5 comments about Jackie Style.

1. Jackie Kennedy's Francophile roots made her a unique style icon as the US First Lady. Her appeal mesmerized the public because of the distinctions of her mannerisms, dress, and general image unlike many of her counterparts past and present. Jackie's timeless style appeal is a great place to start for ideas on creating one's own look inspired from a classic icon. The best style is your own and makes the most of your natural looks. Depending on the message you want to give the world ... Jackie and Sophia and Audrey Style are great resource to start.



2. I liked this book alot. I have read numerous volumes about Jackie and this one makes a refreshing change. The approach is both light and informative. The information given is different from the usual stuff and is presented in just the right amount of detail. I particularly enjoyed the anecdotes about Jackie's life during the eighties and early nineties, also the insight into her interior decor taste. The detailed illustration credits were also appreciated. The book is good quality and enjoyable to read.



3. This is a interesting book about JKO, but certainly not the best on the shelves. Keogh makes to many shallow assumptions throughout but, the reader can feel that the author maintains respect for JKO. It is also interesting how she decribes JKO's interior designing style, which I loved. She even has pictures of JKO's dressing room in the White House and her drawing room at 1040 Fifth Avenue, which is a VERY beautiful room. Keogh encompasses many aspects of JKO's style, her love of literature and art, and most of all- her family. A good read, worth the price.



4. I was attracted to this book by its feel and the promise of learning more about that certain "something" Jackie radiates. After mentally debating the price, my lust for more Jackie style information won out and I purchased it. It is a substantial book in many ways but weak in others. The beginning of the book is awkward as the author describes what Jackie was thinking after her husband won the Presidency. How could the author know? The authors assumptions immediately made me question the rest of the books authenticity. As I read through the book however, the author changed tactics and began to describe the first lady using research that was factually supported. She discusses Jackie's upbringing, her role as young woman, and beyond. Though most of the information has been written about before, several aspects were elaborated on to add a new twist and make them more interesting. For example, I had read many times about Jackie winning Vogue magazines Prix de Paris competition, but never in the detail Keough gives. There are a number of photographs in the book but unfortunatly the way they are presented lacks impact. Many are black and white, others small for the page, few are new, and in general they don't have the luster that they could. For example, p.182 has a full size, black and white photograph of Jackie with flowers fully covering her face. If this is one of the never seen photographs Keough promises well I can see why. Another page is devoted to a full color photo of Ari Onasis. Since the full color photos of Jackie are few why not make it one of her? Pamela Keoughs previous book Audrey Style had a much better selection of pictures that made an impression! There are also some line sketches of Jackie in a pillbox. The sketch looks more like Anjelica Houston. The information in the book is broad. The author has obviously done alot of research and she relays the information with her fresh perspective. But many readers will wish for more information about Jackie's STYLE not her life history. For those just beginning to read about Jackie this will be a good introduction but to those familiar with her and the books about her this will be a rehash and retelling.



5. Pam Keogh's clear and stunning portrait of Jackie Kennedy Onassis gives the reader aspects of this complex and intriguing woman from the inside out. It is a warm and visually beautiful view of JKO that goes beyond what she wore where. If you want a glimpse of the private Jackie, buy this book!

No comments about Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 Digital Field Guide.

3 comments about Female Nudes.

1. Stark black and white photos, and, on average, not very attractive models. The defects in the skin were too visible. I thought the text was pretty pointless, too much b.s.



2. The size of the book is good, and some of the models are not Caucasian. However, this variety is substantially undercut by many very similar shots--especially of womens' bottoms. I admire this aspect of women as much as anyone else, but these photographs have a sameness about them that insufficiently honors the beauty of each woman. Finally, some of the experiments at variety, such as taking deliberately out-of-focus or "smeared" shots, left me cold.
   
   The faces of the models are probably the most interesting and beautiful aspect of the entire collection. This book is overpriced and overhyped, but it is nice.



3. Alicia Reyes provides a commentary to Bernard Matussière's monumental photography. And, as model, she provides many of the photos as well.
   
   This oversized book of black and white photos is lush and inviting. The format is simple: one photo of one figure per spread, with a few exceptions, and a simple background, also with exceptions. After seeing so many shots of the figure framed on a neutral ground, the more normal kinds of interior scenes seemed cluttered. And, although Matussière's preference for peeling paint and rough interiors creates contrast with the sleek lines of the models, I found that contrast tipped over into disparity.
   
   I was very happy that the black and white photos included black and white models, too. I like all the different looks that the human species has to offer. I especially like the way light plays differently on darker skin than on lighter. In models with pale coloring, the shadows seem to define their figure, but dark-skinned contours seem more defined by their highlights. Maybe it doesn't make sense in words, but the difference is vivid in the images.
   
   Matussière also emphasizes that most human of features: the buns. Humankind is the only ape that runs on two legs, and the gluteal muscle group is central to that ability. When the deep muscles combine with a pelvis widened for childbirth, the feminine derierre become a true landmark, a necessary and dramatic part of womanly beauty. Although the models tend toward slim hips, many of these photos praise that feature with silent eloquence.
   
   The photos are so commanding that they quite overwhelm Reyes's writing. She is eloquent as well, and also passionate about women's beauty - her own and others' equally, by the sound of it. Although her text is enjoyable, this book is about the imagery. But, as with Charis Wilson's commentary on Weston's figure photos, the model's voice adds a lot to the collaboration between the people on the two sides of the camera. I recommend this highly.
   
   //wiredweird

1 comments about North Carolina Then & Now (Then & Now (Westcliffe)).

1. I love this book. I know how hard and time consuming it must have been to put the book together. I live in North Carolina and it was great to see pictures of what it looked like years ago next to pictures of what it looks like now.

2 comments about The Lost Amazon: The Photographic Journey of Richard Evans Schultes.

1. 
   This is the way to see the Amazon, through the Rolleiflex camera of one of the greatest explorer-scientists.
   
   This is the way to hear of the Amazon, through the Irish tale-telling of Wade Davis, himself an epic explorer-scientist.



2. Schultes was perhaps the greatest ethnobotanists of all time and definitely the father of the subject. In this book, his pupil (and today famed explorer) Wade Davis puts together a sampling of his photographs throughout his life in the Amazon, providing a visual context to the story about the great scientist and explorer.
   
   Schultes lived among indians for many years in the northwestern Amazon, in search for knowledge about its plants and their secrets. He uncovered many hallucinogenic plants in the process, which earned him a cult status in the 1970s. During his time with the indians, he was able to build strong relationships with the natives, which earned a position of respect and gave him the ability to explore their land and knowledge deeply.
   
   Schultes is one of the last great explorers who disconnected himself from the outside world for years in order to collect new specimens and search for more knowledge. Such figures are rare, if at existent in the modern world. He wrote many books about his travels, which would also make interesting reading, especially as they relat ehte knowledge he gathered. This is more of a coffee table type of book, with many pictures and less story. Having read one of his books, I appreciated seeing the pictures of his time in the Amazon.

1 comments about Fashion Magazine by Alec Soth.

1. A unique pictoral entre in to the world of fashion by contemporary photography's favored son, Alec Soth. This is a beautiful book.

5 comments about The Art of God.

1. We often do praise trips to places of special beauty, where we sing songs of praise and worship to the Creator, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
   We go to the Grand Canyon, one example, but also to the lakes and other canyons in Arizona. I have often been to Oregon and experienced the beauty of the water falls and to Colorado to enjoy the Rocky Mountains.
   This book is a praise trip for the reader, each page is an experience of worship. How great is our God, who created such magnificent beauty for us to enjoy. How blessed I was to receive this book as a gift and I immediately bought copies for my family. May many enjoy the beauty of God's creation. We are to fill our hearts and minds with praise and this is a wonderful way to start!



2. The most visually beautiful book I know of, THE ART OF GOD is in appearance a nature photography book of the most glorious sort, but upon closer look it is so much more. Ergenbright pairs brilliant awe-inspiring photography with artfully presented text and scripture verses that precisely match each photo and combine to make the heart leap, the soul rejoice. Though written in the spirit of worship, whether intended or not, the beauty, range, selection, and presentation of the book end up also being an apologetic making a visual case for a Creator that's both an intelligent and artistic designer. The photos are arranged purposefully, with the story flowing seamlessly thru the categories Elements, Design, Environments, and Ebb & Flow. The adjective "stunning" often's used to mean just really beautiful, but with this book it's beauty really does stun or take a bit of breath away. THE ART OF GOD is wonderful for a gift or to put on one's own coffee table for visitors to enjoy. Truly an aesthetic and spiritual masterpiece (and a bargain too).



3. Eden may be lost, but Ergenbright's insightful eye for beauty proves that much of paradise is still to be found. Amazingly beautiful nature photographs of every element can be found in this book: skies, bodies of water, cliffs, and even lava flows present the viewer with beauty that only a Supreme God could create. Ergenbright's modest introduction in the beginning of the book and his Biblical passages leave no doubt in regards to his devotion to God as the true artist here, but Ergenbright's own artistic talents certainly cannot be overlooked! I'm a huge lover of beautiful art and Ergenbright's uplifting Christian messages greatly added to the peacefulness of his breathtaking images, luring me into a state of blissful lethargy. This book is truly a wonderful testament of nature's beauty and I recommend it even if you are not a Christian; everyone can appreciate the beauty here, no matter what faith they are.



4. Former agnostic and nature photographer Ric Ergenbright spreads before us a stunning visual feast of God's glory, as reflected in creation. Travel through gorgeous views of air, water, fire, forests, stones, and more. Not just a coffee table book, The Art of God provides a theology of creation as part of a two-fold design (the second part being the story of Christ played out through history). We can even learn about the complexity of creation, as in Ergenbright's discussion of how freshwater rain needs undrinkable seawater to send it on its journey.



5. The Art of God by ric Ergenbgight is my most favorite book after the Bible. Even people who do not know Jesus can appreciate the beauty found in this book through the outstanding nature scenes that were photographed all over the world. Mr. Ergenbright is truly gifted by God to bring to life in paper form all of these magnificent places.

5 comments about Starting Your Career as a Freelance Photographer.

1. This is a MUST HAVE for getting you off the ground in your photography career!



2. I am not a freeelance photographer, but wanted to learn what it takes to be one. I will definately keep my day job!



3. When I first encountered this book and glanced through its index, after noting that it had been published by the American Society of Media Photographers and Allworth Press, I expected it to be a version of "ASMP Professional Business Practices in Photography"...light. The latter book was designed to help professional photographers with the business aspects of their careers (but I found it omitted reference to many important business questions). I was wrong.
   
   This book purports to be aimed at people who are interested in becoming professional freelance photographers and it starts out simply in the first part with a broad overview, including comparisons of the advantages of attending a photography school and apprenticing to a professional photographer and selecting equipment. It was simple stuff to be sure but I'm told many people entering the career need this type of information.
   
   But when Part II came, there was more meat. It was a first for me to encounter a photography business book that actually talked about where the new professional was going to get his startup cash: family, friends, a working wife, or even (highly unlikely) a bank loan. The short chapter on location and leases even referred to things like zoning and subletting. There was even a section that talked about the collection of sales taxes and resale certificates for tax exemption. The chapter on insurance covered a topic you never hear even experienced photographers talk about although you know they all need it.
   
   Part IV on negotiating contracts and prices even had a pricing model that looked at the costs of creating photographs and suggested that if the photographer could not set his prices high enough to cover his costs (including his own draw) he should not enter the business.
   
   Part V called "Photography and the Law" discussed copyright, privacy and hiring an attorney. It even had a section on income taxes with suggestions on how to keep the books, which combined with an earlier reference to the software Quicken, talked about an issue that the new photographer usually doesn't even think about facing.
   
   You may have noted that I haven't discussed Part III on marketing, which I found the weakest part of the book. It was disjointed and not comprehensive, although most photographers would probably benefit from reading the short but well written chapter called "The Web Site as Marketing Tool." If you want to understand what's involved in marketing I would suggest Scott Bourne's little book "88 Secrets to Selling & Publishing Your Photography."
   
   This is not to suggest that this is the only business text a freelance photographer will ever need. Far from it. With the exception of the chapters on copyright and privacy and releases (which I think covered the fields very well) every one of the issues raised by the book will require more extensive study. But the book will highlight areas of the business of photography of which the beginning freelancer would never think until a major problem exploded in his face. Presumably, that's a good enough reason for him or her to read the book.



4. This book contains a lot of infomation on how to get started on photography from a business perspective- However a lot of the chapters are taken from other books. Also it is very dry reading- kinda like reading a text book, its stuff you should know but you probably take a few naps before you actually finish the book.



5. Talented with a camera? Check out Starting Your Career As A Freelance Photographer, a basic guide to beginning a freelance photography career, which covers everything from skills needed to equipment, locating clients, and building portfolios of successful projects. The meat of Starting Your Career As A Freelance Photographer lies in its photography-specific business savvy, from negotiating contacts and pricing to studio management.

5 comments about The Hidden Gardens of Kyoto.

1. Great picture book, but there isn't much in the way of detailed commentary. Would have enjoyed this book a lot more if there had been some focus on exactly what was highlighted in the photo.



2. After visiting Kyoto , i think this book gives us many opportunities to appreciate so many details of the wonderful and chaming japanes gardens of the ancient Japan capital.
   And the pictures overall taken in fall period are much better,in my opinion, to the spring pictures



3. This a beautiful collection of large-sized well composed photographs of the different type of gardens found throughout Kyoto. They are accompanied with brief text on their design principles and historical background. Might proof useful as inspiration and reference for anyone writing and/or illustrating a story set in Feudal Japan like Samurai-Ninja stories. It might also be a nice surprise present to Anime/Manga fans by adding another dimension to their collections.



4. This book provides an excellent inside look at kyoto's historical gardens, though without much of the context in which they exist (e.g. surrounding city, houses). The photography is fantastic as it realistically shows the reader both the intricate details & broad strokes that make up these complex settings. Keep in mind, it is a serious piece of work and the descriptions are somewhat short and/or dry (but maybe that's the point).



5. The impressively visual photography of Katsuhiko Mizuno deftly combine with the infomative text of Masaaki Ono in The Hidden Gardens Of Kyoto, an amazingly beautiful photography book presenting captivating images of Kyoto gardens. The full-color pictures come with captions in fine print that succinctly inform the reader of the garden's location and style of composition. A summary of basic information and common Japanese garden formations is included in the back, but the majority of The Hidden Gardens Of Kyoto is devoted to resplendent photographs of the gardens themselves. A singularly beautiful treasury.

4 comments about The New Artist's Manual: The Complete Guide to Painting and Drawing Materials and Techniques.

1. This book is excellent if you want to learn everything about painitng. It does not really cover drawing technique, be forewarned. This is his best book, do not buy "art class" or the "artist's color manual" if you chose to buy this book. Basically, he's complied both books into one.
   
   This book really does cover all materials:
   -paper and it's practical uses in concerns to specific mediums
   -brushes and their practical uses in concerns to mediums
   -Mediums: oil, gouche, egg tempra, watercolor, acrylic, chroma, pastels, charcol, conte crayon, ink (both traditional and modern), etc...
   -Mixing media [not to be confused w/color mediums]: linseed oil, turpentine, acrylic mediums (matte, gel, etc.), watercolor mediums, etc...
   
   It does have the same sections in "Art Class" like "where do I start?" etc. It takes you through starting from still life up to portraiture and beyond in this book. It has an additional area of subject matter which is about imagined subject matter.
   
   Overall, it's an excellent reference book, contains good advice on how to go about starting a new medium, and allows for creativity in using mediums by explaining how they work, advantages & disadvantages, starter pallet colors, and permanance.
   
   I would have given it 5 stars if it hadn't claimed to be a drawing technique book...you need a foundation in drawing before attempting this book.



2. This book covers just about everything, but is more informative on mediums other than oil painting. But it does give helpful tips that I had used previously, without realizing it was a standard technique used by fellow artists, but now I see why I've used them! For somebody that wants to do everything from the ground up, including making their own oil paint, then this is the book to own! Provides more instructional guidance than most other books I've seen/bought. Better artist's examples and more professional results with more advanced instructions than most other publications.



3. If you're an artist seeking the basics of how to set up a studio and use professional methods in a range of media, THE NEW ARTIST'S MANUAL: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO PAINTING AND DRAWING MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES is for you. There are so many new materials on the market today that there's an ever-present need for a comprehensive coverage of them: THE NEW ARTIST'S MANUAL provides such depth in surveying paper and paint choices, pros and cons of controlling output under different conditions, experimenting with materials and textures, and much more. An outstanding guide aspiring artists will want to look it - and it's packed with color examples on every page.



4. This is truly a useful and helpful book in explaining not just techniques, but materials: their pros, cons, and inherent challenges in use. But the binding should be much better. Chronicle Books has a history of putting out decent books with cheap and/or non-durable binding, which does not hold up well with repeated use. The spine cracks easily and then you have to be careful from then on to make certain that sections don't become loose. This is not good for a book designed for repeated reference and study. I would have given the book five stars, but for this serious flaw that Chronicle Books has.