3 comments about The Playboy Book: Fifty Years.

1. This book is well put together with beautiful pictures. The pictures are high quality and this book is really a conversation starter! The Playboy book began with pictures of Marilyn Monroe, which I have never seen before and they are beautiful. One thing that was disapointing were some of the stories. The print was so small that you could not read the story, only the captions. Another thing to watch out for is the dust jacket. It's very easy to see any small marks and the gold scratchs off easily. Keep it in a cloth to protect it. I recommend this book to everyone, even if you've never read a Playboy magazine!



2. Although Playboy is what it is, and because of the reason why many people purchase the magazine, there needs to be an understanding of the true content of the magazine through the years. Remember that the magazine is usually only 20% sex and nude women. That leaves 80% every month to be used for art, technology, controversial editorials, interviews, etc. This tome is huge and heavy, and I'm glad it takes the reader through a tour of 50 years of the COMPLETE world of Playboy. If you only want naked women, don't buy this - buy either "The Playmate Book" or "Blondes", "Brunettes", or "Redheads".



3. This book was definitely more than I expected with it's vibrant pictures and outstanding content. It gives you an in-depth peek into the world of Playboy above and beyond the photos. I also found the simple black hardcover to be very discreet.

5 comments about Color Management for Digital Photographers For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)).

1. This is a very good book. There's a lot of useful information specially for beginners. The book explains all the basics of color management. It gives you a good understanding on what's going on your image file from the moment you take a picture up to the printing of your final images. It's really focused on Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0. So, I found the title a little misleading since I was looking for a book to teach me about Color Management without leaning to a particular software. Nevertheless it's a very good book.



2. I bought this for my husband who loves photography to make due until we can afford a color managment tool for the screen. He has loved the book and has found it very helpful. He is an computer engineer and want to know all the ins and outs of everything and he has found this book to be just the thing.
   
   The only downside is it doesn't take into account Vista's new color management software so if you have Vista you will have to look online for the best way to calibrate your software.



3. I would give this book ten stars if I could. Color management is something that all digital photographers need to be competent with. There is very little on the subject that is comprehensible to those that are not technically inclined. This book meets and fills that gap in an excellent and understandable manner. And it is brand new! And full of color illustrations (something new for "Dummies books"). And it is geared to Photoshop Elements 5, a program with a large following. I teach a Digital Darkroom class using Elements 5 and this book is a natural follow on for that class. It also ties in very nicely with the new Photoshop Elements 5 for Dummies book. (Also full of color illustrations). Of course if you use the full versions of Photoshop, the principals are the same but you implement them slightly different, so the book is valid for both versions. It also covers the Mac version of Photoshop Elements. All in all, a great book!



4. I found the book Color Management For Digital Photographers For Dummies very helpful and easy to follow. Reading and following the instructions will certainly enhance my digital photography to a new level.



5. I was really impressed with the ease of understanding color management the way the author wrote this book. The pictures really showed what effect the adjustments had and just how to make the adjustments.
   
   I will recommend to friends.

No comments about Julie Blackmon: Domestic Vacations.

5 comments about Shutterbabe: Adventures in Love and War.

1. There are so few non-fiction accounts of photography lives that I am giving this melodramatic book 5 stars because it is full of facts on how its done. Im sure you might have a quibble with this but this is a life that was lived with a camera by a young intelligent woman. This is how photojournalism is done or should I say was done before the advent of the digital camera. You might prefer to read "The Bridges of Madison County." I dont. I just wonder if she threw in all the gratuitous sex just to pander to such readers to keep them turning the pages. I would so like to read another book full of details like this one. PS In the wonderful British sitcom "Waiting For God" Diana Trent had been a photojournalist and now whe is a rampaging assisted living denizon. It kind of great to picture Diana as Deborah, except of course, for Deborah's big copout to work for Network TV instead and write crappy books. So ugly.



2. My absolute favorite book - I have read it at least 3 times, which is a record for rereading books for me. It's captivating, but very real.



3. This very unusual book is fascinating whether you are interested in pursuing a career in journalism or just curious about what life is like as a woman covering war for a living. This "Shutterbabe" tells the story of her life from behind the camera across different battle zones around the globe. She also tells of the men she meets and gets involved with. There has been some criticism of the book for these tales of sexual escapades, but this is the raw story of a real person's life, and I think that they reflect a complete story, instead of one massaged to make the author look better.
   
   My only disappointment with the story is that she finally gives it all up for motherhood, but that is real life too. Before that, Kogan was a producer for "Dateline" on NBC after her return to the United States. She speaks of tiring of wartime weariness and equates photojournalists to vultures who prey on others' misery--all of which I find disingenuous for someone who made her own living this way for many years. It's ok to change your mind, but I believe that photojournalism is an important way of bringing news to people, and I think Kogan would agree or she would have pursued another way of making a living with her camera in the first place.
   
   Despite these claims, I highly recommend this book to everyone, particularly young women interested in journalism. This book is a real insider's look at covering war, from a woman's point of view, something (unfortunately) we still don't hear that much of, even in the 21st century. Don't miss it.



4. Deborah Copaken Kogan writes about her very young career as a rag tag photojournalist who fearlessly jumped at every opportunity and when opportunities weren't available or were pulled away (she was a woman after all) she made them happen for herself. As a young graduate from Harvard, Copaken moves off to Paris alone to become a war photojournalist. The challenges she faces mirror directly or as metaphors, the challenges that every young woman faces who believes she can make a difference in the world. The sexuality of Deborah's chosen relationships in Shutterbabe are understandable and expected for a young adventurous person. The accounts of the men she chooses to, and is forced to deal with interweave perfectly with the many other challenges that Deborah faces in her career. Critics who compare her sexual accounts and relationships to "what if a man wrote this" are way off base. The gender reverse argument is ridiculous. This is a story of a woman fighting the odds and questioning what life has handed her. Trying to make a difference in a world that doesn't belong to her. A man in the same situation would never have to process the same challenges. Men don't get raped and sexually attacked. OK maybe there are exceptions but a story about a man getting raped would not be a metaphor for what other men experience. A man being shut out of an opportunity because he's a man wouldn't mirror what nearly all men must deal with frequently in their lives. Though not religious, Copaken is inspired by her Jewish roots and her knowledge of the Holocast. She questions the existance of God as she plows through her adventures and thoughtfully produces art that will document and communicate the world's struggles. As she reaches her late twenties and after several years in the "trenches" Deborah experiences a metamorphosis. From the young ideal college graduate to the young woman who recognizes true love and emotional support from a partner, Deborah begins to question the effectiveness and authenticity of her career. She wrestles with the importance of childrearing. She moves to a safer career yet still struggles with the same questions. On one assignment Deborah meets her old male colleagues and finds herself defending her choices to these men with fetus envy(men who try to belittle women who raise children). Shutterbabe is my hero--a woman who makes a difference while young and again as a devoted parent of two children. I look forward to learning of Deborah Copaken Kogan's next phase. I recommend this book to all young people--men and women, to gain a richer understanding of the places we hold in this world and how we all might take a step forward from here. Be inspired by this young woman's incredible bravery and the conviction of her thoughtful choices.



5. Good book, I'm jealous of her career, someday...

3 comments about Big Cats (Wildlife).

1. This book is a excellent reference for the person who wishes to learn about the "Big" Cats and the "Great" Cats. It goes into detail on all species including sub-species, range, habitat, behavior, the status on threatend species and the tragedy of now extinct species. Superb photography and graphs make this book the perfect addition for your library. The references section of this book also points out other publications which would be benificial to the reader



2. This is among the best books I've ever read. It has my top 8 most favorite animals, the eight big cats, in it, the information is etched in terrific print and detail, you can learn tons from it, and the photos are absolutely glamourous. There are few, if any, large cats I have seen photographed that are more beautiful than the ones in this book. Any cat lover should buy it. By the way, here are the eight big cats, in the order I like them(I love them all, but this is just how MUCH) Okay then, my lineup! Here goes:
   
   1. Lions and Lionesses
   
   2. Tigers and Tigresses
   
   3. Jaguars and Jaguaresses
   
   4. Leopards and Leopardesses
   
   5. Cougars and Cougresses
   
   6. Snow Leopards and Snow Leopardesses
   
   7. Cheetahs and Cheetahesses
   
   8. Clouded Leopards and Clouded Leopardesses.
   
   Sensing a trend here? If you are, good. You want to learn and love the beautiful and majestic animals that are the big cats? Buy this book. It's as good as they get. At least in some ways.



3. A fantastic book for anyone who is interested in big cats. The book covers all eight of the world's big cat species, giving details on such things as; population status,habitat,prey and physical characteristics. With stunning photo's and a clear and concise text, this really is a must for anyone who has a love for these majestic creatures.

5 comments about Drawings of Mucha.

1. I am a porcelain artist and this book has been so inspirational. I think we should have heard more of this artist.



2. I appreciated this book as it gives a different perspective on Mucha's works. Being mostly a collection of pencil drawn sketches, it lets you enter the creative process of the artist, while other books I own just present the finished work.
   
   Really useful for who'd like to understand his approach to drawing.



3. This affordable and brief work to the works of Alphonse Mucha offers an introduction to the artist. Includes some early works, preliminary drafts, and finished products. Useful for those who are studying technique--you can see how he drew (pencil--a few in ink). About 60 illustrations in all, 8 of these in color. I remain fascinated with Mucha's perspectives on beauty. Very inspirational!



4. What charm & grace does the man bring forth! Its things like this that make life worth living and makes us all just that much better.



5. The pencil drawings in this book are fascinating. You can really see how he worked on each design, and occasionally the original sketch has some interesting variations from the final product. I particularly enjoyed some of the less popular works that are to be found here.

No comments about Okavango: A Journey.

5 comments about Serengeti: Natural Order on the African Plain.

1. Pay heed to the subtitle of this book - "Natural Order on the African Plain" - as it does not shy away from images that may not show up in a children's book. I'm so glad this tome is still in publication, as it is a beautifully photographed document of life and death on the Serengeti Plain that stretches across Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa. Photographer Mitsuaki Iwago has captured the vibrancy of the mythic wildlife of this expansive area, in particular, the scope of the Great Migration, when over a million wildebeest and zebra travel hundreds of miles in search of water.
   
   Iwago has a wondrous eye for detail, whether it's an uninterrupted pattern of zebras with their heads bowed to drink up from a watering hole or a gaggle of hungry hawks gnawing on the dead carcass of a lion. My personal favorites are any pictures showing adult animals and their children and the ones showing the Masai villagers living so naturally amid the wildlife. Even the eye-wincing scenes of death make for vivid reminders of how essential the cycle of life is on the plain. I have been lucky enough to have been on safari on the Masai Mara, which is the northern part of the plain, and the images in Iwago's book perfectly evoke my experiences on the range rover as we looked at life happen. This is a great coffee-table book at the right size not to be overwhelming.



2. This book has the pictures we wish we could have taken, excellent information, covers the serengeti from rain season to dry. Highly recommend for someone going to or who has been to the serengeti.



3. The pictures are stunning.

   But it is only a coffee-table book, and there it will remain, because pictures is all it is. You get no sense of place; it is impossible to orient yourself ... a nice picture of an elephant is just that, and this book provides no context whatever.

   But, it does have nice pictures.




4. The pictures are fine, but this book won't show anyone interested in wildlife anything new - & it doesn't explain anything...



5. These images bring the Serengeti to you. This being largely a pictoral tour of the Serengeti, words do it little justice. If you are an intelligent animal lover with a pulse, you will pay twice the cover price for this book.

2 comments about The Fourth Wall.

1. Having previewed many of these photographs in New York magazine over the years, I was pleasantly surprised by how amazing they looked in the book! Amy Arbus has an incredible talent for hitting on the characters true essence. Stunning, stunning work!



2. Beautiful portraits in a perfect printed grayscale. I like the way the actors were taken out the scene and become reallife people

5 comments about Wind and Water: Boating Photographs From Around The World.

1. Got this book for my girlfriend for Xmas and she loved it. Onne has a great eye for sailing themed pics. One downside is the racing pics are a little dated. Wound recomend to anyone.



2. This is a book for sailors ,and people who love beautiful photography
   these images capture the energy ,beauty,and lifestyle of sailing. I am not
   a sailor myself but these images pulled me into a world I could only
   dream of. A wonderful addition to any library.



3. This is a beautiful book. If you love boating or the water this would be a great coffee table book for you.



4. I bought this book for my husband, who is a sailing enthusiast. It is an absolutely beautiful book with gorgeous photos. My husband is very pleased with it. I originally saw it in the Williams Sonoma Home store, of all places, where it was selling for a much higher price.



5. If you love sailing, the sea - or anything vaguely nautical, this is a fantastic book to have around. The author is obviously someone who really loves photography, sailing and the sea - and it shows.
   
   There are over a hundred large beautiful color images covering boats, boat races such as the Americas cup as well as some fantastic scenery shots only reachable via water.
   
   However, if you really want to get an idea of the type and quality of the photographs in this book, it is well worth visiting the author's gallery (vanderwal.com) rather than simply trusting my written review.