1 comments about New York Then and Now (Then & Now Thunder Bay).

1. Very dissapointed, ended up with this tiny little book I cannot see with out magnification. I will not buy another then-and-again books until I get dimentions of the book. This was 1/3rd the regular coffee table size.

5 comments about Polaroid Transfers: A Complete Visual Guide to Creating Image and Emulsion Transfers.

1. This is a great book- full of artistic pieces and knowledge on how to recreate your own work! I wanted this book for a long time, found it on Amazon and paid a fraction of what I would have paid in the store!



2. Though this book was published clear back in 1997, the information is timeless. I tend to shy away from older how-to books, but this is a great book to add to your art and craft library. I wish all how-to books were this thorough and informative. You get your money's worth here.



3. I've been wanting both of her books for awhile now and I finally splurged and got both of them (the Polaroid Manipulations book that concentrates on the SX-70 manip process).
   
   When I first flipped through this book I was blown away and amazed by the content. This book is the number one resource for helping you along with your Polaroid transfers and emulsion lifts. It is HIGHLY informative. The author guides you step by step and even provides some background information on how the processed were discovered. She also offers a lot of inspirational material in an advanced techniques section of the book. At the end of the book there are artist galleries with drop-dead-gorgeous work!
   
   I recommend this book highly to anyone who wants to get into the alternative processes with the Polaroid medium. Don't hesitate... get a copy today!



4. This should be in every Alternative Artists(Photographer) library. Well written, excellent examples and very comprehensive. You should be able to flourish in the medium after experiencing this book. Kathleen has consolidated a concise book that brings it all together. A value to all.



5. Very useful book for those of you starting out with image transfer or emulsion. Easy to read with a great artist section.

4 comments about Self Portrait Che Guevara.

1. The usual revolutionary psychosis on display. Committed to "saving the world" once he got power he was at a loss to do anything but make vacuous speeches and, of course, kill, until he was up to his elbows in blood.
   As he discovered that the real world was a bit more complex than his teenage formulations, he tried time and time again, Congo, Russia, China and finally Bolivia to escape into the role playing and costumes of "man of the people" but never duplicating the thrills of the Sierra Maestra until betrayed by Fidel he died alone in a mud hut, with the solace that millions of like wise vacuuous teenagers would someday wear his picture on a t-shirts while getting stoned.



2. I purchased Self Portrait because it sounded like a good biography/autobiography of Che Guevara. What the book actually is is a coffee table book, with small excerpts from Che's diaries and letters and commentary by the editor, Victor Casaus. It seems in some parts of the book that Casaus is more the author and that his words fill the pages more than Guevara's. This book has great photos of Guevara and it decorates my coffee table quite nicely, but if you are looking for a good history of Guevara, look elsewhere.



3. A very interesting way of portraying the Cuban hero through pictures. My one criticism is that the pictures at the end of the book are not captioned to tell us what they are or when they were taken.



4. If you are tired of the same books on Che Guevara, this is the different book. Formed by texts and images based upon Che's own life it follows mainly the same path of its biographers but in such a beautiful way it made his own daughter Aleyda (who rarely saw him) exclaim: "the photos in this book are so magnificent you feel a desire for kissing him, embracing him and keep talking to him" (she means with his own personal texts based in his own testimony).
   
   The selection, prepared on the first hand with the remembrance of a lost love (by his widow) and on the other, by the professional eye of Victor Casaus (a Cuban cinematographer who had been many times a judge on international film competitions) you can follow Dr. Guevara from his childhood, young age, his travels, the Sierra Maestra up to his last days in Bolivia.
   
   Sorry, no Christ figure photo (in the words of its own editor). Keep in mind this is a pro-Cuban Government book so you instead will find Fidel, but judge by yourself. My only last opinion is that if this people can produce such a book in a system so full of censorship, I do wonder what they can achieve in liberty!

3 comments about Striking Images: Vintage Matchbook Cover Art.

1. I think all the books I've seen on this subject merit high praise, but Striking Images stands out for its layout and focus on the artwork itself. The juxtaposed covers allow for many great samples to be consumed by the eyes at once, while other blown up images assume a Pop Art painting quality. So do not mistake this for a book on vintage matchbooks; this is about the art on the cover. At this price I feel this book's a deal considering the design and thought devoted to it by Mr. Beauchamp - well done! I've encountered his unique passion and perspective on other ephemeral subjects in various issues of Blab!, another book I've collected and highly recommend!!



2. As the back cover says 'Striking Images is a must see collection of vintage covers...More than 500 images inside!' Good enough for me because I love books about popular visual culture and this one could join the other three I already have about match art.
   
   However I was rather disappointed in the book because of its production. The main problem is that every matchbook has been reduced to a square of either the front or back and then presented butted up (mostly) four to a page so they hardly look like matchbooks at all. It's as if a book about stamps had all the perforations cut off and then joined together. Many are shown whole page, making them too big and over-emphasising the crude printing quality. The book really ends up looking like a collection of badly printed, colorful and exuberant, advertising graphics. Though divided into eight sections there are no page numbers except on the chapter openers and with the covers crammed into all the pages it is annoyingly difficult to find a particular section.
   
   It could have looked so much better like the earlier Chronicle Matchbook Art by Yosh Kashiwabara. Here many of the matchbooks have their front and back shown but the main thing is that they have plenty of page space surrounding each one. Another book: Close Cover Before Striking: The Golden Age of Matchcover Art (Recollectibles) is a handsomely designed title with thirteen chapters of well presented covers. Both books show how fascinating these throw-way bits of art are.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover,



3. Even if you don't care about matchbook art or matchbook collecting, this book is highly recommended. It collects these beautiful pieces of pop culture ephemera and presents them as art, which they truly are. Each page packs a graphic punch that will knock your socks off. Not only are the endless variety of matchbook designs visually stunning, but Mr. Beauchamp treats the medium itself as part of the piece, enlarging the images so the texture of the paper and even the impression the ink makes become art. A very tasteful and classy treatment for this disposable art form. (I was going to say "unmatched" but I stopped myself.)
   
   The selected artworks run the gamut from restaurants to mascot characters to cars to strip clubs. There's a whole chapter devoted to inspiring, art deco imagery from World War II, any one of which would make a great poster.
   
   Given the limitations of the medium and the printing budget, many of the matchbooks are designed with just two or three colors, making this a textbook for the graphics arts student. In an era in which any ink jet printer can reproduce millions of colors, it's fascinating to see what yesterday's artisans did with such a limited palette.
   
   Some of the matchbook covers are close to actual size while others are blown up to fill the page. Given that there are as many as four pictures on some pages and the book totals 272 pages, there are in excess of 500 pieces of art reproduced here. It's impossible to find a favorite among so many gems.
   
   If you're looking for a good summer book to enjoy at the beach, prepare yourself to read "Close cover before striking" a few hundred times. But if you want to soak your eyeballs in America's rich graphic heritage, Striking Images is a must have.

5 comments about Behind the Beat: Hip Hop Home Studios.

1. I bought this for my boyfriend as a gift a couple years ago (he is a hip hop head) and it is seriously his favorite book. He loves going through the different studios and it seriously inspires him. A lot of the producers in there are not mainstream and he loves that.



2. this book is awesome, would recommend this book to anyone who is into music, a dj. real nice book



3. knocking off one star on this book for the way they packaged the CD
   it's in a little paper sleeve attached the back inside cover of the book
   
   Now, I like my things to stay as fresh and clean as possible and this book was a highly anticipated gift to myself. That's where my troubles started...
   I found it a bit difficult to get the CD out without practically ripping the paper sleeve open. Ever see a record sleeve that hasn't been cut to the right size, seams all busted out and split open. Not nice. Finally found that you gotta wiggle the disk back and forth (wikki-wikki-wikki-scratch-scratch with that fragile digital disc) to get the thing out.
   Just when you think you've got it, the little white gummy strips of industrial strength rubber tape that are supposed to keep the flap closed smear their sticky gummed up gummy gum crap all over the disk. Yum.
   Ruined the CD. Won't play at all now. Would like another one please thank you.
   
   Warning - remove and destroy tape as soon as you buy this book before it destroys you.
   
   I've got a number of books that have CDs packaged in them and this is the first one I've ever come across that was designed this poorly. You don't put the gas can next to the fireplace - don't put sticky snot like tape on a CD flap.



4. I saw this book at Urban Outfitters but it was like $30. I loved the images and since I'm a bedroom producer, I loved the content. I hopped onto Amazon later and found it for almost half that price! The only downside is that it doesn't go in-depth enough about each producer's studios. I would've liked to learn more about their gear and environment.



5. If your like me and love vinyl, read liner notes front to back, spend hours in dusty un-nameable places looking for that perfect record (preferably in the dollar bin) and produce your own music then this book is a worthy addition to your stuido. Even if you don't have a studio it's still worth pickin up if you are a fan of "underground" hip hop. Raph takes you to many of the most prestigous producers "bedroom" studio's (not all of them are bedrooms) showing you their working enviroment and their gear. I can sit and flip through this book for hours on end disecting each picture finding the key elements to the studio's (and trying to pick up some new titles to go diggin for). If you are at all interested in how the sonic landscapes were crafted for some of the greatest albums in the last 10-20 years pick this up! Not to mention the fact that the DJ Ransom's Mix CD is worth the price alone as it includes rare and classic tracks!

5 comments about Handmade Shoes for Men.

1. i love this book for all the photographs inside. it's extremely helpful in understanding the art of shoemaking as opposed to shoe manufacturing. the vass brand name and family name churn out exceptionally high quality shoes and boots, and it's great to see a book detailing just that.



2. I think this is the only book of its kind, or at least the only one in print. The photographs are great, as is the content.
   
   The only disappointment I had was that I had purchased the book in part to try to understand better my own shoes. However, after reading this book, I doubt very much that the various shoes I've owned are constructed in the same manner, so I haven't gained any useful insights. I'm still stuck with price-tag as a mediator of quality, which I hate.



3. I want to make my own shoes, and this book explains a LOT of terms that I couldnt find definitions for. VERY detailed, with a lot of interesting history related to shoes. Nice hardcover, with color glossy paper.



4. The book is basically one-of-a-kind and that alone should give it some due respect. You will come away knowing more about shoes and their manufacture than you ever thought possible. However, if you ever visit Vass in Budapest for a fitting, don't expect them to follow the lengthy steps outlined in the book for having custom shoes made. They won't. How quickly (and simply) you are measured will come as a great surprise. That said, you will still be stunned at the beautiful (and perfect fitting) shoes that you will receive. And through the book you'll be clear on how they came about.
   
   HIghly recommended for the clothes horse.



5. If you want to know how to make shoes or just want to know how shoes are made this is the best book that you can buy. Every page has beautiful closeup color photographs. Just by looking at the photographs alone shows you how it is done and there are many, many, photographs showing you every stage in the process of hand making a pair of men's shoes.

5 comments about Macrophotography: Learning from a Master.

1. Just received this book. He has nothing to say about Nikon bodies & equiptment. His formulas for magnification rates are dead wrong. Very outdated info. on Digital. Who cares or has the money to do microphotography. Uses very expensive equiptment that the average photographer cannot afford. We don't have access to National Geographics photography equipment. Very wordy and nonsensical information that you can get from any general photography book.
   
   The quality of the photos and paper is very nice. But, John Shaws Closeups has much more and accurate information for the average photographer. There is also a new book that I just ordered that was just published and reccomended by Shutterbug for just $16. This book is being returned to Amazon.
   
   Save your money. If you want some great pictures (which this book has) go to previous Natl. Geographic issues
   
   Don't wate your money!!



2. This book is captivating! When I first picked it up I just looked at all the photographs. Then I had to read how the photographs were taken. This is the book I dream of publishing with my own photographs one day. The reading and techniques are basic, but it is definitely a book for your photography book library. The pictures are AMAZING! They inspire me and they will inspire any photographer, beginner or professional.



3. That the illustrations will be fascinating it was clear to me before I got the book. In addition, the enthusiasm of the author for the subject is quite contagious, so beware: if you buy this book, you will soon end up spending time behind your camera!
   I also enjoyed the way the book presents both sophisticated and simple equipment, and has the good sense not to discourage you from going to take pictures with something that is not top of the line. On the contrary, many passages encourage you to experiment and improvise.
   What I did care less for are a couple of math blunders (the explanation on the rounding of aperture values on page 102, f/8 is actually f/8 and not f/7.999) and inexact print of the DOF formula (on page 117).
   I also enjoyed the loving and respectful attitude to nature and all living creatures.
   Finally, there are lots and lots of tiny details about shooting in the field that I learned from the book.



4. I found this book:
   
   1) Full of awesome pictures. Will inspire you to want to be this good!
   2) Lots of text - gives a good overview and lots of details. Good for the beginner up to intermediate level of knowledge. If you are an expert, I doubt you would be reading books like this, you would be writing them.
   
   The reason I gave it only 4 stars is that this book is HEAVY. This is not a book you cuddle up in bed with at night. In fact, it's big enough that it's even hard to read on the couch. You will need to sit at a desk or table to not feel like you are being crushed by it. If you want, feel free to read it while you are doing your morning bicep curls and in a few short weeks... people will nickname you Arnold!



5. The book is full of good information and broken down to understable chunks, with lots of great pics. Some of the equipment he is recommending is very pricey for your average hobbyist, but if you want to learn and see macro photography this is a good choice

5 comments about Portrait Photography: Secrets of Posing & Lighting (A Lark Photography Book).

1. I've got several books on lighting, portraiture, posing, etc. This is the best of them all. Its got the best all around coverage of any book I've seen. And it has a great section on posing. Its clearly written and has super examples.
   BUT, there are no lighting diagrams if that's what you're looking for. For that I'd recommend Grey's Master Lighting Guide. It will take you the next step when you're ready to get more technical and fine tune your skills.



2. I read many books of Studio Lighting, Photography, Portraits and I think this is the best of all. Very interesting, very detailed and big and nice pictures. A lot of information.



3. If you have the desire to shoot portrait photography, then you want to own this book. Its not the end all of every book on photography, but when you want to know how to do short lighting, or your a professional wanting to brush up on the basics, this book will be your go to book.
   
   Well written, lots of samples, and practical, useable advice. It is an excellent book on setting up and using strobes to create portraits that will wow your subjects.



4. Taking portraits is a hobby of mine. I have a studio set up in my house. The author has really good ideas for improving portraits. Although I already have about 6 other books on portraiture, I'm learning good things from this book. He shares simple tips from his years of experience. It's better than most of the other books I've already got. Many examples of poses are given which I am finding helpful.



5. This book contains some very useful advice on how to set up lighting and positioning your subject for good portrait shots. The writer does not list each shots camera settings which would be helpful to the beginner.

2 comments about Face of Fashion.

1. The contemporary fashion portrait is the focus in FACE OF FASHION, which brings together paintings made for the fine arts yet embodying fashion styles, standards, and art. The array of photographers whose works appear here all have a distinct, unique style within fashion photography, making FACE OF FASHION an excellent juxtaposition of varying approaches and styles and a top pick for any college-level art or fashion library. Full-page color images blend with essays and writings about the photographer's approach and the fashion and art worlds.



2. If you think of fashion photography as being the pictures of clothes draped across beautiful bodies to be shown in advertisements, you will find only a small percentage of the pictures in this book to meet that expectation. Instead here you will find photographs that are striking, that don't really fit with the idea of selling a dress. Indeed if 'fashion' implies clothes, some of the pictures here don't show any clothes at all, just the form of the model.
   
   The result is a collection of photographs that show what the best of the best of photographers are doing today. Striking, yes. Disturbing, sometimes. Beautiful, often. Sexy, usually. Each page brings something to the eye that's usually a surprise.

5 comments about Among Wild Horses: A Portrait of the Pryor Mountain Mustangs.

1. Very nice pictures and such a touching story. I gave this as a gift to a friend and it inspired her to donate to a fund to support wild horses in America.



2. very good book with nice pictures and a very good description of the hourses that I know very well. The book inspire me a lot and it is a diving in a wonderful ocean of wild life. It was a terrific gift that my dad bought for me. Alex



3. Great book.
   I have actually seen these horses that are talked about in this book. It is all true.



4. AMONG WILD HORSES: A PORTRAIT OF THE PRYOR MOUNTAIN MUSTANGS is a gorgeous image-laden photography book from an art photography who spent two years tracking and photographing the Pryor Mountain Mustangs. Her full-page, full color photos of these wild horses in nature are unique and gorgeous: observations of their special challenges and actions accompany the visual treat.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



5. While first perusing and then going back to carefully read this incredible pictoral essay of these magnificent animals, I felt awe and respect for both the animals and their resilience in nature.
   
   The photos evoked in me curiousity and want to see these animals, but also tremendous admiration for the sensitive work of Photographer Lynner Pomeranz. For in her gentle way, we see the texture, color and beauty and the plight of one of the last wild herds of stallions. To see the rugged environment in which these animals survive, brings about a connection with the animals, the land, and the spirit of the horses captured through the lens of this photographer.
   
   The text is supportive and helped me to understand the plight of these horses. So many times the text can get in the way of the photos, but in this case it was interesting and informative.
   
   A truly amazing book.