cameras and I am sure others would think this could be annoying since you already own one. However I on the other hand found it nice to know what else was available. This book is so in depth the author even takes you through each screen and menu while explaining what they all do. This chapter alone proved to be more useful to me than the entire manual that came with the camera. Call me crazy, but being a photographer I prefer visual learning over long paragraphs of text.
   
   No book about photography should be without a guide on composition and this book is no exception, the author explains the various rules you as the photographer should follow and adapt to. To me chapter 6 goes right along with the composition steps to include overall best practices of photography. Of course now that you have shot all these great photos it is safe to say you want them on your computer, well if that is the case than chapter 7 has all the information you need. The book ends off with a glossary of common photography terms that you will hear in various shooting locations.
   
   Overall I have found this book to be very beneficial for not only Nikon Coolpix owners, but any photographers. You can take the concepts thoroughly explained within this book and adapt them to your own shooting habits, which in the end will make you a better photographer. I highly recommend this book and already have to my friends.



5. I've had my Nikon Coolpix for about six months now, and until I picked up this book I never felt comfortable using anything but the default settings. My coolpix is considered a point-and-shoot, but I didn't find it to be nearly that simple. This book not only showed me HOW to use the different settings, but it helped me understand WHEN I should use them too. This book covers both the equipment side of photography with your coolpix, and photography basics like composition, and lighting. I highly recommend this book - I feel more confident using my camera and my pictures have been better now that I have started using the different modes appropriately.

5 comments about The Body: Photographs of the Human Form.

1. I have hundreds of books on photography, but every so often, I come across one that becomes a valuable reference for so many reasons. This book is a beautiful collection from a huge array of artists and periods about one subject - the body. If you are interested in this book, I would suggest: "Love lust and desire" from the same publishing company. High quality at a very reasonable price.



2. Worth having in the library. I read through it and it was OK.



3. You already know it's great. The promotional shot for the 1995 movie "Showgirls" is a blatant imitation of this book's cover photo (Tono Stano's 1992 "Sense"). If imitation is the sincerest flattery, that's a pretty high-profile compliment.
   
   Despite its title, this is more a study of photography than of the body itself. Ewing reproduces images from the last 150 years, in many technologies, for many purposes. There are medical and microscopic pictures, pictures to titillate, and "freak show" shots. There are the pseudoscientific Victorian images of habitually nude Africans - often, racially based excuses for some drawing-room smut. There are modern abstractions, utterly literal but somtimes so baffling in composition that I can't figure out what I'm looking at.
   
   The images are individually captivating, and even stronger in this well-made collection. About half the bulk of the book is explanatory text, however. I have to admit that I skipped most of that. The few fragments I did read added very little to my understanding or appreciation of the photos, so I let it go by me.
   
   This is a beautiful celebration of the human figure. More than that, it's a catalog, by means of example, of the many purposes and styles that figure photography has had during its relatively brief history. "The Body" will be a real asset to any collection of figure photography.
   
   //wiredweird



4. William Ewing has assembled a truly remarkable collection of photographs in his book, _The Body_. In twelve sections, ranging from idols to eros, he offers expert narration to photographic works that are sometimes stunning, sometimes shocking. There are pieces within this book that are difficult to look at, because they depict something we have been socialized to try to ignore or overlook (such as those showing birth defects, much physical scarring, or disease,) but each plate has something to say if we look closely (even if it only says, simply, "Behold.")

   There are deeply-moving photographs, such as one from Lee Miller, which depicts prisoners at Buchenwald standing next to a large pile of human bones in 1945, and there are also arousing photos, like the erotic pieces from the twenties. Honesty is a frequent theme; several photographers have totally candid, unashamed self-portraits here that could be seen by some as unflattering, but still, here they are - honest.

   Truly a humbling book in many ways; the photographic genius represented here is simply amazing, and the absolute humanity of us all is completely laid bare, the trappings of civilization and manners stripped away.

   Powerful, sometimes strange, and very enjoyable.




5. ewing has put together a nice history of photographing the body. he divided the book into eleven sections, though most of the photographs could easily be placed in other sections. ewing has eclectic taste, there are works that you almost feel shouldn't be here, and photographers that are severely under represented. but still, all in all, a great book for any art lover.

5 comments about Ricky Lauren, Cuisine, Lifestyle, and Legend of the Double RL Ranch.

1. Ricky Lauren wife of Ralph Lauren has published a great book with allot of recipes and pictures of their Double RL Ranch. I just wish they would have chosen a better quality of paper for this wonderful book. For the price I feel that should have been done. But I am still happy with this purchase, I love their style Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Lauren are American Classics.
   Isis Primus
   Scottsdale, AZ



2. 
   And, yes, a beauty of a book is exactly what one expects from Ricky Lauren, wife of a preeminent arbiter of taste, Ralph Lauren. However, this satisfying volume is far from a glossy paged fashion journal, it's the narrative of a life well lived remembered through seasons of the year and meals shared.
   
   The Laurens bought their Colorado ranch in early 1982. For Ricky, she says it was a dream come true because as a child she had watched Western movies and longed to be a cowgirl. Little did she know then that her childhood imagining would actually come true. In this richly illustrated coffee table book filled with thoughts and recipes she shares the fruition of her early dream.
   
   Beginning with summer she describes the meadows that have come alive with flowers and the startling blue of the vast Colorado sky. She loves the natural beauty that surrounds them as is evident by her description of an early morning hike: "Here we are, the mesa, the meadows, the pines, the mountains, the flowers, and me, all bathed in the same glorious sunlight under the deep, rich Colorado blue sky." Glorious double page photos are testament to her words.
   
   Fall at the ranch is another palette of colors and there is frost in the air. Meals are hearty with full breakfasts to start the day. A typical morning menu consists of Challah French Toast, Buckwheat Fruit Crepes, Lox, Eggs & Onions with Assorted Bagels, and Corn Muffins with Strawberry Preserves. (Recipes for all of the menu items are included.)
   
   Winter brings snow and after a two-day snowfall the accumulation was two feet high in some places with drifts reaching to five feet. It's warm inside but the Lauren family can't resist saddling up to explore the white vastness or ride their snowmobiles. A lunch of Elk Draw Chicken Potpie or Deep Dish Pizza is welcome and warming.
   
   Spring unfolds with a world of promise and as Ricky puts it " a life affirming energy."
   
   Gorgeous photographs, bits of history, tempting recipes, and personal musings all in one lovely volume - enjoy!
   
   Highly recommended.
   
   - Gail Cooke



3. A lovely coffee-table book, with plenty of glossy photos of Lauren's glitzy ranch and his family in Ridgway, Colorado. For those of us who live in Ridgway, very few of recipe ingredients are available locally. Best to live in New York City close to Zabar's Deli to take full advantage of the "western" meals. The book also includes an inaccurate, but romantic, history of the area surrounding Lauren's atypical cattle ranch,a created nirvana where the western image is more evident and important than a authentic "working ranch."



4. Unique take on cuisine, this book is easy for anyone to follow. It is refreshing to see a cookbook that contains menus for everyone in the house. We are a family of vegetarians as well as carnivores so this cookbook was thumbs up for us. As a cookbook collector I am glad to say this book not only is a beautiful addition to my collection but it has taken center stage on the must use recipe shelf. The photos have capture the eyes of several house guest but the recipes made them order a copy for their own home. Thanks Ricky!



5. I thought that this book though very nice would have more photos from the region instead of so many recipes. My dad lives in the area, so I was interested in photographs of the area.

5 comments about Wedding Photography, 2nd Edition: Art, Business & Style (A Lark Photography Book).

1. It is the first wedding book that I like out of three that I have. Easy to read and understand, covered every area that I had questions about, nice and light humor. Full of useful examples and advices. I immediately saw how implementing some new techniques from this book can improve my work.



2. I was disappointed with this book. There were some good ideas such as formal posing, but otherwise, outdated. A better wedding photography book by far is "Digital Wedding Photography" by Glen Johnson.



3. If you lean more towards wedding photojournalism, you'll find this book annoying. The author takes stab after stab at the photojournalistic style and concentrates on listing which images you can sell after the wedding.
   
   I found the photography examples rather cheesy and old. The "Posing" chapter starts with a full page image of a bride and groom (almost smack in the middle of the photograph) and the groom's arms hanging down to his sides. I'm new to wedding photography, but even I know that's poor posing! It has some good points, but I wasn't too impressed.
   
   If you're into Traditional style of photography, this is a very good book for you to read. The author breaks the wedding down to almost every kind of picture you should create and how to make it sell at the end. It will be useful to you.
   
   So far, after having read 4 separate books on wedding photography this is my least favorite.



4. I have bought several books on posing and wedding photography. This is my first covering the most important aspects of the wedding photography business. Although it admits the prevailing tendency of admitting casual, journalistic photos on a wedding album, it still thoroughly explains the conventional wedding photos. It also describes how to deal with the business side of this activity. I consider this book a good very good source for those of us who would like to enter on this field of photography.



5. I've been reading through this and have found it very informative. I'm happy with my purchase.

5 comments about The Photographer's Toning Book: The Definitive Guide.

1. I have to admit that I have four of Tim's books and all of them are great. If you are interested in toning prints, this is a must for your library. The examples tell the story and text tells you how to do it. The sections about split toning are particularly nice. Also, if you ever have the chance to take a workshop or class from Tim, do it!



2. If you are a photographer, you need this book. Mr. Rudman is thorough, knowledgeable and complete on the subjects of toning and lith printing. A must for your darkroom.



3. this book is absolutely the best guide i have ever seen about archiving and toning photographs. Certainly told me many thing that i have been doing only so-so. This book is a MUST for serious phtograpers and great to know for the casual photo enthusiast.



4. I found this book very well written and informative. It covers a wide variety of toning techniques and covers archival processing thoroughly. I highly recommend this book for anyone who prints silver gelatin.



5. This is a great book, it has it all. You want to know anything about a tone and this book has it. I'm actually a second year photography student and found that this book explains things without going way over the top and getting far too technical. Recommended buy for people of all photographic experience.

5 comments about Annie Leibovitz: American Music.

1. I am conflicted in how this book could reflect American Music. I bought this book as a requirement for my doctorate of music. The pictures, though they were sometimes vivid, I do not feel the book accurately paints a picture of American Music. Perhaps, Ms. Leibovitz should have gotten help from a musicologist (one who is an expert on the history of music) because it is a poor representation of music. It is like saying pop singers are musicians, which they are not. It is an insult to all true musicians in discounting their hard work. American Idol does not represent American music and neither does this book.
   I wasted $30 on this book and though I have never resold a book, I will gladly sell this book back. Do not waste your money.



2. If you love the blues, or love photography this is a great book. While not specific to just Blues musicians this book just makes me think of good old delta blues. The prints in this book shine like they were hand printed by Annie herself. Theres a heart and soul driving this book from begining to end.
   This is a more personal project for Annie Leibovitz and so doenst allway have her studio style inside.
   That does not mean that each photograph is not amazing for they are, but some are a smaller more
   candid world that Annie Leibotiz is capturing.



3. I just saw this exhibit at our MoMA, and the work is outstanding. Some of the images are color, some black and white. There are a number of styles and artists, ranging from the very famous to those unknown outside of their small communities. The point is that these are images of musicians--it's that simple.
   
   Sometimes, Liebovitz's work is witty, sometimes it is unflinching in its honest portrayal. There is vulnerability in the subjects of her black and whites because they are so close, often just the face of the subject. To term them "ugly" is simply wrong. It is rare to see behind the artifice of celebrity images and see performers without makeup and with their skin texture and pores visible. Some of the photos are taken in people's homes, or backstage rather than on a set. This lends considerably to the intimacy and honesty that she is trying to convey.
   
   If you want shots of your favorite singer looking oh so pretty, go to their PR person. This is a serious body of work from a renowned photographer. It blends both her celebrity work with her own private interests in portrait photography for non-commercial audiences.



4. The catalog is gorgeous, the photographs are indeed spectacular. While the written entries were wonderful, they were too few and left me wanting more. I guess that's a good thing!



5. In response to another review on this site, clearly if you think the book has "poor aesthetic quality" You know nothing of photography or art for that matter.
   The people in this book are beautifully portrayed in silver and in color. Clearly the photographs were taken over a number of years, which shows the scope of the project.
   The only thing that I find wrong with this project is that it may be unfinished. The book is called American Music. Cleary that is why there are mainly blues, rock and roll and hip, country/folk and hip hop artists. Obviosly everyone would like to see their favorite artists in the book and have the ones they dislike removed. I however feel that this is the artists choice, and we have to live with it. If Leibovits decides to put out a 'Part II' it would do all of us a favor.
   The only reason why I don't give this a 5 out of 5 stars is that most of the photographs don't grab you by the face and demand your attention. The ones that grab me the most are the artists I folllow, so perhaps there is something in that. Some measure of knowlegde that must accompany the photographs. Buy the book anyways...and listen to more blues albums. I didn't check this review for spelling, HA!

3 comments about Robert Polidori: After the Flood.

1. I purchased this book for my husband for Christmas. He grew up in the 9th Ward. This book of pictures captures the essence of the damage in the New Orleans area caused by the flood following Hurricane Katrina. The pictures are so real that you can just feel the erriness they capture.They make me think of haunted houses from a movie. But they are real. Real peoples lives and homes.



2. Silt has rendered a wonderous, pale beauty to the interior carnage of New Orlean's homes. Polidoris's project, a subsequentc 'invasion' of these domains, places on public record their devastation. It's a case of supreme technical skill, enshrining an ephemeral disaster. The denizens have hastily evacuated, leaving Polidori to rut in the trough of the city's ruin. Here, in one haunting page after another, the tidal muds that have rudely piled cars beneath houses in tragically asymmetrical congress, are made warm and close. It's relentless. You can almost handle the poignant detritus. We're led first through the haunting streets of uprooted poles, trees and weathereboards, of twisted metal. Then the rooms, the hearts and minds of individual suffering. Not snap-happy journalistic sensationalism, but hypnotically constructed images whose frozen testimonies have more permanence than the rented edifices they record. Polidori knows where to stand amidst the wreckage: his camera an unerring eye delving near and distantly with disturbing clarity. It is the very silence that entrances with singular eloquence and gravity. The wind and tide have subsided, but the havock endures in sulphurous washes and surreal configuration which 1000 installation artists would greet as a great funereal statement that transcends collective imagination. In a word, awesome, the currency of the Sublime. Polidori has wrested art from tragedy. Any of its 200 plus large format pages can be poured over for aesthetic reward, the more to dwell on vagabond Nature. Brilliant!



3. "After the Flood", the latest book by French Canadian Photographer, Robert Polidori, about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is also his largest and most powerful. It is as if his books on Havana and Chernobyl were mere foretastes to this exceptional and moving work, and certainly anyone who has seen these two books came away with a feeling of the power and storytelling that Polidori's images can convey. Polidori has the gift of the detailed eye that can simultaneously give the viewer images of beauty and revulsion in objects and textures. These alone tell the stories. There are no images of people necessary. It is as if he is capturing the tracks and shadows that humanity has left behind. He was able to show this in the urban decay of Havana and of the horrors of the rapid evacuation and subsequent reclamation of nature in Chernobyl. In "After the Flood", he presents us with an almost encyclopedic presentation of the aftermath of the hurricane, flooding, wind, water and mud damage showing the fragility of our cities and the power of nature.
   
   The book contains at least 400 images, which have been carefully arranged. The first images show parts of the city still under water and the receding water. The next group shows the destruction caused by water inside the houses. Furniture has been picked up by the flood and re-arranged and we see the effects of water on different materials and soon notice the tell-tale brown lines on the walls, sometimes over six feet high, showing the high water mark. Succeeding groups of images show the effects of mud, water and wind on buildings and cars that have been tossed around at random like toys. Sometimes cars rest against houses in bizarre angles and sometimes the houses are laying on top of the cars. Several pages show smaller images of streets where every house was damaged and abandoned. The last set of images shows the clean up. Mounds of refuse in front of houses, temporary trailers, houses being cleaned and repaired. The effect is very powerful as we see how the lives of hundreds of thousands were affected and how many must have lost everything.
   
   The book can only give a taste of the incredible detail the images contain. In a recent exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art they could be seen as the original prints, each at about 40" by 54". They were taken with a large camera and according to Polidori with no lighting, as there was no electricity available at the time the shots were taken and lighting would have been to cumbersome in cramped and sometimes dangerous conditions. Only time exposures could show the incredible detail, which Polidori refers to as the "process of revelation". He call his work "a constant learning process", and anyone who looks at this book will not only learn, but will also ask questions as to how a disaster of this magnitude was possible, and to our place on this earth and our future here.
   
   Review by Walter O. Koenig