5 comments about Advanced Black & White Digital Photography (A Lark Photography Book).

1. Excellent explanations and examples - highly suggest it for those interested in mastering B&W digital photos!



2. This book can be good for beginers but otherwise disapointing if you are looking for ways to better your work.



3. This book is a great starting point for learning digital B&W conversions. It starts out with a little history and terminology of the B&W world, then dives into the different ways you can achieve this effect in Photoshop CS2, then in how to use the new B&W conversion tool in CS3. It does have a small section on Lightroom as well, but since Lightroom was new at the time of printing, this section is very thin.
   
   I don't think the book is the definitive book for digital B&W, but I have found it very useful. I will say you will get more out of this book if you have CS3.



4. Could be that as a novice photographer, my expectations were unrealistic. Was hoping to get ideas on how to take better b/w photo's. Perhaps I should have paid more attention to "Advanced" printed on the cover.



5. This book has some good points and techniques which will aid any photographer in converting digital color photographs to workable B&W. With that being said, let the buyer beware; you will have to read between the lines (frequently) and make many of your own assumptions in order to really get to the bottom of what this author is trying to convey in the book.
   
   I am extremely disappointed with the numurous typo's and vocabulary errors in the book. Also extremely disappointing are the assumptions made (by the author) as to the readers knowledge of Photoshop and being very experienced at using Photoshop myself, I am constantly shaking my head in dismay at the author's obvious lack of knowledge with Photoshop. His attempts to describe how to accomplish a task or technique using Photoshop many times lack accuracy and also lack adaquate description for even an advanced user to know what he is trying to convey.
   
   Bottom line, if you are inexperienced using Photoshop, don't buy this book. If you have experience using Photoshop, then be prepared to accept the fact that you probably have more experience than the author of this book and undoubtedly you too will notice the many inconsistency's and errors. I could give many examples, but what I am referring to are very evident through out the book.
   
   My general consensus is that this was a quick throw together book, with no real proof editing, and no real concern for accuracy and worse of all, written by someone with no real writing skills. I will not buy another book written by this author.

5 comments about Rainforest.

1. Even people who aren't as avid about nature as I am have found this book to be simply spectacular. It was given to me as a Christmas present and promptly got passed around the room. People who only take a glance have bought their own copy! The large, professionally printed photographs will take your breath away, and the captions and stories are just as entertaining. This book is organized neatly into chapters, and its layout is stylish and modern.



2. Worth more than what you will pay, the images are pristinely clear, colorful, large, and just plain amazing. I am giving it to my 11 year old animal-loving son for Christmas, but I must confess, I want my own!



3. A perfect gift for that hard to shop for person on your list, or...the person who 'has everything!' This beautifully illustrated and timely piece of literature uses imagination, intoxicating photographic talent, and intreague creating this work of art, with everlasting beauty for all ages. The distinguished global vastness pulls the reader into its clutches and keeps them craving for the next page. The accompanying CD highlights the haunting sounds of the Rainforest and echos it's melodic and transcendent voice, escorting the listener to the very heart of the...Rainforest! A+++ Highly recommended.



4. When I purchased this book at the bookstore, I couldn't wait to get home to "devour" it! The photography is stunning, capturing the glistening water on the feet of a rainforest frog, a bug's terrifying view of a hairy tarantula, and the inquisitive look on a chimpanzee's face. Some photos focus on the details of a creature (like the patterns on a caterpillar) instead of the whole animal to provide a different, often-overlooked, perspective. In some areas there are series of photos to show the reader what is normally shown in video - leaf-cutter ants demolishing a leaf, cut-by-cut; the molting and emergence of a katydid from its old skeleton; the lazy-day movements of an orangutan in a tree.
   
   Although the focus of the book is definitely the photography, the items are arranged under topics such as Diversity, Predators, Survival, and Cycles with accompanying educational articles. The reader definitely has an opportunity to learn and well as enjoy the wonderful photos.
   
   The quality of the photography in this book is absolutely spectacular - Thomas Marent is tremendously talented. This photographic journal of his journey through the rainforest will truly fascinate and enchant the reader!



5. Without doubt, the best set of rainforest photographs I have ever seen. I live in the tropics (North Queensland, Australia) and am very interested in quality depiction of the subject of rainforest flora and fauna. This book sets a new standard of excellence, especially regarding insect life. This is an important part of the world's record of rainforests, and probably could never be duplicated due to global warming.

5 comments about Gentleman: A Timeless Fashion.

1. This is a nice book if you're looking for a history of men's clothing and why certain clothing styles are the way they are. It is not a "how to" guide to building a wardrobe. The book is a nice adition to a library that already has other men's style guides....but don't let it be your only one.



2. I should say that this is first and foremost a coffee table book.
   
   The main contention seems to be whether this or Flusser's book is the "quintessential" guide to men's style. It seems to me that this is a false dichotomy. Flusser (and might I recommend Antongiovanni's "The Suit") is a *guide to* men's style. "Gentleman" is a book *about* men's style. There is a subtle distinction here. I think it could best be described as the difference between a Time-Life book about WWII and "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich". The one might be prettier, easier to read, and give you a decent overview of the subject, but if you want to get into the nitty gritty of numbers and details, you want to go with the "real" book.
   
   "Gentleman: A Timeless Fashion" is a great book to keep on your coffee table and flip open occasionally, but if you want real, useful information about men's style and tailored clothing, go with Flusser or Antongiovanni.



3. Compared to A.F.'s books, this guide to men's clothing is not very useful unless you have a lot of money. However, the photos and anecdotal information are great, and it is a fun book to browse. If you enjoy men's clothing, you won't regret owning it.



4. This is a lifestyle guide, which is sophisticated. Not at all like the Machiavelli Suit book where complicated writing styles and dodgy advice overtakes the look.
   
   The author helps you nurture a look.



5. This book is widely regarded as something of a classic - and for good reason. It has been translated into no less than 17 languages. Of all books on the subject it is the most encyclopaedic in thoroughly covering everything from shaving, to suits, to sportswear, knitwear, dressing gowns and much more. The whole book is crammed with succinctly presented information from start to finish that it becomes a perfect reference book to keep on the shelf.
   
   For many people the question will be whether to choose this or Allan Flusser's 'Dressing the Man'. The answer is really that they serve different purposes. If you quickly want to know how to look your best for a job interview in a suit then go for Flusser, as his book best explains suits in greater detail, and better still, tells you how to coordinate it with the shirt and tie. Roetzel tends to be more segmented and tells you less about how to coordinate the different items.
   
   However, Roetzel great strength is that he has countless little tips jam-packed into his book that Flusser never touches on. One point at which Roetzel thoroughly surpasses Flusser is in his section on shoes, which is by far and away superior. The plethora of full colour photographs of different shoe types and on what occassion they should be worn has superior clarity to the brief and poorly illustrated overview dealt the topic by Flusser. Other places that Roetzel surpasses Flusser is his discussion on items such as sport coats, overcoats, socks, as well as with extremely useful tips such as how to fold a suit jacket when travelling, and even the best way to iron a shirt.
   
   One point worth mentioning is that the book is orientated towards an English ideal of what a 'gentleman' is. However, the book was originally written in German and also gives a good continental perspective on how the French, German and Italians have adopted English fashion. Of course the likes of Ralph Lauren and Alan Flusser still strive to recreate the classical English look to the point that these Americans strive for an ideal more English than the English themselves. What you will read here is therefore perfectly adaptable to New England in the United States and unless you are a Southerner in your seersucker or linen suit there will be precious little that fails to translate into an American setting. Also Ivy League looks do get a bit of mention even if it presents an idealized and nostalic Ivy League look of yesteryear more American than Americans.

5 comments about The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book: The Complete Guide for Photographers.

1. This book is very well laid out and full of useful information. Written by one of the people that developed the program. Highly recommended.



2. I am using this book in a school setting and I enjoy it. It has all of the details for students from the basic overview to the intricacies of the various modules. I especially like how the text explains how to do things and includes keyboard shortcuts. The "Note" sections in the sidebars provide context and they are sometimes my favorite parts.
   
   If you want to get into Lightroom this book can get you going quickly!



3. I get Martin's Photoshop book with every new version. Now I've got two of Martin's books to get religiously, with the introduction of his new book on Lightroom,
   
   Alpha-tester for both Lightroom and Photoshop, Martin's a practicing photographer and his real world expertise shows in every page. That and his association with many of the top professionals in the industry including fellow PixelGenius members (Fraser, Holbert, Resnick, Rodney, and Schewe) ensures that he's up to date on the latest developments at a very advanced level.
   
   One of the best authors in the industry, he's clear, concise, and thorough. Graphically and photographically Martin's books have always stood out in the field making them easier and more pleasing to digest.
   
   This book covers almost all of the features, making it a definitive resource on the subject. You may not read the entire book (certainly not at one sitting). But you will find yourself constantly referring to it when you need answers.
   
   At the heart of his discussion of the tools and his practices is the notion of an evolving streamlined workflow - getting the job done well simply and efficiently. This leaves more time for making images increasing productivity. That's what Lightroon and this book are designed to help you do.
   
   Martin does a good job of explaining when and why you might move to Lightroom instead of using Photoshop and how to integrate the two. It's something he's done both personally and professionally.
   
   [...]



4. If you want recipes and (sometimes lame) humor go for Kelby's Lightroom book (still useful in it's own way -see my review there). But if you want understanding and how-can-I-do-that-NOW usefulness, Evening is the man. His PS books changed my life and pulled me up over a plateau I'd been on with regard to that program - and I've used Photoshop since v2! He writes to and from a photographer's mindset! He rocks. Get the book. Still useful, even with Lightroom 1.3. And the peachpit press PDF update is free.



5. The first software manual that I ever read, cover to cover, was Word 3.0 in 1987. The second and last one was ACIUS 4th Dimension a programable database in 1987. Never again, until this book, which is actually not a software manual, have I read any software tutorial cover to cover.
   
   Amazon tells me I have purchased 261 products to date and submitted 0 reviews. I do remember making a negative review on a product, but apparently it was not recorded. Most products I purchase already have too many reviews and there is nothing for me to add.
   
   I've read Photoshop Lightroom by Martin Evening, cover to cover while sitting in front of my computer. Lightroom was a surprise for me (I don't negate Aperature by Apple). Photoshop Lightroom by Martin Evening takes the reader through the process of using Lightroom. If you read Martin's work carefully he also leads you to use Lightroom's controls through step by step instructions on photo adjustments. I have to admit that I was using Adobe Photoshop in a very basic way. I am now adjusting photos in Lightroom, very elegantly, by learning from Martin Evening's instruction.
   
   A very good instructional text for those of us who need an expert to direct us on usage.
   
   I would also recomend Lightroom. Lightroom is so beautiful, if you take more than a few photos.

5 comments about Lighting Photo Workshop.

1. I own this book and "Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson". Both books are outstanding with regards to emphasis on Basic Exposure Techniques. Chris Bucher has provided plenty of illustrations, and wherever applicable he has commented on camera technique and ability of post processing to fix incorrect exposures. Plenty of systematic exercises to practice technique. Book is well-priced, and every enthusiast will benefit from a few tips. Very well priced. Must have for an amatuer...



2. Chris Bucher's LIGHTING PHOTO WORKSHOP tells how to use the camera to capture atmosphere and images through a better understanding of light's properties and how the camera works to incorporate it into special effects. From working with natural light to creating mood with artificial light, chapters use plenty of color photo examples - packing nearly every page - as they explain how light can be mastered. The author's commercial photography work lends a business approach to a guide recommended for any general photography collection.



3. Chris Bucher's Lighting-Photoworkshop book is a great guide for any photographer looking to learn understanding and controlling lighting in photography. It starts you off with the very basics of lighting and works you in to more advanced techniques. Anyone can take a picture, but understanding where your light is coming from and how to use it separates the good from the bad.
   This book starts you off with the technical side of lighting so you can fully understand what you are doing. It then explains almost every lighting situation (a bright sunny day, an overcast day or even artificial lighting) you can encounter and how to use certain things to your advantage. It also explains specific examples from anything to nature to people photography. I found myself excited to try the assignments and apply them towards my photography.
   As a graduate from the Brooks Institute of Photography, this book was a great refresher course in a lot of the lighting techniques I have learned. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to take their photography to the next level.



4. Nowadays, a person with a modern camera can expect that most of the time, with a minimum of knowledge, he or she can point the camera at a subject and get an acceptable image. To get something more than acceptable it helps to have a little knowledge of how a camera works, and to apply that knowledge.
   
   Ansel Adams, one of the great photographers of history advised photographers that controlling the light in a photograph was a key to success and wrote three books to teach folks how to do just that. Anyone interested in getting more than just acceptable pictures would do well to follow Adams' advice and learn about lighting and exposure. "Lighting Photo Workshop" is aimed at filling that need for the beginning photographer. The book starts out by explaining the basic elements of lighting, including exposure; by then discussing the role of photography equipment in lighting; and then by considering outdoor and interior light. It finishes up with discussion of specific situations, including portraits, action, landscape, travel, close-up and low light photography.
   
   The workshop portion of the book consists of an assignment at the end of each chapter with instructions to post the digital image to a dedicated web site where other photographers may or may not offer comments on one's photograph.
   
   How-to books can vary in the amount of detail and explanation they give to technical subjects. This book is clearly aimed at the most fundamental level, and if all the reader wants is a rudimentary introduction to lighting concepts, this book will do the job. On the other hand, if one wants a thorough explanation, even if it means reading about technical details that will require concentration to comprehend, and techniques that it will take a while to get used to applying, this book may prove too simple.
   
   Consider for example the discussion of exposure. There is a precise relationship between shutter speed, aperture and media sensitivity that can be measured by a mathematical formula. How one applies that formula depends on the effect that one wants (e.g., do you want to stop motion, or have everything in sharp focus from near to far). This precise relationship is not explained sufficiently. Or consider photography equipment. In his discussion of studio lights, the author discusses strobes but not continuous lighting. One of the most valuable tools that many digital cameras provide to control exposure is a histogram, which is a graph of the distribution of light values. The book devotes a few short paragraphs to this subject.
   
   For the individual who wants a simple introduction to photographic lighting this book will prove adequate. Photographers desiring to use light more creatively would do well to read a more advanced book, like "Exposure and Lighting for Digital Photographers" by Michael Meadhra and Charlotte K. Lowrie.



5. If you're thinking of enrolling in a photography course, just wait!
   You can save that money by learning the professional techniques in this book.
   From the very start, I couldn't put the "Lighting Photo Workshop" book down. The author demystifies lighting and so much more.
   Of special appeal to me, he explains the various types of photo gear without being too "tech-y".
   Not only is the book well-designed with many excellent illustrations, but I find it relevant in my own pursuit of making excellent pictures.

5 comments about Dressed: A Century of Hollywood Costume Design.

1. Do whatever you have to do to get your hands on a copy of DRESSED. It's a visually stunning, erudite and jaw-dropping look at the best costumes and costume designs since movies began. Deborah Landis curated and wrote this hefty collection, and it is her expertise that puts the costumes in context. A beautiful book to treasure and browse.



2. This turned out to be a great gift for a friend who is really into design and is a big fan of old movies. I would have liked to have seen a few pages of the book before buying, so I could get a sense of what to really expect. I would definitely think about purchasing it again--it makes a great coffee-table conversation piece!



3. This book should contain pictures of things worn in the movies, and it does. I wanted more information at times, and the book made me greedy for even more images, but disappointment in this book would most likely be the result of an aficionado's personal quirks and expectations of books of this sort. This book contains Incredible Pictures of costumes, articles of clothing that leave you awestruck by the minds that conceived of them. Pictures of a lot of folks who have passed on, shown wearing things made just for them, I think often just coincidentally in the context of a character - some so enhancing, so perfect, so flattering that all you can do is shake your head and do your best not to wallow in the comforting haze of nostalgia. A book about fashion, costume, and Hollywood. Lots of fun and illuminating facts about the people who paid for, created, made, and wore the stuff. While needing no handicap, when considering the times, the technology, the state of historical research - the realization of some of the older pieces shown in the book is staggering; achievements which broadcast themselves from page after page, from black & white stills, from the beginning of movie making [to the present by the way, which I am personally not as excited by - an inexcusable bias]. A terrific book.



4. This book was certainly well thought and presented. So nice to see the glamour girls of past decades.



5. The glamour of the book strikes any reader immediately. Particularly special is the text connecting the photographs and the costume sketches (so rarely seen!). One cannot come away from this book without a newfound wealth of knowledge of their favorite films and an appreciation for costume designers' thoughtful and purpose-laden participation in creating cinematic magic.
   No picture in this book is boring. I think the one of the most intriguing aspects is the choice of male costumes presented. I, for one, am definitely guilty of overlooking actors' seemingly plain suits for actresses' ball gowns in movies. I quickly learned and indulged in the equally important glamour (or lack there of) of male costumes. I now understand the fine tailoring in Chinatown and I now can smell Borat's grey suit (gross! can you imagine?).

No comments about Looker.

No comments about Terryworld (Taschen 25th Anniversary).

5 comments about Baby Faces Board Book #02: Smile! (Baby Faces).

1. This is a great,well made, and well thought out book for babies and toddlers. The language used with the photographs doesn't trash the English language trying to make cutesy rhymes. The photographs are fun and well done. Any in this series are great. My child loves them.



2. This book with all these sweet baby faces is so amazing. My baby loves to look at all the little faces and always enjoy to watch them. It's really funny book that brings smiles to everybody whom look at it. I recommend it to all mothers and thier children.



3. The baby photos in this book are great and this book has been a favorite of our son's starting at one month. AT 15 months he still loves it. The text is fine but mostly he just loves looking at the fascinating baby faces.



4. Bought this book for grandson and he loves it! Now passed on the his brother.



5. My 9 month old loved the faces in this book, but I couldn't let him read it on his own because the cardboard isn't laminated very heavily. As soon as he started chewing on it, it bubbled up and started peeling away. Doesn't hold up as well as a number of other board books we have. Will keep it for when he's older.

4 comments about Poolside with Slim Aarons.

1. A superb coffee-table photo book that should be in every home that can boast an in-ground swimming pool. While the images show American and European jetsetters at poolside during the 1950s to the 1990s, it does inspire us slugs in the middle class to work to achieve that oh-so ethereal (in-ground) swimming-pool lifestyle that typifies having "made it" in the modern age. Pour yourself a martini and then sit by the pool as you enjoy this book. You don't have to just dream it. Go ahead--live it. Just ask the late actor Burt Lancaster's character in the 1968 film "The Swimmer". Then you, too, can swim home.



2. Slim Aarons was given rare access to the super rich and he captures them perfectly in all their shallow excess: all vacuous looks and gorgeous scenery. His images are famous of course, as much for the famous people as for the art of photography. This book is not to the level of, The Place in the Sun, mainly because, as that book was comprehensive the one is..well..about being poolside with the Euro trash and American trust fund baby's. Personally, I kinda like the voyeurism his images provide, and it makes you feel glad, even with all their wealth and jet setting lives, that you are not one of them; to look back on your life and know that all you did was spend money and jet set would be pathetic indeed. Overall, good book, interesting text and quality images, but the other book on Aarons is better.



3. This book is unfortunately not as enjoyable as other collections of his photos and really quite boring. Whereas Once Upon A Time and A Place In The Sun evoked an era and gave you either a voyeuristic peek into the lives of old money,some great photography, or both, this book gives very little of either. I was hoping for equally compelling and thematically consistent imagery here but unfortunately the title misses the mark. I wish the editor/publisher had been more discriminating.



4. Poolside is a great collection. I am an enormous Aarons fan and have his two other currently in-print books. Poolside shows some of the once great, but now little known members of an international society which is now all but gone. Doinnes, gold-diggers, and scions comingle in glamorous pools wearing Cartier watches, gold bracelets, and the classic '70s look, the gold chain softly nestled in a bed of chest hair. Hermes beach towels and Vuitton bags hold vigle under umbrella tables, visited by bowtie clad waiters refreshing drinks for little sister as she flirts with a countryless prince. Whats keeps his work from being complete camp, is that it was all real. People trully lived these lives. They weren't acting for a camera, they were caught in that moment when they were just happening to be having cocktails in Jamaica with Mrs. so-and-so.
   My only complaint is that many of the pic.s have been previously published in prior collections and others just don't have all the impact and roundness held in the selections Aarons made for the works published in his lifetime.
   There are many "society" photographers. None are Slim Aarons.