No comments about Femmes Fatales of the 1950s.

5 comments about INKED Inc., Tattooed Professionals.

1. Book is full of fantastic full-color photos and excellent descriptions of the people and their views on their tattoos. Many hide their tattoos at work, but several do not.
   
   The book comprises 15 people and despite 104 pages, is "short" - as it consists almost entirely of photographs (which is good!). The pages are a glossy stock and should last a very long time.
   
   However, despite the excellent photos the book itself is lacking in "execution" - the typeface is unimaginative (and slightly oversized), the layout is uninspiring, and page numbers are too often missing. The book title on the spine is hard to read, as is the subtitle on the cover. The font chosen for the backmatter text made it hard to read. More information about the people and their viewpoints would have been interesting.
   
   The physical book itself appears to be well-made and long-lasting.
   
   This is one book you will want on your coffee-table - it is not a set of in-depth personal biographies, but rather a set of gorgeous photographs good for a sitting.



2. A very interesting book. Some of the people who were in the book had amazing tattoo art and you could never picture that with their business attire on. There were others that were not very tattooed and I believe should not have been in the book. Book was also to short. 5 minute read from cover to cover. Hopefully the author will bring out a longer version in the near future.



3. Although the book is not nearly as thick as I thought it might be, the many photographs and detailing of subjects more than makes up for it! Definitely a book for those who appreciate tattoos, who have ever had to contemplate hiding them for a job or situation, or just to see some of the very hott, very sexy professionals who despite their credentials, enjoy ink just as much as anyone else!



4. I bought this for a gift but looked at it first before giving it away - very interesting - also very high quality photos.



5. I love this book!!
   
   I always knew there we're probably others like me around, I was hoping I'd find them one day!! The only problem with it is it's too short. We need a second volume Dave!!

5 comments about The Photographer's Handbook (Third Edition, Revised).

1. I bought this book thinking that it would teach me about technique, apeture, etc. Unfortunately, the book lacks detail and most of the book is made up of photographs and then the author's description of how he got that photograph. However, the author has some pretty good ideas for photographs, and thus I used some of his ideas for trying out some photographs of my own. I still was looking for something with more detail and instruction.



2. Lots of pretty pictures... John Hedgecoe has dozens of books under his authorship. The problem is that he recycles the same pictures and text over and over again. Most of his books (like "John Hedgecoe's New Introductory Photography Course ", "John Hedgecoe's Guide To 35mm Photography ", ETC.) are mostly the same book with different titles. Even books that should have different subject coverage, don't.

   It isn't a bad book but it is basic. I had one of his book when I was just beginning but since lost it. Never missed it either.

   Better books on photography would be "Ansel Adams Guide, The Basic Techniques of Photograph" by John P. Schaefer. I'm no fan of Ansel Adams but this still a good book.




3. First of all, I'm not a Professional Photographer, that's the reason why I purchased this book in the first place. I like the topics and the physical size of the book. Other than actual content, I purchased this book as a "Reference Book" so I like to refer to it in the field when my hands are holding 2 camera's and a tripod.

   What I don't like about this book is, that to me it's structured in a way like reading an appliance instructions. Pages are set up in a way where the printing is TOO small to read, even with reading glasses. The book is printed in very light ink, very difficult to read, even in bright light. Chapters are not clearly divided, it's like one big 'run on' sentence.

   Topics are too technical and is really written for the Professional Photographer in mind. Maybe if the title was changed to, "Professional Photographers Handbook", then I wouldn't be writing the review.




4. I found this book to be the best book on all aspects of photography. It shows examples of very simple
   lighting setups and some very very complicated and interesting examples. It will show you how you can set up rooms with conflicting natural lighting, by mixing the lighting with flash or incandesent lighting. It shows you what equipment you will need. In addition it covers everything, and I do mean everything in photography.
   I am ordering another one because the first one I had literally came apart. That is the one thing that dissappointed me. Its NOT the fault of the author. My first book was very poorly binded.
   Some of the pages came loose. In all honesty let me say that I was rather rough with it. If this one falls apart, I am going to punch holes in it and put it in a loose leaf binder. I miss my first one so very much.



5. I agree, its a must have for beginners on up. I got when i first started and still use it today, if i need a lighting reference or film reference. Its tremendously handy and thorough.

   Compared to most college-level photography texts, its also a great deal.

1 comments about In the Spirit of the Hamptons.

1. Kelly Lilloren-Bensimon truly has accomplished what she set out to do; to capture and express to others the true spirit of the hamptons. Whith her myriad of photographs and well written commentary she expresses the Hamptons in a way few others she. She truly melds the old fishing community with the new Platinum community. I feel though that her last line epxresses her book and the spirit of the Hamptons best. "The hamptons is a place where are drivign home and the sunset is so breathtakingly beautiful you have to pull over and watch for a while."

5 comments about The Book of Clouds.

1. This book has terrific color shots of many different kinds of clouds and skies. It's an amazing book for using as an art reference and pretty much covers every kind of cloud you can imagine.



2. For many years, I lived in the beautiful state of Texas, with wide open skies wherever you'd look. After moving to a large city in an eastern state, suddenly the sky became something I had to look hard to find. Skyscrappers tend to block the view. This book not only gives me my sky views back, it tells me just what I am looking at. Thank you for the beautiful photos.



3. I ordered this book for my father for Christmas and I had really hoped it would be something special. We have a sentimental love of clouds and I thought this book would be the perfect gift. I am also a photography student and, naturally, love great photographs. This book was a disappointment. It is cheaply made, and all the pictures are grainy. The cover looks beautiful from a distance, and that's about it.



4. I purchased this book to reference for my painting. I found the variety and quantity of photos great, however the quality of the photos is questionable. Most of them are grainy (an artistic treatment?) and some appear to be low res images scaled up to fit the format of the book. The paper and print quality could be better, but if you read it to learn about clouds it would suffice.



5. This is the second copy I purchased in 2007. Will buy more for gifts in 2008.

1 comments about Raw Youth.

1. I'm a girl who likes her men and her porn natural-looking. Nothing beefy or shiny or cheesy. No props, elaborate sceneries, silly costumes, or strange facial expressions. This book is exactly what I was looking for. The guys are the kind of people you find standing behind you at the grocery store, sitting a few seats away from you in class, working at coffee shops and bookstores, working out next to you at the gym, or sitting beside you at a pub. They're just normal guys who happen to be posing nude/masturbating/making out with each other in their apartments, and there is something deliciously naughty about that being captured on camera.
   
   Men and women alike would enjoy this book, especially if they (like me) are completely burned out on looking at fake, cheesy, low-rate pictures of ugly old men. Women trying to find the male equivalent of Suicidegirls would be especially happy with this book.

5 comments about The Ansel Adams Guide : Basic Techniques of Photography - Book 2.

1. Well, it's a great book for basic techniques. I bought the 'Book 1' and was able to understand the second one, unless you know about photography, you don't need to read the first book.
   
   The 'Book 2' is really the continuation of the first one, and so it continues on subjects like exposure, development and printing. I am disapointed by the chapter on exposure though. I was searching for a deeper understanding on the exposure notion. Still! Great book.



2. I posted an in-depth review of this book previously but, for some reason, it did not show up here so I will try again. However, this time I will be more brief. This book is excellent but, like the other two books I have by Schaefer, it is riddled with technical errors. There's no excuse for that. The experienced photographer may catch most of the errors but the student probably won't and that could cause some real problems. The section on film testing, for example, has many serious errors.
   
   I find it a bit irritating that Schaefer literally plagiarizes Ansels photography series of books. By that I mean, Schaeffer lifts whole pages, text, illustrations, etc. Some pages even have the same font styles as Ansel's books. If you took away what has been taken from Ansel's books, this book would be a lot slimmer. I have no idea why Schaefer doesn't simply speak for himself. It's fine to make references to Ansel's writings and photography but to copy it is another thing. But the one good thing about that is that the parts that are copied from Adams are at least correct.
   
   This book has large sections on alternative processes. For someone really interested in those processes, the information doesn't have enough depth. However, it is a good overview of those techniques.
   
   The sections on digital imaging are downright funny. They are so out-of-date that the reader should get a good laugh from them. This book should have stuck with traditional photography because digital photography is changing so fast that it is more suited for periodicals.
   
   
   If you use this book as a reference for film testing, etc., be very careful. There are so many errors that they can lead you seriously off the path. I have made so many corrections in my book that I might as well have written it myself. I cannot understand why Schaefer didn't have someone proof-read it. And some of the errors are glaring!
   
   All that said, I still think this book is a good addition to my photographic library.



3. I like this book very much because it explains different concepts and terminology in simple terms -- good for people who are trying to learn photography but not knowing much yet (like me). There are a lot of pictures in the book, so it isn't boring at all.
   
   It also explains traditional photography very well, including cameras, darkroom etc. However, don't expect much from the technology section of the book since it is quite outdated, however it does give you a brief background with the technology though. (It's only a minor problem... anyway)
   
   Recommended to those who are interested in photography.... also get Book 1 as well.



4. This is a beautifully printed curiosity / collector's item.
   
   Contrary to the book's title you won't find much useful information about photography in this book. Most of its pages are devoted to arcane and obscure film print development techniques. While many of these techniques are interesting and can produce fascinating results, let's face it; do you really want a book that teaches you how to print a black and white film photo with pasta sauce and Epsom salts?! If so, this is the book for you!
   
   The rearmost 1/4 of the book is cursorily devoted to digital image processing. Note that this book dates back to 1998, absolutely ancient by digital standards. So although the basic concepts presented are good the changes to the digital scene have rendered the digital material basically useless. Which is probably fine with the author (note that that's NOT Ansel Adams), as I could almost hear him hissing as he wrote that section of the book.
   
   I bought this book at a bookstore (what's that?) and it was shrink-wrapped in plastic. So all that i could learn about it was in the blurbs on the cover...which are very misleading.



5. Schaefer has taken on a major task in reworking the material to reflect changes in equipment and materials while maintaining the thoroughness, attention to detail, and spirit of the Adams' series. I feel that he has succeeded nicely.

   While a lot has been borrowed directly from the previous work there is also much new material and the format itself has been changed substantially. The book now opens with a thoroughly enjoyable, albeit brief, history of photography before getting down to business...Although targeted at a bit different readership than its predecessor, An Ansel Adams Guide: Basic Techniques of Photography, Book I is a good read and destined to become as much a classic as the original.

5 comments about ABC.

1. We originally found this book at the library. We wore it out in the two weeks we had it. The only problem was when the book was put together it was not in order. My kids wanted to check it out again but I was afraid they would think that was the order of the alphabet so I ordered them their own copy. The pictures are great and they will use the phrases from each letter over and over again. It's helped my three year old recognize letters everywhere. We bought a few more Wegman books because we enjoyed this one sooo much!



2. This was one of my son's first favorite books. He would listen to me read it as many times as I was willing, and because of Wegman's non-cutesy approach, that was many times indeed. Although the dog-formed letters aren't as clear as text, they don't need to be - there are many other instances of the letters on each page, and hearing them is as important as seeing them. Overall, a great experience in enjoying reading for parent and child alike.



3. This book made me wish learning the a-b-c's were this much fun back in my own childhood. The photos are amazingly original and your kids will truly enjoy coming back to their letter lessons with Wegman's adorable dogs. A very fresh approach to teaching! NOTE: check out Wegman's fairy tales featuring his prize dogs too.



4. My 5 year old son has this book memorized. He laughs everytime he reads it. It has also been very helpful in teaching him the alphabet. It is an especially fun book for us since our pet is a Weimeraner.



5. Funny with a different sense of humor. Characters become quickly familiar. My two-year old's favorite (and I don't even like dogs!).

5 comments about Commercial Photoshop Retouching: In the Studio.

1. This book came too late. I was wrestling with a large billboard design and finally had it shipped to the printer when this book came in the mail. The book really helps one understand the power of dealing with many subjects. For me, the section about making low res images look high res made me think twice about my techniques and better informed for the next round.
   
   This is a book that actually lives up to it's title. Creating motion from stillness, extending backgrounds, trap, were informative, but these are only subsections. The book runs the gamet, from dealing with the issue of professional photoretouchers to improvements on reality, creating new items, shadows, even a full section on colour and then on newsprint.
   
   Definitly a book for the advanced user of photoshop and one that requires a full read through rather than the reference tool type. The information is deep and compact in a great layout. I would reserve this for the library or bathroom before opening up Photoshop. If you do any sort of retouching or deal with photos for advertising and print, this is a book to have.
   
   Good for professionals and educators and people that love to mess about with photos.
   
   5/5



2. Honiball has chosen a collection of useful advanced techniques to present that every serious Photoshop user should take the time to learn and add to their arsenal. Though definitely designed for the advanced user, anyone comfortable in Photoshop can appreciate and understand guides.
   
   I did find the instructional guides to be written in a somewhat unfamiliar fashion when compared to most how-to books. Rather than exhaustive instructions outlining (both textually and with screen shots) every step required to get to your goal, the major highlights are presented in paragraph form, assuming you have some ability to know what is going on. There are ample and well-chosen screen shots to show the progress along the way, just skipping the unnecessary page fillers you find in titles targeting beginners.
   
   Though I found most of the techniques and samples presented very practical, the real power is the underlying ability the reader picks up along the way. I particularly enjoyed the coverage on shadowing, including both the theory and application for different perspectives. A few of the pre-press techniques would be used by a fairly limited audience, but again this title brings to light some advanced and practical tools for business professionals.
   
   If I were to summarize what you pick up from this title, it would be how to take original photos, then enhance and combine them into a stunning production. I highly recommend adding this book to your library if you fall in the intended audience. Though not a reference book you would pull out for how to use specific tools, this is a title I plan to re-read once a year or so as a great reminder on some great techniques.



3. As someone who is lucky enough to work with Adobe as a beta tester, and who has read through many a Photoshop book, I can recommend this title to anyone who is an amateur photographer or serious hobbyist (or even a graphic designer who is into photography and retouching). While it won't teach you everything, there are many valuable techniques to be found here.
   
   Bear in mind what this book isn't. It is not a Photoshop reference, and by that I mean it's not the right book -for example- if you're unsure how layers work or how to use channels. It's not a way to understand and learn the tools for the first time, but rather a way to use those tools in the specific context of retouching images. IOW, it will teach you a better way to skin the cat. (note: I like cats, it's just an expression).
   
   The examples used are mostly relevant to real world usage and they are easy to understand and follow. Probably this is not the best book for learning special effects or the kinds of compositing you might see in product advertisements where graphical elements are blended with photographic ones. There are gigantic books dedicated to stuff like that, and so if that's what you're after, better to use one of those.
   
   But if you want to learn useful ways of touching up skin tones and faces, adding a mood to a photograph by manipulating tonality across the canvas, etc. This is a good place to start.



4. Great techinique and the tips that he book has for color balance. the photo retouch very clear.



5. Title: Commercial Photoshop Retouching in the Studio - A Guide to Professional Photo Retouching and Compositing
   Author: Glenn Honiball
   Publisher: O'Reilly
   ISBN: 0-59-00849-X
   Reviewer: Bruce Frank
   Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
   
   Whether you're a seasoned Photoshop pro or a casual user attempting to revitalize the family photo album (or somewhere in between), this book will be an invaluable resource. Beware, however, that there are no quick fixes to some of the more serious retouch challenges.
   
   For example, Honiball states that the best option for sharpening image details in a particularly fuzzy image is to "painstakingly draw in paths around the troublesome area." Those of us who have been using Photoshop for a while have unfortunately discovered this phenomenon - it can frequently take hours to achieve a satisfactory result when attempting to enhance a problem image.
   
   Taking, in effect, the opposite approach to Scott Kelby, whose shoot-from-the-hip writing and Photoshop-user style gets right to the point in rapid fashion, Honiball exhaustively details the steps it takes to achieve a specific effect or correction. Although at times didactic, he nevertheless creates a thorough and informative textbook, rather than the educational comic that Kelby or Russell Brown might offer (not that there's anything wrong with that!, to put Jerry Seinfeld's immortal words in a different context).
   
   "Commercial Photoshop Retouching in the Studio" is illustrated throughout with well-chosen color screenshots, most of which are presented in cinematic fashion - a true step-by-step approach which is extremely effective. It's like watching a video you can pause or continue at the flip of a page.
   
   If you need to know how to prepare artwork for a printer, retouch photos like a pro, or create photo-illustrations for the commercial marketplace, you can't do better than Glenn Honiball's book. However, when using this book to guide you through your own projects on a computer, I would advise keeping one hand on your mouse, and one on a Mocha Cappuccino Grande.
   

5 comments about Room Service.

1. Move over Bruce Weber, there's a new shooter in town! Adam Raphael's work is in what I would call the Bruce Weber school, but the student surpases the master in many pictures. This beautifully bound book (that will actually stay open when you lay it flat) is equally suitable for the living room or the bedroom. Adam's work has a quality and depth that will take your breath away, he has included a variety of body types with a concentration on fitness. Included are some of today's most sought after male models including Joseph Sayers, Paul Tornabene, and Evan Wade. If you pine for the Abercrombie & Fitch Quarterlys of yesterday, you'll be more than satisfied with Room Service.



2. Boring. I was expecting stories, but it's a very expensive book with just photos of very feminine looking boys.



3. I've seen lots of photographic art books of the male body, but this one is truly amazing. The lighting is perfect. The color and clarity of the images are crisp and natural. Special praise must be given to the publisher/printer for recreating them in book form.
   
   To say the men are beautiful is an understatement. They make the guys from the old A&F catalog look frumpy in comparison. Two particular models come to mind. One has green eyes that I could lose myself in and never find my way out. Another has the squarest jaw I've ever seen on a human being. The epitome of Scandinavian perfection.
   
   They were all photographed in hotel rooms. The captions for each photo has the model's name along with what room number they were in at the time. I've done only a little traveling in my time, but these hotel rooms represent an order of magnitude of elegance I've never experienced myself.



4. Yes, the pictures in this book are beautiful... beautiful men, beautiful lighting. But unfortunately there's no frontal nudity in the book -- it's all artfully concealed. So I'd say it's definitely high-quality photography, but unfortunately it leaves me disappointed.



5. The absolute stunning beauty of Adam Raphael's latest work reduces one to such primitive exclaimations as the above.
   
   The photographer has corralled his usual cadre of boys next door and photographed them in various locales of an upscale hotel. Aside from the luxuriousness of the setting, another difference emerges in this collection, the use of nudity. As an artist of unerring taste, though, Raphael presents nothing gratuitous or grotesque. The naked glimpses are of several shapely backsides and nothing more (and nothing more is needed). Raphael trusts the imaginations of his viewers to fill in any erotic gaps.
   
   The book's design is magisterial, the paper luscious, the lighting ethereal.
   
   Adam Raphael has entered the ranks of the masters. And in ROOM SERVICE he has produced not merely a masterpiece but the finest male picture book ever published.
   
   One would be wise to purchase a copy now, as it will no doubt someday be a collector's treasure on the order of Bruce Weber's early books (and of Raphael's own FRIENDS from several years back).