4 comments about Girls Money & Sexy Snaps: What Really Happens When A Girl Strips Naked For A Photographer?.

1. Girls Money & Sexy Snaps: What Really Happens When A Girl Strips Naked For A Photographer?
   
   This is a useless piece of "I wish" fantasy by Nigel Holmes. It has nothing to do with photography or glamour. Mr Holmes should have named it Girls, Money & Sexy Snaps: What Nigel Holmes Wish Had Happened. The author also explains how Hollywood Cinematographers are incompetent and British Film Industry Cinematographers are brilliant. Hey, Nigel. What British Film Industry? The publisher could also only afford the Sexy Snap on the cover.



2. Like many potential readers of this book I'd never heard of Nigel Holmes. That being the case, I find it difficult to know just how much authority to give the author/photographer credit for. A photographer writing about photography should always include enough samples of his or her work to allow their readers to judge the quality of their advice. After reading the volume I did find it amusing in many parts and the photographer/author seems to know what he is talking about. One of the tip-offs to his knowledge of his subject is that any photographer who has done much work with nude models does discover that it no longer turns him on. He is so busy concentrating on the details of his nude or erotic photography that he doesn't have time to play voyeur. Like most types of photography, it takes constant and careful attention to the task at hand to achieve the desired photographs. There isn't time to act like a dirty old man or even younger pervert. The photographer is simply too busy trying to get his model to relax and direct her expressions and body language to bring out the pre-visualized photograph. He also has to pay attention to the minor details in the entire photograph's composition or he may spend untold hours trying to correct the image through PhotoShop.
   However, anyone who has studied photography in art school learns quickly that people who are the most articulate about the many meanings of their images are often only defending poorly done and lousy photos. With such photographers it's almost a fact that the less successful the photograph, the better the verbal arguments of denial. Too many people, critics and even museum curators, can talk a great picture but can't really produce or sometimes even recognize them. While this book did include a cover photograph which wasn't too bad "a snap" as the author calls his work, and some postage stamp-sized pictures on the back cover of the book, they are too small to really tell how good they are. For some reason, instead of photographs the book is illustrated with black and white cartoons that are intended to be amusing. Too bad. They reminded me of the movie "Roger Rabbit." Photographs would have worked better in the same space. And the book is printed on high quality paper that would have allowed good photo reproduction. The book is also written in Australian and reminds the reader of "Crocodile Dundee" talking, which isn't all that bad, mate, for conveying the author's "down under" humor. That's only an observation about the book and not a criticism of its readability or understandability. One should read the book but take the advice with a grain of salt until they find out more about the skill of the photographer/author. The book also cries out for a photograph of the author at work. Is he simply so handsome and good looking that would-be models find it impossible to turn down his requests for nude photos? What does he look like? Without some sample photographs the reader has to wonder if they are learning from a real expert on the subject or just reading a bunch of Crock from some bloke on the other side of the world. This reader is going to see if I can locate any of his pictures on the Internet. Then I'll have a much better idea of how good the "how to" advice in this book really is.
   Maybe that rule should be forever inscribed on a stone tablet in the great marble photography temples on Mt. Olympus, Mt. Nikon, Mt. Canon, etc.? "Thou shalt not write or publish a 'how to' book on photography without including some samples of Thy own photographs."



3. Nigel tells it all. From making money from scratch (as he did)to being at the top (as he is). Clear and precise, not without looking at himself, he tells stories of models and photoghaphers and their interaction. As sometimes is and how it should be. In very readable language Nigel grants us a view into the fashion and glamourworld, as being not all joy and fun, but also not entirely without it. The Jekyll and Hyde character of the profession of model or photographer, the tension, the pressure, it's all in this book. Beauty photographer should read this. It's good reading for models too....



4. Holmes' work is a creditable first effort with some amusing anecdotes and worthwhile advice, but it is more of a collection of anecdotes rather than a "how-to" book. The writing style is simple and direct making it easy and accessible reading. It suffers from a high number of typographical errors which reflects poorly on the editing and proofing.

5 comments about Art Fundamentals with Core Concepts CD-ROM.

1. Term after term, definition after definition, that is how you read this book.



2. Although I've been involved with creating works of art all of my life, I wasn't able to call myself an artist until I started reading this book. There is so much knowledge within these pages, it is a must have for any potential artist or designer.



3. I bought this book for my "Art Appreciation" class in my second year of Graphic Design school, and I came out with appreciation for art and this book.
   The 350 something pages are divided into chapters such as form, colour, texture and so on.. All of them are easy to read and extremely informative, best of all, it's full of pictures! Each page has almost a minimum of two images, making understanding and grasping the content extremely easy and enjoyable.
   I loved the chapter Content & Style, as it delved into the art schools, explaining each school, the artists, the paintings etc
   The book also has a cd that has info on colour, texture, line.. ( Art Fundementals!) with an interactive part that's fun to do, and was required by our Professor as homework.
   I recommend this book to anyone, it's very important for studying art, but will also be a valuable book in any library or home.



4. I was fortunate enough to take an Art class in college that used the Seventh Edition of this text for the class. I still refer to it after about 10 years or so, and it's the only text for an "elective" that I still have after all of this time.
   
   I use this text quite a bit in my photography work, since all of the elements (line, shape, value, etc) are as applicable to photography as it is to painting and other expressive forms.
   
   I either own or have read through most other books on photographic composition, and none are as good as this book - consider it "classical training" if you want your work to move out of the "snapshooter" phase.



5. I had to get this book for my Design class in college. Great book. We didn't go through the whole book, but I kept the book after the class was over because there is some practical information for the art student. There is a bunch of information that i can use to apply to my own artwork, as well as a history of some past art works used as examples. The photos are all in color and there is many of them.

   This book is a great introduction, but it is a wealth of information. The reading is easy and doesn't bore me. I don't know about some people, but reading a text can be cumbersome, but not this book. I really do learn alot just from this book alone without a class.

5 comments about Picturing Los Angeles.

1. 
   This book is basically a photographical introduction to the history of Los Angeles . If you are interested in knowing about the history of Los Angeles, from it's very early beginnings , up until the early 2000's, then you will find this book very informative.
   
   
   There are many many photos that go along with the historical text. All photos are in black and white.



2. Incredible compendium of all the events and characters that created and still shape this most unique city. Much more fun than hunting down similar information on the internet, "Picturing Los Angeles" offers readers hours of fascinating reading, aided by an astounding collection of pictures. A seemingly impossible task to put together, the authors have provided a wonderful encyclopedia of the culture, architecture and citizenry of a town that continues to impact the world. You'll see why!



3. This looks like a coffee table book, but it's really an incisive narrative accompanied by fascinating pictures. The authors give us a whirlwind tour of the explosive pattern of growth and change that is the true history of Los Angeles. Propelled by a colorful array of eccentrics and geniuses we see the city constantly reinventing itself and leaping into the future. I had so much fun reading it I almost forgot how bad the damn traffic is here!



4. Photos we hadn't seen before...insights we hadn't considered before.
   "Picturing Los Angeles" is a show-and-tell book of the highest order.
   If you're looking for the perfect gift to give newcomers to the LA area, a gift that will help them make sense of this unique community--this is it. Congratulations to the Wilkmans for delivering a history book that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. [Review by Albert Greenstein]



5. Jon and Nancy Wilkman have achieved an amazing feat. They have taken the history of Los Angeles as their canvas, and illustrated its past in a voluminous display of images from the beginning to the present, with a focus on each decade of the twentieth century. There is something for everyone in this book, and we see the city's history unfold through early photographs of downtown, the creation of such cultural venues as the Hollywood Bowl and the Coliseum, and the development of the San Fernando Valley. Movie stars, famous musicians, and other entertainers who made their mark are here, as are leading politicians, religious personalities, and sports figures. The vast ethnic diversity of the region is not something recent, as the authors make clear, but has long represented an essential aspect of the city's past. The sheer dynamism of the city thus comes through clearly, and the very nature of Los Angeles as one of the most photographed cities in the world makes this book, unique of its kind, a special addition to one's library. For not only are the pictures often startling in their originality and detail, but the accompanying text is clear, concise, and filled with insights that only long-time observers can bring to their subject. Significantly, the authors do not flinch from the uglier side of the city's history, with all its sordid details of crime, gangsters, and urban mayhem. That's a wise choice, since the purpose is not to glorify the city but to bring its history alive through both image and text. The approach works, and the reader is entertained, enervated, and ultimately enlightened.

4 comments about Master's Guide to Wedding Photography: Capturing Unforgettable Moments and Lasting Impressions.

1. Marcus Bell gives us his perspective on this multi-faceted career. Don't expect to master the spectrum of wedding photography from any book. This author provides guidelines, along with his personal philosophy. This is a magazine-style book of 124 pages. A lot of space is taken up by images. What you come home with is some food for thought.



2. One of the best book I've ever read on wedding photography. Very practical guidance from years of his experience.



3. Marcus Bell's MASTER'S GUIDE TO WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY: CAPTURING UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS AND LASTING IMPRESSIONS is a winning survey of what makes for a unique wedding image. From building relationships with each couple to hone in on subjects, themes and approaches which will elicit the best result to using photojournalism to capture spontaneous emotions and developing a shooting strategy, this moves a step beyond most photography guides on wedding pictures and offers collections a rich alternative packed with insider tips.



4. This book is one worth reading over and over again.I like the author's advice especially on his workflow.All his style are very practical and easy to follow.This book is not a step by step kind of book but rather guide you on how to come up with your own style.His advice on how to market yourself or to book that client right away is more than what you pay on this book.

No comments about Horse, a Portrait: A Photographer's Life With Horses.

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 The Photobook: A History, Vol. 1.

1. This volume, along with its companion volume, offer little in the way of useful or intelligent commentary (it is otherwise recycled pabulum wasted on a body of books that, for the most part, were treated to celebrity status by Roth). Instead, we're treated to an obscure and incomprehensibly limited canon which is sold as if it were created in a vaccuum with only the purest of intellectual and aesthetic intentions and aspirations (please look at Parr's actual photographs before buying this book--you can get a better appreciation of his specific photographic style). The reality--both of these volumes (and the books contained therein) seem to have been selected primarily for their price in the rare book world (Roth is guilty of basing his selection process on the market as well, but at least he's tranparently a rare book dealer). This wouldn't bother me so much except that there are glaring omissions from both Parr/badger volumes (Misrach's Bravo 20, anything from John Pfahl, anything from Helmut Newton, Frank Horvat, Andres Serrano, Jan Dibbets, Ken Schles, James Van Der Zee, Jerry Uelsmann, Richard Prince, etc...) It is also troubling because up until perhaps even a year ago the rare photobook market was dominated by a handful of collectors (whose ability to judge photography, as far as I can tell, is somewhat suspect). The general proposed intent of the project is noble (cataloging the important photobooks of the world), but I don't think that these authors are qualified in any way to be the critics of what photobooks have actually been important (can we get Irving Penn, William Klein, Araki,and a panel of actual legends to make some selections?). And so, we are treated to a very strange mixture of blue chip photobooks, some of which are obviously important, and some of which are just expensive cult favorites with the collectors. Buyer beware--most of the books within have catapulted even higher in value almost exclusively based off of the premise that they were included in these books. There are plenty of photobooks worth collecting (perhaps even more worthy than most of the books included herein) and there are lots of little-known volumes from the greats (also not treated here) worth pursuing and, more importantly, viewing and enjoying. Photobooks were being produced before this list was assembled and will continue to be created long after these forgettable volumes are replaced with more academic and more interesting attempts. These books are not a terrible point of departure for the neophyte collector but be advised that these books repeatedly confuse monetary and artistic merit without apparently being aware of their own confusion. If you are interested in serious collecting, I'd advise either finding a copy of Roth (if you are interested in collecting a canon of well-established books that are unlikely to shift in value significantly) or, more simply and elegantly, spend some time at your local library learning who Mapplethorpe, Lartgiue, Saudek and rest really are (you can find the names on the internet fairly simply and looking through the actual books beats reading these surveys any day). It's free and you'll be able to craft your own tastes before you begin the process of investing in your won photobook collection.



2. This is a marvelous volume that can be enjoyed by book and photography lovers alike. As an object in its own right it exhibits a level of refinement in conception and execution that has become rare in our age of mass-produced books. Of course, there are many specialist photobook publishers but they seem to focus exclusively on print quality to increase the perceived value of their publications, whilst neglecting the vital contribution of design in a book's overall appearance (and desirability). In the Phaidon-volume, the exquisitely judged rhythm of layout and typography complement the vivid reproductions of vintage photobook material into a very exciting whole.
   
   To be sure, the care spent on the production of this book is not gratuitous. To the contrary, it is a statement that reinforces the basic conceptual tenets held by Badger and Parr. From the introductory pages we learn that not every and any book that has been conceived around a collection of photographs merits to be included in the class of "photobooks". A photobook - as Badger and Parr understand it - is more than just the sum of its parts: pictures, words, design, and choice of subject all contribute to something which transcends the meaning of a photographic portfolio. This is all illuminating and one could certainly say that the "Photobook" is an instructive example of this synergy between various elements.
   
   However, I wished that the editorial team would have left it at that. I think Badger and Parr are moving onto much more controversial ground when they hold forth that the emblematic photobook is a kind of dramatic event, "comparable with a piece of sculpture, a play or a film" in which the individual photographs lose their own character as things in themselves. Apart from being theoretically doubtful, I believe this criterion is simply too stringent and many vintage photobooks featured in this survey do not comply with it. For example, many of the early books were photo albums in the true sense of the word: bound collections of original prints glued onto white pages. Similarly, it is difficult to see in some of the modernist books - such as Erhardt "Das Watt" or Mendelsohn's "Amerika" - anything more than an expertly produced photographic portfolio. In each of these examples there is coherence, but it does not derive from some kind of dramatic or narrative logic. It can simply be a unity of style which holds a photobook together. Positioning the photobook "between the novel and film", therefore, raises more questions than it provides us with answers. It doesn't really help to make sense of "a ragged and sprawling subject, with more than its fair share of anomalies".
   
   It is perhaps more useful to investigate how Badger and Parr have tried to organise their material within the confines of this volume (and the next). They seem to have relied on three different lines of thought. The first is chronological (it's a history after all). The survey starts with the very first publications, early on in the history of photography and will end with a section on "The Photobook and Modern Life". In this sense, the book can be studied as a remarkably lively and varied panorama of how photographers have engaged with their craft over the last 150 years.
   
   The second organising principle is geographical: some of the individual chapters focus on a distinct area of cultural production (the US, Europe and Japan; the next volume features a chapter on "The Worldwide Photobook"). Finally, there is "intention" as a structuring element. Photobooks have been produced to serve a variety of purposes: to tell a story, to tell a non-story (stream-of-consciousness-like books), to non-tell a story (to deconstruct), to document, to persuade, etc. Indeed, a valuable photobook can even limit itself to simply showing. Most of the chapters in the two volumes put some kind of "intention" at the center of the discussion.
   
   I think Badger and Parr's conception of their own book is to a certain extent at odds with their conceptual emphasis on the dramatic nature of photobooks. If there is drama in "The Photobook", it is mediated by the words that accompany the various chapters, not by the visuals. In other words: it is a conceptual not a photographic narrative that unfolds. As regards the visuals, curiously enough the daring use of white space and drop shadows around the book and page reproductions really make them stand out as preciously unique. Leafing through the book is akin to walking between carefully presented museum exhibits. In this sense, "The Photobook" clearly `shows' and, therefore pulls us away from the dramatic sweep of history.
   
   Despite these theoretical misgivings there is not a shade of doubt in my mind that this book deserves five stars. It is a fabulous book and I look forward with keen anticipation to the second and final volume.



3. 
   This book (and the next volume) will surely become the standard reference for anyone wanting to know about photobooks and in creating a new word for photographs in a book perhaps this will create a new publishing genre too. The author's rightly point out that photography is a printed-page medium and the four hundred and fifty titles examined, with just over two hundred in this first book, probably represent the best (or most interesting) titles ever published.
   
   The nine chapters give a lucid in depth review of photobooks to the 1970s with Anna Atkins 1843 'Photographs of British Algae' taking the first photobook prize. I particularly enjoyed chapter six, Medium and Message: the photobook as propaganda, basically dealing with Soviet books in the Thirties and the examples shown are quite extraordinary in their use of images and design. Reproducing the pages from these books would easily make a separate title. The other fascinating chapter was nine, dealing with postwar Japanese books, again the reproduced jackets and spreads show amazing creativity and vision, not only in the choice of photos but also in the use of printing and binding techniques.
   
   Stunning though this book is I thought there was one particular weakness, in so many of the books there are not enough pages shown. Many of them have two pages, for instance 'An American Exodus' by Lange and Taylor, there are fifteen spreads so it is possible to follow the flow of images or Avery Brodovitch's 'Ballet' with eighteen spreads to capture the feel of the subject. Most of the titles though are two or three to a spread allowing mostly a cover plus four or six pages from inside the book but annoyingly there is easily room for more pages had there been a slight adjustment to the book detail text that accompanies each photobook. The excess white space really should have been put to better use. Despite this the paper and printing of the book is first class, the images are reproduced in a fine screen as cut-outs with a drop shadow and run of varnish to really make them sparkle.
   
   Parr and Badger have almost created a unique book but Andrew Roth's 'The book of 101 books: Seminal photographic books of the twentieth century' (ISBN 0967077443) published in 2001 must be regarded as the first attempt to capture the essence of photobooks and in both titles the editorial concept is the same, reproduce the covers and pages rather than show individual photographs. As a designer this makes both books come alive for me but I prefer 'The Photobook' for its exhilarating coverage in both words and images.

5 comments about The Human Figure in Motion.

1. Muybridge's "The Human Figure in Motion" is a classic. The frame by frame photographs of figures (male, female, athletes, children) are vintage photos from the latter half of the 19th century. They document action: carrying objects, a man jumping, child crawling, etc, as well as activities common to the time that are not evident in everyday activity now, such as discus throwing, fencing, woman pouring water from a jug, etc. These photos, although small, are still of major importance to the artist who tries to understand muscle groups for drawing the figure. Great resource book.



2. This book is of historical interest and shows the genius of Muybridge. It comes practically without text and is simply Muybridge's photo album with lots and lots of images of naked men and women in action. However, to go beyond that and to take the book as an art reference to anatomy is simply a fallacy. The pictures are so small and the resolution so poor (understandably) that unless you are drawing stick figures, it is simply impossible to use as a reference.



3. Eadweard Muybridge (1830-1904) was the most significant contributor to the early study of human and animal locomotion, whose extensive studies were acknowledged by such pioneers of motion pictures as the Lumiere brothers and Thomas Edison. If you have ever seen slow-motion photography of a horse galloping and seen how they have all four hooves off the ground at the same time, then you can understand the fascination in the early days of photography of taking a series of pictures of people running, climbing stairs, or dancing. In fact, it was the horse that got Muybridge involved in this work. In 1872 Muybridge was enlisted to settle bet regarding the position of a trotting horse's legs. But using a camera with the fastest shutter speed available only provided a faint image. Five years later Muybridge used a battery of cameras with mechanically tripped shutters to show the what really happens (in fact, a trotting horse and a galloping horse move differently in having all four hooves off the ground simultaneously).

   Consequently, Muybridge invented the zoopraxiscope, a primitive motion-picture machine, which recreated movement by displaying individual photographs in rapid succession. "The Human Figure in Motion" was first published in 1901 and reflects the work Muybridge did at the University of Pennsylvania, where he had been invited to work at the behest of the painting Thomas Eakins, who painted motion subjects, which explains why art students are even more interested in this book than scientists. Includes are over 160 motion studies of the human figure engaged in everything from dressing to hopping on one foot. There are almost 5,000 photographs in this 390 page clothbound edition. Be warned that most of the models, both adults and children, are "undraped" to use the vernacular of the time. In 1887 Muybridges's most important work, "Animal Locomotion," was published in 11 volumes containing over 100,000 photographs taken between 1872 and 1885. Obviously, "The Human Figure in Motion" is a more accessible way to appreciate Muybridge's groundbreaking work.




4. This book is great if you don't plan on drawing from it. although the pictures are nice ,contrasty black and whites they are small and repetitive. But what do I know? alot of obscure movie quotes.



5. This is a classic artist's resource that belongs on the shelf of anyone who draws people, at all. This book is filled with thousands of pictures of people doing many, many diverse activities. All of the pictures are of nude people, so as to allow the muscles to be seen clearly. This makes these 19th century photos timeless.

   Never has anyone produced such a comprehensive reference of this sort, before, or since. He also produced classic works on the motion of animals, that you have probably seen before, whether you were aware that they were his works or not. Muybridge is a man for the ages. Hopefully, he will one day recieve the recognition that he deserves for his great contributions.

3 comments about The Jazz Image: Masters of Jazz Photography.

1. If you grew up listening to jazz from the 30's through the 60's you'll really enjoy the pictures in this book. They evoke a feeling and, in most cases, present the players as "bigger than life"...just as they were to us then and now.



2. Wonderful "coffee table" book, loaded with excellent candid photos of the greatest jazz stars -- definitely a keeper!



3. this is the kind of Book that truly showcases some of the Greatest Jazz Artists Ever. Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, Miles Davis,Louis Armstrong, amongest others. it is great to see so many Important musical figures in the Moment where Creativity is coming about. this is a Must have collection.

2 comments about Hands-On Digital Photography: A Step-by-Step Course in Camera Controls, Software Techniques, and Successful Imaging.

1. Many years ago I had the pleasure of taking a course with George Schaub in 35mm photography & lighting. He is a role model and photographic hero of mine. I love his work. The easy-going style found in his mannerisms and his lectures is clearly present in this book.
   
   In that class I would always be struck by the quality of his photographs - this book is no different than that experience. You are first stunned by the artistic beauty of his work and then he breaks down the steps required to create a similar result.
   
   The format questions are addressed in clear terms. If you ever wondered about RAW images versus TIFF versus JPEG, your questions will be answered. This book describes file size when saved in different formats and thsn the quality of the photo with the best enlargement outcomes.
   
   The step-by-step guide that he offers is easy to understand and laid out in a way that you can literally walk through his process. He first describes how the process works. What are the mechanics of this effect? He then moves into 'try it,' so that you are walked through how to get there. Advanced options is where he offers some creative license to those who may be daring to try something else. This is his approach throughout the book. You get to see photographs that reflect many shooting situations that the serious photographer is always on the look out for capturing.
   
   If you are seriously looking into or have a DLSR - you will LOVE this book. If you are catching up to the digital age from the 35mm age, you too will enjoy this book. If you want to learn how to love your camera and photography, you will catch what George Schaub embodies in his work and his life and that is his love of photography. That's what I caught from him years ago and it's still growing. Happy reading.



2. There are plenty of how-to guides on digital photography on the market, but libraries seeing a solid general reference should take a look at this: it provides a step-by-step course in common digital camera controls and photography and presents learn-as-you-go projects to help readers learn to work with a camera. Novices receive a guide which encourages them to experiment with pictures in a survey which even includes RAW converter step-by-step processes: if only one digital photography guide were to be purchased for a discriminating library with general-interest lending requirements, it should be this one.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch