5 comments about Burlesque and the Art of the Teese/Fetish and the Art of the Teese.

1. As usual, the elegant and enchanting Dita Von Teese manages to dazzle the senses and delight the eyes. Not only is the book a burlesque fan's dream, with page after page of gorgeous Dita playing dress-up, but she also manages to fill it with nuggets of history and how-to. The fetish side is equally satisfying, and a must for any fan of S&M. The dichotomy of the book, one side she's a sweet, sex kitten and the other, a smoldering, spanking temptress, showcases Dita's dual nature. I LOVE THIS BOOK!



2. This is a great book. The pictures are beautiful and the reading is quite entertaining.



3. The photography is superb, the layout is fantastic, the concept of two books in one is wonderfully unique. Buy this one in hardcover before it's gone and you're forced to buy a cheapy paperback later - an outstanding book and magnificently produced.



4. I absolutely loved the photography in this book! Very tasteful and beautiful. I especially liked that it is two books in one. Great coffee table book and a perfect gift for any woman/man who appreciates real glamour.



5. This is a spectacular publication for anyone interested in this most intriguing woman and the re-emergence of burlesque. Glorious glossy photographs and pithy conversational text make this a compelling read, and an inspiration to anyone who has ever wanted to take charge and re-invent themself.

5 comments about Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography.

1. The only disparaging thing I can say about this book is that it caused me to purchase a better dictionary.



2. I am somewhat stunned and dismayed by the negative reviews of this book. In fact, it has seem to elicit a sense of vitriol in some.
   
   It is a brilliant book. How does one state simply such a complicated phenomenon. One doesn't. Those who rated this book so poorly biggest gripe was the complexity of the writing. Well - it is a complex topic. But, I think Barthes beautifully and deftly counters this complexity with his personal reflections. The book is both a critical assessment of photography and an emotional one as well, and this is what makes it so wonderful.
   
   It is not wholly unexpected that most all the negative reviews of this book come late in the day - in the ever increasing time of sound-bites, instant pleasures and generally non-reflective immersion.



3. Sorry to say, although Roland Barthes is an icon to some. This short book is self-indulgent, unintelligible, and therefore useless. The author is far more interested in himself than he is interested in the subject.



4. If you're thinking of reading this hoping for some insight on the creative process of the photographer, don't look to this ponderous, jargon-laden critique of "The Photograph". Barthes readily admits he's not a photographer and his viewpoint is only from side of the observer and the object. Barthes does offer a couple of intriguing ideas: the concepts of "studium" and "punctum," but since he seems to concentrate almost exclusively on photographs of human subjects (portraits and photojournalism), much of those ideas aren't as developed as they should be. Instead, he tries to explain why certain photographs evoke an emotional response (the punctum) in him. Of course, I may have misunderstood his point completely but not for want of trying. His esoteric use of existentialist terms makes it a tough read for those without a substantial education in philosophy. In any case, much of his critique has been overturned and made obsolete by the advent of digital photography (he explains early on that he doesn't have the patience to be a photography because he wants an instant result; there's nothing more instant than a digital photo) and digital photo manipulation (e.g. Photoshop).



5. After reading these last few negative reviews i had to write in about this, one of the most amazing books i have ever read. It is true that this book could be thought of as for the well read and serious academics only, but really, it is a book for anyone wishing to challenge the true nature of photography and its effect on the individual and society as a whole. No, it is not for those who simply wish to sit and idly consume 'pictures;' if this is you then do not bother even picking up this book.
   
   This book attempts to help us navigate the way we consume images, to make it easier to understand just what it is that draws us to them so much, and which for me it did beautifully. Barthes doesn't try to give all the answers, but rather approaches his explanation in a very poetic (not long winded as another reviewer said!)and personal language which gives an intimacy that is very rare in academic texts.
   
   If you truly want to open your eyes to the wider implications of photography then this book is a must (along with Susan Sontag's On Photography)

5 comments about Scanning Negatives and Slides: Digitizing Your Photographic Archives.

1. A real eye-opener for those wishing to delve deeply into scanning. The author's goal is clearly the pursuit of the highest quality scan within the capabilities of the level of equipment considered. Every facet of the activity seems to be covered, including discussions of the popular software packages currently being used for scanning. The theory behind scanning is also very well covered, and presented in a way that stimulates and educates at once. Must reading for anyone who is either ready to commence or just planning ahead.



2. Scanning Negatives and Slides: Digitizing Your Photographic Archives [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)by Sascha Steinhoff is a perfect addition to my photography library. It is both a source book for instruction as well as a tool for solving particular problem areas as they come up in every day use.



3. Easy to read and reference and help you refine your way to streamline your scanning and getting great results.



4. While the book has some helpful information, it is all in all disappointing for readers who already own scanners and seek help in using them to best effect. Specifically, over 50 pages of the 230 in the book seem aimed at helping the reader decide WHETHER to digitize slides and negatives in the first place. I would have liked a clearer and more comprehensive explanation of whether, why, and how one can use the multitude of settings and tools on the better scanners. The writing, editing, and use of illustrations are passable but not as good as I had hoped and not nearly of the quality found, for example, in the Ben Willmore books on Photoshop. The Steinhoff book includes a DVD containing little of readily apparent value; the promised software turns out to be limited trial versions easily found on the web, should you want them.



5. I'm an amateur photographer who is learning how to scan film. When I see this book I'm very excited and expect it can improve my skill in getting a better output. To be frank I'm totally disappointed when I read the book. The book gives you a very good introduction about scanners, basic scanning principle and terminology, and popular scanning software like Nikon Scan, Vuescan and Silverfast........and it ends here.
   
   If you expect it teaches you how to tweaks options in these software? Look elsewhere. If you expect it teaches you how to extract every details from a film using a particular software? Look elsewhere. If you expect it teaches you how to handle a problematic film? Look elsewhere. If you expect it teaches you varies in-depth workflows in scanning film? Look elsewhere.
   
   Even the pictures in the book are bad. e.g. How you can illustrate the sharpness effect of a curl film in scanning if your picture is not sharp in the first place?
   
   Bottom line: If you know nothing about scanning, this maybe a good book for you to get "just" started. If you've been using your scanner already, skip this book and use the money to buy more film.

5 comments about Complete Digital Photography, Fourth Edition (Graphics Series).

1. Complete Digital Photography (4th Ed) is a good basic explanation of how digital photography differs from film. Having browsed the 3rd edition before buying the 4th, I found much of the 4th Ed to be repetitive and there was not substantive new material. That does not diminish the value of this book if you are getting started in digital photography. This book should be of value to the novice photographer as well as the accomplished amateur who is switching from film to digital. Warning: if you are looking for a book to guide you through the artistic side of photography -- the 'how-to-take-a-great-picture' instructions, this is not the book for you. This book explains how things work, why they work the way they do, and can serve as an excellent reference for the novice digital photographer as he or she gets more into the craft and wants to try new things. As a relatively accomplished amateur film photographer, it has eased my transition to SLR-digital.



2. While Ben may have some good ideas, he clearly lacks in the knowledge of the cameras. This shows through time and again. For example, the fact that he will choose a camera of a specific brand over a better camera from another brand only because of the name printed on the body is simply laughable. Very biased towards certain products without regard for what works best. Sometimes when he gives advise that is completely wrong simply because he doesn't know enough on how to use a particular device or technique.



3. In depth yet easy to understand topics regarding digital photography and use of dslrs. highly reccommend.



4. I have never written a review on anything, but I felt compelled to write a few lines about this book. It is simply AMAZING! I went from nearly zero knowledge about digital photography to producing great looking images with my Nikon D40. As a matter of fact, I just put one of my first photos in a frame and I'm ready to hang it and display it in my home. The feeling of accomplishment is just great.
   
   This very thorough book begins with a non-intimidating review of technical aspects of digital photography (focusing on digital SLRs), follows with tips for better shooting (composition, exposure, etc), and finishes with post-processing (color and tone adjustments) and output (printing). It truly offers EVERYTHING you need to dive into digital photography. The post-production tutorials are particularly useful. I would suggest that you download a trial version of Photoshop CS3 or get a copy of Photoshop Elements in order to enjoy tutorials in the included CD.
   
   Five stars! No question about it.



5. I got this book for a digital photography class and I love it. It is easy to undersand and well put together.

2 comments about Richard Avedon: Photographs 1946-2004.

1. According to photographer Anthony Snowdon, a viewer, when looking at a picture, should not be able to tell who the photographer was. That may be true about his own photographs; he was wrong, however, when it comes to the work of Richard Avedon. Many of his photographs are instantly recognizable as uniquely his or the shots of someone imitating him. Mr. Avedon gave the world the portrait where the subject, often powerful and famous-- although that is not the case in his series "In The American West" when he shot unknowns-- is photographed looking straight into the camera without flattering lighting or camera angles before a white background. These models rarely smile although Janis Joplin and Willem de Kooning are two exceptions.
   
   This latest collection of approximately 200 of Avedon's photographs is the catalogue that accompanies a traveling exhibit of the master photographer, which began at Denmark's Louisiana Museum of Modern Art and will close in San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art. It must have been a difficult assignment to select the images that are reproduced (so beautifully) here. Many of Avedon's most famous photographs are included although there were some that I had never seen before and some I missed seeing. (For example, I would have included the magnificent shot of Tina Turner that usually fills a museum wall when it is exhibited.) The one color photograph by Avedon here is the famous or infamous, depending on your point of view, of Nastssja Kinski and the Serpent (1981). Several fashion shots are included. My favorites are the two of the model Dovima-- with the elephants in 1955 and in front of the pyramids in Eqypt in 1951.
   
   The photograph of Peter Orlovsky and Allen Ginsberg, naked and embracing, that was-- I believe-- the cover for an issue of "Evergreen" magazine in 1963 made the cut, as did Andy Warhol and members of the Factory (1969). Some of my favorites, although I cannot always say why, are the shot of Bob Dylan taken in 1963 where he looks to be about 13, (I think it is the tilt of his head that intrigues me) W. H. Auden standing in the snow in New York in 1960 and The Generals of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Photography doesn't get better than that shot.
   
   Avedon always said that he just photographed the surface and that the viewer only gets whatever the photographer sees in a brief moment of time. He contended also that the photograph usually tells you more about the photographer than the subject. On the other hand, the writer Albert Camus said that we are all responsible for our faces after the age of forty. Some of these portraits cry out with Camus' message. I would nominate the image of Truman Capote (1974). The word "dissipated" comes to mind immediately. Contrast the Capote photograph with, say, those of the Dalai Lama and Salman Rushdie, from whom a sense of peace emanates. It is poetic justice that the artist Francis Bacon's own face takes on the grotesque shape of many of the faces in his paintings. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor (1957), looking into Avedon's lens, would make you believe that the rest of the Royals were right about them, that they were dreadful people.
   
   Accompanying this great photography collection are essays by several writers and art and photography critics assessing Mr. Avedon's contribution to 20th century photography including Helle Crenzien, Geoff Dyer, Judith Thurman, Michael Juul Holm, Rune Gade, Jeffrey Fraenkel and Christoph Ribbat. If you do not read all the essays, do not miss Geoff Dyer's discussion on what has become Avedon's signature, the portraits where the models are in front of a stark white background where the people who posed for him, if not known to the public before they sat for him, were famous thereafter. The people included in In the American West series-- drifters, waitresses, coal miners, truckers-- are every bit as engaging as those of the rich and famous and are now just as immortal.



2. this is by far one of the greatest photographers of all time.
   this book is also one of the most inspirational books i own or have read.
   the pages are some of the finest paper and the images all look like no others.
   the text is written so well and executed perfectly.
   
   a must for any photographer in any aspect at all.

5 comments about Life: The Ultimate Picture Puzzle: Can You Spot the Differences? (Picture Puzzles).

1. Enjoy these puzzles and the puzzles are entertaining. The puzzles are ranked as beginning on up. Very fun!



2. 
   The pictures in this book are really great. Don't want to write on them.
   It is lots of fun and quite challenging at times.



3. I love brain teaser puzzles and this book is great fun. I purchased the 3 pack and gave a book to my 9 year old son, he loves it. It is addictive and hours of fun! Fun for the entire family. I would recommend these as great gifts for kids instead of video games. My husband enjoys the puzzles too, I use him when I can't find something.



4. As a child I loved hidden picture books and as an adult I still love it. This books is great for all ages. It has different degrees of skill levels for everyone. I am own my way to collect them all!



5. Another ADDICTIVE puzzle book! Really great for giving as gift for the "hard to buy for" person.

4 comments about Photoshop CS3 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)).

1. Plenty of Photoshop CS3 books on the market update information to this latest Photoshop release, but few offer an extensive desk reference packing in the latest tools and techniques of the latest program with easy details on how to do everything from simple adjustments such as specifying size to using layering and blending modes for advanced compositions and refinement. From full color screen shots and color examples of modified photos to techniques and strategies, Photoshop CS3 All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies is one of the most extensive coverages on the market - and a perfect pick for any who find detailed Photoshop coverages confusing.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



2. If you are like me -- an intelligent (I hope) experienced computer person who has never used Photoshop but wants to learn how to do useful work (not just play around) -- this book is for you. For example, you can actually look in the index and find what you are looking for.



3. I liked "Photoshop CS3 for Dummies" as a good overview text - then I use this "Photoshop CS3 All-in-one Reference for Dummies" as a detailed text on most of the heavy features of Photoshop. I was pretty good with Photoshop CS and all the versions of the program before - but I am learning a GREAT deal from this tome on the more sophisticated features.



4. This is a great resource at a fraction of the price of the book from adobe. Highly recommended!

4 comments about Jeff Smith's Posing Techniques for Location Portrait Photography.

1. While text in this book is useful at times, but you can get pretty much same stuff from most of "Posing techniques" (including brilliant books by Gomez on glamour photography) books out there (including few very good ones). There is VERY little specifics about on location posing, which book supposed to be about. Couple of chapters on how to sell your work - dont even understand why they were added, apart from making up for volume. Most of images in book are pretty mediocre, and like 70% of them reminds you of what person who just learned how to apply gaussian blur in Photoshop to smooth skin and make Orton's effect would be keep doing out of sheer excitement (and i kid you not. Image on the cover is one of very few good ones).
   
   On the whole - very few good tips and loads of repetition of other books. And very few good shots , which actually looks professional (sorry for repeating this, but its kind of strikes me. I never saw such a horrible stuff before in a book that pretends to teach people)



2. I received my order yesterday and started to read this book. I couldn't put it down. It had so many points I would have never considered, and wouldn't have guessed that would matter to a woman. For example, ankles are about the only thing I never notice on a woman, but they do. I would have thought leaning a person up against a rock for example would be a great shot, well, not exactly. Mr. Smith covers nearly everything from the tilt of the head to how the toes should be positioned. Also another thing is how to creatively hide areas of a person that are going to make an otherwise great shot into a reject. Great pictures of women, guys and families. He certainly brings out the beauty of the gals in his poses. (I must say though that with most of these gals, making them look good is not too hard.) Well worth the price. Amazon delivered in about 4 days. Ric.



3. Jeff Smith is certainly one of my favorite authors in the field of photography. This book, like his many other texts, is well written and illustrated. Jeff breaks down posing into the simplest of terms so that anyone can follow his step by step instruction. His examples of group portraits are especially helpful and beautifully executed.



4. Jeff Smith does a nice job of conveying the strategy behind photography outside of the studio. Not only informative but also teaches the reader to sharpen his/her skill. Posing techniques for both individuals and groups as well as maximizing environmental surroundings to work for your photographs are discussed in detail. An invaluable book for any photographer's library.

5 comments about Reef.

1. As a diver, I have long said that it is sad that the experience of being within coral reefs can't be communicated by photography, film and video. Well, that was before "reef". What a truly rewarding experience it is to repeatedly view and read this wonder. And, it's comparatively inexpensive for such a large high quality publication, too. I also like the fact that part of the proceeds from sales go to the Coral Reef Alliance for saving our planet's threatened coral reefs. Buy this book for yourself, your family and the local schools and library. For me it really is that good.



2. If you love scuba diving then you will enjoy this book. It includes a beautiful DVD with great music as you watch the fish.Informative pictures and expression of reef and the living creatures contained there. Very enjoyable.



3. I checked this book out from the library, but now I want it for my OWN! The pictures are beautiful and the DVD is a great bonus.



4. This book is more than I expected. And the bonus was the DVD. Soooo many U/W videos are poorly managed, filled with backscatter and murky green. This was obviously done by people who wanted to produce a book and DVD which stood head and shoulders above the rest.
   
   Clearly worth the price.



5. This book & dvd are spectacular in presentation & message. The photography is stunning throughout. Very reasonably priced and the fact that proceeds go to Coral Reef Alliance make it an even sweeter deal. My son's environmental dive club purchased the book & donated it to our school's library. We've had nothing but positive feedback from everyone who's watched the movie or looked at the book. We plan to show it school-wide during our Environmental Awareness Week. Highly recommended for school libraries, dive shops & dive resorts; display this book & help others get on board with making responsible choices in favor of our underwater world.

No comments about Digital Photography Masterclass.